The Temperance Demonstration.

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

The Temperance Demonstration.

The exact number of people who took part in tho temperance procession yesterday can not be ascertained, but it is estimated that fnlly 2000 were present. Mr. J. Holmes discharged the duties of marshal, and he was ably assisted by Messrs. J. Collins, A. L Levy, F. H. Fraaer, and others. The utmoßt good order prevailed, and not a single hitch occurred tho whole afternoon. When the procession arrived at the junction of Lambton Quay and Waring Taylor-street the children belonging to the Bands of Hope were marched into the Concert Hall of the f xhibition via Waring Taylor and Maginnity streets, and by co doing all confusion was avoided. The adults were admitted through the main entranoe in Stoutstreet. The entertainment inside the Concert Hall commenced at 330 o'clock. Every seat was occupied, bnt standing-room was obtainable the whole of the afternoon. The entertainment was arranged for children, and a good many of the adults who took part in the outdoor proceedings did not enter the Hall, the conseqtsenoe being that it was not filled to such an extent as Lad been anticipated. The ohildren of the Bands of Hopo were provided with seats on either sido of the organ, and it ib pleaßini? to state that the little ones behared themselves in the most exemplary manner during the time they were in the Concert Hall. At half-past 3, Mr. D. C. Cameron, of Dunedin, the Grand Worthy_ Secretary. of Good Templars, took the ohair, and the entainment commenced by Mr. W. H. Warren playing on the organ "The March of the Israelites." After this tho Juvinile Choir sang the oie " Hail friends of Temperance, brothers all," and then came The Chairman's address. In the course of his remarks Mr. Cameron said he presumed ho had been asked to preside in recognition of his labours in the oanse of temperance. -He was extremely gratified with tho suocess of the procession that afternoon, and he was sine that it would put new life and vigour into temperance works. He lookod upon the demonstration as the beginning of a ne<7 era in the history of temperanoe work in New Zealand. The bright and happy faces of the ohildren who took part in the procession would nerve temperance workers to renewed efforts. Another ode by the ohoir, " Once more we Gather," was then eung, and then followed the song " The Temperance Battle Cry" by three little children. Their voices wore not nearly stiong enough for such a large building, and it was almost painful to listen to their efforts. " New Zealand Shall be Free" haying been rendered by the ohoir, Mr. Cass recited a piooo of poetry depicting the horrors of drink. Tho reoitation, which was entitled " My Wife," was appropriate for the oooasion, but it was rather too long for a juvenile audionoo. Tho choir thon sang ¦' Bless our Bands of Hope," after which The Eev. J. K. Elliott delivered an address, couched in simple language and interspersed with anecdotes. In the oourae of his remarks, he pointed oat to the ohildron that the expenditure on drink in New Zealand was at the rate of £4 5s for avory man, woman, and child. The rev. gentleman gavo a brief history of the Bandß of Hope, and oonoluded an address, whioh was listened to with a good doal of attention, by expressing a hope, that all present would live to see New Zealand a free country. Then came the song, "Once he was so Bright and Fair," by the ohoir, followed by the reoitation, " The Two Roads," by Masters Chisolm and Bead. The remaining itoms on the programme were tho songs, " Come, Sing with Gladness," and "A Brighter Day," by tho choir, and a recitation by Miss Perry. The National Anthem having been sung, tho audience dispersed. Mr. Billman oonduoted, and Mr. Warron supplied the organ accompaniments. During the afternoon tho Wellington Garrison Band, under Mr. Cimino, performed choice selections of music in tho quadrangle THE EVENING. Tho Concert; Hall was aga-n completely filled last evening by a large assemblage), who appoarod thoroughly to onjoy the programme presented for their delectation. The choir Bang several ohorusos during the evening, and ballads were also rendered most agreeably by Meßara. Prouse and E. J. Hill, whilst suitable reoitations were delivered by Messrs. J. M. Clark and J. E. Bead. Addressea were also delivered by tho Hon. the Premier and Mr. F. Fulton. The brethren and oistera of tho various temperance orders wore the regalia belonging to their respective lodges, which had a most pleasing effect to the eye. Shortly after the hour announced for opening the proceedings the chairman of tho evening, Mr. F. 11. Fraser, asoended the platform, and was accompanied by the Hon. Eobert Stout (Premier), Messrs. F. Fulton, Harding, G. V. Shannon, J. M. Clark, and other gentlemen. Mr. F. Billman aotod as musical conductor, and Mr. W. H. Warren presided at tho organ. The ohoir having sung the ohorus, ' ' There's work for all to do," The Chairman made a few opening observations. Mr. Fraser said that as the programme was somewhat a long one, and as there were other speakers to follow who wore not so well known to them as he was, he did not intend to detain them long. The demonstration held that day indioated unmistakably that the temperance movement was Bteadily progressing. The Post ot that evening, referring to tho afternoon's procession, stated that upwards of £000 persons took part in it, moat of whom were women and ohildren. The term " women and ohildren" had been applied somewhat Boornfally, but the temperanoe people's objeot was to got the women and children to join the movement, and if they accomplished this, they would experience no difficulty •in getting the men to follow. He hoped persons who were not temperance people would investigate the matter for themselves, and when they oame to tho temperance column in a newspaper, they would not ignore it as many did now, for if they did they would Boon find out they were a very long way behind public opinion. On behalf of them all, he desired to thank the Hon. the Premier for his kindness in attending there, and ppeakmg to them that evening. It was a significant faot that the Premiers of New Zealand and Tasmania were both total abstainers. Another chorns and a song, "If I were a Voice," by Mr. Pronse, who was loudly applauded, having been given, The Premier, who was most warmly received, rose to deliver his address. He remarked that he was glad to observe that there was to be a great daal of musio that evening, as he did not intend to speak long. Sinoe he came into the room that evening he had recognised the relations which oxisted between temperance and the Exhibition. Exhibitions were intended to show what had been done and what could be done towards developing the industries of New Zealand. But they did something more — they improved all classes of society, and showed that the people were doing their best to benefit their fellow men. Any person who watched a man of a meohanioal tnrn of mind must admire his inventive powere and his heroism. He had been struck lately by going into the place of a man who was perfeoting an invention which had taken him 12 years to perfect. Of course the man was doing something for his own benefit, with a view to making money, but at the, tame time he thought that in benefiting himself he was also doing that which would benefit his fellows. After all, they were all trying in some direction or the other to make themselves and others happy. This Bearch after happiness and pleasure was then, after all, the whole business of all classes of soaiety — of Government. The_ aim of exhibitions, of libraries, of mechanics' institutes, was to benefit mankind, and therefore they would be doing that whioh was right if they asked themselves if there was anything in their midst whioh was likely to destroy their happiness. He believed alcohol was doing this. With regard to drink", he could tay with Emerson, "Ho who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare ; and he who has an enemy will meet him everywhere." If one lookod through society they would see that drinking habits were marring onr pleasures and efforts. He won Id ask if there was one in their midst who could not point out some schoolfellow or some friend whose life hod not been ruined by drjnk. He would ask those present who were not total' abstainer? to think what their aim in life was. Even from a selfish point of view, it was a mistake not to Belong to the temperance party. Anything which tended to injnra a man tended to injure society, and whatever injured one injured all. This injury drink was oausing. Go to the hospitals and the gaols, and they would find the truth of what he had said. The visit of an epidemic injared whole cities and towns, and in the came manner so did drink. It was not a question of spending money merely or of a man morely ruining himself only, but thoße who were aear and dpar to him and who were dependent upon him. 'A man who was fond of drink, it bad been proved by a scientific London roan, very frequently transmitted the fondness to his children. He considered that no man was a jnst man who did not look to the welfare of thijEß who came after him. He did not think that this tsrribls conwqnence had been suffl riently impressed upon the people. It was not only the drunkard who was injured, but he left behind him children -who were moTe liable to the vice of drinkicg habits than the children of sober peraonß. It waa tho duty of them all to endeavour to raise tho human race, and they could achieve this By aiding tcmperar.ee. Temperance, he believed, would be also aided by organism, by' precept and*by example. ' But there 'waa something more they could all do towards aiding the cause, and that was by every man having the courage of his own opinion and accept the matter as a pers»nal question. X they went to a theatre, their sympathies were always with the hero, who assisted his

fellows and was self-reliant. So in this temperance question each one might be a hero, each one might do something to aid tho movement. He advised them not to rely on lectures alone, or on societies alono, but rather to make it a personal quostion. They should not only not touch drink themselves, but Bhonld banish it from their houses, and if they did this they would soon find that demonstrations like that of that day would soon not be required, and they would then soa such a change in the drinking habits of the people, from tho North Cape to Stewart's Island, as they had never seen yet. It did not neeossarily follow that those who were not total abstainers were bad men : but he believed that many men, liko Burns and others of kindly nature, would never have touohed drink had they known the terrible woe it would have brought on others. But they need not go to the hospitals and gaols to show the necessity of temperance reform in Now Zealand ; let them look at the enormous waste of money. If the same amount of money whioh was now spent in drink was expended in manufactures thero would bo no unemployed hero. It would mean more comfortable houses and therefore more happiness in life*. No matter how hnmble a man may be if he saved one person from tho curse of drink, he would have accomplished a great deal. By his example acd by showing himBelf to be a good pattern of temperance he could do a great deal. He hoped this ternperacco demonstration would accomplish a great doal for Wellington, whioh, after all, was not worse than other parts of tho colony. He concluded by saying if they spent the tens of thousands of pounds they now spent in drink in beautifying their houseß and oitie3 and in establishing manufactures and industries they would be a better, a happier, and a more prosperous people than they were at the present time. After some further Blnging on the part of the ohoir, and a reoitation from Mr. J. M. Clark, . Mr. Fulton (Dunedin) addressed the meeting. He had been, he said, highly gratified at being present at the demonstration that day, and, like the Premier, he did not ask them to join the temperanoe movement purely on personal and selfish ground*, but rather for the good of the whole. Mr. Fulton then gave some interesting statistics with regard to the liquor consumed in the colony and also at Home, and pointed out by means of figures what incalculable good would be done to mankind if the money was diverted to legitimate ohannels. Mr. Fulton resumed his seat amidst considerable applause. The song " My Sweetheart when a Boy" and a recitation "Drink," by Mr. J. E. Read, having been given, Mr. G. V. Shannon said ho regretted that, owing to the lateness of hour, Mr. Harding, the father of temperanoe in New Zealand, would be unable to address them that evening. As President of the Blue Ribbon Union ho (Mr. Shannon) had muoh pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to the Premier and Mr. F. Fulton, and also to the other gentlemen who had taken part in tho demonstration. Mr. Harding, in seconding the motion, oiproHfed regret that ho had beon unable to address them that evening on the matter of temperance, whioK was bo near his heart. Forty-throe years ago he and a few others had taken steps to form in this city tho first temperanoe lodge in this oolony. The building was nothing moro than a mud and slab hut, and visitors wero obliged to bring with them their own seats. Ho had muoh pleasure in Beoonding the motion. The motion was put and carried with acclamation, and the proceedings terminated with the singing of " God Save the Queen."