TEMPERANCE MEETING AT THE ARCADE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7708, 16 February 1886, Page 2

TEMPERANCE MEETING AT THE ARCADE.

Mr Glover addressed a large audience at the Arcade last night, nearly every seat in the building being taken. The chair was occupied by Mr J. C. Harris, and Sir William Fox occupied a seat on the platform. The Chairman said they were met to hear an instructive address on “ Hard Times, and How to meet them.’* He was nut at all clear as to whether the term “ hard times ” was not a misnomer—at all events in this Colony. He looked around that large assembly, and saw people well dressed and apparently living In a comparative state of luxury. To find the 11 hard times *' it was necessary to go below the surface. There were no “bard times'* to be found amongst steady, hard-working men in New Zealand. “Hard times "was simply a political cry, and when that was not the case, the “hard times" were the resalt of the wastefulness, the Incapacity, or the drunkenness of the individual. Nearly the whole of the destitution of New Zealand lay at the root of the drink traffic—was the result of intemperance. Though be was a total abstainer, he was not an iconoclast. No reform had yet been carried ont without doing injury to some individuals. In the past, people did not give so much attention to that subject as they ought to have dous. Now-a-days, there was more consideration for the vested rights of individuals. Society was now so constituted that, if there was any general sweeping away of vested Interests, they should all suffer. With the foresight God had given them, they coaid avoid doing anything that would give pain, or cause heart-burning, or suffering to others. As it was with great political movements, so should it be with the temperance movement. They should continue to augment their numbers, and go on slowly but Barely. They had only to posh on as they were doing to reach the goal, and be could only hope that it would be attained without causing too much disturbance to the body politic. The chairman concluded, amidst applause, by introducing Mr Glover. Mr Glover, who met with quite an ovation, said that little did he think eighteen months ago, when standiog on that platform, that be should so soon meet so many friends again face to face. He was glad to have the chairman there, for he somewhat represented the Press, and the Press was an important factor in the work they had in band. He rejoiced that the Press in Wellington was so far with them that it enabled' them to increase the numbers at their meetings tetafold. ‘The Press was a great power 1 in the land, (Applause.) He wished to explain that on Sunday night be stood on the platform of the Gospel Temperance Blue Ribbon whilst on the present occasion he stood on the platform of the New Zealand Temperance Alliance, which was ap Association of citizens banded together for the suppression of the liquor traffic, (Applause.) They 4*d not asfe those who Joined it to what faith they belonged, or whether they belonged to any faith, All they asked was that they should join together for the suppression of the liquor traffic, and pay their shilling a year. (Applause and laughter.) He would tell them t anight what their programme was in connection with the forthcoming licensing elections. The ooly difference between the temperance candidates and those of the licensed victuallers was this. The licensed victsallen simply wanted things to go on as at present; whilst the temperance candidates were men who would insist that the laws should be carried out, (Applause.) They bad their eye oa two hotels where the law was violated every day, and they were determined to close them. (Applause.) They would not be worth the name of citizens if they did not help to return candidates who would see that the liquor traffic was kept within bounds, and made to obey the law of the land. (Applause.) He took it that every man at that meeting who had a vote would go to the poll on Thursday next, and cast it for the temperance candidates, Many of those nominated by the other side unless thgy were prepared %o keep the liquor titanic yrithlq founds .they 5?J5j not be elected, k ? sApplau*e.) {; to ffje women to' 'bestir * themselves i in thU »oyern?at,"' W h »6 hiis <! « r ' IPS hia racent visit to America w«B the iu’eque es'rqeatneaa of the women. (Applaqae.) At the Presidential election jt WiU ttys women of America who ran the temperance can. didatep, and wanted to see the mothers, Wives, and sisters of Wellington run their busbands, brothers, and aweethear s to the poll to Tote for the temperance candidates. He did not know what the Women’s Christian Temperance Union ffers

doms in tliaigton, but he knew that in Auckland they w*re going to make a house-to-hi>a*e ca»\Mß.». and see that every m?.n who had a vo‘.d gave it to the temperanci. candidates. Thrt p iblicaa* were working iiard £ they were patting their bands in their prekets, and they would beat the temperance candidates if they did not wake up. He wag afraid that, whilst they were holding these meetings, they were taking the workers away from the wards. House-to-house can. vasaing and button-holing of voters was what they wanted. As the elections took place in Wellington a day before they came off in Auckland, he hoped they would ho work that they would be able to send an encouraging telegram to their brethren is Auckland— Hallelujah ! we have won the day.” Coming to the subject of his lecture, Mr Glover said that be quite agreed with the remarks of the chairman. Wherever he went iu his travels round the world be heard complaints of the depression. In England be heard men parade the streets singing in a doleful air, “ We’ve got no work to do.” In America he heard Dr Talmage, of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, advise bis congregation to “ open the gates of the South,” and drive England from Mexico and South America, and so end the depression there. Mr Caine, a large manufacturer iu England, said that while all other trades were depressed the liquor trade alone prospered, and absorbed oneseventh of the total earnings of the people. Over £1011,000,000 was spent annually in Great Britain on the liquor traffic, besides £16,000,000 for the police and gaols, and another £10,000,000 for other expenses connected with it. If the liquor traffic was done away with. £200,000,000 a year ceuld be devoted to other branches of trade. If we bad not a sober people, we could not have a good trade or any lasting prosperity. (Applause.) But be would tell them that if they bad not a sober people, they would nut bare a righteous people. If they wanted this Colony to prosper, let them do away with the liquor traffic, aad it would be the most free, the most prosperous Colony on God’s earth. (Applause).

Sir William Fox said be was not at all satisfied with the position they occupied in Wellington. The temperance party bad practically come to an arrangement —he bad no handinit—withtbepublicansthat things should remain as they were. They bad heard talk of compensation ; but he would as soon compensate the holera-morbus or typhoid fever. The highest authorities iu Groat Britain bad itated that the only vested right the publican bad was In his license from year to year. (Applause.) In New i'ealand the law was stronger than that, for magistrates were empoweied to close houses that were not properly conducted. He . understood the publicans intended putting in candidates at the next election who would endeavor to upset legislation of that kind. Since we began our Public Works scheme, we had expended as much on drink as we bad borrowed in loans. If it were not for the drink, we should have been able to take up our own bonds, and would be the richest country in the world. The people themselves would have to get the same power as they possessed in the Dominion of Canada and the State of Iowa; they should have the power to say whether hotels should be closed or not. (Applause.) We had 2200 drink-shops in New Zealand, but during the four yearn that we bad the Licensing Committees twenty of them had not been closed. If they closed them at the rata of two a year, it would take a thousand years to suppress the traffic. Sir William Fox concluded an able address by proposing a vote of thanks to the lecturer and the chairman.

Mr Glover, In seconding the vote of thanks to the chairman, which was parried by acclamation, stated that he would speak the following evening on u Prohibition.” During the evening the choir sang some well-known temperance airs very nicely. At tbe conclusion a good many signed the pledge, and Mr Glover stated that 50 bad signed on Sunday.