"FALLACIES OF PROHIBITION."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10622, 14 October 1896, Page 4

"FALLACIES OF PROHIBITION."

Mr J. D. Sievwright, of Oamf.ru, delivered bis lticUlr'e'entitled " The Fallacies of Prohibition," under the auspice? of the Liberty League, at tbe North-Bait Valley Public Hall last evening. Mr'J. E. White occupied the chair, and tliere was a fairly good attendance. Mr C. R. Chapman occupied a seat on the stage. Mr Sievwright traversed the ground covered by him when he gave the same address in Dunedin, and was accorded a patient hearing At tbe close of his address he was plied with almost immmer»,ble questions. In auswer to one ht- stated that be did not represent the Lib':rly Loague in the interests ot the liquor traffic, but he represented the teinperwioe people and the libarty-loving peopla'of New Zealand— neither the liquor pbopie'nor the piohioitionists. In answer to ai.orher question he stated tbat he waa not aware that the Liberty Lenguo was financed and obtiinsd the pioews of w»r principally from the liquor trade. There were a thousand persons ao a social gathering held under its auspices iv ChrHtcburch the,other day, and ha did not know of anyone who was in -any way associated with the liquor traffic. Jf there were members of tee Liberty League who were also engaged in the liquor trade, then be said that those persons hud liberties to defend and rights to uphold aa well as anyone else. Mr A. S, Adams said that he had a book in his band that had arrived in Dnnedin by the lost mail which would refute the mis-statements made by Mr Sievwright in regard to the State of Maine. Mr Sievwright requested to koow the name of tbe author, for if it wsre a prohibitionist he s»id the production wss coo worth reading. The Ch.tirmau mled that Mr Adams could not read ext-rscta from the book. The lecturer was also &f.ked if be hud not refused to come to the North-East Valiay and debate 'the question, and the reply wasthst ho had refused the conditions under which .the challenge wss. issued. Questions ware put by Messrs Rix, G- Rhodes, F. Graham, A. S. Adams, J. Arthur, and others, until' the audience manifested signs of impatience, and, amidst some confusion, Mr C. Colclough rose to move a vote of thanks to Mc Sievwright, tbe motion bsing seconded by Mr Davis Disorder, ensued when Mr Rhodes moved aud Mr Rix seconded as an amendment " That Mr Si».vwright be not thanked for his address, and that prohibition would be a good thiog for the North-Baet Valley." The amendment was received with boots ar.d cbeers, and tbe Chairman ruled it ont of order, and before a vote on tbe motion could be taken the 'audience rose from their seats: Three cheers for the speaker were given on the call of Mr M. Houlahan and counter-cheers on the call of Mr Adams, and Mr Rhodes commenced to sing in a vigorous style as the people were leaving the hail the prohibition song "Strike out the top line,"