I.O.G.T.

Manawatu Herald, 11 February 1905, Page 2

1.0.G.T.

On Thursday evening, Mr Palk, Organizing Agent of the Prohibition Electoral Committee, addressed an open meeting of the local lodge in the Good Templars Hall. The audience, though comparatively few—numbering not more than 30—was fairly representative of the temperance workers of the district. Mr Palk is an earnest and capable lecturer, an enthusiastic believer in the cause he represents, and thoroughly versed in all the arguments pro and con the Prohibition movement. Mr Hutchison occupied the chair and introduced the lecturer in a short but appropriate and sympathetic speech. In .the course of his address, Mr Palk dealt with some of the usual stock objections to prohibition; for instance, the revenue question, the liberty of the subject fallacy, the making people sober by act of parliament claptrap, the injustice of taking away the publican’s living, &c., all of which were reviewed in a fashion entirely convincing to the audience. It is a pity that more of those who sympathise with the other side of this question, which is bound to be a very burning one before the end of the present year, were not present at the meeting. Then there might have been a discussion, and some might as a result have been converted free drinkers, moderate drinkers, templars, or even Mr Palk himself! At the close of the address, some selections ot music, vocal and instrumental, were given, coffee was handed round, and a cordial vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by the Rev. Mr Harris, was carried by acclamation.

The meeting ended with the usual courtesy to the chair.