NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 439, 17 October 1908, Page 3

NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN.

The Rev. H. F. L. Palmer, Anglican minister, completed his mission on the no-license question At Fbxton, on Thursday evening, by delivering addresses in the open air and in the Masonic Hall. At the latter place there was only a moderate attendance, which was however, of a representative character. The chair was occupied by the Rev. Mr. Mairs. Mr. Palmer, although chock-a-block with facts and figures touching this great reform movement and an ardent enthusiast, is not what may be termed a forceful speaker. He was accorded a splendid hearing and was frequently applauded. During the coutse of h s remarks the speaker expressed surprise that representatives of the various churches were not on the platform, as this was a reform in which all Christian people should take a deep interest. Included among those who had taken an interest in his meetings at Christchurch were Bishop Julius and leading ministers of other denominations. Among the Anglican ministers in the foremost ranks of the no-license movement was the Rev. E. Whitehouse, of Ashburton, a man who was opposed to no-licence and voted against it until he had had experience of its working in bis parish, but who after observing its benefits was one of its strongest advocates, and every Anglican should secure a copy of his pamphlet in reference to the heueficient effects of. no-licence in Ashburton. He said that the Anglican church was arousing itself and coming into position on the question of nolicense (applause). If his church took up this question thoroughly no-license would be carried throughout the Dominion at the forthcoming poll. He was proud of his church and was delighted to read that day of the stand taken by the Auckland synod at its meeting this week, affirming the principle of no-license (applause). He referred to the enormous sum expended in drink in the Dominion last year £ 3,600,000, but he said he would be well within the mark in saying that the sum spent was nearer six millions, and adding cost of crime through drink two millions and lost time and efficiency to the worker another ten millions, making in all a dead loss to the Dominion of at least two millions. If only the ,£3,600,000 as stated by statistics were put into gold they would turn the scale at 28 tons 6 owls., which would take Waihi mine 28 years to produce at its present rate of output. The sovereigns placed side bj r side would cover a distance of .so miles, or placed on top of each other would reach 20,000 feet, about as high as Mount Egmont if placed on the top of Mount Cook. Replying to the objections re increase of taxation if no no-license was carried, he said Foxton with its population of 1500 spent at least ,£5,000 per* year in drink, for which the local authority received in return ,£l7O. Was this good financing? (applause). He explained two pictures photographed and published by the trade depicting heaps of whisky bottles and beer barrels photographed in Ashburton under no-license, and explained how the bottles had‘been collected from a wide area, and had been in the district long before no-license was carried. He said that as the law only allowed 2-gallon kegs of beer to be taken into the no-license district it would be a revelation to know how long the hogsheads had been in the district. He referred to the huge profits made out of liquor, and dealt with the cost of manufacture, etc. He dealt at length with other phases of the question, backing up his statements with official figures. At the close several questions were asked and answered, and the speaker exhorted his audience to vote nolicense at the forthcoming poll. The usual votes of than ks concluded a very .orderly meeting.