MR SIEVWRIGHT AT RANGIORA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5688, 6 October 1896, Page 2

MR SIEVWRIGHT AT RANGIORA.

•-♦ A LIVELY ENDING. The announcement that Mr J. D. Sievwright would address a public meeting at the Institute Hall, Rangiora, on the "Fallacies of Prohibition" last night drew a crowded audience, in which the prohibitionists were strongly represented. Mr T. Keir, Mayor, and vice-president of the Eangiora Prohibition League, occupied the chair. Mr Sievwright received an excellent hearing and frequent applause, his address occupying two hours, and concluding with an outline of his schome for the State control of the liquor traffic. The chairman, in inviting questions, remarked that the meeting had been, so far one of the most orderly held in connection with the liquor question, and he complimented the audience upon the fact. Mr Sievwright was then plied with questions by prominent prohibitionists for nearly half an hour, to most of which ho gave ready answers. When no more were forthcoming, Mr J. Seed moved — "That this meeting thanks Mr Sievwright for his address, but emphatically declares that there is no other cure for the drink evil but total prohibition by the will of the people/ The Eev P. R. Monro seconded the motion. He thought that Mr Sievwright was entitled to hearty thanks for the clear and very able manner in which he had stated his position on the liquor question. Undoubtedly he was the very best man the liquor party could have chosen to^ speak in their cause, being a total abstainer, a good speaker, and able to express himself clearly. Nevertheless, his views were not acceptable to a large proportion of the meeting, hence the' latter part of the motion. Mr G. F. Smith thotfg&fc that as Mr Sievwright had engaged the" h-aiW/ and invitod those present to come and hteaVbini it would be unfair to put a motion su'cfr a ; s that proposed. He moved as an amendment-— "That a hearty vote of thanks- be 1 accorded to Mr Sievwright for his address/ The mover added that a pleasing feature of the speaker's address was its froedoiii ! ftfoin personal abuse of his opponents. Mr A. S. Clarkson seconded this mdtibri,but it was challenged, as not being- an amendment, and uproar ensued. The Chairman then proceeded to put tlie i amendment, but was called upon to read the original motion first, to make the two" perfectly clear. This, however, had apparently the opposite effect on the audience, for the two propositions became so tangled up in their minds that several attempts to get a -straight-out vote failed, and the Chairman could not give any decision. Eventually, some of the audience prepared to leave, whereiipon Mr Sievwright seized the opportunity to express his thanks, for the "vote of thanks* all but unanimously carried," and during applause and loud cries of disapproval at his action, he moved a vote of thanks to the chairman. Another brief attempt to straighten out matters failed, and the meeting then broke up in some disorder.