TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13583, 26 November 1912, Page 6

TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY.

INTERESTING SPEECHES AT

AUCKLAND

MR. MASSEY ON NAVAL MATTERS

[United Pit ess Association.]

Auckland, Nov. 25. The anniversary of the- establishment of the Total Abstinence Society was celebrated to-night by a banquet tendered to Admiral King-Hall.

His Excellency Lord Islington, said ho attended to show his sympathy with the temperance movement, but he was not associating himself with it« political aspect. .He referred'to drink, and its effect on the efficiency of the Navy. It wais most important at the present day to maintain the utmost limit of efficiency, and the man behind the gun had to be tuned up to tho greatest degree of efficiency. The Premier said our existence as a nation and an empire depended on naval de-fence. The overseas dominions should spend more on naval defence than in the past. The yearly contribution of New Zealand towards the navy was £250,----000, including the interest on the. cost of the battleship, but if the battleship was paid for to-morrow the contribution would not bo decreased.