The No-License Question.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 137, 14 June 1904, Page 2

The No-License Question.

ADIIIIKSS by VV. w. COLLINS. Mi- \V. W. Collins, of Christchurch, addressed a fair audience at. the Theatre Hoyal last evening 0 n Iho subject What no-liceni-je means * what the law is ; mul why it should be amended." MrEi M, Smith, 11.U.K., took the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker. Ho explained that, the chair would have been taken by the Mayor, but he was engaged at the llurough Council. lie had pleasure 'in presiding at Mr Collins' lecture, as they were old friends, and he nilmired him as a lecturer, Mr Smith then introduced Air Collins, who was received with applause.

Sir Collins spoke of the kindly reception accorded him when addressing the people five years ago. Ills reason I'or .speaking on the subject named ut the present; time was that it was now a period of political peace, and this most Important question could therefore be considered calmly as it should be. ile asked them to consider one or two points only—not the wholo'qiuestyon—arising from the experiences of those districts where no-licence was 111 operation. When lie spoke lie had to cite examples of no-license from America ; but now we had them close at hand. His opinions had undergone no change In the live years, except that his opinions on 'he subject of no-license had been confirmed. 110 had tried to get the best information from all sources to enable him to arrive at the correct estimate of the subject, lie told them then he regarded the whole movement ns a direct and unjustifiable infringement upon individual and collective liberty. (Hear, hear.) Herbert Spencer, the great philosopher, so lately dead, had expressed this opinion, nnd they could not sneer away this expression. lie referred to John Stuart Mill's " Essay on Liberty," which could now be obtained at any bookstall to-day. In this again the same opinion was expressed on the subject. Mr Collins therefore felt he wus in good company, 110 would ask those present Ito read the writings of these brilliant men, and see their application to the subject under discussion. lie would now refer them to the contents ol tho daily newspapers. Today ho saw that tho drinking in the United States had guno up. Yot it was a boast of no-licenso advocates that there was a greater area under no-license. It suddenly struck liint, Uaß not this what ,was taking place in New Zealand ? The area under no-license or reduction had increased, yet the drink bill in New Zealand to-day wus higher than ever. Drinking seemed to increase, not decrease, under no-licem*. It was simply a Yankeo importation that wo did not want. He asked, What becomes of the declaration that the movement was to lessen drinking. The speaker urged that the more tho liberty of the peoplo was restricted the more they would rebel, lie asked tho question at once, Does prohibition prohibit ? (A •voice : No.) The lecturer : You sever spoke a truer word in your life ! (Applause.) Ho then spoke of the term "prohibition." Tho party dqsired to speak of their movement as tho "no-license" movo. liut it really was simply a term to hide the prohibitory intention. The party did not like the word prohibition, as it savoured of coorcion. Mr Collins proceeded to st-ato that from careful • requiry he learned in tha no-licciu* districts just ns much 'drinking goes on as under license. As soon as the retail Bale was stopped the wholesale supply was started. Ho quoted

a statement made by Rev. Father Kcogh of Kansas State that ho had counted 1200 packages of liquor addressed to persons in tho prohibition districts. The same thing went on hero in New Zealand. (A voice: What about the King Country ?) Mr Collins ; I'll give you tho King Country. In the King Country and the Clutha tho drink poured in. Hut, ho proceeded, there was no illegality about this. Any man in the district could send out an order for a wholesale quantity and havo it delivered to him. It only became a criminal offence when a small quunr tity was ordered or delivered. lie looked upon the no-license law as the operation of class rule, which was becoming intolerable. A man if ho could afford it, could order his wines or liquors by the dozen ; but tho poor man who wanted a sixpenny glass of beer could only obtain it by violating tho law. The man who sold the liquor was open to th« stigma of a conviction and liable to fine. Until the desire was taken away tho demand, in spite ol the fact that it was made illegal, would continuo. There was not a ■linglo no-license district carried bv the votes of people who did not drink. This was done by tho aid ol the votes of those who could afford to buy wholesalo quantities. (A voice : Hot.) Mr Collins : Well, you say "rot," and tho remark shows you to bo both vulgar and Ignorant. (Applause.) Tho lecturer, continuing, referred to tlio combination of the votes of tho wealthy ones who could afford to buy wholesale quantities and tho prohibitionists, who did not drink and did not want to drink, as an un'holy alliance. Air Collins then referred to clause 9 ol llio bill introduced by Mr Sed.lon lust session providing for tho total prohibition of litfuor in any shape in no-license areas. This was strongly opposed by the prohibitionists. Vet it Was only a reasonable deduction that in a "no-license" district t here would bo no liquor, if the. drink wus tho real evil. This attempt by tho Government to remedy tho present law was defeated by the prohibition purty, which was afraid that if it were carried Ihen prohibition would nover bo carried again in any district. There was another point, l'he sly-grog seller was manufactured by the conditions brought about by no-license. It brought, in its train tho sneak, tho spy, the informer, the contemptible cur who stole into houses and induced a sale to get a conviction. 'These were the things that caino to us with no-license. At Ash burton a judge on tho bench informed one such informer that if his were the only evidence lie would not ivave convicted. It was a clean ihing, this prohibition ! Mr Collins described the method by which a traveller in a prohibited district might obtain drink, liut every ;ime a man has a drink on the sly then his selt-respcct sank. This was what was brought about by no-license, and further it was dangerous in that it tended to invite disrespect of the law, which would end in social and political demoralisation. Ho quoted from Harper's Weekly, which stated that in all no-license districts of the States it was curious that there was an unusual need for drug stores in one of which over SOO gallons of liquor were seized. The desire for liquor, it was evident, was not done away with though no-license was carried. The Boston Evening Transcript stated that "no-license was simply a screaming farce plnycil to hoodwink the people." Mr Collins referred also to the recent occurrence at the Diinedin railway station on a Saturday night, described in the press as a disgraceful exhibition. He advised his hearers to read Messrs Rowntreo and Sherwood's "Temperanco Problems." They stated that the only place in which nolicense was a success was that which was jammed up against a licensed district. That was Port Chalmers' position ! The residents IVre could go to Punedin for their make disgraceful seines on the road home, and then say, "We are. respectable. ; wo voted the drink down." It was a natural law that, like produces like. Therefore in any district under similar conditions to Port Chalmers file, same results will ensue. If they had no-license it should bo thorough. At present it was a sbnm, a snare, a fraud. A few [ days ago a no-license convention was held in Christchurch, at which il determination was made to capturo every cent in tho colony at. the next election. Thai is to sa.v : The irst lor lilne'S of a p, I",t!i-<:i representalivc- was iiol, to be. political fitness, but prohiiwtion ! The people were not fully awake to thoir danger. Tho no-liconso party designed to capture

tlio reins of government.' Would tba« bo right? Should the country bo run In tho interests of one faction only ? Tho people must not bo led away by tho so-called good intention of tho party. The Royal Commission that inquired Into thai matter pointed out that tho moremen t must simply culminate In a. political party. Tho author of the liquor law in Kansas (Mr Murray} hud stated that the result of lh® operation of no-license was tho inculcation of hypocrisy, cunning, duplicity, and other evil Instincts In the people. There were some who would never learn, even by experience, that men cannot bo taught, by law not to drink or sell liquor/ Tho only way to obtain temperance among tho people was by the influence of moral suasion applied to tbo character of the people. Where now, Mr Collin# askod, wore tho brllliunt advocates of moral betterment ? Gone. The people now depended uj>on tho majority vote to make men temperate by legislation. Hut thin was a direct infringement of the liberty of the individual, lio was not a drinking man, but, he Hiked, what an insufferable prig he would be if he thought he was therefore better than another man who liked a gluss of beer ! Tho movement was cultivating a social prlggery cr Pharisaism that was becoming jierfectly unbearable. If a man was self-controlling, self-respecting, ,and moderate, he could lay claim to Just as much as was conveyed in the word moderation. There wad asmuch intemperance in words as in anything else, and those who wmmw ed at others who held different opinions were as intemperate as ' ojpy drunkard. Principal Qrant, of Canada, urged his ministers not to b« carried away by their hearts instead of listening to roason in dealing with social questions, and Mr Collins urged his hoarerg to be similarly careful In considering the question of no-license. The people had been lulled into a false sense of S&curity regarding tho subject. If social conditions were shaped to suit weak men then we should eventually have a race of weak men, Instead of a strong and virile race. He trusted, In conclusion, that they would endeavour to cultivate tibe spirit of strength and natural duplicity which was so deslrabl&

Several questions wer« asked, and a vote of thanks accorded to Um lecturer.

A resolution was also carried, with only one or two dissentient Twee*, That In the opinion of tbis meeting no amendment of the licensing laws of the colony will be satisfactory unless It includes clause 9 of the bill introduced last session,