A SYDNEY MISSIONER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 62, 27 October 1911, Page 8

A SYDNEY MISSIONER.

VISIT TO STHATFOEU. Tho Eov. 11. 13. S. Ham mo ml was entertained at luncheon at Era Erown’s rooms yesterday by the O.K.M.S. jhe Mayor presided and extended a welcome to too guest. Mr Solo proposed the toast of tiie guest. Air Hammond said that for many years he had been engaged in tne "work of looking after men, widen, lie said, was probably He most important of all work. ’ He. iiad been used to work among Sydney factory workers, with whom tiie correct way was Lo use a gramaphono and to supply a bit of Harry Hander to start off. After that it was easy to get on with men. Ho had done a good deal of work among the lower classes of men, and bis experience had made him have more love for Jus fellow man. The chief thing in the present-day business world was efficiency, which could not he assured if alcohol was largely used, .business men should remember that tho basis of business was tiie spending power of the people, widen was governed by tho consumption of alcohol. Tho No-license thirty tackled tne liquor question with the idea that if it was not the only cause of tiie lessening of purchasing power at least it was imo chief one. inis was j.iov cd by the fact that in Ala,stem on it was shown that-since No-license naU been carried the deposits m tne Savings Hank had increased by v thousand pounds per month over ihe amount deposited during the license period. business men were business men, but there was another side to all men—they were human, whatever else tney were. The great tiling the mission ho represented worked for was to make all people think. If his words could do that among Ids audience lie was satisfied. A business man difl not reckon merely on the immediate result of a course of action. He reckoned on the whole year’s operations; and Nc-license people renamed on the ultimate result of No-licenso and not its immediate results. in Waini lie had inquired among many business men, and his opinion was that the business men or tiie town were five to one in favour of No-license._ In Ciutha in the first instance No-licenso had been forced on the chief town by a vote of two to one by the country people; but since the town had had experience it had voted two to one in favour of No-license. Compensation for loss of a license was, pernaps, a good political expediency; but ho objected to allowing licenses to exist lor a certain time as compensation. Certain people pointed to the Turk and asked why he should still be as he was although he had forbidden the use of liquor. The fact was that the Unspeakable Turk was unspeakable not by reason of his non-connection with liquor-but by the fact, that he lacked the civilisation, education and religion of Western nations. Much had been said about the State of Maine, but so far as lie know there were more people owning their own homes in that State than in any other State in the Union. This he took to bo a good recommendation for I\o-liccnse. A number of questions wore answered by Mr Hammond.

AFTERNOON ADDRESS. Mr Hammond delivered an address in the Town Hall in the Afternoon. The Mayor presided and briefly introduced the speaker. The lecture was illustrated with lantern slides, the lantern being lent by Madame Bernard. Mr Hammond said his parish 'in Sydney consisted of thirty acres, on which there was a population of three ing the great number of public houses He showed a number of slides showing the great number of pubilchouses in some parts of Sydney. An interesting picture was one showing seven tenement houses, in which, so the lecturer said, there were two hundred people, none of whom were ever scon at church or Sunday school. Such people lie found could be best approached by means of the gramophone, in his parish last year there were 640 women deserted by their husbands, and the chief cause of desertion was the use of stimulants. A portrait was shown of a man who had oeeii picked up sleeping in the Sydney Domain and who. had since been engaged in church work. Another picture shown was that of a man who had previously been one of the most notorious criminals in Sydney, but who was now. a colleague of the lecturer in his good work. A precious sly-grog seller’s portrait was shown as one of the speaker’s present churchwardens. To combat tlie suggestion that good accommodation could not bo got without license lie showed a picture of a magnificent temperance hotel in Sydney; and ho said that in all the No-license dis tricts of New Zealand lie had always found that the accommodation was ns good as could lie expected. At this point the lights were turned on and the address was continued without the aid of pictures. No later than that morning, said Mr Hammond, it had been stated that 150 business men of Invercargill had stated that No-license had been of great benefit to the town. In Masterton during the past year there had only been 69 convictions for drunkenness •as against 302 for the lust year of license. If ho could, by his preaching, reduce the convictions for drunkenness in such a manner lie would regard himself as very clever, and lie thought anything that could do so must be very good. Masterton probably looked dead, but this was probably due to tlie fact that there were not .so many people hanging about the street corners. For all that there had been live factories and thirty-six shops opened in Masterton during the past year. The lecturer advised his hearers to believe nothing beyond what was testified to by people who knew all about tlie subject of Nolicense. The places which had voted No-licenso had since increased their vote for No-license, which was a strong argument in favour of Nolicense. If No-liconse was carried in Now Zealand it would have a great effect not only in New Zealand but in New South Wales and over the rest of the world. In conclusion ho exhorted his hearers to vote at next election in favour of No-license in New Zealand, which would 100 an example to other countries all over the world. On the motion of Mr E. W. Lewis, on behalf of the Vicar, a hearty vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr Hammond. In reply Mr Hammond said tlie majority of people wore in need of education on the No-licenso question. Men came to a meeting and asked questions expecting answers to questions on which volumes had been written. Such men were in need of a whole education on No-licenso more than a mere answer to their questions. He stressed the point of the necessity for education on the question of No-licenso.