PROHIBITION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2626, 27 February 1894, Page 2

PROHIBITION.

On Friday night last the Rev. L. M. Isitt closed his three-nights' prohibition campaign at Geraldine by a lecture on " Prohibition and Compensation." The Oddfellows' Hall was again crowded, and the chair was taken by the Rev. W. C. Woodward.

In the course of his lecture, Mr Isitt said that what they aimed at in this country was partial prohibition, viz., prohibition of the retail trade in publichouses and clubs. But this was only a means to an end, and in time they would strike for prohibition of the importation, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic liquor. In the last ten years the people of Geraldine had spent about £16,000 in liquor, and, he asked, " What have you got for it?" Some said, "The revenue," but what did grog do to help on the thrift and prosperity of the country, compared with other trades ? What snpplied the sinew of the village blacksmith? Certainly not drink; but the butcher, the baker, the grocer. More money was spent in New Zealand on charitable aid, gaols, hospitals, and lunatic asylums than was received from the drink revenue. Again, if a storekeeper got the custom of a publican he thought he had a good customer, but forgot that he paid through the nose for every pound the publican paid him; because most of the bad debts on his books were the outcome of drink. With regard to sly grog-selling, they admitted that there was one-tenth of the sly grog-selling there was in the past at present-going on in the prohibition States of America, but that was no more than ' the amount of sly grog-selling at present in existence in New Nealand. Taking away publicans licenses without compensation was considered by some as < an infringement of the liberty of the subject. But what happened if a man attempted to erect a building in the centre of a town not according to town regulations ? Why the town board stepped in and prohibited it. If a man rode a bicycle on the footpath, no matter how careful he might be not to run against pedestrians, yet he was liable to prosecution. Were these infringements of the liberty of the subject ? No I The moment a man became a unit in a community he reaped all the benefits of that community, but his liberty was curtailed the moment he claimed to do anything that benefitted himself but harassed the community. The community had a right to say whether or not a man should carry on a trade that was harmful to their best interests. This was sound logic. With regard to compensation Mr Isitt's remarks were generally the same as those made by him at Temuka and already reported in this paper. On the motion of Mr Colin McKenzie, seconded by Mr J. M. Sutherland, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr lutt tor his able lectures.

Before closing the meeting Mr Isitt urged on hia hearers to vote straight for prohibition at the next election. Every vote for prohibition they made would count for reduction.