MISS HUGHES ON PROHIBITION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 129, 22 November 1911, Page 4

MISS HUGHES ON PROHIBITION

AT NEW PLYMOUTH LAST NIGHT. Hiss Hughes' audience in the Good Templar Hall last evening was not large Ijvit very sympathetic, no doubt lar Re ly what arc called '•top-lfners. 1 ' The llev. R. ,T. Liddcll was in the chair, and opened tin! meeting J>y asking all to join ill the White Ribbon song, "Some glad day," and then a short prayer. The chairmen's introduction was very brief but very encouraging when he referred to the progress that the Temperance cause had made during the last few years. Miss Hughes' first point was "Vote right and intelligently." Ho many people did not quite understand that there were two separate issues on two separate papers of distinct colors; she showed the two papers in their proper colors. She also advised voters not to read the papers, lest they got confused thereby; and further that if by any chance they made a mistake in marking the paper that they could get another paper from the returning officer bv returning the spoilt one—but before it was put into the box. [t is, she said, especially necessary to be careful, seeing that a three-fifths majority was needed. By a rough diagram Miss Hughes showed how this worked. Ordinarily it might be reckoned that 35 per cent, of the voters were unconvertible' on each side—license or no-license, leaving 30 per cent, as the middle movable vote., and of this workable portion the Lieenso Party had only to win five but the No-license Party had to win '25. Then she pointed out that there was no country ill the world vet that had tried prohibition. In America they talked about it, but had only enlarged no-lieense areas. Let New Zealand try the great experiment, where it could be tried, and give the, world an object lesson and a great encouragement to temperance reformers everywhere. There was already great progress in many lands. Miss Hughes met many liquor statements as to the medical position in reference to alcohol. She gave a short sketch of the career of Sir B. W. Richardson, M.D., who was the great pioneer in medical investigation into the character and effects of alcohol. He began his studies as a moderate drinker, and after a year's special study he brought out his' Cantor Lectures, and was then himself a total abstainer. As it was proved absolutely that alcohol was a poison. Miss Hughes said: "Put it then in the same position as opium and other poisons." At present a man may not buy and use opium, because of its*evil effects, but the doctor may order it when he sees it is necessary. The revenue was then dealt with, and many trade statements thereon were shown to be untrue. They assumed that the money now spent in liquor would go into the lightly taxed necessaries of life, whereas it would mainly go in the purchase of luxuries which paid a high duty. Generally, Miss Hughes stated that there need'be no fear about the revenue; the people who had the liquor money in their pockets would be able to meet the revenue, and be free from the evil effects that follow the drinking of liquor. The lady lecturer then related the storv of' Ashburton, and the fight that "the trade had made there to recover license, and all without success. The circumstances of this electorate were quite peculiar, and especially favorable to the trade. Masterton and Oamaru were also instanced as places where it was found that no-license was a great benefit. Cliitha was the place that the trade never talked about; it was too pronounced a case in favor of no-license. She gave a few interesting figures. For instance, there had not been a Clutha resident arrested for drunkenness for five years; all crime for three years. 1908, lflOO, 1010, had been only 13 eases, while in Stratford during the same period there had been "52 cases of crime. (This did not include offences against by-laws.) Miss Hughes concluded bv nn ardent- appeal to women, and said that those who voted for license "can't knoM what it means." She gave instances that had come under her own notice of the horrors of the drink habit. The lecture was illustrated with storv and parable to such an extent that the lessons it contained were readily taken in, and for nearly two hours the audience listened without weariness. There were no questions, though they were invited. _ The meeting closed "with the Benediction.