NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 18 November 1911, Page 8

NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

A STORMY MEETING AT MANAIA

(From a Correspondent.) An audience of about 300 people greeted the Rev. G. Tregear, of West Australia, on Thursday evening last at the Town Hall, Manaia. In introducing the speaker, Rev W. A. Burley explained that, owing to a previous engagement, Mr A. H. Christie, chairman of the Town Board, was unable to preside. After complimenting the audience on his reception, Mr Tregear at once plunged into his subject. He had come from Australia to lear n; not to teach. Having given a very lucid explanation of the licensing law obtaining in his own State, which showed the urgent need of drastic reform, the speaker expressed his appreciation of the great progress thai nolicense had attained in this Dominion. His visits to the no-license areas -were shown in sharp relief when describing his extensive investigations obtained by personal inspection of licensed houses in ''wet" areas-

He paid a< tribute to the uniform cleanliness found existing in hotels, but that in itself did not justify their continued existence. Many instances were quoted showing that the young men were enticed by the present attractions of the open bar.

Enormous sums were being spent on this flection by the brewing fraternity, which, besides the living it obtained, returned huge profits, all'to bolster up the trade. This was contrasted with the unselfish and self-sacrificing efforts in expenditure of time and money by the party whose platform he advocated, for the uplifting and benefit of common humanity. In the course of his remarks the- speaker applied the word "vile" to the trade, and this brought interruption. He judged it by reference to the statistics of the gaols, the lunatic asylums, and the divorce courts and daily policecourts. A little later on there was considerable noise at the back of the hall, and Constable Carroll removed a man. This at-once provoked a storm of protest, and for some time a cross-fire of interrogation and passionate denouncement came from a number of men in the dim light at the back of the hall. Order was only restored after the chairman had repeatedly appealed to the toleration of the audience.

Resuming, the lecturer went on to Bay that at Masterton, Ashburton, Oamaru, etc., no-license had been an undoubted success, and mentioned Invercargill as not only being able to take steps for important municipal enterprises, but also initiating a tramway scheme second to none, in the world. Mr G. D. McKenzie here interjected that the rates would be increased in consequence of the loan involved.

The lecturer answered that no town south of the line could* possibly instal a tramway system if its population were only 15,000, and expect it to pay at once.

Mr McKenzie replied that Wanganui had paid dividends during the first six months, and was still paying. Mr Tregear doubted his statement, and it was mutually agreed to obtain official information from the Mayor of Wanganui.

The speaker concluded by asking his audience to be true to themselves, their children, their homes,- and humanity, and do the right thing when they went to the ballot-box.

Mr Bashford questioned a verbal mistake the lecturer had made regarding the period , Oamaru had enjoyed nolicense.

Upon the question of duty on liquor an indefinite and wordy duel.took.place between the lecturer and Mr Bashford, which was not satisfactory to the audience. Mr_ McKenzie asked why it was that despite the number of no-license areas the drink bill was higher than ever.

Mr Tregear replied that the prosperity of the country accounted for that and he pointed out the small drink bill of the no-license districts.

Mr A. H. Christie (chairman of the Town Board) questioned zhe lecturer's statement regarding the rating of Invercargill. It was incorrect to say that the rates there had gone down l^d since the introduction of no-license. It was also incorrect to say that 40 extra men had been employed by the Council of that town.

The speaker's attempted reply was drowned in tumultuous uproar which continued for some minutes.

_ The chairman then endeavored to assist Mr Tregear, but was only partially successful, the rowdy section of the audience keeping up a perpetual uproar and howled for the chairman to sit down. They had come to hear Mr Tregear, not the chairman.

As it was impossible to restore order the meeting was declared closed after a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation to Mr Tregear. The large audience slowly filed out and it was quite apparent that a section was in a hostile frame of mind. Outside the hall Rev. G. Tregear was at once accosted and for a few moments there was every indication of a disturbance. One resident in particular threatened to inflict personal chastisement because of his remarks in connection with barmaids. However, nothing of a pugilistic nature occurred, and *he large crowd melted away quietly. The meeting will be long.remembered as one of the most exciting of its kind held in Manaia for many years.