TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY'S ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

Southland Times, Issue 1300, 29 August 1870, Page 2 (Supplement)

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 own use, the members of the above fraternity celebrated both events by a most successful soiree in the Exchange Hall on Friday evening last, 1 2th 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. MrTulloch, the proprietor of the hall, was catererj and did his 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 j 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 i crowded, and for half an hour or so the lively clattering noise 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 j -audience at this stage, by the arrival of many who "don't care about tea fight»," but who nevertheless like to hear what is said or sung afterwards. There could not. have been less than 300 present, probably something over, when the house was. at its best, and a feature remarked bj^sovefal was" the preponderance of the male sex— an unusual thing at soirees. Mr Gr. S. Crouch, president of the society, was voted to the chair. So 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. pvovided &n alarum for the purpose." (Cheers.) He would call upon the secretary to read, the report. Mr Bonthron, who has been, it maybe 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 in- j fringement of the chairman's rule with regard to time, but the excellence of the matter secured an attentive hearing throughout, and the slips were exhausted without mariifestatiois 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 tiro 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 high terms of the architect, Mr Kerr, arid builder/ Mr A. Little, of the new hall. The smallness of the hall, and its want of outside 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 Kerr's original design, when they would have a building second to none in the town. The committee regretted that they were kept continually low in funds owing to the dilatoririess of members in' the" payment of their subscriptions. The expenditure consisted in announcing their meetings, lighting, and certain temperance periodicals, which all members had a right to peruso. Hitherto they had held iheir meetings free of rent, thanks to the liberality of Mr J. T. Thomson, whose premises they hadhad the use of for some time. He concluded by hoping the present year would be one of marked prosperity. The chairman then read the rep >rt of the Treasurer to- the building committee, allowing the state of accounts with reference to the new' hall. Income, had been derived from the following sources :— By public subscriptions — collected by fuiiiujjli'u — t&oO — Bs-Btl-j-by- proceeds of bazaar_. and private sales of bazaar material, £202 16s 8d ; by proceeds of Sons of Temperance soiree, £1 12s ; by proceeds of 8 shares in Building Society, Jess premium on purchase, £17G 8s ; total, £431 0s 4d. . The expenditure had been — Goo 3s bought for bazaar, £53 2s Id; rent of hall, fitting do, hire of piano, advertising, &c, for bazaar, £17 16s ; purchase of site for new hall, £110 j contract for build : ng hall, £197 Ss ; legal expenses and insurance, £8 12s ; subscriptions to Building Society pail up, £31 2s ; balance in Treasurer's hands, £13 0s 3d ; total, £131 0s 4d. Against the balance in hand, liabilities incurred, and in prospect comprised —Architect's commission, seatsfor hall, lamps, &c.,to the extent of about £35, not mentioning painting, whioh was a very necessary item. The Rev. Mr Stobo next addressed the meeting. He said he had been deputed to say a word to teetotallers themselves on 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 way to avarice, which was, be believed, in the sight of God, a more heinous, 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 co 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 lesjslrttorial 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 Bill " was the very best thing for the present evils of intemperance, and that the right of exercising restriction was a right of which the people had been unjustly deprived. Mr Bethune spoke, shortly, giving a few statistics, monetary and criminal, illustrative of the evils of intemperance, and their relative prevalence in the old country and here. He moved that " The Rev. Mr Rishworth, Messrs Crouch, Cheyne,.W. Eraßer, Burns, H. Reed, J. Hay, M'Kay, and Bonthron be the committee of the society for the current year," which was carried unanimously. Mr Rishworth delivered a forcible and well arranged short speech against intemperance, under the heads 'i physical," " social," " commercial," and "religious." Mr Crouch was gratified at seeing such n crowd, but more than all at seeing tlie 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 chauge which had taken place in this respect, 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. Russell, of Ryal Bush, delivered a set speech, strongly supporting teetotalism on scriptural grounds. Mr Bums dealt with the question generally, wondering that common sense people could so long submit to such absurdities as our drinking and smoking habits, and hinting that, had he his will, both classes of offenders should be placed under the control of the Inspector of Nuisances. The speeches were interspersed with some excellent music, rendered by a very efficient choir of amateurs. Masters Wesney and Baker, and an exceedingly youthful Paganini, brother of the latter, gave some pieces with flute, concertina, arid single-stringed-violin. Two readings by Mr Wotton were, as usual, pieces de resistance. The first was most appropriate, melodramatic, and interesting ; the second, a dissertation on cats, kept the audience in convulsions while it lasted. During the evening a collection was made, which added £12 14s 2d to the funds. Whether dearth of other entertainments, or a growing rehab, for such meetings on the part o£

Invercargillites is the cause, we know not, but it is a (act °that within the same week two soirees 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 I people must have attended both, and it is another evidence of the alacrity with which our community, notwithstanding dull times, responds to a good call.