NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 442, 14 November 1908, Page 3

NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Meeting at Himatangl.

A No-License meeting was held in the school, Oroua Downs, on Thursday evening last. There was a splendid attendance. Mr Thomson occupied the chair. The speakers were the Rev G. K. Aitkiu of Foxton, and Mr Andrews of Ashburton. Mr Aitkeu dealt with the moral aspect of the NoLicense movement, and combated the statements made by the liquor party that crime and immorality had increased in No-License districts.

Mr Andrews dealt with the statements published broadcast by the liquor party that the bottom and sides had fallen out of Ashburton since it became a No-License electorate. He claimed that Ashburton was more prosperous to-day than it had ever been before. Being a resident of considerably over thirty years standing, and for the greater part of that time holding positions on the Borough Council of Ashburton, on the Town Board of Hampton, a suburb of Ashburton, as member of the school committee and hospital board, and a business mad' of the town, he had no hesitation in denouncing the statements being made by the liquor party that NoLicense was a failure in Ashburton as being absolutely false. He quoted figures to show that the value of property had materially increased, that the comfort of the people had been improved and that business was better than ever it had been under license. He himself owned several shops in the town and was at the present time building more to meet the demand for further accommodation. As an owner of property he could truely say that since No-License came into operation he had received better rents for his shops and had less trouble iu getting his rents iu, than he used to have when the licensed bar existed. Drunkenness was now unknown, and the sly-grog selling a myth. He believed that immediately after the carrying of No-License there had been a little of it, but you had to know the pass word before you could get it and even then it was extremely difficult. But that was a thing of the past and he could honestly say that sly-grog selling did not take place in Ashburton to-day, and any cases of drunkenness came from outside districts. A number of questions were-put to the speakers and satisfactorily answered, and hearty votes of thanks to the speakers and chairman were carried with acclamation.