WOMEN AND TEMPERANCE WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 67, 18 March 1908, Page 6

WOMEN AND TEMPERANCE WORK.

A largely attended public meeting was ' held in the Baptist Tabernacle in connec- ; tion with the convention of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, at present sitting in Auckland. Mrs. Cole, president of the Union, who occupied the chair, in the course of her opening remarks re- , ferred briefly to the pa.it and prospective ' work of the W.C.T.U. Speaking of Auckland she said that here as in other cities, there was, together with so much natural beauty, the debasing and demoralising influences of the liquor traffic. In view of the interests of the present and com- ': ing generations the question whether this ! state of affairs paid the city must, in her opinion, be answered with a decided negative. The Rev. Murray related an instance of the sale of drink in a shanty in the ' early days on the Northern Wairoa river. The licensee, he said, had a shed wherein were deposited the individuals who were ; overcome by their potations. One man in going to look for a missing mate . found him in this shed, together with j thirty others, and from the effects of ' one drink it took him a week to recover. ' Besides this, his cheque, amounting to ' £50, was missing. After amassing ano- ■ ther cheque the man made an attempt ; to get honfe, but was seen sitting on tho ■ wharf by the shanty keeper. A messenger was despatched for him. and one drink again laid him in a stupor, from which he awoke once, more penniless. The 1 loss of life on this river, from men being | drowned while under the influence of j liquor, had been fearful. No less than i 377, the speaker averred, had met their j end in this way. He concluded by reI ferring to the progress of Balclutha I and Ashburton since the carrying of noI license. I Mr. L. M. Isitt said that the history | of the destruction wrought by drink on •the Wairoa river was a hideous one. He : expressed pleasure at the change in pub- | lie opinion with respect to temperance i which had taken place during the last | twenty or twenty-five years, and also taht they now- had women's assistance j in fighting the drink evil. Referring to the drinking by women in hotels, he: said he was not surprised that the licensed victuallers should have entered an ! emphatic protest against the police re-; j port on the subject, for it was the one ■ thing which would stir up public opinion j against this debasing influence. Through- I j out the length and breadth of the coun- | try there was going to be a great effort in favour of determining this great question on a bare majority. He could never see why the votes of two rapscallions were made equal to those of three reputable members of society. At the last election

'the temperance party stood in electorate: after electorate- on the very eve of con- , quest, and if they made lhe same progress on this occasion as they did last, they would compass a mighty victory in • the interests of God and the people. | Ap- ! plause. I j Miss Roberts also addressed the meet- , ing, referring to a number of topics con- - nected with the temperance movement. . I During the evening sonps and reeita- .'■ tions were contributed by the Lyric I: Quartet, Mrs. Cooper. Messrs. Aspin- , i all, Evan and McEhvain. I ' —-=_.