THE NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14379, 24 November 1908, Page 5

THE NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT

' THANKSGIVING MEETING. "" ' There was a large gathering in the Garrison Hall last evening at the thanksgiving meeting called by the No-Ucenfe party, _ Mr a. H. Adams, president of the United Temperance Reform Council, who occupied the chair, in tno course of some introductory remarks, said lie wanted to show"them' a* nearly as possible where they stood. In iitincdiii iho- poll at the present time stood at 11,523 for no-license; that was 56.8 per cent. o( the total number of votes cast. llic increase over 1905 was 2445, and tho majority over continuance 2966. or per cent. The majority over one-half the votes was 1384, or b 3-10 per cent., and theJoM by the continuance party was 485. They had a majority of 2rffjb over continuance, and yet owing to, tiie extraordinary and amazing provisions oi .the Jaw under wliioh wo were governed the majority of 2966 over continuance stood impotent < for good. Reduction jiad been carried by a substantial majority, but, the no-liceuse majority of 3000 was impotent today. For Otago he found no-licenso had polled 40,616, and the continuance vote was 31,152, the majority for no-license being 9464, or over 30 per cent, of a majority throughout Otago. The inerea-so in Dunwlin sliice 1&96, a period of 12 years, was 705? for jib-license and for continuance. 658, the respective percentages being 158 and 8.3. Tney Jiad there-/ fore a credit 150 per cent, over the continuance vote in'the 12 years. 'Jlne total increase of voters in the 12 years bad been 5695, and the increase of the no-license votes for tlie same period 7057, or 1362 more than the total increase of voters. This increase would be altered by the' seamen's votos which, he maintained, should not- be counted. The whole Dominion had responded to the call of the No-liccnss party in splendid fashion, and it would bo seen that it had polled 'between 230,000 and 240,000 votes for no-liccnee. "Civis," in his amusing notes, had referred to tho assistance- received from the women, and (he unintelligent assistance received from bahes and sucklings of tho University. One of these w.as a master of arts and a master of science,- another was master of arts, and two others were bachelors' of arts, and thegentleman ho was now' going to call upon to address the meeting was 'a distinguished, medical' student, who' in- January would, he believed, bo found to havp\ passed his examination- as a qualified practitioiar all over the world. ', Mr W. H. Pettit then addressed the meet, nig, and gave reasons why they had come forward and declared themselves imon this great question. It was not for vain or foolish things or for notoriety that they had come forward.' As to inducing young men to attend placed of;worship, lie'.was convinced that the destruction of the liquor traffic was an absolute essential to'that end; In the coming session he believed the ; Students' Association would banish every form of alcohol -from its social functions. 1 hey had endeavoured to arouse an interest' in Wellington and Christchurch, but under tho circumstances it was. impossible, 'because the men were in the midst of their examinations. He believed tliey could arrange, when tho time again came round, for a great demonstration in all tho great educational centres, and that they tould ■arrange to send out^a'down men to put.tho question before'the peopl/i of New, Zealand as it appeared to University men. , Tt| e Rev. W. Slade said In connootion, with the no-hcenso campaign there; wor 0 two great, omissions. In reading-over the list of services advertised ho had observed ,-therc- was no service for the people, and another omission was that, there >Vas i)o service hbld in the Alliamh'ra. lheatrc, vlt was empty and dark. Another otm-s;oii was that they bad no brewms' contingent there that „dvonin'g.-('A'■ Voiceone.") Mr .Slade: lam glad to sec you. Continuing, ho said lie could remember when they looked upon iio-lic o as impossible, but if'.had coma to 1: 0 posstbe. Die most nwnacing- feature' of the Jast, few days had hfeen the tone of tho public press. They had iiad tho-wholo of the press of the co'ony. with one ortw o ' exceptions, against them; but in spite of (ho persistent opposition of the press this move, ment had, grown. The point he wished to make was that no-license was a fact. .They had had. six electorates under noicsnso, and a t this; poll they, had got at least six ,mbr e added to the list, and if right was'done tlie six would be 45. What caused bim the greatest- joy was that our young people were using their votes. One of tho most hopeful signs • was that the young people-,-almost, to the extent of 100, per cent., liad recorded their votes on tho right side. He moved—"That this mass meeting of members' of the No-license party of Dunsdm <leclnrc.i : its steadfast adhesion to the principles and aims of the party; rejoic&s over the. fact that no-lieaso has' been parried in Bruce,' Wellington Suburb« • Wellington South, Masterton,.Eden, Ohirie'> muri, and reduction in/many places; while Ashburtpn, Grey Lynn, Oamaru, OJuth?.,Mataura, and luvercargill have maintained ■their position, and that the vole throughout the Dominion show 6 a remarakble advance on that df 1905. Tho meeting.also calls'at-'' tention to the fact that;- although in this, city no-lioense was affirmed by a majority of nearly 3000 over continuance, this :great majority j s by the pi'esent .'law rendered impotent." ■ '. ■»■-,-. Mrs Don (president of:the W.C.T.U.)eeconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.'' . • ' Tho. Rev. N. A:-. Davis also addressed the meeting, and said -that if saptned to him 'monstrous that a number i.of indigent bid gentlomen, most of whom had lost their money through tho liquor train's, should he • brought from al) over tho country and allowed to record their votes in Dunedin Soulk He was not going (o say they shoiijd not be allowed to vote, but he- suggested that, tliev should be made to record their votes in the districts from which they came. They had bad to netit vested interest., They had been -preached- to and advised, but the sermons had ceased 'now* tho poll was over. They had had' to fight against weapons that they could not, and would not; use if they could. Whence press indulged: in what it had it Iwas .resented by those who stood for jighieou3ncsß ;n the citv. It was unfortunate they had' had to fight the press..-.He recognised the' magnitude of the interests concerned, and he had: sympathy wilh the editor, for he had some experience of editorial work and knew.something of the .difficulties that confronted the, editor. Ho kno.W how difficult it- was for the editor to hold his'own and.satisfy all people. They did not wish Che' editor to ho bound by them, and did not believe in threatening. Thank God, the Ohurc-h had been with them -tho .Church should not, have-, been nnywheroi, else.—not. only the -.'Presbyterian Church, but the. great Rpmah; Catholic Church was coming their way.. On the motion of Captair Stewart,seconded by the Rev. W. Perry,.' it wai unanimously resolved-'' That this meeting' considers it. highly desirable .that the Nolicense party .should be represented by a newspaper .published in Dunedin, to circulate thronjrh all Otago for some time previous to the next eleotion." .-,'

The Roy. Mr Slado then referred to unfairness (rf the three-fifths majority ,and moved that-" In ilio oouiion 0 f this meeting the clause in the Licensing Act'which requires a three-fifths majority before the open bars for the sale of alcoholio liquor can lx) closed is unjust a.mt undemocratic, and we ijJedge ourselves to dd"~all in our power to obtain a settlement of tip's question on moro truly democratic lines." The motion was seconded by Mr Warren, and carried with one dissentient.