NO LICENSE MEETING

Colonist, Volume L, Issue 12281, 29 June 1908, Page 2

NO LICENSE MEETING

Notwithstanding the heavy downpour of rain last evening there was a good attendance at the Theatre Royal. The Rev. B. h. Thomas presided ; Mr Jones (of the Church of Christ) gave the opening prayer. The Chairman in a few well chosen remarks referred to the importance of the no-license movement. Miss Ruth Atkinson spoke to the women, and in a practical and telling ! speech urged tbe women of Nelson to j | vote no-license for the sake of their ! children. She narrated a couple of instances to show what no-license meant in better provision being made for the homes and little ones. She pointed to the fact that 8267 persons were arrested for drunkenness last f year, over 5000 of whom were convicted for the first time. i She strongly urged tbe women to | vote so as to save the young from I the temptation of the open bar. Mr Blackmore urg9d the electors to vote for national righteousness. Me emphasised that where t^ied no-license had been a pronounced success and the people of the six nolicense distriots in the Dominion would not return to license again. He urged on tbe temperance people to be sure and vote, and pointed to the fact that no-license had not been carried in one elctorate because a number of those in favour of it went tisbing on the polling day, imagining that their votes were not needed. Tne Rev. Stanley Jenkin spoke of the reoent couference in Wellington, and the demaods to bs made to tha coming Parliament. The bare majority vote, the doing away of brewers' depots on the boundaries of no-license districts, aod the abolition of bottle licenses were dealt .with . particularly by the speaker. At tbe close of the speeches one person in the audience aaid the last no-license vote at Ashburton had not been referred to. Mr Blackmore gave the figures, and said one reason for tbe apparent increase of the vote for no-license be oould show if the questioner saw him afterwards. Dead men's names were made use of. Adjutant Cook pronounced the Benediction. ■ Between the speeches appropriate hymns were sung^