TEMPERANCE ADDRESS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 913, 20 March 1879, Page 2

TEMPERANCE ADDRESS.

* Mr. J. Harding, of Hawke's Bay, last evening delivered an address on temperance in the Tees-street Hall to a very fair audience. The chair was occupied by Mr. Oliver, who briefly introduced the speaker. We have not space to follow Mr. Harding through his very interesting address. Drunkenness, lie- said, was comparatively a modern vice. Two hundred years ago there was not much drunkenness in the United Kingdom, .and it was only 150 years ago that distilled spirits began to be used. The evil then began to grow apace, and John Wesley, seeing the evils resulting from drunkenness, preached earnestly against the drinking habits of the people. He was rewarded by the consumption of spirits being reduced in London alone from twelve million gallons to one-fourth of that amount. This showed the power of moral suasion. After Wesley's death thegreatsocialviceagainincreasedatarap ; d rate. Having referred to the first institution of the Maine Liquor Law in the State of Maine, he said no sufficient effort to suppress drunkenness had been made. So long as there were temptations to drink, so long would there be drunkenness. Nothing short of prohibition would suffice to stop the evil. He then referred at great length to the working of the Maine Liquor Law and its effects upon the country. That law was not a failure. He had himself visited the country, and could speak of tiie state of things existing there. He had rambled about the town of Portland every night he was there, and could say that it was the quietest town he had ever seen. One or two policemen were to be seen, but they were evidently not wanted. He had visited the docks and shipping, believing those to be the places where the evil results of an indulgence in drink was to be seen if anywhere, j but he found nothing of the kind. I He saw no drunken men or depraved I women in tin; streets. If the Maine I Liquor Law was a failure there, all he I could spy was f ' Give us such a law in I Now Zealand. ; ' Ho advised employers of I labor t>> become teetotallers, and induce their won to f How their example. Thirty-sevei. .-, Ji.r:i ago, he had established the first society in the Colony at Wellington ; but the evils of drink were spreading, and the Hon. Mr. JJ'ox had calculated L 2,000,000 were annually spent in drink in New Zealand. A like sum might be added for loss of time through drinking habits, and there was the cost of the police system, building of gaols, lunatic asylums, old men's homes, &c. Had. the Colony been teetotal from its foundation, there would have been no necessity co raise a loan for public works. They would have had plenty of money for themselves, good homes, and smiling, well fed and well clad children. Ho impressed upon lii.'i hearers the necessity for bringing such a law into operation in New Zealand by electing as members of Parliai ment those who wuiild support it. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Harding, and a similar compliment having been paid tq tho chairman, the meeting was closed.