"THE SECOND GOUGH."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6729, 20 July 1893, Page 3

"THE SECOND GOUGH."

Judoinq by the attendance and enthusiasm displayed at his meetings, Mr E. Tennyson Smith'B mission toGiaborne ia proving a great success. Despite bad roads and about the worst weather experienced hore for years past, large crowds have assembled to hear the gifted lecturer. Last night, for tho first time since the mission commenced, the weather was tine, and there was a remarkably good gathering, both the ground floor and gallery of the City Itink being well Oiled. Mr DeLautour presided, and in opening the proceedings remarked that " temperance " p ee med to him an unmaining term. E ve ryone seemed to be favor of temper, ance, but he took it that tho object of the present meeting was total abstinence, and with nothing short of that should they rest content- The subject of Mr Tenny son Smith's lecture was " Ia Prohibition Right," and it has to be said that the apostle of temperance (one will use the term) handled his nubj«ct m a masterly manner, although probably many of those who heard Mr Tennyson Smith for the firßt time last evening in his original lecture " Is Prohibition Right " will have been uuable to form a true estimate of his powers as a speaker, as the fact of questions being asked and answered gave the lecturer no scope for oratorical displaysuch as he is capable of. However, the immense audience which packed the City Rink seemed greatly to appreciate the lecturer's efforts. Mr Smith first strove to ghow the evil wrought by the traffic, and proceeded to prove that the drink which caused the evil should be prohibited. He then requested persons to state their objections to prohibition. Several questions were then written down by persons in the audience and handed to the lecturer, who answered them apparently to the satisfaction of his audience. He spoke very strongly on the maladministration of the law as to Sunday cleiing, which he said was a disgrace to the community. His commenting on the circular issued by the publicans of Sydenham, expressing sorrow at the drunkenness which existed, caused much laughter, while his denunciation of the traffickers as he urged the publican to guard his license as a precious possession was trenchant. Again the people were convulsed with laughter as he imitated a toper singing " Britons never shall be slaves," but the laughter was quickly followed by serious thoughts as the lecturer enforced the moral (which always follows his most ludicrous story), and asked " is there a more pitiful slave on God's earth than that man singing of freedom, and yet bound hand and foot by this terrible tyrant of drink." The piece de resistancm however, of the evening was undoubtedly the " Tug of War " which was most realistic, and at the conclusion as the lecturer resumed his seat, the applause was again and again repeated. Mr DeLautour, who presided, in a few choice sentences called upon those present who he said had " probably never been so stirred before" to allow their enthusiasm to take a practical form by carrying a resolution respecting the Direct Veto Bill now before the House Mr J. Somervell then moved the following resolution : — " That the best interests of New Zealand urgently require some efficient measure of legislation, by which a legal power of reBtraining the issue or renewal of licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors may be placed in the hands of the persons most deeply interested and affected, namely, the inhabitants themselves ; and this meetiug welcomes the Direct Veto Bill now before Parliament as the most effective means of placing the control of the liquor traffic in the hands of the people." It was then- seconded by two persons in the hall, put to the meeting and carried unanimously, not a single hand being held up against it. Mr DeLautour said ha regretted Thursday would be Mr Tennyson Smith's last night, and as the lectures had proved so attractive, he hoped at the entertainment (which by the programme promised to be the most attractive evening of the series), the building would be again packed from vail to wall, e3pecially as this was the only evening when a charge was made to raise funds for the carrying on of the mission work. Mr Tennyson Smith having urged all to join the Gisborue League for the suppression of the traffic, asked for a round of applause for the Chairman, and the great crowd slowly filed out of the Rink. A number of names were given in for the League, and several signed the pledge.