The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1879.

Kumara Times, Issue 1007, 22 December 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1879.

The existence of any society having for its object the suppression of vide and the reclamation of its fellow creatures will) we feel assured, always meet with the approval- and sympathy of the community at large) but when that society—doubtless with -the beat possible motives—usurps its functions and exceeds its duties by ill-advised and unnecessary action, only it frustrates the very object it has in. view. A striking case in point is afforded by the protest lodged by the temperance bodies of this district against the Children’s Picnic Committee allowing a refreshment booth to be erected on the ground where the annual picnic is to be held on this occasion. The whole tenor of the protest, although emanating from temperance bodies can be hardly said to be temperate in language or fair in its deductions. Not content with casting uncalled for reflections on the various clergymen on the Committee, who, both by voice and vote strongly supported the temperance view of the question, the protest contains another assertion that many subscribed on the. ground that the picnic would be the satiie as last year. Now, as a matter of fact, the picnic will be similarly carried out, but our temperance friends would lead anyone to suppose from the wording of the protest that many persons rvould not have contributed to the children’s annua) picnic had they known the Gom-

mittee intended erecting a refreshment booth on the ground for the convenience of the parents of the children and the public generally who attend-. Such a statement as this is at variance with the fact that tkere are numbers of persons belonging to no society, under no obligation, but yet strictly temperate in every sense of the word, who would only too gladly assist the Committee in any manner that would conduce to the pleasure and comfort of the children, regardless of fifty refreshment booths on the ground. We say, and say it with all sincerity-, that if the various lodges whose names are apprehended to the protest had the good of their fellow-CreatUres earnestly at heart in this matter', they would not only have been strongly represented on the Committee> but they would have secured the right to erect the refreshment booth on the ground. This would have been no violation of their obligation as tenders were called “ for the right to erect a refreshment bboth,” the sale of liquors therein being at the option of the purchaser. By purchasing - the right the temperance societies would have been enabled to have either kept the ground free from a bOotli altogether, or only allowed what they considered necessary to be sold on the ground. Here was a grand opportunity for effecting the objects of the order, and slaughtering the resolution of the Children s Picnic Committee at one blow. Why was this not taken advantage of? The present protest would then have been as unnecessary as it is now unwise and oat of place. In conclusion, we may add that in Commenting on the action of onr temperance friends in this matter, wb have done so with no desire to reflect on the benefits of the order generally; but in this particular instance to point out that, after every facility has been offered them to carry out their professed principles, they leave it lb the last moment, and then protest against the decision of a majority of a committee in which their order was numerously represented.