PUBLIC MEETING.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 57, 16 July 1879, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

, WOBKINGHIEN^ TEMPERANCE ■ ■-■■■ ". "yfttf :i „%'/ r.-i X publio metting WM\'held m th« school-, ■ room on Sttttrdiiy 5 "ppprise 1 of ditcutsing the qa»Btiori- of forming a ;> Workingmen's Ten)pei«fee .dub; :Th<»jmt^ 4 tendance was not ionium trout a* might haT* i been expectecl from the enthusiasm mamV letted at Si»j igdxls SmwtirigV 'when; ! Mr Halcombe fir«trl>roached the subject ; , j£Vut this,mignt bfta.ccount?d for by the fact v th»t %h* GhK>rgi»'iSinitr^li"g»V^ on* of tt«ir .popular •ntfrtainmenti tji# . whtjlb •T»n injj, •nd *I»o tb»t th«r« y»i, a metting of the For«it*rt. v '■'■■'...' .;. "■- ■ -s-.-" '■'• ; :??"!> v Mr^^ j. Cit^WFi^MMaTo^d fto; : .^ ~ - chair, and briefly explained the object of the meeting. "' ;: ' : : ■'/■• ■.■*'-<-'".. ';^ •; ■- ? Mr Haixjoxbb oili riting to prppgie. thtj rtt reiolution, mid he^ wgrette^ the, thin attendance ; jet it wiiß^a representative - meeting of iHfel^igentmenj^howpiild take ■a active p^H «i*b* nfaftter. -'. The/objeo&of forming ihe WoAingjnen'i Club wag limply to p ro Tide for thscpftbjio »|id;ien6 iin, • aridj , coming to, a suitiible 'publio-house /—an hetel, in'^t^jinth^M^ ; toxicating liquor. Hjl wafßqire, .there,. jrei;e Viany persons who Wnid' 'opporta-. 'nitrof goin^tb irich a place f far,ref i^eji^nientß, instead of attending the' bf»r of 'a ' piiblicliouie. If anj busineiii had" to bei dbno it' iras, almost ne«fessatj.at; pjrw«pfc to vgojtfb a ; public-house, and the consequence was, they had to drink. Then, agafrif if Qnejhmppened to meet some friends, nnd wanted to hare a quiet chafe, they Kid fco^Jidjournto the hotel,; and of course they could not think of enjoying the acoommodatiqn^hput making soniA rebum for it. *N6. t would 'ask ''.-n is friend, what he would take., , After, .chatting s for a. wkileNol 2 would'recjprdcate, the hospitality of No. l,' : a^4-then ; !N t o.}Bj;':%'o't'- ; liking':t6'be. left out m the.col^, .would do. likewise. Thus m less th^ri'h'alfatf'iroilrfourVAd/six^ pfnee would be spent, and he would be bound to say that i|-ranyro,f.thje three were.fttske.dth> question, he would confess that he would rather not hive Uken the .drink. Then,: a^ain, the population was 4 shiftin? one. There was^from?' time to ihne; -coming 'to* Feilding, man looking for work, and it might be tome tin>ft:b.eforjpjthey,metiwith.ilr,i and. they had to stay at. the .public-houses, where they were exposed to temptatlona to drink, and all knew how :*a»Uy :th* habit, of drink rru acquired/ Theri 'was iiot that and conrftnienc/^6 1 be found m hotels', whioiv he hoped and expected to have iii the Club. But there was another pbuse of the .question ■ ■which must- nWb^ 'oTerTboiwa^- Ther^ Wai ; a large class of niari vrh6^ff f W<6j ftaTe' one glass must hare another^ and nnot heivand so they go on.^ -Many do not leare until they hare spent a pound 6r moTe, iwhieh^they'' afterwards *ejp»t. ,"-. : if-^''theWr" jiad (beetf •notheK place of uccommodatfon : where £ 'in> toxicating drinks were not ;■■ yrOuld ; h»T» been spared theoe ' feelinw' of regrefe It w*s the object of'.|h;e compaoy to P?PTi^ other- place, where instead 6f*Bpen.ling • ,fh*ir monef on what did-: them harm, fiey

thought he' had said enough to show ; the;, oecettityof a Temperance Glub. In JJiigland attention had recently been increasingly drawn to the evils pf^public-hpuses, and a movement had been set on foot to remedy i :those, evils. He. would read. the. prospectus, 'of thel Coffee . 'JPqblio Houses Nat^.nal.^ Society,, limited, formed for tn'e.purp^sis of eßtabli»hing throughout tht United Kingdom coffee and cocoa public-hpuses; .of such a character as could, not fail to be appreciated by the puirlic. ' That was' the prp^pwtul 1 of a^company recently formed at Homo |ori,tb'e purpose jpf. combating ther evUsattendant^pn, frequenting jfublic-iousM!! He hadpubiished .it m the 1 GnuvrMan in^ order 'that they^ mjghV make themselves acquainted with the.schettie'. i Among the- names of the noblemen, men, and gentlemen by who it is . supported ; the was glad: to see those of the Dowager .Duchess pf Manchester.rLaay Mary Feilding, the Earl^f Denbigh, and the Rev. A. Anson. at it Showed :,they.=, would h^yc^atAeatt.rtJj.evr, tympathyj ,as they were interested m. r thei /district. Some ; fi^e or. six months ago^he had wnttenn'omestating that he cbmtemplated star'tihg an institution of:^^ t the ,kind,. and that 5 he might have .'to ask tHern 5 for :'a*sistance m thematter pf,,a,site. , /By the liUi mail her had received, an anaww expret-.-' •ring --their'* iympiiflijr with the moyement;, - andistating that "they^were'perfectly willing' to entertain proposals" regarding a tite (applaiue). He would now givpthem his ideal as' to building. He. thought 'they should make it as large as they could. If they began on a smalt scale, t the probability = was that they would not make it pay. They should make iti atteactivßo. They,, piiglit to itakf'a leaf^qut o&.Barnumk^ Urge advertisers, and. ■ make^it,a, .prpmjnent .{6atur§ y b^.' T lhe town, There, shbuld, be at Heast jjhree rooms-r-a) public-r9pm n a j dining-T room,- an ! d a smoking-propm. , These should, -be comfortably but^nqt; expensively furnished, . ;m*de bright «nd cheerful with a HghV papeK with good roaring fires m the winter to make them thoroughly comfqrfcabie.^j'rhe^they 'should obtain as many freeipaperti ;as possible; and also purchase illustrated- pap'eVa, peripdicalt, and suoh : work^i^t^/The, Sraegtific Arherioan." With regard to" starting a library m, Jcorinection ;w]th: .the; Club,, be/ 'thoug|t they should have a quantity of good booksfcnd light reading, but should. carefully exclude trashy novels. There was at present a.imall^^ library, known as th^Warwick-street^ Library, f w nicawoul(lD ®P la^^* t the ° ls * potal, andthis, with the, addition of a few enbyclbpeditti "and >; iJooks of reference, would meet their requirements for a^time. ; Aa ..to * amusements; he .would suggest that, .they %hd'ul'd haveidraugh^' chess, and ca'rds; ,b% no playing%r hig#stakMst! garnblin^.' He"shduld alsdlike tb'see a billiird-rpbm erected;/ ' when they were m funds , to dQisb; filled with; one or two, tables. There were many who billed a game pt biiliardi,'; andit : wa3 better that toey thjraid^pjAy't^ pubHcrhpuse^'lri fact; ihkj oitithtto, ; raako Club as ; attractive as possible. : ' People could not be alwayt working, and m their hours ef recreatiorith'e'y mußtfihaVe company^ and cqnifoi;tj:-and-;wanaithS. ;He ;did -notmußhdare about, lecturet m suchiinstitutigns ; but that would be a qtiestiori far. f uture contideration. Every now and .thenthe. doors 'might be- thr.own open for a ball, cdhducted nicely and quietly, for though, ;.fdr thej ii knew thatfwhen^^properly^^ conducted, '/bstlla.-: w;ere. very good things "(applause). ' ; With regard to the , meals feq, ,be ,the Company would tave. to say what their character should ;bei He. would, howeyer, femiirk that "people i were at'the present tiine ipaiinj6f>2Os per week fcrbdaTd^ahd '"lodging, 1 or £52 per. v.ear. : ;At, this rate ;twenty jmeni a year, which; would easily J provim .', th»t t of ; ".n}e,n r :with vfobd,; .shelter^ ajid beds of. a jlirst-cla'ss r description. .Similar instn^fionslpaid'atrHp 'dih not see^whyW^ whePß. the, necessarief of^i,f^w»re-BpTnuplir: cheaper,; 'bu'fc theyjjniusjjb^ar.jnjniind „that they would obtain tjjeir goods much cheaper vi.f their business was carried on 'aiarge scale than' they could if; it were resrr'cted' to a small scalb; The providing ofalirge num-. ■her of tlekping : >ap v a'rtm"e'n'iS wat^ai nfost im^ ; * portent Snatter. Public-houses- - had no ■ccoinmodatioßfor .workihgme,nj ;who had to pay 2s per night^fo,r-their tbedi. f Hi« ifieiis u;'wiu iliat^ thay.^ sKovild "puVup a -la*fg» number • of sleeping bunjs 'allowing a' separate, apart- r ment to'eeoh,' and ecSn'dmising'spa'ce as much as.poss*ble. Tb.we should also be lavatories," and' what jwasvery important, 'a dryingfrop.m; fiCe'clidjnot see why such'- could' -iotbt be "proVideilf 'They mighty also a barraokjrooihj with ieverarDuriks', 'whew "men 'coming into town for' a night iQuld ; a^ommodajfced. < Although he war in \favbr 'bf having* a Separate room for eaehifu^nrajhed^pomfortably; and economically. '^D'ouhtless tliere were, difpeuitiei , m their .path. : he, [.had been m the'edtdnyi'K'e-ha'd 1 made-it: a' point only Jjft v sj}e. dimpuUies purpose, \ of^ overeomiriiiihem, .andhe. -*cßuld>^e no diffiffalty .which Lycpuld not be 'overcome m". the, Mjay of rm'akirig tMe-^Club a thorough tuccess. [Thjsli with J .to'm;ea'nsV^That iivbuld dppen'd suppn5 uppn the' sup^brt alpJßorded| to it. ijnliss^ths-publie tpok^n- ijite'f est ; m the rinderfhking;! it; ; mus"?ifail.f s"Therefwere quite' '■ ; sufill i ie'nt"i'ppp"ulrtidn:- <■>'s& tt the''.pkee'4to' subtcribe = thfri'capitkl -.-» reqtttred ; J There w^respleiaty of hYen'-who could' i afford £1 or £2 a.year,at a sabscriptiori", for;which> ., they.^^wortldhave.}t]ie: r'tperman.entj adyVratagii; of the blub. He thought^^capital of £2000 not too muchtfp.rvthe^place.v, .If itr were, found. not eipedlent to .call up the wifiqler they, could .call .up, * i portipn, and barrow the' b'siwice 1 !' 'he •had'a%reat^ .Objection to getting; invqlved ; .m debt. .. Two years ago people wenldhVveJau^ne*! and ifnjper.ed at the idea p£ their having" a Public. Hall m ! s6 ; far -aci v cpmplished, but. they hadi'it,;and.hftd let the contract. He would ask any who were 'willing tb. take shares ;to sign. the list and. 'eafivass the '' t!bxW.n :: 'fbr > ; "He ' ; trufted that all would tb.ejprojlftftieartily^ and make the Club. a credit, to the to wn land; tpfithetnfdivei, \. (Prolonged^ applause.) He, would ■con^ludejb^. roaclirigtKe resolution he' had W propose, which , was — " Thata company -be formed for..the. >pnrpoa.e Tof establishing ,a ,Wo.rking-men' Club' and Tjßmp.e_rancb;H|)^l,Jwit^ and readiing-rVom- attached', and fbr the purpose pf supplying temperance refresh-; ■'.mentis ajid sleeping apartments; to the working-men bfcjj'pilding. and. T.he travelling, alj moderate charges, with a capital of £2000ln £1 shares." . . „„ , -' The CHAiBMAir 'said that Mr.^ Halcombe chad iput the matter^'efOre' ;them .m" a very intelligible manner^ an^ thought.th ey, should \ feel jlhankfurto tHat'gertieman for the care '^h.y&a'd taken in r 'drawing up whi»t ; might betermed hfs program n>9. 4 jf J;j|(^v i^ere.-a|l-,in. they could cawy^ the -scheme to a .tucce#sful issue. r He : would* a'sk'tkem how long it took any of thentits' ipeftd'a ipound- : . in r dfinksi- 'and what ( wpuld^ it J>f,_ wheu^ another jp'ublib-house Va» 4 bpened^ wtiicfr he ; ' was afraid would toon'v beltKeicaSi^ unless they were uni|ed r ip jp,pposing : it, m whidh jjaaeiihe UcerisTw^iuld i'beSefused. .' '* ; mi" BiKßi. m teconding^be ' *e'!iolu;ti6nj, obterved Ibhat a» he had spent.^pmejSJSrjfeart .at-home, wlie're similar insJat'uKions were^in operation) he might make' v sp"roe reniarks 1 whidli' would prove interestingV'tP^ tihem.l him. most when.he.Jrstcame to Fetiflidg, .w,aa. the waßt.qf,accommod^'4p l n ! .' Workingmenwe^el forced to .- go^int4.ho^e,lß-i and if tfiey *|i^ nPt ydrin k t ney-j w^re^lpoke'd^ coldly upon) Another^thipg. which strubk him was the absurd cost of -drink; he thought it was monstrous that tliey should ■ hATe to pay WxpAncrfQt'ft^irinSitv/^is'WiV

liamFbx had told them "the. other eyisnine thathe (Sir William Pox) got his drinks from the, pump. He (the speaker) liked a ; drink.of cold; Water very,well m the lummtr,. but iii the winter time; he liked spmething waymer; He and his family; consumed * bo .H t ; B4 CU P« of cocoa; per week, (laughter) at a cost of >6s., or a trifle over a penny a •up.ana, if«oldat twopence, it would leave ;a ; handsome . profit. When he left the old . country they were just opening- coffee -and cocoa public-houses. ; When itemed there was nojide* of making a profit put of them,, <fe«*4t*fat found that tiheyj yielded overV per cent; He thought if .the scheme paid th ,«X.Bno«ld not pay heavy dividends, but limit 1 them; and 'apply the ; balance to.im-, pfdT^ineßLts. j i'fOne of ./his -, first ■ .endeavours, ajyoung man, on going! to, , any town, wwtp join some Mechanics.'- Lastitution' or Athenaeum. For a subioription of £1 a-; yeptr they -had nice room,' and were well supplied with reading matter. They made lee--tures profitable by charging anentrancefee :of /one ; shilling. There were one or two points on which he disagreed, with Mr. Halombe; put they were mere- matters of detail. ' He thought cards .and. gambling should not be allowed.. If they could not get , ar capital, of. £2 jOQO, he i ; -should, prefer to. • begin with -^?Q0; rather than not begin at , ■all (applause.) J regard' to, .dancing, though . some might object, he thought persons of the<:middle. class would; enjoy :a calico bill from 1 o'clock to 12 without being knocked nip the next day. > He; had great pleasure m seconding the resolution. Mr. J^mes.W-HISKbb, in. response to, an invitation fronV ; the' ; chair,' ' thericani'e for;ward. Hesaid he had not come thereto •Bpeak>but^^heHvas-^ ; 'hlsljfee^he^uift' say:-th^|hli^ I 'happ^ and Yproud~tHattlie Movement' had come about '-.(applause^) Feilding! was unlike most other towns m :New Zealand m being so entirely dependent -oh -mechWnical '-appliinsesi > AsLfort himself'! he was i not 'a teetdtalle*, ; .he,, liked his-glass,, ■though" atone time, he did not take any. Yet. he appreciated the good work. Sir WilliamFp|: was. -doing, .*nd ;tjiqught ; he, ( had, nobly earned his double knighthood, and if hijfailbd to/convert "the old buffers," he 'Wa?in|ve!rthe^iß doing an-immsnsity of good forthV young.. He remembered the time when mutual , improvement societies were ■ first startecf (n the colonies, m which moye- , fiierit; Melbourne had taken the lead; He well fenjembered when he first came to New Zealand; being 5 on IWeatherstoh's one datk "dreary night; arid seeing a ; place;} he made ; fdr it, thinking it wis a place of amusement, but foyund it was a Wesleyari Church. On ■goingjinStie^ioiiKd-tha^a^M^aV Improvement! Society ': was"* being formed; and that was.the W^itt' of ' those societies -m New •Zealand; which had^done so g!>od. The! present movement he .regarded : arjbhe. boldest stroke ever made on behalf of the yojinja; men. j ?'• iMr, ■. Hal<?pmlt>e : had not ; been so definite a»h«i could have wished m. his ; remarks about the.. iß\te,, and . hoped, that lie,., would' afford them further." information on the subject, so that no one mi^ht go away 'with ifaise impressions , as to Tiuterested motives^ There' was nopiace^ih New Zealand where so intt'cK wis 'being done for.youngmen. Qn account of its mechanical* =appli'aricesj^Feilding'.was bo.und to become a. 'manufacturing' district, and -it was. a great matter, tpi-young metf to have the means of improving themselves. The proposed amount of capital was' large, but it could be raised, for from January lo December they were; reaping a crop which the^ bounteous hand of P'rqyiclerice had placed at .their "door: He gfcve ibis hearty suppor,t to the motion before tlie meeting, '- , The Chaium^ thought that -Mr. Whisker's speech, coming as it did from a larg»" employer of labour, jmu.*t make an'impression; on those wb6'hadh,ear:d'it.vv! -; -}:J ' k" Mr^ i HALCOi£Bßi.i said , that before the Gliairman'iput the;re3dlutipnto the meeting, he wished to mike a f e w ' Remarks .in^reply itoi Mr, Whisker's request for further infi'r mation. i nb£in a fpositipn' -to'giv? more definite 'information/ V- His proposal was i ;• to' write home, -and 'asfc. 1 ibernVto give them the best site- in -Feilding on! the most reasonable-terms. iECewas not- empowered to sell below the market value; but Jie do, his b i est;tp;-ind,uce his friends at, jhome ftp tnke, a* interest^in the movement. As)for liiniseif he was prepared^ to-put his name down, f0r.. 50. '.£.2. sharps -or- ,100 •£1 shares 1 (great' : 'appl>'nse.)' 'He thought tliere 'should be.no difficulty In disposing : ; bf* the shares. ;If a man , took ;bn'e < share lie only '■: gave 2s. a jp&t, j that'^^ being. 10 per cent; interest: on; the amount Jie-had -laidrput. He ;' would do his 1 i best for them, and hoped by the outgoing mail to send home papers containing ri?pprts' t qt th> ; presetot meeting'and; the list of. shareholders. • ■j Mr. Cappbb said,: that" before the re»plu- (| faon was'puthe shoSildiiketp eayaword'ori -twoi; X?H? spoke as a bac)?elor,vthd .previous •s.peake.r>i Having [bgen; married jmen .with, comfortable liomes. From his itandfioint' Feliding' differed frqrn large ••towns, where . plajjes of; amusement 'if c '"cX Iviys' 'open j But 'tiiere 'bachelors had either to go to bed or ta the* hot el,, and^ none but . those s who.,had , 'experienced it, tnew the torture of living ,aX! hotels/ Bind- nei: w[as those! : wlio tbolc a^ interest .in ' the ; Clu b: j would' in 'time' < find themselTpa v^i^?", -and wtser : men I .' Without "wishing- to 'appear to throw-cold water on the project he had some doubtß v^hetlier jiuch fcbuilding v as ? Mr.\Hali-. combe had sketched pould. bei . carried out. If- they n'dt'able/tb db'io let'them begin ;on a smaller scale,' say. 'two; rooras.^ and, at ' the etfd bf a year they could enlarge. He todkiS for granted that they would get a site from tl^e v jGoKpoVatlpn, And .he v would suggest that tl'ieysKoutd get'the^sawmillers t'o'give them a. subscription m timber. There were 20 mills m the distriot, ami if each gave 1000 feet; theyjwou^d-haye enough for the builJing." .He saw" 1 some laughing, bHit there was something m the idea. It was 7pn the principle of Araerica; -but by •means of ] which great, undertakings had bean • aoebniplwh^djv - v T3.Q (had; /great, .pleasure m;. • ajipjporbing tK» motion, • Mr. OjiEßO'ti. gave an interesting account of the struggle they had had native town of Belfast. The 'workmen had given ,their labour aflittle^t-:a\time. .Thei build-, ing topk two years to crept, b^iitiri the meadtime they: hired a room and had songs and readings.; He though^ they should .give the society a name, .eqvol ,memberi,,then apply for a site, and after tHey had obtained it get Mr. de Olere to give tivoin" the design of a ■ building that could be easily enlarged;" He swas pleased m having, #l6. opportunity pf supporting the motion; : The Chaibman then : p^t the resolution 'to'the'meeting,''Snd i i : t;'was- carried ' uhani--mp.usjy^apidst great applause. / '„ Mr. HAigoMBB expressed the gratification 'he feitVat('«eeing I :.t,heu»>Bo, unanimous. >Hr s hoped; itliat^hpse wlip were, willing; to give the project substantial support would come •forward and sign the list of sharehplders; He wished to .state that though the title was the Workii.uj Man's; ,Clrtb, fch'ere? woiildibe no dosfcinotionsm(ido.i \, AU m ;Fe:l ling; ; were : wOTking rhen,v :He was a/wprking roan him- : self, and hoped tp; ayailtihimself ;of:th,e, adAnd profits t theiolub »wd.iild nffqrd.. 1 The'OHA'iBMAN annpuncediihnt i&l shares '.. hafl'.been taken' up m the room {applause.) A vote of thanks to the pliair was, carried ;by>acclamationl ; ! ;f '.'■', \]" : ,'' . "" ' : -;'.' 1 , '■"... ",'' ,' -.v-^rW.j 'BTh33qTOTEBsVvMBETISrCK-': J: , ;j A tne«|ting'of sutehtifeipra wns then^ held, ; Mr. Baker being voted tptheciiair. ; On the motion of Mr. Halcomb.o, seconded by; Mr. Capper, it was. resolved— -"That •a

their number be appointed for the. purpose of drawing up a prospectus, canvassing for subscriptions, and doing other business which will be necessary, such. Committee to, consist of Metsrs. Bak(.«r, Thompson, Blackmore, Q-ishard, Beatrice, Oakley, Whisker, Carroll, Bellfit, Worsfold, de Clere, Capper, Beading, W. Nicholas, C. Nicholas, Lucas, Jaokion, Pope, Young; and the moTer. ■ . -.- < Mr. Beading said there was one thing which, had, been omitted. He was sure that' they would all agree with him that Mr- Halcombe was entitled to-a hearty yote of tlianki for .the lucid and intelligible mann.er : .in wlii.'h he had put the matter bef ort the meeting, an,d for the trouble i be -had taken m the same, i He had great pleasure,; 11 moving such a vote. The vote of thanks was carried .by acclamation, and' the " usual vote of" thanks'terminated the proceedings.