THE EXHIBITION TEMPERANCE DEMONSTRATION.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 74, 24 September 1885, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION TEMPERANCE DEMONSTRATION.

A Temperance demonstration duriog the Exhibition season was undoubtedly a " happy thought," and we are glad to be able to congratulate its authors upon the complete success which attended yesterday's proceedings. The procession was a very striking one, remarkable not only for the number of persons taking part in it, but for their healthy, comfortable appearance. It was sufficiently evident that temperance is a foe to squalor and poverty. Jf the procession could only have been photographed, the picture might have been used as a powerful aid in promoting emigration to Now Zealand. We doubt whether any country in the world could display a finer collection of well-nourished, healthy, happy, and well-dreseed children than those who yesteiday represented the juvenile temperance societies and organisations of Wellington. The whole of tho outside demonstration, favoured as it was by delightful weather, was undoubtedly a great success ; and the same may fairly be said of the gatherings which took place in the interior t of the Exhibition during the afternoon and evening. The way tho children performed the portion of the programme entrusted to them was worthy of all praise and reflected great credit on their teachorg, showing conclusively that the training given in these sooieties is valuable and benoficial in other ways than those direotly associated with total abstinence principles It cannot be donbted that organisations of this kind are calculated to exorcise a powerful influence on the minds of the boys and girh, who will be the men and women, the fathers and mothers, of tin next generation ; nor is it to bo questioned that the influence is for good, individually, socially, and politically. No doubt tho temperance came is making certain headway amongst the grown-up population, but its most fruitful and hopeful field is, and must be, amongst the young 1 . The adult portion of yesterday's proceedings was as satisfactory as tho juvenile park We were glad to see mon of all classes in the community taking part in the precession and openly - avowing their principle 1 ! ; while the epoaking in the Exhibition - Hall was earnest, and, happily, almost altogether devoid of the exaggeration and intemperance of langnage which very frequently mara the usefulness of arguments aud efforts in the cause of total abstinonce. Mr. Stout's speeoh was a model of sound, reasonable argument, and the total abstinonce party may well congratulate themsolvog on numbering Buch an advocate in their ranks. The Exhibition Temperanoe Demonstration will long be pleasantly remembered, not only by those who participated in it and are direotly associated with the movement, but by many others who, without committing themselves to absolute total abstinence, aro still earnest in the cause of temperance generally, and who acknowledge tho good work which is being done in the community by such societies as those whioh took part in yesterday's proceedings.