THE DRINKING REFORMATION.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4235, 11 March 1871, Page 3

THE DRINKING REFORMATION.

A. public meeting of those favourable to the abolishing of the preaent drinking habita of society, by means of the energetic working of the permissive clause in the new Licensing Act, was held last night, at eight o'clock, in the Wealeyan Church, Upper Hobson-street. There was a fair attendance ; and, on the motion of Mr. Coupland, the Rev. Peter Mason was called to the chair. — The Chairman, in a few remarks, complimented the friends of the permissive clause on the successful passing of that measure at last season of the Provincial Council. H« «aid the meeting was for the purpose of Enlarging the committee, and hearing suggestions aato the best mode of making the clause operative.— Mr. Coupland remarked that the foundation was but laid— the whole building of reform had yet to be built. After a few remarks about the wards the city was divided into, he suggested that the committee should be so composed that at least three should be living in each ward, so as to be ready to work in concert with any who might be carrying out any work for the Alliance. Early that day the Association was cleared of debt, and the only sum. then owiug was 7s. 6d. for printing of the bills calling the mating. (Cheers.) Since the organisation had been formed, all the funds they j had received was £36 10s. 6d., and wifch that sum they secured th« passiug of the Permissive clause. O«c of that sum, however, they had to pay a sum of £4, a deficit balance from the soiree held some time ago. That was their receipts, and how they had been spent. — Mr. John Lamb, of Riverhead, then came forward, and was received with immense cheering. He referred to his experiences in Glasgow in the temperance cause. That city was divided into 16 wards, and they arranged tohave two committee-men at least living in each ward. These a\ atched all in egularitics that took place and made them known to the General Committee. The publicans hold them in genuine horror, but they were not daunted. When cases of irregularities were collected a public meeting was called in some of the public halls, and the matter discussed. The wards were then canvassed by their young men, and pressure brought to bear against granting those houses licenses. He himself had in one day collected 500 signatures, and on one day they shut up 16 public-houses. (Great cheering.) He advised them to select the vrorst-conducted houses, and then bring a pressure upon them. If they made a raid upon them all, the public would be against them. They had, in Glasgow, a map of the city with a red spot where each public-house was. Such a plan would be advisable to adopt here. (A member o? the committee here produced such a map of Auckland.) On that map lie saw there were 74 publichouses in the city, excluding Newton and Parnell. — Various other members of the committee spoke ; and one of them moved ths following resolution : — "That it is desirable to encourage and strengthen the present committee to carry into effect the Permissive clause in the new Licensing Act ; and the present meeting pledges itself to assist in forming an organisation to carry out the above clause, and'hereby give our names for the above purpose." This was seconded, but, on an amendment of Mr. Cherry's, the last clause was struck out. The resolution, as amended, was adopted. A large number of gentlemen joined the committee. The following are the names of the committee at the close of the meeting : — Messrs. E. Carr, J. W- Carr, Hemus, Coupland, 0. Lewis, Swinnerton, Beal, J.Graham, Nicholas, Vickery, Sprag, Rev. P. Mason, F. Jeane, Seabrook, Tremain, Wells, Hughes, Bomber, Cherry, G. Devlin, Black, Hunt, Spragg, B. Payer, J. W. Ellis, William Gledhill, W. Wood, McPherson, James Carr, J. Lamb, James Page, J. H. .Newman, Robert Bond, J. F. Clark, John Boebuck, Joseph Mason, Richard Downey, Webster. — A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.