I. O. G. T.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2598, 26 December 1893, Page 1

I. O. G. T.

The Welcome Retreat Good Templar Lodge held an open meeting on Wednesday night at the Good Templar Hall, Geraldine, in aid of the mission fund, but, judging by the attendance, the mission would not benefit greatly. This was owing probably to the meetiDg being advertised to be held in the Oddfellows' Hall before eugagiog the hall, and at the last moment having to hold the meeting in the Good Templar Hall because the other had been engaged by the Masonic Lodge. Mr Dalton presided, and after the opening ode was sung, he spoke of the great work the Temperance Party had done at the recent election the Temperance Party had worked well together with the Liberal Party. Mr W. S. Maslin, M.H.R, first of all rated those concerned for the bad arrangements they had made in connection with the holding of the meeting, and went on to show, that he had not altered his views on the temperance question. He heard a great deal said in condemnation of the present Licensing Act, and he agreed with some things said against it. But ;they should remember that while this Act had its bad points it also had its good ones, and they should try to avail themselves of all the good points of this Act, and they would do far more good than by trying to find all the faults they could with it. One of the advantages of the Act was that it gave the right to the people to deal with the liquor question, a right which they never had under any previous law. Only ratepayers had the privilege of voting on this question before, and now the vote was extended to every elector, both male and female. Thus the Temperance party had more aggressive power, and were stronger now than under the old Act. As a matter of principle be firmly believed that an actual majority should decide all questions, but with respect to the Temperance question', this had its disadvantages, as well as its advantages, because if they carried their, '' v bare majority in t ' hree .J .oould.be undone oy a bare majority. If they, carried it by a three-fifths majority it was carried they might say for all time, for until the other aide could change things they WQitfd,, have to raise a threefifths majority, arid by, that time they would never be able to, rouse the same effort in favor of drink as there would be against it, : He, felt confident that if they worked unitedly, and organised, they could carry three-fifths majority in the Rangitata and Pareora electorates. They would find in March next that the Temperance party were much stronger than they expected. He did not agree with the policy of the Sydenham people in deciding not to nominate any candidates for the licensing bench. He thought at least tliey should make the other side go to the poll. The Temperance party, had no cause for discouragement under the preaent Act. At present there was no provision to recoup the local bodies for the loss of revenue from licensed houses if prohibition were carried, and he thought such local bodies should be subsidised for the revenue lost. He would try as far as he could in the House to get revenue from public houses made a colonial revenue instead of a local one. The direct veto was the only effective cure for the evils of public houses. Mr Maslin then gave several instances showing how it was impossible to carry out the the provisions of any Licensnig Act. He knew of a case where a constable found a drunken man coming from an hotel with a bottle of whiskey in each pocket; he arrested the man, and the latter was convicted before two justices. The constable then thought he had a clear case against the publican, but, strange to say, the publican's case was heard before the same two justices and this time, in face of their previous conviction, they decided that the evidence was not clear enough to show that the man was drunk. Personally he was not in favor of reduction of public houses, as it only enriched the houses that remained open. It was beat to wipe them all out, and the cause of temperance would gain nothing by reduction. He urged them to work in earnest for the next March election. (Applause.) Song, «"Throw out the lifeline," Mr E, Pvobson.

The Rev. W. C. Woodward advised members of the Temperance party to do all they could at the next March election. Eegulation had failed, and copstabjes could be sympathised with, in their efforts to carry out the prqvisions of the law while they met with such poor support from those who should help them, The Temperance party should try to form vigilance committees to help the policemen in theif efforts to abate the public house nuisance. If they were beaten let them take their beating like men and then agitate for a repeal of the present Bill.

Mr Rudd (Sydenham) coagyaiullatpd, the Members of \\\§ p?psejr| QB their retusq, a,n,d th,p brethren fo.r WOlkiug so har4 towards it. Hq hfttl bsai> * d templar i OV oyer ft* H e ;L"a Sydenham liwto, and lie did believe iu reduction of public houses. They closed hve out of eight hotels in Sydeuhatn, and UQ oouU giye n WU y instants of the good

! results during the time they were closed. In Christchurch Vthey would carry the day by three-fifths majority. Song, "Will your Anchor Hold," Mr Robson. Mr F. R. Flagman, M.H.R., believed that temperance people should practice what they preach. He thoaght the drink traffic was already strangling itself. He believed the Temperance Party would get their three-fifths majority here, and the publicans could make up their minds that they will have something to face at the next election. He agreed with Mr Maslin that the Sydenham people were wrong in not nominating ; candidates. Mr Rudd referred to Queen Victoria as an example for the ladies, but he might refer to the Prince of Wales, who on one of his estates had abolished every hotel as the license fell out, so that our future sovereign had done that much good. He referred to the Christchurch Press and its dealings with the question of drink sold at auction sales, and denied its statements, and was proud to think 7 that woel buyers had some time ago abolished drink from the wool sales. Objection had been raised that he (Mr Flatman) had said during the elections, " What has this election got to do with prohibition 1" He said that fully believing that the present Government would be returned, and considered it unreasonable to suppose that a Government which had just passed a Bill would call a summer session together and undo what they had done. March was the time to make up their minds to deal with the liquor question. If he saw a really honest publican was ruined by prohibition he would willingly head a subscription list to give him a start in life again. Bnt the publicans as a rule were unprincipled, they" sold to children under age and did everything they could to evade the law, and many a false oath had been sworn to get a publican out of a scrape. It was a great shame that the law should be so slack, and this was how publicans were strangling themselves. While they did all they could for prohibition they must not forget to keep the country prosperous by a good Liberal policy. The prohibition question would never be a party one, but only a side issue. (Applause.) Mr Maslin rose to emphasize the fact that Mr Seddon had no idea of making the temperance question a party one, and showed that Mr Seddon's original Bill before it passed the Upper House contained some very drastic measures.

Mr Flatman endorsed Mr Maslin's remarks, and said the Temperance party would always get more support from the Liberal side than from the Conservative side of the House.

Mr Robson proposed, and Mr J. M. Sutherland seconded, a vote of thanks to the speakers, which was carried, and the meeting ended with the closing ode.