PROHIBITION

Southland Times, Issue 20200, 10 June 1927, Page 8

PROHIBITION

AN ARDENT ADVOCATE

LECTURE BY MR C. TODD

VOLSTEAD LAW NINETY PER CENT EFFECTIVE

The guest of honour at the Civic Club luncheon yesterday was Mr C. Todd, president of the New Zealand Alliance, who has been visiting Invercargill in connection with the recent Alliance Convention. Mr Todd, who was introduced by the chairman, Mr R. J. Cumming, delivered a very interesting address upon the work of the alliance in its Prohibition campaign, interspersing his remarks with personal impressions gained while on an extensive tour abroad. » Speaking of the chairman’s expressed hope that the name of their guest would go down in history as the president who carried the flag to victory, Mr Todd said that if such should prove the case he would be a prouder man than even the Prime Minister.— (Applause.) He went on to say that legislation without education and knowledge was of no use; the people must be taught the advantage of Prohibition. As far as the alliance was concerned, they had the advantage of having the finest organisation in New Zealand and the cream of New Zealand’s brains on their executive. The alliance would always welcome constructive criticism and any suggestions that delegates might make would receive full consideration at the annual convention. Mr Todd had a word of praise for the local organisations of the country, which were doing twice as much as any similar organisations. Touching on the financial state of the alliance, the speaker said that they were in debt to the extent of £20,000 at last election, but they were going to get out of it. From now on there would be no more i debts run up; when the next election came 1 on they would spend what they had on I hand. The alliance was under no apprehension as to the task they were up ! against. The Trade had a strong fighting ! fund at its disposal. Recently hotel-keepers had been asked for a donation of one week’s rental, this to. be used for local expenditure in the Trade’s campaign. However the alliance was gaining friends all the time and that should bring victory. He exhorted all local supporters to work harder than ever.before. Every little vil- i lage and township should be canvassed and the people urged to assist in the work. “The House of Representatives,” said Mr Todd, “will vote dry for the first time in history.— (Applause.) Before last election candidates were asked for their views on the liquor question. I may say that 18 out of the 19 South Island Reform members and 75 per cent, of the Labour men expressed themselves as being on our side. We must now bring pressure to bear on the Prime Minister to bring down the Licensing Bill during next session. Mr Coates is against us and will try to force his opinions on the Cabinet. However he was told at a Party caucus that those who made the pledges would abide by them. Once the Bill was put through the Lower House there would be no trouble in getting the measure through the Legislative Council. For the first time in history we are going to get a fair deal which will allow people to vote on the question as it should be voted on.” Continuing, Mr Todd stated that all over the country, people were showing the greatest enthusiasm for their cause, even during an off-season between the polls. “During my trip abroad I travelled through many countries of the world, and I can assure you I was quite satisfied to get back to New Zealand. While I was away I met people in high positions, and many others among the working classes, and I was able to compare the conditions in America and Europe and this country. Although I was a Prohibitionist when I left I had an entirely open mind on the subject and was prepared to make an impartial survey of. the whole position. I must say that Prohibition in America is not a failure. It is being enforced as well as any law which has made such a drastic change for the people. I say emphatically that the law is 90 per cent, effective. The liquor question is a dead one so far as the American people are concerned.” The speaker went on to say that while statistics might be reliable they could be manipulated to suit the circumstances. For instance the Trade stated that in Detroit there was more drunkenness to-day than there was 12 years ago. But they did not say that during that period the population of Detroit had increased from 120,000 to 1,300,000. While abroad in America he had noticed that Savings Bank deposits had gone up enormously, that firms which had engaged in the Liquor Trade were now doing better in other lines of business; that there was no Monday morning slackness—people were right on the job—and that there was an increase of 10 per cent, in efficiency. America had had a seven years’ trial with Prohibition and was more than satisfied. “The Trade in America makes the point that the young people are going to the bad. In reply to this I would ,say that at the Missouri University, 20 men and 10 women are ‘wet’ and the rest ‘dry.’ That shows that the young people realise the value of Prohibition. “One-third of the population of New Zealand is out-and-out for the Trade, another third is for our side. The remaining third are on the fence. They can be won to our side. Let us get out and scour the country for assistants and harness them to the job. Five or six out of every hundred from the other side and w r e will win Prohibition. There are 320,000 “drys” in New Zealand and you and I are on the right side. If we can give the Old Country a lead by carrying Prohibition it will go a long way towards helping the Temperance workers of the world.”