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New Zealander, Volume 10, Issue 886, 11 October 1854, Page 2

The adjourned Meeting of the friends of Temperance, now associated with the object of organizing a popular movement for the enactment in this Coloiiy of a measure similar to the "Maine Liquor Law," was held in the Odd Fellow's Hall on Monday evening. The interest excited by the question appeared to have t ndergone no abatement, as—notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weache:—the hall was well filhd in every part.

The Chair was resumed by Mr. T. S. For saith, who had presided at the previous meeting. After a few introductory remarks by the Chairman, the minutes of that meeting were read in evtenso by the Rev. T. Ilamer, and confimied. They embraced the seiies of Resolutions then adopted,—which recited the Resolutions on the subject of Intemperance agreed to by the General Assembly, expressing approbation of their principles and objects; —resolved on the formation of an Association to be called " The Auckland League of Temperance," for giving effect to those principles and objects;—asserted the right of the people as electors to decide every question of restraint on their liberties, together with an absolute abnegation of party politics in the proceedings; —declared that the question of compensation to publicans, in the erent of the enactment of the proposed measure, should not be introduced as one of the piiuciples of the League; —and invited the co-operation of the other Provinces of New Zealand.

The Meeting then proceeded to the consideration of a Resolution embodying the llules.of the League, which had been brought forward at the pievious Meeting, but postponed for further tliscussio ', in consequence of the lateness of the hour and the proposition of an amendment involving the large question whether the object of the League should not be extended to the prohibition of the importation, as well as the sale, of intoxicating liquors. J he Rev. Thomas Ruddle moved the Resolution in the form in which it had been prepared by the Preliminary Committee. He dwelt at considerable length on the general objects of the League, reading an extract from a speech of lVjfessoi Stowe, illustrative of the amount of freedom in obtaining intoxicating liquors which might be compatible with the operation of the Maine Law, notwithstanding the stringency of its provisions against the sale of them ; also a touchingly expressed petition to Her Majesty from 42,000 women in England, setting forth the miseries resulting from intemperance, and praying for restrictions on the sale of strong drink. Mr. Wiiltam Howe seconded the motion in an energetic speech, in the course of which he defended his consistency as an old Teetotaller in taking part in the present movement, on the ground that its success would greatly tend towards the accomplishment of the object of Teetotal tfforts, by removing the temptation which had led many to violate the pledge. Mr. Hansard then proposed his amendment, vkhich would modify the form of Declaration to be taken by Members of the League, so as to bind them tn strive for a prohibition of the importation, as well as the sale of intoxicating drinks. He urged at some length that any thing short of this would be censured as class legislation, giving the rich an advantage over the poor ; that, moreover, under the proposed law a merchant might import for a number of persons, charging his commission—(a point, wc may observe, which was denied by other speakers to be an accurate interpretation of the restriction contemplated)—and arguing that, instead of proposing to themselves merely the introduction of " the thin end of the wedge," they should set before them a certain point which ought to be attained, and make straight for it.

Mr. Makepeace seconded the amendment. He charged the promoters of the present movement with endeavouring to fix on others a restriction which thpy were not willing to impose on themselves, or on some whose aid the desired to secure; and contended that, if they were to be leaders in society, they should lead by their own example. He further objected to to the p'acing of so many ministers in the Council of the League, jdlegingthat "as a general rule, the ministers had not been the class that had most promoted great general reformations " This assertion, though apparently it found some sympathisers, was met with loud marks of disapprobation from the bulk of the audience.

Mr. Reynolds, who described himself as ** belonging to the nomadic tribe in New Zealand usually called 'bushmen,' " next spoke, having intended to second the amendment, had not Mr. Makepeace first caught the Chairman's eye. He at once secured the attentive curi. osity of the audience by avowing that he was the very man who, as Mr. Wakefield h..d mentioned at the previous meeting, had been carried out of the g>dlery of the House of Representatives for disturbing the proceedings while the house was considering the Resolutions on Intemperance. He confessed that he was on that occasion under the influence of liquor, but contended that the blame should be divided amongst his three accomplices—the Government, the wine merchant, and the publican. Mr. Reynolds then proceeded at considerable length, and in a strain of fresh and ornate eloquence, to descant upon the evils resulting from intoxicating liquors, and the necessity of altogether putting down the drinking of them, illustrating his position by a gieut variety of c'assical, historical, and scriptural references, so aptly applied and felicitously expressed as to excite both the admiration and the surprise of the audience, lo most of whom he was previously totally unknown. After some energetic, but rather discursive and desultory remarks from Mr. Johnston of Titirangi who stated that he was a sawyer and a genuine bushman, the Rev. T. Hamer addressed the meeting in decided opposition to the amendment, which he argued would be an unwarrantable interference with the right of the working man to a moderate use ol wine and beer. lie never understood that the Declaration was to imply more than the prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors and the closing of public houses.

Mr. "Wakefield also opposed the amendment. He argued that the " blue-shirted men," as distinguished from the Cf Mack-coat-ed men," themselves possessed the preponderance o' power under the new Constitution,and that it' the proposed law should be passed, it could be only with their concurrence, so that it was wholly wrong to call this movement a crusade of the rich against the poor ; and that if such a law as the amendment suggested were carried, it would be censured as an act of tyranny by the majority over the minority, caching to matters in which, as they did not publicly work mischief to society, society had not a right to interfere with private liberty. He described the proposition as Quixotic, and warned the meeting that its adoption might only afford a new illustration of the old story of the dog that lost the bone by snatching at the shadow.

The < hairman then put the several parts of the Resolution seriatim. After putting the Declaration—the p-ntioU which brought to an issue the discussion that had chiefly occupied the evening—it was declared that Mr. Hansard's amendment Was negatived, and that the Declaration as originally proposed by Mr. Buddie was cairied.

The subsequent proceedings hud relation to the constitution of the Council, a id the appointment of its Officers. It was agreed that the Council should consist of twenty members of ten, and that they should have power to add to their numbers. The question whether Clergymen of all denominations, being members of the League, should ex officio —not by personal election —have seats in the Council, excited a rather prolonged discussion— (in the course of which several Minis ers exp-essed their anxiety that Laymen may be found taking sufficient interest in the oi ject, and willing to devote so much time to its promotion as would be necessary). Ultimately it was decided in the affirmative, —that is, 'that the clergy of all Denominations, residing in the district of Auckland, shall as such, if members of the League, be also members of the Council."

Mr. Smythies moved and Capt. McDonald, R.N., seconded the appointment of Mr. !. S. Forsaith,as Treasurer, which was unanimously agreed to. A discussion arose, however, as to the Secretariate of the League, which issued in the decision that the appointment of General Seen tary should be left in the hands of the Council and that the Rev. A. G. Purchas should be appointed Honorary Seer tary. The names of gentlemen (laymen) to constitute the Council were then proposed and Rgreed to. Mr. Wakefield having been ca'led to the Chair, a vote of thanks to Mr. Forsaith for the able and impartial manner in which he had presided over the proceedings of the two Meeting'', wis carried by acclamation ; and the meeting broke up about 11 o'clock.