WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3863, 21 July 1891, Page 2

WESLEYAN CHURCH.

What the Moral Sense of Masterton Expects from a Licensing Committee. The Rev. J. Dukes dealt with the above question before a large congregation at the Weßleyan Church on Sunday night, and in the course of his address said, that in the interests of free,unfettered speech, and to shield him from the charge of indulging in. personalities, it was well that the names of the candidates for a second licensing election were not yet before the public. He was therefore free to speak on what should constitute the personnel of the future committee, and what the majority of this electorate will at the least expect from them. " What then," " said he, are the essential moral and mental qualifications in a candidate for this Committee ? 1. That he be a man of good, unimpeachable moral character. If a man's character will not bear a searching investigation, then throw him oven board as a candidate at once. If he is a double-tongued individual, whose word is not to be depended upon, be sure of this, that when he gets the chance he will betray the most sacred trust, and therefore place no confidence in him. If you know that his private life is not chaste and pure, out on him as a man daring to inßiilt your intelligence, when posing as a custodian ot morals; and to outrage your moral instincts by asking for your vote. If you know him to he an habitual soaker, a man who frequently gets drunk; simply contemn his candidature as that of a man who has arrived at the summit of audacity in asking you to place him in the position of. guardian of the morals of the community, when he himself outrages the common decencies of Society. A time like this demands— Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lust of Office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of Office cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honour, men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a dema* gogue, And condemn his treacherous flat* teries without winking; Tall men ; sun crowned, who lire above the foe, In private duty, and in private thinking. We have also a right to demand that every candidate will adhere' strictly to the Licensing Act, and endeavour to the utmost to carry it out in its entirety. This of course argues the necessity that every man who aspires to a seat on the Licensing Bench should make himself thoroughly familiar with that Aot. And with the Statute in hand we have a right to demand from any body of men placed on the Committee, 1. That they will reduce the number of licensed houses to four. This will not in the least inconvenience the travelling public; for surely four such colossal establish* ments as we have in Masterton, together with all the boarding houses extant, are quite sufficient for the needs of the travelling public. This reduction of houses will simplify police supervision and minimise the temptations of drink. But which of

the six houses ought to go? Some would say the two most recently licensed. Not of necessity slumMMi be done, but the two most dISHBy, whichever they avo; the two that are more than the others corrupting tho ! morals of this community. Whether--" - these are the newest or oldest they ought to go. But should any house be peremptorily closed ? I think not. There are many interests to consider, and injustice to all concerned twelve months notice 6bouldat least be given. There is undoubtedly a large majority of electors in favor of a reduction of bouses, and no Committee will faithfully represent this electorate unle6B it proceeds after due notice to reduce the number of houses. Then the new Committee will fail to satisfy the moral sense of this community unless it adopts ten o'clock closing. As to arguments in favour of extended hours of drinking. It is frequently said that if you keep these houses open till eleven or twelve o'clock you raise the licensing fees, and thus reduce tho rates to the general publio and improve the state of the roads. Bub will any intelligent man, with a grain of moral sense, contend that the mischief, misery, and loss that accrues to the community, through that one, or those two extra hours of drinking, is atoned for by the paltry sum of a few pounds to bo expended ou tho roads.

No roan will dare to say that it is—the light is too strong in this day for such an assertion. Another argument used by midnight drinkers is this : That it is a matter of convenience to the travelling public thai the licensed houses be kept open until eleven or Jpyelve o'clock. .Nobody doubts it— Tience the law has very rightly pro • vidpd that tbey be open to travellers all night, and no Licensing Bench or publican either has the power to refuse to admit a traveller or to provide him with refreshments at any hour of the night. Another man objects to ten o'clock closing because it is an interference with the liberty of the subject, but when" so-called liberties encroach on the undeniable liberties of other people, then they ought to be inter ferred with. Whatrighthas onesection of the community to inflict a hardship upon another section ? What right has a publican to exprct servants to worl: from six or seven in the morning until midnight ? That is certainly an interference, nay, a positive outrage upon the liberty of the subject. What right have we to encourage any man to desolate his home, leaving his wife and children in their loneliness and sorrow, night after night until the midnight hour! The feelings and position of the man are very unenviable to whom a broken-hearted woman can point and aay: —"That man is supporting an eleven o'clock license, and it has been the ruin of my husband, aud the cause son going astray." This dealt w ' t!l om a moral ancßSJMPstandpoint. Let us lift it from all such low and shady < considerations as a false temporary economy, or the hollow election cry of i

public convenience, or the cant of invasion of personal liberty. Let us lift it to tee region of conscience, and if we do, we have now a grand opportunity oi minimising the temptations of the weak, of making it hard for them to fall, and of improving the morals of the place. Let us not let the opportunity slip. Briefly, the moral sense of this community expects that no renewal of license will be made to any person gpfcose character may, to say th e least of it, be desigmated shady. Also that a mostsearchiDg investigation be made into those houses of which rumour says, they are much worse than chirring saloons, and which if tound correct the license or licenses be cancelled forthwith. That no man be permitted to renew who is known without doubt to encourage gambling in any form,or who permits Sunday drinking on his premises. Moral reformers are agreed upon this, that united effort must be directed to accomplish the grand and ennobling idea of deliveringthis fair and beautiful land from the degrading and withering curse of drink. Any candidate who is not prepared to lead the van in this noble crusade is unworthy of your suffrages, quietly put him out of the way as one of those stumbling blocks in the much of moral reform that you will no longer tolerate.