MODERATION V. PROHIBITION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3878, 5 August 1891, Page 2

MODERATION V. PROHIBITION.

SiflOTisslcn la the Theatre Royal. A Rowdy Meeting. The Maaterton Theatre Royal was crowded to excess last evening when a debate took place between the champions of Moderation and Prohibition. The chair was occupied by Mr VV. Lowes, who requested a fair and impartial hearing for both sides. He advised the ratepayers to give c.ireful consideration to the questions discussed, and on Friday give their decision at the ballot box. The first speaker he would call upon would be Mr Walker. Mr who was received with cheers, stated be would as far as possible avoid personalities. Mr Glover had abucad him on Saturday and Sunday nights in his absence. Be would ask if this was the proper conduct of a Christian man. (Cries of " No.") He maintained th*t the Moderation Committee was moderate in every respect. He thought that the names of the candidates themselves was a sufficient guarantee that the Act would be properly administered. If returned his Committee was willing to give the ten o'clock licenses a fair trial, and if they were a success they would not be .altered. If it was proved there- were too many houses in the Borough, some would be closed on the recommendation of tiie police. The Licensing Act, it must be borne in mind, had been framed to regulate the liquor traffic, and not to suppress it. Six years ago the ratepayers had decided that an increase in licenses was necessary. He asked if the town had decreased in its population since then. If not, what right had they to reduce the number of licenses now ? The Moderation Committee was not nominated by the publicans. With these few remarks he would resume his seat. (Cheers j and laughter). j Mr Glover, who was received with vociferous cheering, said he was truly delighted to meet such an audience.

He had not much to reply to. (Laughter), If that was all they had to reply to, the Prohibitionists had won the battle. (Laughter). If the election was won by the Prohibitionists, Mr Walker had better not be in town on Friday night, for he would be given a lively lime of it by the publicans. (Laughter). Mr Walker was the best i friend the Prohibitionists had. He had never wilfully abused Mr Walkerinthe meetings. It now turned out that the Moderation candidates were their own committee. (Laughter). The Prohibition candidates were not working very hard in their own interests. He was inclined to the belief that the only Moderation Committee there was would be found in Messrs Pownall and Walker. (Laughter). He should not wonder but that these were the gentlemen who had upset the last election on a miserable legal technicality. He had expected to have heard some reason from Mr Walker why public-houses should exist, but this had not been forthcoming. Mr Walker had stated that the ten o'clock licenses were to be given a fair trial. This was necessarily to be so, as they were sure to continue for another ten months. But who was to decide whether the ten o'clock licenses were a success? The Licensing Committees had no power under the Act to decide that hotels should be closed at eleven o'clock. The houses had either to be closed at t3n o'clock or twelve. Mr Walker had further said that if the police had reported that certain houses were unnecessary, the moderate committee would act on their advice (laughter.) As a rule the committees instructed the policemen what to do (laughter.) The police could be bought oyer in some townships by a glass of liquor (laughter), and a glass of liquor was therefore to govern the moderate committee (groans and cheers). It was intended by the Act that the Licensing Committees should have absolute control over the liquor traffic. Over three hundred houses had been closed at one fell swoop in England without a penny of compensation. The case, Sharpe v Wakefield, had decided that compensation need not be given. Judge Denniston had expressed himself as full of doubt as to whether he was right in preventing the Sydenham Committee from exercising their full powerß and totally prohibiting (applause). Mr Walker had stated that six years ago the people had said themselves that the licenses should be increased, At the last election the people had said themselves that the whole of the houses should be closed

(applause). And why should not the will of the people be acceded ? Th e Prohibition Committee would be sure to go as near to total prohibition as the law permitted. Io conclusion he hoped that on Friday they would vote for morality, and for prosperity, believing that the Prohibition Committee was one in which' they could place their utmost confidence (deafen- | ing cheers). Mr Pownall, who was received with cheers, said it could not be , expected that he would give as fluent an addiess as Mr Glover. He would ', however, endeavour to point out the "true position of affairs (Hear, bear.— ! A voice: Qh, they're not ratepayers), He maintained that he had a right tc exprees his opinion outside his office as Major. This "was the firat time they hud been afforded a public meeting open to every speaker. It had been said he was afraid to meet Mr Glover. To say such a thing was a piece of 'gross impertinence (hear, hear.) He had never been afraid of Mr Glover. Mr Glover had abused him and others in his speech on Sun. day night. (Cries of "ho" and "Yes.") It was all very well for Mr Glover to prance about the stage like a brahma cock in a poultry show, but be maintained that he bad no right to abuse others. Mr Glover had stated that because a man was a publican he was not respectable. (Cries of " No.") If it was not so he was glad to hear it. He might inform Mr G, lover that the Moderation candidates were their

own committee. He believed tbe public tl)is, although Mr Glover did not. It was a disgraceful thing for Mr Glover to try and influence a Returning Officer, which be admitted having done down south (hear, hear). By Btating that the policemen could be bought over by a glass of liquor, Mr Glover was insulting the police force of the colony as a whole (hear, bear. A voice: Give ns something about the liquor.) The iter. Mr Wood had forgpuCD i 'i e o!"? rov ) erb »" Let not your right hand know J oat '"" handdoeth," and had come to a meeting and stated that he bad given £1 as charity in six days (laughter). Tfte B.ev Wood bad also stated he bad sept an order to certain hotels of Mastertoa to admit a man, He (the speaker) had made enquiries, and found that this was an absolute falsehood (hear, hear), fie maintained that if they returned Prohibitionists the revenue of the Borough would be decreased and the value of the property would depreciate. If they could

secure total prohibition he was with them (hear, hear). He did not, however, believe in individual prohibition. He took exception to the action of the late Licensing Committee in having arrived at the decision as to what steps they should take before their meeting. (Cries of "shame";. In conclusion he urged upon his hearers to vote in the true interests of the Borough (cheers). The Rev Wood, who was received with cherrs and groans, stated that he did not think it was to the credit of the friends of the publ'cang to interfere with the liberty of the public speech. (Hear, hear). It had been stated by Mr Pownall that he had wilfully perpetrated a falsehood. He explained the position taken up by himself with regard to his distribution of charity. He did not think he was guilty of Phariseeism. (Hear, hear.) He only referred to the case a 9 an example of the extra tax laid upon citizens by the fruics of the liquor traffic. When he had been as long in the town as Mr Pownall he would be able to hammer nut as good a character as His Worship. (Hear, hear, and cries of "No.") Oh well, there had been false prophets l-ufore now. (Hear, hear). He was sorry personalities had been dragged into the discussion, but he would explain his position. He had instructed a member of his Church to take a man to the Star Hotel, and he was prepared to substantiate every statement he had made. (Hear, hear). He was sorry his time would not permit him dealing with the great evil. M r Pownall's Bpeech was precisely the same as the letter of Mr Walker in the Daily, even to the rhetorical expression, " Drink! Drink I Drink !" He trusted that the people would bliow on Friday that their will was to be respected. (Groans —The Chairman here interfered and said this was the most disgraceful meeting be had ever seen in Masterton. Mr Pownall bad, he regretted to state, introduced personalities, and Mr Wood should have a right to reply—Cheers). Mr Wood, in conclusion, stated that he had to apologise for having the painful duty of referring to personalities, instead of dealing with the evil of drink itself, but they were thrust upon him. (Cheers).

Mr Roy Carrard, who was received with hisses and groans, stated that as a representative of the Star Hotel he wished to explain that the Rev. Mr Wood had not called at (he hotel to find lodgings for a man. A miserable, hungry man, had, however, been brought to the hotel, and had been given a drink because he was in a dying condition. The Chairman ruled that the speaker was out of order. Mr Carrard proceeded to state that if the people calmly and religiously looked to their own interests and those of their children they would vote for the Moderation Committee, when he was forced to resume his seat amidst hisses and groans. Mr Rigg stated he did not care to speak when there was any confusion. He bad been asked, however, to reply to Mr Pownall. Mr Wood had done this, and it was not now necessary tor him to do so. (A voice : Leave Pow nail alonw.) It had been stated that if the Prohibitionists were returned the Borough would lose £240 in license fees. He would like to point out that it was not the publicans who paid the fees, but the men who drank the whisky. (Hear, hear.) The mere circulation of money did not affect the revenue. (A voice: Speak up.) He would not proceed unless there was something like decency and order. (Mr Walker here appealed to the audience.) Mr Rigg proceeded to state that none of -She speakers had said a word in favor of the drink traffic. He urged upon all to use their common sense and vote calmly and conscientiously. If they returned Prohibitionists they would act in the true interests of the Borough. (Cheers.) The Chairman : Unless the audience promises to give the speakers a fair hearing I shall have to close the insetting (hear, hear). Mr Walker, in reply.stated that Mr Glover had been very funny on the stage. He maintained that the Moderation Committee was not connected with the publicans. Mr Qlover was rather rough on the local police when he stated they could be bought over by a glass of liquor (cries of "No."—Mr Glover: I excepted Masterton I Cheers.) Mr Wood had been very rough on Mr Pownall. He would like to state again that the moderation committee was not connected with the publicans. This was all he had to say. (A voice: Is that all ? Laughter). On the motion of Mr Glover a vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman for the able manner in which he had presided. The Chairman acknowledged the compliment and the meeting closed.