THE LICENSING ELECTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4668, 13 March 1894, Page 2

THE LICENSING ELECTION.

I. temperance Meeting* •"§ In response to an advertisement a -•' T fair number of eleotors assembled at "q the Masterton Wesleyan Schoolroom $ last evening to disonsswhat should be taken, in conneotion with \<W the forthcoming Licensing election, "-M to aid the Temperance cause. - '?s A Mr C. E. Daniell was voted to tho * ~M chair, and said that he was unaware --'m of the exaot object for which' the meeting had been called, ond should be glad if the conveners would ex--V#II plain. , - "'■jjpjpll MrColway stated that the had been convoned by the direqtiadHMMfl _Mr J. McGregor said'that as Pre*'jßM sident of the League he might state **ff|M that the members very muob objeoted - \f|H to letting the publicans have- matters MB nil _ their own way, diioulty :Eg which presented itseWwas what were. ' M they to do ?No programme had been ™ arranged, and it was simply agreed to ~!'' invite Tenlperance workers to meet ')> and disonsswhat steps they should 2 take. • ,\ n> _ The Bevß, Wood said the Pro- ~,' hibitioa League considered what \ might be done under the new law, at \> their last meeting, and both the * League and the Women's Temperinoe' i Crusade had resolved not to bring b men ont for the committee, beoause if the local option poll went against them, which was piobable, it would { plaoe Temperance men in an invid. ious position to bo compelled te grant * licenses. He thought all they oould do was to get the people to vote "no license." He fully be» lieved'the Looal Option poll would bo invalid because. 50 per cent of the eleotors would not go to the poll. But they might do their share and show the moral feeling of the district by voting for-Prohibition. The publi- , oans* policy was to get people to vote ! only for the' oommittee and not for Local Option, thus tnainng the poll invalid. Although they knew they would be defeated they should do their duty and pereuade people to vote Prohibition. Of oourse these were merely his impressions/ and he hoped that he might bo a'felfie7prr> ' r W phet. 'I

Mr Dariiell reminded the meeting that no proposition/was yet before them. '•"■•■ * • Mr J. McGregor'tben proposed that a committee be formed to poll as many as possible for Prohibition, and that steps be taken to get the voters to the poll. :

Mr W. M. Easthope seconded the motion, not because he thought it •" would do anygood, beoause if nine out of every ten electors voted for Prohibition they would not get rid of the publio-houses. The Colonial Secwtary could grant as many olub ''• licenses as he pleased, and by carry- ■. ing Prohibition they would only , — t convert "pubs" into "Workiog'"' Men's Clubs" They could get nothingjinder the present Aot which looked well after publicans and brewers. All they,could do was to vote For Prohibition to show thoir strong feeling oa the matter. This waß clearly their duty. ' Mr McGregor said they were not at all likely to do what they wanted, but the only way to ediiQafe the public mind on this great question, was to keep on agitating, and to show that they really were a power in the district, and not merelyan insignifioant few ? Mr VV. Pragnell said he quite endorsed Mr McGregor's remarks, but was still of opinion that if they nominated two or threo gentlemen in the Prohibition interest they could do better. They had many sympathisers in Masterton and they ought to be in a position to do battle without fear. They would never gain their cause by ~~" lukewarmnesß. It was' his firm I opinion that to nominate at least " I some Temperance candidates was ■ their proper course, / ■ Mr Daniell said he was citizen first I and Prohibitionist second, and did I not agree with extreme Prohibition- I isls; but, if thoy allowed men who I apparently were just nominees of the ■ publicans to be appointed would it be to the welfare of They could call him a fanatic", but he was not going to allow young men to be ruined if he could prevent it, They should mako a protest and even if they could not carry Prohibition they were bound to protest; Mr Baumber said some of their best men should be put up, and he believed they could c<jiry them in, and that would have a benefioial effect. It would be a.proiest against '« the evils of the traffic. - pH The motion was carried uninim- fl ously, ■ ■

Mr'J. McGregor moved that a committee he formed to carry out' the motion just passed. Mr" Baumbor this proposal whioh was carried unanimously. Mr Eaathope moved that it was very undesirable to nominate candidates for the Licensing Committee. The reason for tin's was that, the hsw Aot commenced a new sty. At present the Committee were mere' tools, to carry out the Aet. It was utterly impossible to regulate publio houses. The experience of the last * six hundred years—to go no further back-proved that they could not be 1 regulated. To put men'into a position to regulato what could not be regulated was to un- • fair position, 'Lot the publio house go on, and let them work the mischief that would inevitably be done, then ''■ they .would geV Prohibition. Let everyone know of the existing evils,-' ' whioh a committee might regulate. Then there would be such an outcry \ that the publio houses would go and go quiokly. As a Prohibitionist he' '• did not want to regulato the tradeytho sooner it was away the better. Every. :; Prohibitionist should vote for Probibition, bat not for a Licensing Com. - mittee. ;'.'.!;

The motion was seconded by Mr Burton,

Mr Daniell said he was not pre, pared to follow Mr Easthopj.. They' dared not allow the fist-nhidiWa involved in it. •"'* ,tP|

Mr Pragnell also atrongly protested against Mr Easthope's proposition. If lie stood alone he would stand firm. - He would propose as an amendment ; that they should ask four men in the town to stand for the committee, V •■- Mr Wood said..;they would themselves in a peculiar position voting for a Licensing Committee; -K However .strong the rben.,they jiiii $■ in might be, they could iiofc a_ single public house, : Tha Aot^-"l----distinctly that■.'they.xjbuld ■ £■ not decrease.the number; of housefc'if The' Committee einiply '■;: had: > carry'but ihe^proyieione.bf the Thoeerpeoplei who"desirid^ m houses ?reßp>btable,were OU9, beoiuse-.tho would the young; ; ;?He' asked;' them

IRttplaitr that ho Pj)erahc|arty could Kits.:.■.■].;.■.' ■ frt .was ta put and ptbops'a olioQ waß I '• ■■.■ ■..!'". laid altlije,h lie and leared tcjiiffer, they lie objfloin view. He h meep'g 'protests fm of mai ohdidates, as MpussioJ the motion PQ thenbtion of Mr 8 formd itself into [i&ouss natters dealmg eleo'ion.