GOOD TEMPLAR MEETING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5252, 23 January 1878, Page 3

GOOD TEMPLAR MEETING

A tea meeting and entertainment was hold at the Odd Fellows’ Hall last evening, in connection with the Grand Lodge of Good Templars now sitting in Wellington. A large number attended both the tea meeting and entertainment. The proceedings were presided over by the Ven. Archdeacon Stock, who, on taking the chair, said he was happy to state that there was less drunkenness in Wellington now than there was when ho came here twenty-two years ago. He spoke strongly of the evils arising from drink, and thought it should lie treated more as a crime than a weakness. Ho did not see that the drunkard was more deserving of public sympathy than the thief. Ho was of opinion that if drunkards were sent to gaol without the option of a line it would do much to abate the evil. AVith regard to compensation, although the publican might have no legal right to be recompensed tor the closing of his house, yet there was a kind of right established by custom, as he was led to believe that if he conducted his house properly he would got a renewal of his license. Before he was granted compensation ho thought the publiean should prove that he had not infringed the law in regard to adulteration, Sunday closing,, and keeping strict hours. If these conditions were to be taken into account ho did not believe that there were many hotelkeepers who would receive compensation. The Rev. Mr. Edger spoke of the evil effect of alcohol on tho moral, spiritual, mental, and physical condition of man. John Bright had said that by tho liquor traffic the nation was getting a revenue out of the graves of the people. He would go further than that, and say it was getting a revenue out of tho tortures of the people. It was an infamous principle

to attempt to build up the national prosperity of the people on their moral and spiritual degradation. Mr. Tamron, the Grand Worthy Secretary for the order in the South Island, spoke of the great strides the temperance movement had made in the South, and. the good results which had followed therefrom. In several towns after lodges were established the public-houses had decreased in number, and in some cases had been abolished altogether through the sober habits of the people. The Hon. Mr. Fox said he never addressed a meeting in Wellington with more pleasure than on the present occasion. It was the first time that Archdeacon Stock had presided at a temperance meeting in that city. It showed the progress of the movement, for the Chairman was one of those whom it was very hard to reach, for they had never felt the evils of drink in their own persons. The Chairman’s resolve to abstain was the result of studious thought. He thought, however, that punishment in gaol would not cure the evil. The drunkard was punished greatly in himself, in his wife, and in his family. He would punish the man who supplied him with drink. Every time a drunkard was seen in the street a publican should be sent to gaol. That, he thought, would be a better plan for putting an end to drunkenness. A colonel in the army had informed him that he had witnessed numbers of men flogged, mostly for drunkenness, or offences arising from drink, and he had never known the punishment in one single instance to do any good. At present there was only one man in every, two hundred authorised to sell drink in this colony. His remedy for preventing drunkenness would be to take away the right from that one man. He ridiculed the idea that the Local Option Bill aimed at the liberties of the people. The Licensing Bench now had the power of deciding on the fitness of a man to sell rum, that the house was a fit place in which to sell rum, and whether a public-houss was wanted in the locality. All the temperance party wanted was the third power—the right to say whether or not they woul 1 have a -public-house in their neighborhood. Mr. Fox then spoke of the great obstacles thrown in the way of the Permissive Bill by the Resident Magistrates proclaiming nearly in every case very large districts. He was happy to see that the Government had issued instructions to them that in defining the licensing districts they were to take as the boundaries the smallest division in their district, whether it was a school district or a highway ward. Before next licensing day he trusted they would be in a position to exercise their vote. ■ . Hr. Speight and Mr. Humas delivered short addresses, and on the motion of Mr. Harding a vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman and the ladies and gentlemen who got up the entertainment. Between the speeches a number of songs and recitations were given, a young lady efficiently presiding at the piano. Tile proceedings were brought to a close about half-past ten o’clock.