PUBLIC DEBATE.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2834, 28 May 1879, Page 2

PUBLIC DEBATE.

LAs. SvWniiig a'public debate f^ook place in the Alexandra-street schoOlrodm' 'bid the question, " Should tlie seller be held legally responsible for all the^ohsequencefc of selling liquor ?" —Messrs Domrig.bn. McNaught, and S. Parker of the Sir Henry 'Haivelocl- Lodge of Good Templars, arguing in tho affirmative; aud Messrs W.-Cooper, J. M. Geddis, and E. 'Cooper, of St. James' Improvement Association, arguing in the negative. 1 he,building was crowded, and the utmost interest was evjnoed in .tfce proceedings, '/

Mr David Goldie (Worthy Chief of the Lodge) occupied the chair, and, .after a brief'introductory speech, called upon Mr Dorrington to open the discussion.

Mr Dorringtou made a short apologetic exordium, aud then commenced his argument by formulating the postulate that all law is based on right, and was for the conservation of the best Interests of the people who lived under it. That beiug so, he went ou to show that alcohol was the fertile source of misery, crime, pauperism.' and debilitated health, and that consequently its sale should be restricted by the Government. If publicans were saddled with the consequences of their acts, crime would becqm'Q less rampant, poverty would not be so widespread, and ill-health would be'less .common. The speaker cited the jrecorcted opinions of Sir Matthew Hale, Baron Alderson,' anc( Judge Whiteman, as. to. the. evils' that result from the immoderate use of intoxicating liquors. <■ Mr "W. Cooper followed. After giving a delinftion pf the various ternis.eru ployed in the statement of the question he urged *t|j,e , following objections riga,inst tb,e argument that the selley of liquoi;. should) be held responsible for the consequences arising there from : -("!) That it would be i_m_st o_a the .ground that tbb hct of, iselß-'g. itnpHetf tne factof buying, the, responsibility being therefore divided. (2.) That the buyer is not obJlged to purchase, but is A free agent. (3) .That the sale of liquor ...legalised by the Government, and as the Government represents the people the responsibility rests upon them, (4) That the operatiqn of a law" such as that proposed would result iv many absurdities. (5) That the carrying of it out was an impossibility. Mr McNaught was the ' next speaker. Starting upon Mr Dorringtou's ground that' all law is based upon right, he proceeded to poiutray some of the e<ji,sequeuces of the consumption of "the vile concoctio^sold by thb publican. The seller of .i was cvi- : dan.tly a^are of tho tui_<m M$ destructive i

effects of his goods, for unlike rtW. M ,' W' men he, was ndt in the ___St_?* *_*?** extolling ihe_r,virtue ß The'__£_*s" cl* friction was urgent, and if evenZi s" vision* of the present Lice_____? W pr°ngidly enforced the benlfiteTrfsin^f 6 from woilld speedily make thL.,* apparent. Z . themselves Mr J. U.. Geddis replied W_, „ • ont .hit the, preceding speaker hJT* 1 almost whollf with the Si Jm;* 6"1' forgetful of the fact that his _3 nor. .ntgat-be^tinded to moSofttoXS?* included IU the dietary scale of a comma..f* and that, if like them, alcohol taken in moderation, the consequences w.u„ be equally innocuous. The speaker h_.fi afiswered a few more of M*.McNa_"Ji s statements proceeded with thSa_3S£_ of the question and assailedlthe affirm! .' a argument-(1) Un the grouncf of iR Ye >pediency; (2) on the ground of itsTml x" ticability, and (3) _£ the feround™?^ injustice. l 'w Mr S. Parker argued that the sale i,,,i consumption of alcohol as/a beverase ™__ mimical to the happiness and welfare of TIT people, and that the only way i a W W __% evils of the traffic could be minimised ».>' to saddle the seller with the consequenceTof " his act. Ihe ship master who ran his vo«__. upon a rock or shoal that was careful... marked ou his chart was held amenable I tbr law, and yet the publican _■}_ j sold drink in the full knowledge of its disastrous effects was not looked udT as responsible iv the slightest degree forth, consequence., that followed. ]£ alcohol were simply looked upon as a medicine or drug and sold in a chemist's shop the law would hold the seller responsible, but when vended in a tavern the seller was wholly lr responsible; '

MrE. Cooper devoted his quarter of an ' hour to a reviewal of the arguments of the aflirmative speakers. He pointed out * what heconsideredfallacioua in their reason, ing. showed that their objections.looked Jb . from other standpoints, were weak and in. • significant and lastly attacked their illu ß _ trations. He pointed out the unfairness of holding the publican responsible for the consequences of sales which the Government enjoined upon him and indicated the alisur dity of treating the buyer onlyas the injured person. The severe disabilities sought to be imposed upon the publicans also could not be paralleled in the case of any other: tradesman. , '••>'.

Mr W. Cooper and Mr Dorrington then replied, and with their speeches the debate closed.

The Chairman expressed his pleasure at the manner in which the discussion had been carried on ; complimented the speaker upon the manner in which they had iicquitted themselves, and then proposed a vote of thanks to the representatives of 8t James' Association.

: The vote was passed by acclamation, and the assemblage dispersed. During next month the Rev S. Edeer will deliver an address setting forth that the use of intoxicatint. liquor is not Sanctioned in the New Testament. , -v