THE NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1908, Page 3

THE NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

•:. ; s - . .." .'» .j j? .'- *.'- r .' MP_ST__S' MANIFESTO. The following'manifesto, sighed By 112 members and horne 1 missionaries of the Auckland -provinciaJ,,district, has been issued— "We i would'invite your earnest attention to the following- facts: -(1) Strong drink is undoubtedly one of the .most serious evils in the Dominion of New Zealand to-day, and -we have' abundant .evidence of this in our fair province of Auckland. (2) Notwithstanding all that has been done in the way of temperance refdrrii,* the fcbnsumptidh. of intoxicating liquors in New Zealand is. steadily increasing, and last year showed a large increase on that of any previous year. (3) This is so notwithstanding the fact that No-license has been carried in six of the 76 electorates into which the Dominion is divided. In these six.- electorates the No-license policy lias Men effective in largely reducing the consumption of , strong drink. It follows, therefore, that in the other 70 electorates the consumption in proportion to the population must , be -by so much the greater. (.) Throughout our province the consumption of strong drink has .been attended by a most unhappy harvest of evil results. Blighted homes and ruined lives, wTctchedncse and misery, poverty and crime, insanity and disease, have followed as the direct consequence of the unholy traffic in intoxicating liquors. All of us in our pastoral woTk have been grieved and saddened to sec so much of these unhappy results. (5) On the other hand, in those electorates where the No-license 'policy has come into operation, the happiest results have followed. Drunkenness has been substantially diminished. Crime has largely decreased. Trade is better. General prosperity is enjoyed, and the moral tone of the community is distinctly raised. The experience of Invercargill, Oamaru, Ash- ; burton, Gore, Clutha, and Grey Lynn appears to show to a demonstration that No-license is the most effective, weapon at our disposal for fighting the drink evil. The recently issued manifestoes from the •mayors and .leading professional and business men of Invercargill, Oamaru and Gore give ample evidence of the truth of this statement. ■ Therefore, we would most earnestly urge you at the approaching poll to vote No-license. For the sake of the drunkards that need rescuing; for the sake of the sufferers that need helping; for the sake of the children that need protecting, vote No-license. If yon would help the cause of righteousness and purity and goodness, vote No-licensse. If you would help to build up in this faw land a nation strong and free, vote Nolieense. Strike out the top line only. This manifesto is headed by the following clergymen of various denominations: Revs. John Haselden, P. S. Smallfield, W. Gray Dixon, Alex. Doull, Geo. Bend, John A. Luxfordi, Alfred North, T. A. Williams, G. Clement, Wm. Day, James Wilson, Alex. Miller, W. ST. de L. Willis, E. J. McFaTland, H. Mason, C. F.R. Harrison, M. Kirkbride. A. S. Buckiand, F. W. Clarke, A. H. Sedgwick, G. MaunseU, C.M.S., and Matthew Kapa. Then follow the other signatures, arranged in order of the denominations to which they belong, as follows:— Presbyterians: Revs. G. B. Atunro, R. L. Walker, A. Maeaulay Caldwell, Alex. A. Murray, J. M. Simpson, William Trotter, Robert Ferguson, Ivo E. Bertram, G. Y. Roby, D. D. Scott, Henry Whyte Johnstou, Alex. Mac Lean, R. F. MacNicol. James B. Smellie, W. J. Gow, W. Woollass. A. C. Wedderspoon, T. A. Nome, William White, W. C. Blair, Robert Barr, Wm. Gillies, G. M. Macdonald, William Grant, E. Ovended Perry, and Jas. Mackie, Messrs. Duncan MacPherson, ,7. C. Sutherland, A. H. Norrie, R. MavSporran, J. P. Bathgate, and R. G. Kirgan. Methodist: Revs. G. W. J. Spence, Wm R. Tuck, W. C. Oliver. A. N. Scotter, S. J. Gibson, J. H. Siinmonds. R. Taylor, G. E. Cook, Thomas Fee, James Thomas, Edwin Cox; William Gittos, Henry L. Manures, Joseph Blight, R, P. Keall, Wm. A. Beck, H. A. J. Keck, Colin C. Harrison, John Dukes, James Wrigley, Alex J. Reed. Chas. B. Jordan, William Wills, J. D. Jorry, J. J. Mather, Messrs. A. J. Seamer, William Watson, Arthur J. Leach, R Gosnell. Alex. Hislop, Arthur Hopper, Geo. H. Bridgman, Sylvester Keen, Christian Aker, C. C. Bottcinley. Primitive Methodist: Revs. Wm. S. Potter, Thos. 11. Lyon, F. A. Thompson, J. F. Doherty, P.M., T. H. B. Woolloxall, Arch. A. Armstrong, Mr. Johu T. Leafe. Baptist: Revs. If. Knowles-Kempton, E. A. Kirwood, W. R. Woolley, .7. Douglas Mill, Albert Whalley, James Spottiswoode, W. L. Salter" Messrs. O. G. MeHattie, Harry Long, and Wm. H Hinton. Congregational: Revs. Samuel Griffiths, M. Bawden Harris, Henry Young, C. E. Davidson, John H. Mackenzie, Mr. _cx J. Black.