THE PROHIBITION CAMPAIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 187, 9 August 1893, Page 5

THE PROHIBITION CAMPAIGN.

The audience at tho City Hall last night was nob so largo as on the preceding evening, but there was, nevertheless, a fair assemblage. Mr D. Goldie presided.

The Rev. Mr Isitt waa received with applause. He referred in very strong terms to the evils of the drink traffic, and said that for centuries past alcohol had been recognised as a curse to nations. Tho evil was not only ancient, bub alcohol had a tendency to cause men to glorify bhe cause of their destruction. Ac to regulating bhe traffic, Mr Isitt said ib waa a remarkably difliculb mabter to regulate results if fire and gunpowder were brought together. Thus io was that jusb as surely as they broughb alcohol into connection with the masses, just as surely would it bring a considerable portion down to degredation. The lecturer caused some laughter by a humorous but satirical reference to many of tho superior moderate drinkers. He said that unless they could regulate from alcohol tho power of creating a taste for itself amongst the weaker section of the community, they could never restrict the traffic so that it could not do evil. He considered that as the hotels were only kept open for bhe convenience of moderate drinkers —for they would nob be allowed to remain if they were merely used by degraded drunkards—it was the duty of these moderate drinkers to have regulated the liquor, traffic yeais ago. The truth was that the traffic could nob be regulated any more. than licensed gambling houses would lessen thab vice. Mr Isitt quoted statistics from America to show that attempts at regulation were a failure. He said he had received a letter from America warning him not to leb "the regulation red herring be drawn across the prohibition trail." He said that if they had publicans in Auckland who kept all the 230 clauses of the Licensing Actj they should wrap them up in .cotton wool and send them down to the Empire City to be placed in the Museum. (Laughter.) Ho knew ib was a farce to talk about publicans keeping the law. i"Mr Mtt also announced that beer dominated the Press of the colony, bub added that as soori as they could convince the Press that prohibition waß the winning ticket, the newspapers would rally round them nobly and honesbly supporb tbe cause. Mr Isitb nexb said bhab the police force was absolutely dominated by the liquor traffic. Ib was not the policemen's fault. The Governmenb and nob the police were to blame. Mr Isitb mentioned various instances in proof of this assertion, and humorously added that they would nob have been heard of had nob ono paper that had quarrelled with Government let out bhe secret, for " when political men fall out, honest men hear tbe truth." Tho Governmenb also came in for censure, Mr Isitb expressing bhe opinion that it was because tho Liberal Governmenb was afraid of the liquor ring thab it dared nob insist upon the law being kept. In conclusion, the lecturer said thab after 400 years of trial, regulation had proved a failure/and contended that the direct veto' was tho only true solution of the difficulty. The lecture was excellently delivered and the speaker was frequently applauded. While the collection was being made bhe dueb "Late, Late, So Late" was sung by Mrs Watkine and Miss Marson. *) This concluded the proceedings.