TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY'S ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

Southland Times, Issue 1294, 16 August 1870, Page 3

TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY'S ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

Having completed their fourth year as a society, and just finished the building of a new hall for their jown use, the members of the above fraternity celebrated both events by a most successful soiree in tho Ex< han^e Hall on Friday evening last, 12th inst The body of the hall was occupied by eight tables, each capable of accommodating about thirty people, and a ninth of similar dimensions stood upon the stage. Mr TullocK, the proprietor of the hall, was caterer, and did= Mb best to render the comfort of the guests perfect. Owing to the attendance being largely in excess of what was anticipated, a few had to exercise a little patience before they got supplied with tea, but the slight contretemps was borne with genuine good humor, and the excellency of the article when it did arrive made up for the delay. By 7 o'clock the place was fully crowded, «nd for half an hour or so the lively clattering music peculiar to such meetings was kept up without intermission. Due time having been allowed for attention to creature comforts, the centre and stage tables were .cleared away, the seats properly placed, and the crowd arranged in orthodox order for partaking of the intellectual repast. A considerable addition was made to the audience at this stage, by the arrival of many who " don't caw about tea fight*," but nevertheless'like to hear what is said or snng afterwards. There could not have been less than 300 present, probably something-over, when the house was at its best, and a feature remarked by several was the preponderance of the male sex — an unusual thing , at soirees. Mr'Gk 'S. Crouch, president of the society, was voted to the chair. He expressed his gratification at seeing such a large gathering in such a good cause. He intimated that " speakers were not to exceed 15 minutes each, or they would be rung down, he having provided an alarum for the purpose." (Cheers.) He would call upon the secretary to read the report. Mr Bonthron, who has been, 'it may be said, the founder of the Society, was received warmly as he came forward to read the report. The quantity of paper he displayed threatened an infringment of the chairman's rnle with regar 1 to time, but the excellence of the matter secured an attentive hearing throughout, and the slips were exhausted without manifestations of fatigue on the part of the audience, or the intervention of the belL The report sketched the progress of the society, and the formation of two auxiliary institutions within their own ranks, viz., "The - Sons of Temperance Society," and a branch of the same order for females. It also spoke in hisrh terms of the architect, Mr Kerr, and builder, Mr A. Little, of the new halL The smallness of the hall, and its want of ornamentation were regretted, but were occasioned by paucity of funds and not by want of taste on the part of any concerned in its erection. The committee would only be too glad to be placed in funds to carry -out Mr Ken's original design, when they would have a building second to none in the town. The . . committee regretted that they wore kept continually low in funds owing to ths delatoriness of members in the payment of their subscriptions. Their expenditure consisted in announcing their meetings, lighting, and certain temperance j periodicals, which all members had a right to .peruse. Hitherto they had held their meetings free of rent, thanks to the liberality of Mr J. T. Thomson, whose premises they had had the use I of for some time. He concluded by hoping the present year would be one of marked prosperity, j The chairman then read the rep >rt of the Treasurer to the building committeei showing the state of accounts with reference to the new halL Income had been derived from the following sources.: — By public subscriptions — collected by canvassers — £50 3s 8d ; by proceeds of bazaar and private sales of bazaar material, £202 T63 8d ; by proceeds of Sons of Temperance soiree, £1 12s; by proceeds of 8 shares in Building Society, less premium on purchase, £176 8s ; total, £431 0s 4d. The expendituse had been— -Goo-ls bought for bazaar, £53 2s Id; rent of hall, fitting do, hire of piano, advertising, Sec, for bazaar, £17 IBs ; purchase of site for new hall, £110 ; contract for build-ng hall, £197 8s ; legal expenses and insurance, £8 12s ; subscriptions to Building Society pail up, £31 2s ; balance in Treasurer's hands, £13 0s 3d ; total, £431 Os 4d. Against the balance in hand liabilities and in prospect .. comprised. -=- Architect's commission, seats for ball, lamps, &c., to the extent of about £35, not mentioning pointing, which was a very necessary item.; The Rev. Mr Stobo next addressed the meeting. He said he had been deputed to Bay a word - to teetotallers (themselves in their shortcomings in the matter: of liberality in supporting the cause. He knew it was. a common complaint amongst .outsiders . that teetotallers were niggardly, and he cautioned them against giving to way avarice, which was, he believed, in the sight of God, a/more heinious, because a meaner and more sordid vice, than drunkenness itself. He hoped hereafter they would be prompt in this matter, and not force the secretary to unnecessary and gratuitous labor. in collection. He could not but feel pleased to see so many upturned faces before him. It showed the hold their principles were taking on the public mind, and gave cheering augury that their cause was bound to achieve a complete success. He took the opportunity of intimating that in reply to the petition relative to legislatonal restraints recently forwarded to Wellington, he had received a letter from Mr Fox, saying that he heartily concurred in the prayer of the petitioners, and that "The Permissive Bll " . was the very best thing for the present evils of intemperenee, and that tbe right of exercising restriction was a right of which the people had been unjustly deprived. Mr Bethune Bpoke shortly, giving a few statistics, .monetary and criminal, illustrative of the evils of intemperance, and their relative prevalance in the old country and here. He moved that " The Bey. Mr Kish worth, Messrs Crouch, Cheyne, W. Fraser, Burns, H. Beed, J. Hay, M'K&y," and Bonthron be the committee of the society for the current year," which was carried unanimously. Mr Bishworth delivered a forcible and well arranged short speech against intemperance under the heads " physical," '• social," " commercial," and "religious." Mr Crouch was gratified at seeing such a crowd, but more than all at seeing the ministers of the gospel on the same platform with himself on this question. He could remember when the cause here was obscure and struggling, and when they had not the countenance of the clergymen. The change which had taken place in this reepect, and the increasing popularity of their principles, led him to hope that teetotalism would increase until the people should rise up and say as one man that drinking should cease. Mr W. Bussell, of Byal Bush, delivered a set speech, strongly supporting teetotalism on scriptural grounds. Mr Barns dealt with the question generally, wondering that common sense people could so long submit to Btich" absurdities as our drinking and smoking habita, and hinting that, had he his will, bothclasses of offenders should be placed tinder the control of the Inspector of Nuisances. The speeches were interspersed with.- some excellent musice, rendered by * very efficient choir of amateurs. Masters Wesney and Baker, and an exceedingly youthful Parganini, brother of the latter, grve some pieces with flute, concertina, and single-stringed- violin. Two readings by Mr Wbtfon . were, as usnal, pieces de resistance. ■,; Thefiret was most appropriate, melodramatic, and interesting; the second, a dissertation" ob 'cats, kept the audience in convulsions while it lasted. Daring v^«p j .evßtiing a collection was made, which added £12 14s 2d to the funds. 'Wh = effie^^Be^ffln*of'btne'r "entertainments, or a growing] relish £or such meetings on the part of

Invercargillites is the cause, wo know not, but it is a fact that within the same week two soireos have taken place in the same hall, and both have been thoroughly successful. With our limited population of course, to a good extent, the same people must hare attended both, and it is another evidence of the alacrity with which our community, notwithstanding dull times, responds to a good call.