THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 95, 21 April 1894, Page 2

THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT

THE REV. L. M. ISITT AT THE

CITY HALL.

All the available sitting accommodation in the City Hall was occupied last night on the occasion of an address by the Rev. L. M, Isitt, President of the Now Zealand Alliance. The Helping Hand Mission Band was in attendance, and played eelection? during the evening. Owing to a misunderstanding as to the hour of meeting, tho Rev. G. B. Monro occupiod the chair until the arrival of Hia Worship tho Mayor.

Mr Isitt was received with prolonged applause. Ho eaid ho must apologise for not appearing in fiis robes (laughter), but he had noc had worn otic since he wa* christened. (Laughter.) He stated that it was not his fau.C this was not a discussion. If Dr. Bakcwcll wanted to be paid for championing the liquor traffic he should have stated it in bis challenge. Mr Isitt explained that he had wished the wliolo proceeds of the debate to be devoted to charity. To his .surpri.-e, ho hoard that Dr. Bakewell wanted half the proceeds for himself. That high-toned physician, that old world professionol, that cultured correspondent of the "Nineteenth Century," f-ent word back that ho wanted the man he had challenged to guarantee £10 10s beforo he would fulfil his own boast. (Laughter.) That was the man who bad crowed, blustered, and bragged like an ill-bred schoolboy, because the man whose hands were tied by othor engagements could not accept his challenge. Aii he could say was that such conduct was thoroughly worthy of the representative of the liquor traffic. (Applause.) In his letters Dr. Bakewoll had referred to him as one who believed in tho adadge.

"He who fights omi run away, Livei to light another duy." Mr Ifitt said he would add another two lines, ■'lie who brags and then backs down, Deservc3 the scorn of ail the town."

Mr Isitt then proceeded to address the audenco upon the evils of intemperance. He pointed out that, although drunkenness wan decreasing, still Auckland headed the four towns of the colony in the numbor of convictions for drunkenness in 189 i He contended that thoro was not the rapid diminution of drinking that Dr. Bakewell spoke about. Year after year they wero expending about the potne amount on liquor, calculated at per head of the population. With rogard to Dr. BakewelPs contention that tea drinking, and tho use of chloral and morphine caused more evil than drink, Mr Isitt said that even if that were a fact it was no reason why the evils of tho liqdor traffic should not be suppressed. Besides, tho ui-o of chloral and morphine was not the fault of the people. It was already under prohibition da a poison, and if the demand had increased ib was due to the medical men, as respectable chemists would not sell those poisons without a doctor's prescription. Bub he contended thab tho aseertion was abaard. With regard to tea, he must say that a great deal, and too much, tea was drunk. Still, ib was nob doing anything like the harm thab strong drink was. Bub its too frequent use caused dyspepeia and injured the nerves, tie had never heard of a coroner's jury bringing iv a verdicb of "died from excessive tea drink- i ing." (Laughter.) When a man went off on a tea burst, he did nob paint the town red, full through ft plate glass window, or break a bobby'a nose. Neithor did his wife drag her hueband round the floor by his hair when ehe had drunk too much tea. Mr Isitt then unrolled a scroll of newspaper cuttings 40 yards long, which ho said was the record for nine months of cases reported in the two Christchurch papers due to the liquor traffic.

At tbia stage Mr Isifcb said a collection would be taken. He wanted a good one because ha intended that) it should all be devoted to a charitable object ac he had at firßb suggested to u r> Baliowell. The Mayor next read a letter Bigned Mr R. 11, Bakewell, M.D. It) was as follows :■—To the Chairman : Dear Sir, —I notice in tonight's Stab there is a paragraph evidently emanating from Mr Isitb'a Committee in which it ia stated 1 havo been invited to take a seat on the platform at liis locturo this evening. This ia quite true, but it will pethapa disappoint some persons that I do nob intend to accepb tho invitation." (Hisses).

Mr Isitt then resumed his address, and quoted leading modical authorities to refute Dr. Bakewell's aeaertion that the use of alcohol caused only a. small amount of the disease that exists, and that its prohibition injuriously aQected the mental and bodily hoalbh of the population. Mr I&itb also pointed out that when athletes wore in braining they had to leave alcoholic liquor alone. Instead of alcohol giving strength it merely drew upon the reserve of strength in tho body. A stimulant could never build up strength. Mr isitt also quoted from the statistics of insurance and friendly societies to show that total abstainers were uioro healthy and lived longer than moderate di inkers. In conclusion, 11 r Isitt said that the teetotallers of Auckland had not done their duty at tho recent licensing poll. They ought to be heartily ashnmod of themselves. Were they asleep he would like to know ? Why, from end to end of the colony tho question was being asked, "What on earth were the paople of Auckland doing ?" They had polled the most miserable poll in New Zealand. Only 900 voted for abolition, and then they: crowded a meeting like the present one and applauded. (Laughter.) He urged upon all temperance workers to unite and go to work and continue until they had got prohibition.

On tbe motion of the speaker, a vote of

thanks was accorded the Mayor for presid ing.

A vote of thanks was also accorded Mr Isitt on the motion of the Rev. Mr Monro.