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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1000, 17 November 1881, Page 3

At a recent Good Templar meeting at Masterton Sir W. Fox said he estimated that the direct loss of life caused through drink in New Zealand amounted to-2,000 persons killed every year. There are 2,000 drinking shops in the colony, and these killed on an average one each per annum. He added that nearly 800 elections would shortly take place for local licensing boards, and though objection had been raised to such a large number of littie elections, they would from their number serve to keep the whole of New Zealand alive on the question. A good row was wanted to waken up the people of New Zealand. He did not expect to triumph over the publicans all at once. If during the first year they only saved 20 public houses by the" elections, that 20 would be so much gain, and a stepping stone to a further victory. The publicans, thoughiu a “ dreadful funk,” were very strong and very rich, and they could not all at once prevail against them.