NO-LICENSE MEETING.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXVI, Issue 1318, 25 July 1899, Page 3

NO-LICENSE MEETING.

#. , — A no-license meeting wa3 held in the public hall, Stirling, on Saturday evening. Mr M'Skimming occupied the chair, and there was a very good attendance. The -meeting was opehed punctually at 8 o'clock by the choir singing hymn 491 of Sankey's collection, affcer.which the chairman led the meeting in prayer. The Chairman explained that as' the programme was a somewhat lengthy one he would forego the item " Chairman's address." They had frequently listened to him and he would have other opportunities of speaking to them. He therefore called on the choir, who gave another selection, which was followed by a dialogue, " The quack doctor," which occasioned much amusement. After the choir had rendered another selection, The Chairman explained that they had amongst them that evening a voluntary worker, a veteran in the temperance cause, who had come all the way from Dunedin to address them ; he referred to Mr A. S. Adams. (Applause). He (the chairman) contrasted the motives and actions of the Prohibitionists and the Liquor Party in the present struggle. The object of the latter was simply to make money. He did not say .that in their efforts towards this end they intentionally caused all the degredation» misery and ruin brought about by drink, but they knew this was an incidental of the trade, and yet they conducted that trade with all its incidentals, solely for their own benefit. On the other hand, Mr Adams and many others give their time, their talents, and their money with no selfish object in view, and only for the good of their fellow-beings. Of course some who devoted their whole time to the work were necessarily paid for their labours, but nevertheless, they were voluntary workers in the cause. Their object was to root out of this fair land the gigantic evil that was being planted at every corner to entrap the unwary, and which led to so much misery and rain. Mr Adams, who was received with hearty applause, commenced by referring at some length to the beneficial results of the modified vote for prohibition in the Clutha, Hs effect in Balelutha, Tapanui, &c. He dealt with the misrepresentations of the trade, also by Messrs George Thomson, W. Quin, and exProhibitionist. He had no hesitation in affirming that Clutha was in a much better condition financially, socially, and morally under no-license, and crime had practically disappeared in the district. But people would like to know why his party asked the electors to vote for no license, and he was there to answer that question. Mr Adams then proceeded to deal at length with the economies of the liquor traffic, effectively showing the immense waste it entailed in money, and also in men, women, and children. He concluded with an eloquent appeal to those present to come out to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and overthrow this evil and rid our, fair land of this acoursed thing. — Mr Adams, whose address had been punctuated with manifestations of approval on the part of the audience, was at its conclusion greeted with prolonged applause, which the chairman had some difficulty in suppressing. Mr Parker moved—" That in the interest of straightforward and aboveboard administration of the licensing laws,, and as a matter of fairness and justice, this meeting strongly j urges their member, Mr Allen, to support the Local Option Scrutineers Bill now being brought before Parliament." Mr Esson seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr Smith moved — " That this meeting strongly and emphatically protests against the absurdly small fines Jevied by Magistrate Stratford in the recent Clutha sly grog cases as being calculated to bring the administration of the Licensing Laws into contempt, and it also' strongly protests against the Magistrate's doctrine that sly grog-selling in a district where no license exists is a minor offence, contrary .to the expressed will of the Legislature which provided severe fines and imprisonment for a repeated offence." Mr M'Skimming, jun., seconded the resolution which was also carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr Smith a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Adams for his very able and instructive address. The choir rendered another selection, after which, the chairman pronounced the benediction which brought the meeting to a close. It deserves to be mentioned that the newly organised prohibition choir numbers forty voices and undar the conductorship of Mr Boyd rendered the various pieces with excellent effect, the whole of the voices blending well together, producing a very pleasing harmony. There can be no doubt that this choir will be a great source of attraction to the prohibition meetings at Stirling. [Note. — The exigencies of space prevents our giving Mr Adams' speech in full. We have, therefore, held it over till next issue.]