THE DIRECT VETO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10107, 4 August 1893, Page 6

THE DIRECT VETO.

' address by mb ninian MELVILLE. Tha Tuam street hall was well filled bit evening when Mr Ninian Melville, Member el the Legislative Assembly of Mew South Wales, delivered an address on temperance matters, under the auspices of the lhdependent Order of Good Templars, of which Order he is a member and officebearer. The chair waa occupied by the Bev F.W. Isitt, who was supported by several officers of the local Lodges, and some of the members of the Juvenile Lodge. In introducing Mr Melville, Mr laittVpoke of a report upon prohibition in Kansas, written by a lecturer and agent from the Licensed Victuallers Association. Mr Melville, who was well received, ■poke first on the report mentioned by Mr leltt, and said that he would deal with it at length the next evening. In touching upon "the direct veto, he said one would think that it was- a crime, the way people talked about it, and that those who advocated it were lunatics, or had a desire for the injury of society. Mr Melville then traversed the recent address given by Mr Collins, and, passing on, spoke of the Biblical aspect of the drink question. Ha considered that it was a very strange aadaia’y that the liquor people, who searched the Bible for references to alcoboV should secure the services of Mr Collins as an advocate. He denounced the evil* of drink, and strongly contended that in/ the names of justice and decency the people should have the supreme voice in controlling the issue of licenses. Publichdutyes were not situated where the rich indo dwelt. No, his wife and daughters must not ho offended by the scenes of squalor and vice inseparable from a drinking place. Bub wherever the working man planted hia humble home, there the publican established his vile house, and the wife and children of the poor man were com cel led to witness scenes of drunken riot, »«d to listen to sounds unfit for their ears. The moderate drinkers, he contended, were to be mostly blamed for tbe continuation. of the drink evils in tho country. It was from their ranks that the drunkards sprang. The drunkards of a community canid be reformed and reclaimed, but their places wore ever being filled by the moderate drinkers, who, by their example, did awaat amount of mischief an< * kept: tbe duhfc traffic in existence. Mr Melville then spoke of the “ trade ” as a trade, characterising it as had in every direction and every way. If it was a good trade, he said* there would be no necessity to license iban d endeavour to control it. Under present conditions sly-grog selling was much caeifer tban it would be were prohibition in force.- To- sell liquor after hours was illicit;' with the name up over the door and a. back entrance known to all it was Y tr y easy to break tbe law. The liquor party-wore afraid of justice and were afraid of the use people would make of their votes had they them. The temperance party could no more control the votes than tho liquor party could, so the latter must realise the odium the majority had for their trade, or they would not oppose tho granting of the power to veto. The speaker then eatere’d upon an advocacy of woman suffrage, contending that the •lords.of creation” would have to concede a Jot of their boasted superiority to women, »nd allow them to have a great dial more to say about tbe affairs oi the country. He considered that a bare inajoiioy vote should suffice in licensing matters, and that the demand for a threefdurth majority vote wia unfair and ‘ unjust. The temperance party had every eoqffdenca of winning the battle, aa right aid-justice and all tho argument were on its side. The passage of the second reading of Sir Robert Stout’s Bill showed that Parliament had commenced to recognise the importance of the temperance trend of the country, and to iay the foundation stone of the great building which would Booh bo raised. At the conclusion of tbe address, which lasted two hours, Mr Melville waa accorded ■"vote of thanks with loud applause. A resolution was passed in favour of giving to the people the power of the direct veto, and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman;

Mr Ninian Melville addressed a crowded meet eg in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Aahburton, on Wednesday night, on the direct veto question. The Mayor was in the chair. At the close of the address a number of questions were asked, and on Mr Melville asking fora vote in favour or against the direct veto, the former was carried by a large majority. ; At a meeting hold at Temuka on Tuesday, at which Mr Ninian Melville, a member o! the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, delivered an address, 4lie ' following resolutions were unani*

mously carried: —< “ That this meeting cordially supports the Direct "Veto Bill now before Parliament, and failing that, the Licensing Act Amendment Bill in charge of Sir Robert Stout; ” and, “ That this meeting pledges itself to vote for no candidate who is not ready to accord to the people the right of sett! rig the drink question.”