NO-LICENSE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2304, 24 September 1908, Page 2

NO-LICENSE

STATE CONTROL v. NO-LICENSE. A large crowd of people gathered together last night at tho Sievwriglit Alemorial, Peel Street, to hear the debate between Air. Black, the nolicense lecturer, and Air. Long. Air. John Townley presided over the mooting, and introduced the speakers to the audience.

After a few opening remarks, Air. Long proceeded to advance his argument in favor of State control. He read a letter from the manager of a State hotel in Leonora, West Australia, to show tlie advantages of the system he advocated, and claimed that under State control, not only would there he a much ‘bettor class of hotel built, but also that the trade would bo under better supervision.

f Air. Black wart received with applause on riding to reply. Ho referred to Air. Long’s mention of West Australia, and touched also oil what ho termed the failure of State contro lin Russia and under the Gothenburg system. Tn connection wotii the hotel at Western Australia, of which Air. Long had spoken, Mr. Black claimed that from that very hotel no less than seven deaths had been investigated by coroner’s juries. He claimed that the hands" of the Government were much too full to attempt to deal with the enormous responsibility of State- control, and held that- for both politic and economic reasons .it would be a dangerous system to adopt. The day that any country would join itself to such a trade, that day it would lose status in the eyes, not only of tho world, hut of its Maker. In reply, Mr. Long suggested that the Government should take over all the hotels, instal a manager, and strictly enforce the regulations regarding drunkenness, Sunday trading, etc., and for aiiy infringement to inflict- a, penalty of six months’ imprisonment. In thanking the audience for their attention, Air. Long created some laughter by stating that botli the liquor trade and the no-li-censo party were much too extreme in their views, and ho advocated tlie formation of a temperance society to fight them both. Air. Black, in reply, briefly dealt with the remarks of tho other speaker, and also recounted 6omo of his experiences .in tlie King Country to confute the statements that had been mado regarding ely-grog selling in the King Country. Mr. Black also made an explanation in. connection with the. statements he had made regarding tho Cosmopolitan Club. He said that it was stated that he had said that the. members of that institution were “a dirty, crowd.” This he emphatically denied a s a most unjustified calumny, and claimed that what he did say was “that tho day tho club took the charter it associated itself with • a dirty business.”' This was what hkv-had said, ami lie now. repeated it, and was prepared to stand by it. At the instance of Air. Black cheers were given for Air. Townley and Air. Long, and in bringing the meeting /to a close, /Ur. Black made the following remarks:—“ lliave always had,” he said, “a great respect for tho name of Black, hut it is greater.f'imight than ever before. I am not referring to myself,” continued Mr. Black, “but to Mr. G. J. Black, who was mainly instrumental with that great organ over there (pointing to the ‘Times’ office) in exposing ono of the vilest scandals ever heard of in connection with the liquor trade.” (Cheers.) At the conclusion of the meeting a vote was called for in connection with the debate, and resulted in an overwhelming majority in favor of no-license.