NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2797, 13 January 1888, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

A public meeting of the Masterton branch of the New Zealand Alliance for the suppression of the liquor traffic, of which Mr Easthope is the local tetary, was held' last night in the perauco Hall, when there was a large* 1 attendance. The meeting having been opened with singing by the Wesleyan Choir, and prayer by tho Rev. J. Newman Buttle, Mr W. 11. Beethani was called upon to tako tho chair. •This Mr -Boetlmm said ho had pleasure in doing,-although when asked he felt there were others .who were total abstainers, and,miglit more properly have done bo. However, he gave way to no one in his admiration of Temperance,- whether in eating, drinking, or speaking on the question of total abstinence- The horrors of drunkenness were very great, and he could give them many instances. Ono young man, even at the present time, was awaiting his trial for forgery, v that he never would have committed y but for the drink, as he was not at all 4of the criminal class. He,. however, • would not detain them as Mr Glover, the organising agent of the Alliance, was present, and would more forcibly explain those matters, and the mission of the Society he'represented. Jfc Glover then addressed the meetthe Alliance was not a total abstinence movement, but one in whicli all ladies andgentlomen were invit'edjto join as citizens, or Patriots. Their Chairman being both he was perfectly in order in presiding over such > a meeting. Tho speaker then went 1 on to explain that the object of the # Alliance was simply to obtain for tho V people in every licensing district, the power to prevent liquor shops being forced on them against their will. The only means provided at present was through the election of the licensing Committee and this was not found to work .well, such members not liking for business and other reasons to take upon themselves the responsibility of refusing licenses. It was therefore believed that the best and only way in this land of liberty was to allow the public themselves to settle the matter

at the ballot box, and -whenever a substantial majority of tho people SO decided, then the Committee should have no power to issue licenses. So far Wrings had been held in every township of the Colony and no opposition had come from the pulpit, tho press, or the people, and in the last election nine out of every ten of the members elected were in favour of this change, the only difficulty being that of compensation, a great many believing that it ought.to be given, at least in some cases, This.'idea Mr Glover combated at great length, saying that the Alliance could only accept the principle without compensation, seeing that the Committees had full power at present of witholding licenses, and he could not see why the change should be made. when handed over to the people themselves to decide. Mr Glover then went on to show the help that Prohibition would be to the commercial prosperity of the Colony, if the money-two and a quarter millions spent ,in drink, and two millions', on racing, betting and gambling-could be diverted into legi- -- tkatejflmnels of trade. A sovereign «mt oh imported liquors was no help our labor market, but.if the working/man took his sovereign for instance to the tailor and got a pair of colonial tweed trousers, he at least put 12s Gd into the working man's pocket of this colony, multiply this by say two millions spent on drink, and they could estimate the result. Towards the close of the meeting, the fire bell sounding, created great alarm and nearly broke up the assemblage, but in about a quarter of an hour most of the people returned, and the mseting was brought to a successful termination, several persons joining the Alliance at the close. WAIRARAPA NORTH COUNTY COUNCIL.

Engineer's Report. masterton riding, Te Ore Ore to Bideford Road.—lt has been lately reported to me that somo of the settlers on this line have recontlyiieen interfering with the levels oßnb drains on tho To Ore Ore flats to the detriment of tho road, and that the flood of water has been altered so at to flow tne low lands along the baass of the Whangaehu river. I will therefore make inquiry into the matter and have it rectified if possible without having further to refer it to the Council. On-the bush section of the: road I would suggest that the money allocated to the bridge painting bo expended in cutting the slips and restoring tho road level in places which havo sustained damage b'y ; Jast winters rains, If the slips at present oncroaching on the road are permitted to remain; the gravelled' surface will suffer much harm during next winter. Masterton to Waiuiata road,--On , tho Masterton to Kahumingi section such funds as were available have been expended in laying fresh gravel along' the worst portions of the road, the amount is however considerably short of whafc'ifcnecessaiy to fulfil the requirenwsof the line. Waing'Ni to Camp. road.At the southern v \oach of the Waingawa bridge, it win Je necessary to construct some small protective work to prevent the under current from scouring beneath the fascine work and underminin<pie gravel approach. I have therefore to request that the Council will grant authority for the execution of such works as may be considered necessary ill preserve the approach from further damage. CASTLEPOINT MDINO. ■ Masterton to Waimata Road,—The painting of the Marigapakeha bridge is being performed by Mr Chapman who anticipates completing the work by the end of the present week. On the Castlepoint section the contractor for contract No, 26 has failed to comply with the notice I served upon him itf unfinished contract. I would tfrewore recommend that' a deduction of sixpence per cubjc yard be made on the amount of stone broken by him, and that the Council complete his work by breaking the stone to the proper guagc after it has been laid on tho road,.. tWm to. Tinui JRoad,-(Tinui

to Tiraumea section), 1 have 'explored and made a rough reconnaissance survey o( ut deviation from t!;e portion of this line which ifl located through the Black Swamp. The principal features of advantage to hn gained by thia deviation will lie, the reduction lo a minimum, of the actual contact with the low levels subject to flood from the Whareams River overflow, the improved facilitiesfor metalling of tho road together with the attendant economy in the cost of its future maintenance, and the abandonment only of that portion of tho present locatedjine which is annually becoming leas serviceable, and more costly to be preserved as a public right of way. The position of the deviation will be seen by reference to the attached plan. It passes from the South West corner of Mr Jepson's. property, through to the centre of its northern boundary dividing in into two reasonable areas, and thence passes through a small paddock of Mr Stilborn's to a roconnection with the original lino, above the influence of flood level. The total addition to the chainage of the line by this route is 6.65 chains, while the amount ot swamp avoided amounts to 32 chains, I have attached an estimate of approximate cost of acquiring the necessary lands for tho road, formation, bridging, fsnciug and the other works necessary to open tho lino to traffic, and I believe that the figures in tho estimates represent fair and reasonable values for the various works respectively, ALFREDTON BIDING. Eketahuna to Tinui Road.—Eketa-. ; huna to Tiraumea section—The permanent man on this road is still employed on the section of road lying between the swamp and Eketahuna, removing slips and generally repairing the surface of the road. Opaki to Manawatu Road.—The permanent mon are engaged in such general repair as tho means at their disposal will enable them lo perform. Under existingcircumstances, however, it is absolutely hopeless to expect the line to carry the traffic of next winter, unless a largo sum can be raised to put. it into a proper state of repair. Tenders will be laid boforo the Council for contracts Nos. 31 to 32 on the Masterton to Waimata Road. (J. E. BItIiMNER, Engineer.