NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Waipa Post, Volume II, Issue 60, 10 November 1911, Page 3

NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

REV. U. S. GRAY AT TE AWAMUTU. (Published by Arrangement.) Notwithstanding the stormy and unsettled state of the weather last evening there was a very fair attendance at the Town Hall to hear the address of the Rev. Gray, who spoke on behalf of the Waikato No-License League. The Rev. F. W. Clarke (chairman of the local branch of “the League) in a brief speech introduced the speaker. On rising Mr Gray was greeted with applause. On the occasion of his visit to America, the N.Z. Alliance had asked him to report on the true conditions prevailing there. With the growing movement in favour of No-license in this Dominion, the Trade was becoming more active. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm in this direction was showing a tendency to circulate literature of an untruthful nature. Words would fail any fair-minded man to justly express himself of these despicable methods. The speaker absolutely denied the Trade statement that No-License had been a failure in the various States of America. He referred to his experiences in America. His statements were not the opinions of No-license men, but in many instances were the expressions of men who were opposed to the movement. In one town of 34,000 inhabitants 85 per cent of 65 business men had opposed any suggestion to restore licenses. The mayor, who stated he was opposed to No-license, had said that business was not harmed; there was less drunkenness, and the town generally was more prosperous. Similar experiences were quoted, the information having been gathered in towns with populations rangup to 70,000. This led the speaker to deny the statement that No-license was a failure in the larger cities. The lawlessness of the city of Savanna was appalling. It is impossible to get a clean jury, as the names of no men of standing appear on the jury list. Two conditions exist whereby men are exempt from service on a jury, by paying £5 per annum and being the member of one of twenty military clubs. Only men with an interest in the Trade appear on the jury list and it was consequently impossible to get a conviction. Yet in spite of the failure to enforce the law, only 20 per cent, of the arrests, compared with the figures under licenses were made last year. In one month there were 124 indictments for murder and not one came before the Court, and it was held that if these laws are not enforced, it was not right to compare the conditions with New Zealand where an adherent law is obeyed. The Trade trickery in New Zealand was evidenced by the proposal of the brewers to give the Waihi miners a share of the profits from the retail business provided they would vote to restore licenses. The President of the Miners’ Union had been offered £IOO, and the Secretary £SO, provfded they would privately urge the proposal, but these bribes had been disclosed, with the effect that the men would not’ consider the proposal. The accommodation in some of the “dry” states of America compared favourably with the accomodation in any part of the world. It was not true that the accommodation was not so good in no-license districts. The experience of Gore and Invercargill showed that more servants were employed at an increased wage, and the standard of accommodation improved. No law is strictly obeyed when first enforced and under no-license there are some arrests for drunkenness, but experience shows that with licenses the drink bill is steadily on the increase, while with No-License the figures show a marked decrease. 111 the whole of six days stay in Maine he had not seen any evidences of slygrog, and he denied the statement that there were 300 open saloons in that State. It had been frequently asked “Why did Maine go back on the former vote ?” In districts where the law was enforced the vote was heavy for constitutional law, but in many districts where the law was defied many people considered it better to allow the open sale of liquor rather than encourage lawlessness. Kansas, with a population of two million was the most interesting prohibition State. Here the law was enforced, and ninety per cent, of the people consider prohibition the best business asset of the State. He read letters from the Governor and Chief Justice. The no-license party had never affirmed that all prosperity was solely due to no-license, but it was reasonable to say that progress must result when the money goes

to the tradespeople instead of to the brewer. It was certain, that no-license considerably reduced the amount of crime generally, lie urged upon the people of New Zealand to guard against any movement of the brewer to get such power, so as to be able to dominate the politics of this country. He did not say . that no-license was the remedy, but he believed it was. Slate control was not the remedy. The trade cannot be regulated, and he urged upon all to realise'the true position, and to exercise their vote on December 7th for the good of the country and the uplifting of their fellow men. No questions were put to the A hearty vote of thanks, which was carried with much applause*! terminated the meeting.