THE NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 84, 8 December 1914, Page 3

THE NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

ME AND MRS. PHILIP SNOWDEN AT TAIHAPE.

The Three ,Stars Theatre - was fairly well filled last, evening to hear an address on the No-license question by Mr. Philip Snowden/ a member of the British House of Commons, and also by Mrs Snowden. As there was a counter-at-traction —the Plunket Nurse concert iu the Town Hall, it is more than probable that it was purely the reputation of the two speakers to which the good attendance was attributable. The Lev, E. 11. Gather-wood occupied the chair and briefly introduced the speakers.

Mr. Buowden attacked the drink question in rather a different way to that one is accustomed to hear from tiro platform orator in New Zealand as a rule. His address was practical from start to finish. His main effort was to make clear the economic aspect of National Prohibition; to show that instead of there being a loss to the State of the million pounds now collected by way of customs there would be a distinct gain, brought about by larger importations of goods of- a domestic character. To get £1,000,000 revenue from drink £4,000,000 had to be spent by the peo-

ple. It would, he thought, le betterfrom an economic standpoint- for the drinker to pay the five shillings direct than to spend a pound in liquor so that five siblings of it might filter through into the revenue.' He did not,contend that National Proliibitional was going to solve the' labour question, but as so much was maSe of the loss of employment it would involve he thought the economist would agree that the in-

crease of employment in handling the larger importations of necessaries of life that Avas sure to follow would more than compensate for any such loss. There was not much labour involved in selling a glass of beer; a man goes into a hotel, puts down his money and says, ‘ 1 Give me a glass of beer ’ ’ —there was not much labour in that. If the same man went into a draper’s shop he wouldn’t say, ‘ 1 Give me a tie ’’; he would say j “I want to see some ties”; but if it was a woman —well, there would be a very considerable amount of labour to serve her. He couldn’t believe the Hon. James Allen had said what had been attributed to him about policemen having to be stationed from the North Cape to the Bluff to prevent drink being landed in New Zealand. He referred at length to how all laws were broken; punishment for theft did not entirely stop thieving, but who would say the law was a failure? Ho disagreed with the proposal, to Nationalise the trade, which would mean putting the clock back. The address throughout was punctuated with shafts of humour and the speaker resumed hi* »«at amidst general applause. Mrs. Snowden then gave one of the most able addresses that it is possible to hear from the lips of a woman. It was controversial, logical and saasive to an extreme, and however much a listener might differ he coaid not help being struck with the natural ability and culture of the speaker. To say it was a speech from a woman, who never became anything else but a woman la, 'perhaps, the highest that can be said an A ppoiu*i*t could havn foanct pleas -re in listening thereto. Want of space will not permit of a lengthy report but Mrs, Snowden’s explanation of woman’s vote on the liquor question is an addition to the usual category of argument. She says that ns woman has the bearing, rearing and educating of the child she instinctively votes against the drink for the preservation of the race.

A vote of thanks was carried by acclamation on the motion of Mr, B. Anderson, Utiku, seconded by Mr, Crarvford. A vote of thanks to the chair ended the meeting.