TEMPERANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2345, 13 July 1886, Page 2

TEMPERANCE.

A public meeting was held m the Temperance Hall, Chapel-street, last night,: The Rev. J). Fultou was' voted to the ohair. . In his opening remarks he.said the objcot of tlie meeting was to establish a.'Gospel Temperance' Mission in the' town. Before going, on, to the more general business, he rould call upon tho Treasurer of tho committee of Mr Mat-' thew Burnett's mission to read a state-. ment of tho cash transactions therewith., Mr J. Graham, the Treasurer, read the 1 balance sheet and auditor's report, which showed receipts £23 lis, expenditure £27 9s, leaving a debtor balance of £4 Bs. .. A proposition was made 1 that a collection be started in the room, This was done, and the amount was pranptly subscribed. • - ;../"• .•' ' ■ .The Chairman congratulated the committee on the financial success of thoir undertaking. He considered that the -town, and Christian bodies', had all.benefited 'by'the mission.' He pointed out to those present the necessity there was of continuing the work so well begun. . For his own part he thought fchey should hold a monthly meeting. -. He thought that on one Sunday in each month church services could be cut Bhort and a Gospel Temperance meeting be. held in the Theatre RoyaJ (ch«ers), MrEasthopethoughttheyshould first' move the adoption of the balance sheet, and report. He paid a high compliment to the Treasurer whose co-adjutor he had' been, andin moving the adoption of the' balance sheet he wouldcouple a vote of thanks to Mr Graham.

I. Tlie Rev. Mr Buttle said he would 1 second the motion most heartily, and it was put and carried by acclamation. Suggestions were then invited from those'.present as, to the best mode of.

carrying on the work. Mr •Kingdon would'like to have weekly meetings sayevery Saturday night, in addition to the monthly Sunday meetings.

The Rev. J K Buttle, after congratulating them upon the result of the minion said, in connection with the earryin? on , of the work he would urge upon them the necessity of considering what' stepi they should take before committing themsolves to, action. It would require an immense amount of enthusiasm to keep up weekly Saturday meetings. He for his part thought a monthly meeting would be as'much as they could successfully carry out, .but he was willing to bow to the wishes of the majority. He pointed out there were other Temperance organisations m oxistanoe, and he knew they would support the' movement all thoy could, but they could not give up their own work. (No, No.) Captain Robinson said, it was a good work to get people to take the pledge, and a great thing to keopthera after they had been got (Hear! hear!) He thought a committee should be appointed to hunt up those who had signed the pledge and give them all the help they needed in their early struggles against the foe. (Cheors). It was no use to get 300 or 400 siehaturas and then leave the signers to themselves. t MrHoldawaysaid if this,new movement was going to be the means of doing good he would be willing to let Good Templary take a second place, but they would want a back, bone. - He thought they should hwe a President, Vice-Preßi-dent, Secretary, Treasurer, and a Committee, and he suggested that that course should be adopted by that meeting. Mr Easthope suggested that they should link themselves with the New Zealand Alliance. It was broad enough to admit all who were in favor of the removal of the curse of strong drink, and. a man could join? the Alliance even though he were not a pledged abstainer. It would be an easy matter to join themselves to the Alliance and they would thus got the benefit of visits from othor lecturers. To test their feelings he Would move that this meeting constitute itself a branch of the New Zealand Alliance. This was.not seconded. Mr Booth, a visitor to the town, said, Being one of the Committee who were the first to form the Blue Ribbon movement in the South, he might be permitted to give some suggestions that would prove useful. He explained the mode adopted in .Oamaru to form a Goipel Temperance Blue Ribbon Union. The movement had proved a buoosbb there, and meetings were still held every Monday evening. (Cheers) The last time he heard from Oamaru the number on the roll was between 4000 and 5000. He urged them to adopt the same scheme here.

The Chairman read but the various suggestions that had been mack Mr Graham moved that, they form themselves into an association on the lines of a Gospel Temperanee Society. What they wanted was to gather the various organisations together (not to displace them), for. the purpose of united action. H» did not want to disorganise any existing Society, but he would like to see all Societies unite on one broad platform for the common good, The motion was carried, the name to be "The Masterton Gospel'Temperauce Union." : The election of a Committee' was then proposed, . Mr Prangnell said he would like to know what lines they were going to work on before he could consent to allow his name to be put upon the Committee. He was in favor of weekly meetings in turn at the Presbyterian arid Wesleyan Churches, in the present building, and in the Barracks,

The following officers were then appointed, conditionally upon their accepting office and joining.the Union:—President, J. Graham ;• Vice Presidents, B. P. Perry, B. S, Hawkins, J.P., J. Stuckey,H, A. Stratford, R.M., D. McGregor,. Colonel McDonnell; J.P.;.' Secretary 0. Dixon [Assistant [Secretary E. Duncan; Treasurer, A. .Glasse; General. Committee, J. Bamb'er,'; l, Carpenter; T. Marsh, G. Duncan, C.Holdaway, R. Evernden Rev.D; Fulton )v Re7. J. K. Buttle, Captain Salvation Army, W.IM., Easthope, S. Kirigdon, J? tack, J. Moore,. .With power to add to their nurata; Vigilance Committee, W. J. .Joster C •Holdaway, J. Jaok, Jr., W. MAsthoW' J. Stone.7A. Vile, H. Bhnkhorne. With power to adcl to'their number. ' ' '- •'•"'■

' B wal resolved ttafca meeting. 0 t ladles' be. called for the purpose .of forming a eommittee amongst themselves,' The new committee was instructed to

draw up a set'of rule; and regulations, to frame by-laws,- to draw up a repoit for the'future guidance of the Unibn,. aiid'to call a meeting as soon as ' ,The meeting then adjourn™ '," ~''. i A committee meeting'was heldafterwards, and arrangements mada f for.the time and place of future meetings/ ' f