THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 46, 13 February 1908, Page 2

THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.

, Last' night at St. Mary's Hall Mr. A. B. Thomson, Grand Treasurer of the New Zealand Grand Lodge, addressed a meeting upon the growth of the temperance movement. Mr. Of. \V. Hartnell, C.T. of the Loyal Egmont 1/xlge, 1.0. G.T., presided. Mr. Thomson, in a very interesting address, traced the movement from the earliest records, quoting from BuddhisS and Brahmin writers, Plato, Horodotun, and many other?, to prove that as far hack as liquor eould be traced there were great men to condemn its use. He •touched upon the state of Europe in the Middle Ages, and upon the effect of the legislation encouraging distillation in the reign of Queen Anne. Numerous great English writers were quoted who had affirmed that the use of intoxicants demoralised the State and tended to dogeneracy. He then lucidly explained the American movement which resulted In the formation of the 1.0. G.T., which now numbered millions of member's, and whose ritual was printed in no less than 17 languages. He made an eloquent anpeal to those present to devote their talents to the spread of temperance Mr. X. K. MacDiarmid. in moving a lioarty vote of thanks to Mr. Thomson (whom he had known 20 rears a»o) enid be had been pleased to see tie absence of the "rubbing up" process Mr. ff TT, Maunder seconded the mo- . tion. whicn was carried.