The Temperance Question.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 260, 2 December 1903, Page 4

The Temperance Question.

SERMON BY THE REV. J. N. BUTTLE. (Contributed.) The last Sunday in November, by arrangement between the churches g»id various temperance organisations. is recognised as "Tempevaace Sunday," and the opportunity was taken advantage of by the Rev. J. N. Buttle last Sunday evening to speak upon this much, discussed social question. Taking as his text ■Proverbs xiv., v. 34, " Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." the preacher stated that no question was exciting such universal interest as the liquor question. In the Old Land, Mr Chamberlain was seeking to throw a glamour over the eyes of the people by the golden dream of Protection, but there were those who held very firmly the opinion that the remedy for the ills to which the nation was subjected was to be found, not in fiscal re-adjustment, but in the reform of the licfuor traflic. In New Zealand the people had taken great interest in this subject. Every three years the voters indicated how they wish the traflic to be dealt with. The present position was the outcome of past efforts in educating public opinion. From the time when Sir WilLiafti Fox first embodied in a statutory enactment the principle of local option in the regjuliation of the liq|uor traflic until the present moment, there had been steady growth in the conviction that the popular control should be more complete. The election of the Sydenham Prohibition Committee marked a distinct advance in public opinion. Mr Buttle mentioned .some extraordinary incidents in connection with that contest, indicating how etrong the feeling was on both*sides. A prominent brewer was credited

with having made the statement that the Committee should experience three years of legal litigation. There was certainly a considerable amount of Court business, but there had been excited ail agitation the end of which was not yet seen, and which had been very costly to the liquor party. Mr Seddon's legislation in 1893 and 1895 applied still more closely the principle of local option. Provision was made therein for the people to give direction by votes cast whether they desired the number of licenses to continue, to be reduced, or whether they should cease altogether. The triennial voting on these issues had produced marvellous results. Whilst the majority to secure Xo-license was placed asi high as three-fifths, it was felt that for years it would be impossible to secure a favourable verdict. The passing of time had, however, had its effect on public opinion. Some districts had already declared for No-license, others were within measurable reach of the desirixl verdict, and the colony had evidently made up its mind that the present system must be cleared out before any other could toe established. Each triennial vote had shown an enormous advance in the number of Noiicense votes. The last vote was most impressive. "The trade" fondly hoped for a decisive victory, but the result was disastrous, and the brewers and their friends have lie. come alarmed at the position. The preacher expressed the opinion that the last local option polling was largely influenced by the TorreyAlexander mission. That mission first touched the colony at Wellington. As it travelled southwards it gathered increasing force and influence. Where the mission had affected che population most powerfully, the vote against strong drink had "been the largest. This was particularly noticeable in Dunedin and the districts south of that city. Taking a point 12 miles south of Dunedin, an area of over 100 miles in. length and embracing large country towns and the important city ot Invercargil! escaped going dry on the liqfuor question 'by the narrowest of majorities. The popular vote had given the trade a clear and distinct warning that if the evils which followed on the sale of strong drink were not remedied by themselves, there could be only one result awaiting the present licensing system. Mr Bui He maUe reference to Mr Seddon's last Licensing Bill. It had many flagrant defects, but the worst «.f all was that its effect would have been to take from the people the privileges which' they had been afforded under previous enactments.. Its reactionary proposals were most dangerous and entirely undemocratic. The attempt to force the Bill through was met by as determined an opposition as was ever shown towards any Act in tire history of the colony. He did not think the Bill would be resurrected, certainly not in the form in which it first appeared. What was to be the trend of licensing legislation in the future ? There could lie only one, and that involved Bhe granting of increased facility for the exercise of a popular control. Any proposal in the direction of restricting the power of the people would excite the strongest opposition. Complaints were made that too much attention was given to the liquor question at election time, and consequently general politics suffered for want of discussion. \ He did not think the Temperance Party were to be blamed for this. The cause was to be found in the licensing legislation tvhich required that where there was no contest in the Parliamentary election it was necessary to secure the votes of half the number of persons whose names were on the roll to ensure a valid poll under the local option clauses. If that provision were excised, and tihe result of the local option voting decided upon the number •of voles actually cast, personally he would have no objection to alter the ilate of the poll. Under such conditions both parties would be on an «*]ual footing. The hope of the future. however, wax not wholly; Ivound up with legislative enactment. The work of education was necessary, and lia'mds of Hope should have sympathetic support. The principle of moral suasion reojairc-d to lie worked with a view to bring into the ranks of active workers those wno (were not yet even No-license votei-s. But the sovereign remedy of the evils of strong drink was to be rmnd in the (!of- - pel of Christ, which elene could bring deliverance to those who had become enslaved by the drink habit. There was a large congregation, .which listened most attenivly to the preacher's utterances. The musical part of the service was rendered mcst effectively, Mr G. H. White being at tile organ.