PROHIBITION RALLIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 58

PROHIBITION RALLIES.

THE CAMPAIGN OPENED IN DTJNEDIN. Mr T. E. Taylor, M.P. and Mayor of Christchmrch, and Mr C. H. Poole, M.P., opened the. prohibition campaign in Dunedin on. the 18th'and 19th May, addressing large meetings at the Garrison Hall o.n the evenings of the" dates mentioned. On the 18th, when Mr Taylor spoke,_the seating accommodation was not sufficient for all who attended. '■ In the course of his address he spoke hopefully of the prospect of Dominion prohibition being carried at the next poll. He mentioned that Mr Semple, orginising secretary of the Miners' Federation, and Mr Webb, the president, hadi publicly announced that they intended to) vote for national prohibition, to see what five and a-half years of sobriety was going to do for the miners. He went -on to show the demoralising effect of the drink traffic, quoting authorities in support of his con. tendons He then showed how the liquor trade was a peculiar trade. It was so dangerous to childhood that the conscience of the country had declared that no child should go into its houses. As to the alleged! failure of prohibition, they challenged the liqueur men to d'eal with Clutha in the south and Masterton in the north. He went. on. to show the growth of the vote in favour of prohibition. He did not feaaPrcfessor Salmond's pamphlet any more than he feared that a fly on a great wheel in .a factory engine room would stop the engine from revolving. He concluded by an appeal to. his hearers to vote for nolicense and national prohibition. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr Taylor was carried un.a.nimouslv, followed by cheers for him and for national prohibition. Mr G. H. Poole's address on the following evening W as largelv devoted to showing the iniquity of the liquor traffic, and m-f.°-re.n.tially "of those concerned m it. Brewers, 'he said., did not drink their own "booze" ; they knew too much to do so. He declared the trade the most brutal combine that God ever allowed to live It was said the liquor traffic contributed £BOO,OOO of revenue to the State, but it cost the country five millions to get the £BOO,OOO. A vote of thanks to Mr Poole was carried with great heartiness.