NO-LICENSE-CAMPAIGN.

Waipa Post, Volume II, Issue 54, 20 October 1911, Page 2

NO-LICENSE-CAMPAIGN.

REV. R. S. HAMMOND AT TE AWAMUTU. (Published by arrangement). On Wednesday evening the Rev. R. S. Hammond, of Sydney, delivered an address in the Town Hall on the No-license movement. There was a large attendance, the hall being well filled. The address throughout was very interesting, as apart from the question at issue, Mr Hammond proved himself a very fine orator. The Rev. F. W. Clarke, presided and introduced the speaker. There were also on the stage Revs. Woollass and Lamond, Messrs de Ridder and J. L. Mandeno, J. Marion, and R. Ferguson (of the Waikato No-license League). - On rising Mr Hammond was greeted with applause. In opening his remarks he wished all to understand that he wanted the subject fully discussed, and he placed no restriction on any question. The movement for nolicense demanded investigation. He held that local option was beneficial to the electorate, and national prohibition was much more so. , He commented on the marked change in the attitude of the medical profession towards alcohol. Medical men had practically discarded it in the hospitals and he held that that which was not necessary to the medical men was not beneficial to any town. Many instances, were quoted in evidence of the action of medical men. In the Melbourne Hospital the expenditure on alcohol in ten vears decreased from £358 to £25 per annum. Statements of prominent military men were quoted. The canteen had been abolished from the American Army. Dealing with the financial aspect he held that property did not decrease in value, but on the other hand increased. As an instance of this the Albion Hotel at Invercargill was quoted. In the last year of licenses this property changed hands at £9,500, the rental then being £l2 per week. Inigilwith no-license the same property changed hands at £20,000, the weekly rental having increased to £2l. The financial aspect was dealt with at length, several instances being quoted. The brewer had stated that no-license encouraged sly-grog in a district. He quoted one portion of Sydney where in an area of 30 acres -with 16 licensed houses, there were 8 convictions for sly-grog trading in the one week. He held that sly-grog was equally prevalent in districts where licenses-exist, and it was only the confirmed drinker who supported this illegal trade. There was the statement of the brewer that to close the hotel would be t 3 drive the liquor into the home. He held that home consumption was encouraged by the brewer while the licenses existed. Clergy and medical men had signed statements testi- , fying to the reduction in the amount or liquor introduced into the home in times of no-license as against when licenses existed. He scathingly criticised the contention that the abolition of licenses interfered with the liberty|of the subject. No-licertse meant the greatest good for the greatest inumber. In comparing the amount of drunkenness in districts where no-license exists, the speaker made reference to a return presented to the present session of Parliament. This report showed that the 12 no-license areas of the Dominion there were 165 convictions for drunkenness in the year, ending 3i°t March, 191*1. For the whole Dominion the number of convictions totalled 11,000 which,.based on the population of each electorate shows that one out of every 76 people was convicted for drunkenness in licensed areas against one out ,of 975 in no-license districts. For this, if for no other cause, all should work for local option and strive to secure Dominion prohibition. In Masterton for the last year under licenses, there were 119 sittings of the Magistrates Court against 39 for the year just ended, during which time Masterton had no licensed hotels. It had been said that business went back. This was not according to facts. A public meeting held at Carterton to consider this matter had decided in favour of no-license. In Masterton under no-license there were ,5 new factories and 36 new shops opened in the last 12 months. This increase in trade was still going on without the population increasing in a corresponding manner. Returns proved that the deposits at the Savings Bank had increased by £I,OOO per month. This was the result of Masterton. No-license had been tried andf proved a success and he appealed to all for their moral and financial support in the great reform which was of vital i m-

portance to the Dominion. plause).

QUESTIONS. What was the question at issue for late poll in Maine, and what * was the result ? It is 'SO years since prohibition was carried in Maine. For 23 years it was statutory law but 27 years' ago it was included in the Constitution of the State. The recent voting was not on the question of restoring liquor but simply whether prohibition should remain upon the constitution or revert back to > ~~ statutory law. By over 700 votes it. was decided to leave it upon the constitution. He then referred to conditions in Maine. Does the Auckland press report licensing matters impartially ? —ln his experience they did not and instances were quoted to this effect.

Referring to the matter of ' effect upon the revenue of the country by abolition of lisenses, he said the liquor traffic is not a source of revenue but is a channel of revenue. The people get the benefit of the money on the one hand against the brewer on the other. Instancing Te revenue of £BO from licenses, he pointed out that this meant the spending by the residents of £2,000 per annum. He asked was that good business for Te Awamutu.

Dr. Reekie proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker for his able address. It was indeed an oration which was of exceptional educational value. He upheld all that had been said respecting the medical profession. The no-license .question was of infinite importance, not only to the present but more particularly to the future generations. He had much pleasure in moving a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker.

Mr J. L. Mandeno seconded th& motion, which was carried with prolonged applause. % ■:;■.; The meeting terminated witn a vote of thanks to the Chairman.