PROHIBITION MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 161, 10 July 1899, Page 6

PROHIBITION MEETING.

ADDRESS BT ?HB MAYOR.

Mr George Thomson, Mayor of Balclutha, addressed a meeting of the residents of that place at McKeniie'B Hall on June 23. Mr James Christie, of Kcltumore, presided, and there were about 250 persons present.

Mr Thomson, in the course of a somewhat discursive address, which was Interlarded with personal references, many of which would be deemed libellous if published, aald he was asked by a gentleman of New Plymouth, whom he had never known, for information regarding the working of prohibition In the Clutha district. He was asked as mayor, and he replied as mayor; aud he maintained that as long as he had the confidence of the burgesses he had a perfect right to do as he had done, regardless of the opinion of the borough solicitor or Mr Bammage. The Rev. Mr Elliott, In referring to what he had done, said "It shows how doubtfully he conducts himself outside the borough," and "the gentleman to whom Mr Thomson wrote was a brewer;" but he (the speaker) looked upon a brewer as just as white a man as their Wwleyan minister. (Applause.) Mr Paul asked him If prohibition had been a success and he replied "No," for the following reasons:—ln the first place.drink was In homes now where it was never known before. He asked them, as fair and reasonable men and women, was it not a fact that drink was bought and kept In houses where It was never thought of before? Then, hundreds of respectable people were now to be seen in sly grog-shops—men who, according to the liberal laws of the country, should be entitled to their glass of liquor If they wished It The sum of £030 had been paid out of the electorate for sly grog-selling. That money had gone into the general treasury. Had the licenses not been taken away the borough would have received £1200. Now, Junt Imagine what Balclutha would have been with that £1200! Look at Tokomairlro! Had the licenses been taken away from that place would it have had Its woollen mill or its pottery works? Would it have had Its railway and coal company? He aald, "No." Just look at the happy and prosperous condition of Tokomalrlro, and then come back and look down on gloomy Clutha. When the vote for prohibition was taken in the district it was a Very hot harvest day, and the backbone of the district were leading In the crops. The women went to the poll and voted, but not the backbone of the place—not those who bore the heat and burden of the day; they remained In the harvest field and said, "Oh, let the fools go." One of the most respected citizens in the district, who told him he was going to vote for prohibition on that day, was the first man to invite him to a Sly giog-shop to have & drink. (Laughter.) Another man who voted for prohibition was the last man in a publlchouae on that day asking; for two gallons of whisky. (Laughter.) That was the class of people they had to deal with. When he wrote to Mr Paul, of New Plymouth, he said distinctly that prohibition was a dead failure. He said the same thing now. At the tlms when license was In force the place was visited by men from all the adjoining stations and farms. They came from ClydeTale, Greenfield, Clifton, Ashley Downs, Roxburgh, Begg's, and Hlllend. There were hundreds of men employed on those stations, and the majority of them visited Balolutha; and they were cash buyers. It •was absurd to say that they spent all their money iw the hotels. They wanted clothIng, tobacco, bedding, and other material; and the shopkeepers all got a share of their money. If a portion of the money spent went to the hotels, when the month came round the publican's cheque was always paid; and they all got a share of the money. If these* men from the stations had a temptation In. coming to Balclutha, had they not a tenfold greater temptation In going to larger places? Now they would not come to Balclutha, for fear they might fee taken for spies. (Laughter.) There was tto doubt that the township had lost by jM-ohlbltlon. Look at it to-day, and look at It as It was five years ago! Now anyone could fire a cannon ball up the street, and they would not be able to hit a sonl—not even a cold-water man. It was the pro-perty-owners who had lost, and not simply the publicans. Proceeding -to refer again to the letter which he had written to Mr Paul, Mr Thomson said he had been assured on the best authority In New Zealand that he had a perfect right to sign It as mayor. He also asked the chairman to read a letter which he had received on the subject from Mr W. C. MacGregor, solicitor. The Chairman read the letter, which was as follows:— "I have read your published letter to Mr Paul, of New Plymouth, and an account of the proceedings in the Balclutha Borough Council relating to the matter. It appears to me that the motion proposed by Mr Stewart in the Council, In your absence, was premature and 111-advlaed, and that nothing In your action In writing In reply to Mr Paul justifies the terms of the motion. As i. understand the position, Mr Paul wrote to you as a leading citizen of Balclutha for your opinion regarding the working of prohibition in the Clutha, and I can see no good reason why you should not give your opinion as requested. As Mr Paul states in his letter to the Hawera 'Star,' he wrote to you as Mayor of Balclutha, and you were accordingly bound to reply to him as Mayor. It is absurd to suggest that such it letter as Mr Paul's should come before the Council; and I am of opinion that yon were quite within your legal rights in replying as you did." Mr Thomson went on to speak of a vote of censure passed on him by the Council daring his absence, and said the motion had been moved by Mr D. Stewart and seconded by Mr John Rammage. They caught him absent, and fired daggers la the dark. (Laughter.) -But the minutes were not con-, firmed yet. The contents of the letter he cent to Mr Paul were as true as any gospel his friend Mr Elliott might preach if he lived for the next 20 years. (Hear, hear.) Although he fcad been censured for writing that letter, he could bear it. He was round in the shoulders, and it would fall off him like water off a duck's back. He understood that Mr Elliott was going to reply to his letter at Stirling; but If that gentleman visited the houses Of his people he would be far better employed than "blackballing" him round the district. (Hear, bear, and applause.) He bad been asked by the writ, er ot the letter in the Clutha "Leader" if tie had the courage to resign. Not him I <Langhter.) Just fancy bis resigning to satisfy Daniel Stewart and John Rammage.' They had had a buck at him, and they might do so again, but he could assure them that when his term of office expired he would like to have a buck against the borough solicitor or the manager of the gns works. He honestly thought Mr Stewart | would be far better employed earning 6/8 than "blackballing" him. Mr Stewart said in his motion that Balclutha was in a more healthy state to-day than it had ever been since It was a borough. He (Mr Thomson) Lad sat la the old Borough Council when th«y were la credit to a large amount.

Now, at the last meeting of the Council, In his absence, the Council passed some £80 or j £90 of accounts; and when he got home he ; said that a vote of censure had been passed on him, and he went and signed the cheques | for those accountß. He then requested the clerk to ask Mr Stewart, who had been appointed to sign cheques with him, to sign ; them; but thut gentleman refused to do so . because they would be dishonoured. (Ap- ! plause.) Mr. Stewart had not signed tho ] cheques yet, and he dared not put thorn : into the bank for fear of being dishonoured, and yet he said the borough waß never lv a more healthy state since it had been a j borough. He (Mr Thomson) had tried his j best to serve the ratepayers, but he wua i not going to resign. (Loud applause.) He j only hoped that ho would have the same j vigour at the next election that he had that \ night; and if he had he would run Mr Btew* art if he came forward. (Applause.) At the conclusion of his address Mr Thomson replied to a number of questions, Home of which created a good deal of : laughter. One youug man asked the speak- j er if he thought he had any right as mayor | of the borough to slander the ladles of Bal- | clutha. Mr Thomson, however, indignantly denied that he had slandered the ladies, | and said the husbands and fathers went out and had their sixpenny worth of drink before prohibition, but now they bought their liquor by the two gallons, and their wives shared It with them. When a number of j questions had been replied to.Mr S. Bushell-1 said: "I would like to know if Mr Thomson will come and have a whisky." The Chairman thereupon rose and moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Thomson for via address, the motion being seconded by Mr W. Wilson and carried unanimously amidst cheers.