"ANTI-SHOUTING” CLUB.

Marlborough Express, Volume VI, Issue 296, 10 June 1871, Page 8

"ANTI-SHOUTING” CLUB.

A meeting of persons desirous of correcting one of the most objectionable eccentricities which the worship of Bacchus has assumed in this colonial possession of Ms, took place at Mr. Schafer’s, Collingwood, on the 11th instant. The chairman read the prospectus of the Society, wMch begins with a short preamble, setting forth the evils —the “crying” evils—of the odious practice of “ shouting.” Then followed the proposed rules, which, with a few slight alterations, were adopted, and run as follows :

1, No member shall drink at the expense of anyone else in any public-house in the province of Nelson, under a penalty of five shillings for the first, ten shillings for the second, and twenty shillinga for every subsequent offence. 2. No member is to pay for the drink or drinks of anyone else in any public-house in the province of Nelson, under similar penalties to those in Buie 1. ' 3, The two foregoing rules not to apply to the losing or winning of drinks at any game of chance or skill, or by betting, except “ Yankee grab,” and tossing. > 4. Any person giving Information that will lead to the infliction of a fine upon any member of this Society, shall receive a reward 6t two shillings and sixpence. 6. All profit accruing from fines to this Society shall be devoted to any purpose of charitable aid at the discretion of the committee; and the balance, if any shall be presented yearly to the Nelson Hospital, until a hospital be established in Collingwood. . 6. Any member wishing to withdraw from the Society can do so by giving four weeks’ notice, in writing to the President. Officers and Committee were elected in due form, and the constitution of the Society having been settled upon, the meeting broke up, and r amid much merriment, each member called for his’solitary glass, somewhat to the inconvenience of the landlord in his effort to find change £ but being himself an apostle of the reformed wor--ship, he took it very good humouredly. Thus one tiny axe has been applied to the root of this great upas tree, which has cast a blight on many a fair intention. This practice of shouting doubles and trebles' the temptations of the weak, who thirst against their will for the f < “ Dead Sea fruit that tempts the eye, But turns to ashes on the lip.”

it makes the public-house a bugbear to the

abstinent, and gives the guzzling loafer’s proclivities an air of respectability by placing him on terms of equality and fellowship with men who would not speak to him anywhere else. If the idea of the promoters of this Society were taken up throughout the colony and largely acted upon, more would be done thereby to spread the cause of temperance then all the effusions of those among the interperate advocates, whose gnostic code allows them to see nothing but demons in every glass of the genial stuff, which equally possess the moderate man and the immoderate who ventures to swallow it.— Examiner.