TEMPERANCE MEETINGS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2293, 15 December 1891, Page 2

TEMPERANCE MEETINGS.

The public meeting held last Friday evening was not so successful as anticipated, owing,"no doubt, to the weather proving unfavourable. Mr A. Russell occupied the chair, and expressed regret at the weather turning out as it did. The Revs. Messrs Elliot and Isitt had come a long distance, and it was greatly to be regretted they had not a larger audience. After the singing “ Hold the fort,” Miss Emma Cooper recited “ Prohibition ” with remarkably good effect. A song was given by Mr White, and Mrs Bellow presided at the piano. Th« Rev. Mr Elliot was introduced, and said he did not feel down-hearted at the small attendance. If he could make one convert he thought he would do well. Mr Gladstone said more damage was done to humanity by intemperance than war, famine, and pestilence put together. Surely it was therefore a humane act to put down such a traffic. In England the revenue of public houses was eight times as much as the revenue of all the churches put together. The average income of the people of England was £SO, and £4 of that went in buying drink. There were several things to encourage them. The highest legal authority-in England had decided that a publiciau has no legal right as regards his license beyond the time for which it had been granted; all the churches without exception were working fo;ether in temp trance work; and education b )arda, and the medical faculty were lending their assistance. In their own Parliament there were 30 members pledged to their cause, but somehow the Bill was not allowed to pass. Judge Dennistou’s judgment showed the necessity for amendment of the Act, and the present democratic Government should look to it. He was glad to say the Premier was willing to grant local option to the people if they wanted it, though he was in favour of compensation. The church he had the honor to belong to was waking up the evil, and every clergyman preached one temperance sermon in the year. The Press of the colony was more or less favourable to them.

The Rev. Mr Isitt : Except the Christchurch Press.

The Rev. Mr Elliot said that may be, but the tone of the Press was better, and this proved that public opinion was coming round to their side. (Applause.) The Rev. Mr Isitt said he was going to hold himself in reserve for Sunday night and he hoped to have a large attendance. With regard to Judge Dennistoun he believed him to be a most conscientious judge; some said he was biased but he (Mr Isitt) denied that. As regards shutting up public houses they could do so by shuffling. The committee could shut them, on the ground that they were not required, but he hoped that if they were not shut up on true prohibition principles they would never be shut up at all. (Applause). With regard to the Press it was rendering them good servic'e, but not in Christchurch. The Christchurch Press got eloquent on the of

perance when it discussed its effects in Russia, but what could they expect ? Mr Oowlishaw was one of the largest shareholders in the Press, and also in a brewery. Almost all the shareholders in the Press were also shareholders in breweries. But they could not expect to have every one with them. AH reforms had to encounter opposition from vested interests. He (Mr Isitt) was not always in favor, of temperance. Many years ago, while talking with a brother in Dunedin, Drßoseby passed by, and both of them expressed regret that there was a soft spot in his (Dr Roseby’s) head on the temperance question. He (Mr Isitt) actually believed in those days that temperance people were a shingle short, but now not only was there a spot in his own head, but it was all soft. The rev. gentleman then gave many instances of the evils of drink, which led to his own conversion, and, after making an eloquent speech, sat down amidst great applause. The Rev. Mr Wood, of Geraldine, moved a hearty vote of thanks to Messrs Isitt and Elliot for their addresses. The motion was seconded by the Rev. Mr Watters and carried by acclamation. The Rev. Mr Isitt, in thanking them for the compliment, urged them to become subscribers of the Prohibitionists. It had already a circulation of 25,000, and believed by next issue it would have 27,000 circulation. The price was 4s 6d a year paid in advance, they believed in. getting paid in advance ; as people never thought of paying for their newspaper at all. ...

The Rev. Mr Elliott pronounced the benediction, and the meeting terminated. On Sunday evening the Rev. L. MIsitt addressed a crowded meeting in the Volunteer Hall on the subject of Prohibition. The hall was packed to. the doors, and the Rev. J. K. Elliott, of Wellington, presided. After singing and prayer the chairman said he would not occupy their time, as they were there to hear Mr Isitt. He had known that gentleman and his work when in Wellington, and he considered it a privilege to preside over the meeting. He would call upon Mr Isitt. Mr Isitt started with the statement that he would kill one lie before it was uttered. A collection had been made, but he wished it understood that he received nothing for his services, otherwise his publican friends would be quite sure that his advocacy was simply “ a money making affair.” He spoke under difficulties, he had already had three services, and he had come to Temuka prepared for a week-evening address, consequently he must depend upon the moment for the order of his remarks, and naturally he could not on the Sabbath give a speech that would be fitting enough on any other evening. Some of the peoj li, he understood, were very jin dignant at the idea of a prohibition meeting on Sunday. He was not surprised at that. Two months ago a Northampton brewer —dear man, his conscience was so tender and his spiritual susceptibilities so keen—had been fearfully shocked by two of the clergy allowing petitions to decrease the number of public houses in that town to lie in the church perch awaiting signature. “ Fancy,” said that godly brewer, “ fancy turning the House of God into a polling booth.” He quite understood objections of that order, but the masses ignored the churches largely because they were not practical enough in their teaching. Let the clergy talk less of Heaven, and more of how to make a heaven on earth. Let them fearlessly attack every evil that hindered the moral and physical advance of the people, and they would be truer servants of Christ, and would win back the men to their congregations. THa first head' was a simple one : Prohibition was needed because the liquor trade was not only an evil, but a gigantic iS evil. Here a graphic sketch was given of the awful work alcohol is doing throughout the world, and the detail of this work illustrated by incidents that had come under the speaker’s own notice in New Zealand. Prohibition was needed because the traffic could not be regulated. Huhdreds of Acts had been passed, but the publican interests still triumphed over all legal restrictions, and to-day in New Zealand the police force, from private to inspector, was dominated by the liquor ring. The police simply dare not do their duty, and proceed actively against the publican for infringements of the law. Prohibition was a success, a huge success, wherever it had had fair trial. American statistics Were first advanced, and a strong case Was made by quotations from ja, letter thh. Governor of the State of prohibition had been in force eight -years. * lowa contains one million three-quarters ,of people; and the Governor declajrecl that prohibition had been so successful that in the eight and a-half ' y'ears they,had reduced • taxation from 1 dollar. 75 cents to 71 cents, attracted to their State 356,000 of the pick of Ihe artizan and small capitalist class, emptied ; thedr gaols, built and filled schools and churches. As a proof of the diminution of crime in . one town of 50,000 inhabitants in. one year and a-half they only had three three serious criminal charges on the crime sheet. Now, said the speaker, if this is the result of sly grogselling instead of licensed grogselling in God’s name and for humanity’s sake let us try prohibition and sly grogselling here. How many of the opponents of prohibition- knew that in Great Britain to-day there are .1500 centres of .pro? hibition—villages, towns, or sections of towns. He (Mr Isitt) dared to say that the opponents of prohibition were grossly ignordnt of the whole subject. The question of compensation was then dealt Tivith, and Mr Isitt closed an exhaustive address by an earnest appeal to his hearers to give prohibition atrial. Mr Isitt was speaking for over an hour and a-half without any break, and the utmost attention was manifested,