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Temperance and Prohibition in New Zealand

Introduction

page 9

Introduction

For many years a considerable amount of temperance work on moral suasion lines had been done in the colony, before the Prohibition campaign was commenced. In the year 1890 a flame of great enthusiasm swept through the land from North Cape to Bluff. A breath of God moved the people. In every part of the country godly and patriotic men and women were touched by the finger of Divine Love and they came forward as leaders in the new movement. National distinctions were swept aside. Church differences were forgotten. Men of all shades of political opinion found a common meeting place in the ranks of the Prohibition party. Opposition only increased their zeal. They gladly suffered for their principles. They gave of their time, energies, and possessions. Buoyed up by the deep conviction that their cause was of God, they bravely fought and sang through the fight. Prohibition became the burning question of the day. Great was the enthusiasm. The blood of the reformers was hot. In every part of the land they were found standing by the flag. It was the time of New Zealand's awakening.

Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven.

While there were many gifted leaders, the Rev. L. M. Isitt was the Apostle of the movement. His travels through the country were triumphal tours. For some years the largest halls in towns and cities were packed to hear him. Equally popular was T. E. Taylor, a prince of orators and the admired hero of the crowds. A great brotherhood was formed of virile men possessing strong, clean characters, and actuated by high ideals. They were page 10 unselfish, and displayed a spirit of sacrifice as they sought to be the saviours of their country. The women were as active as the men, for they realized that it was largely a woman's question. This noble army of men and women, knowing their cause was a righteous one, were willing to be classed by the crowd as ‘fanatics, bigots, and cranks.’

To side with truth is noble when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause brings fame and profit and ‘tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses, while the coward stands aside,
Doubting in his abject spirit till his Lord is crucified,
And the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

Organization was commenced. Prohibition Leagues were formed and soon to these were added Provincial Councils which arranged for the holding of great annual and inspiring Provincial Conventions. As the years passed, the organization of the movement was so thorough that its efficiency became the envy of its opponents.

Literature of the Movement. The Prohibitionist , now known as The Vanguard, was commenced simultaneously with the outbreak of the Movement, and it was issued fortnightly. It very soon had a circulation of 25,000. The Rev. L. M. Isitt, who was its founder and editor, displayed a daring spirit. Lawbreaking liquor sellers were fearlessly exposed, and they writhed under his lashings. Each issue was a clarion call to the battle. Mr. T. E. Taylor was the editor's colleague, and they often united in producing the paper. Mr. Taylor was business manager. In companionship these two men were as David and Jonathan. The Rev. P. R. Munro for a short time acted as editor.

In 1899 the Rev. Frank Isitt first occupied the page 11 editorial chair. In the spirit of a white knight of olden days, he defended women and children as with his pen he attacked the drink dragon.

He was succeeded by the Rev. W. J. Williams, who occupied the position for nine years. He is recognized as one of the ablest writers in the Dominion on the temperance question. The Rev. J. Cocker was editor for one year, but resigned the position owing to a breakdown in health. Since 1921 The Vanguard has been edited by Mr. J. Malton Murray at the New Zealand Alliance Headquarters. The Vanguarrd was published fortnightly until printing paperr became difficult to procure during the Great War, when it was changed to a monthly, as at present. Through the medium of the daily press and post much educational matter has been circulated. The Voter's Guide was the first booklet sent through the post to all voters.

A number of helpful papers have been published. Special mention must be made of The White Ribbon, the organ of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which was commenced about thirty-three years ago. The Good Templars, Rechabittes, and Sons and Daughters of Temperance have also issued publications. During the campaign years, special papers have been published, such as the Home Journal in Auckland, which had a large circulation and was edited by Mr. L. M. Isitt, Public Opinion in Christchurch, an illustrated paper with a circulation of 30,000 and was edited by the Rev. J. Cocker and Miss C. Henderson, M.A., The New Chivalry, published in Dunedin by Mr. A. S. Adams, and The Petrel, which was edited in Wellington, by Mr. A. R. Atkinson. A number of other racy local papers have been distributed. Books and pamphlets of an educational and con- page 12 troversial nature have been written and largely circulated. Mr. J. W. Jago wrote his book on The Economics of the Liquor Traffic. Rev. P. J. Wills wrote two books, The Church and the Liquor Traffic and Bishop Neville's Mistake. Mr. A. R. Atkinson wrote Revenue and the Liquor Traffic, and The Drink Traffic a Blunder, which was a reply to Professor Salmon's Prohibition a Blunder. Mr. A. S. Adams (now Justice Adams) wrote Professor Salmon's Blunder, a reply to Professor Salmon's attack upon Prohibition, but The Shadow of Tammany, by T. E. Taylor was probably the greatest exposure of the evils of party government and the liquor trade. The campaigns in connexion with the triennial Licensing Polls have kept the evils of the liquor trade before the people and have been of an educative nature.

Prohibitionists and Reform of the Liquor Trade. Either because of their gross ignorance or from a wilful desire to misrepresent the prohibitionists and disparage their work, men have stated that the temperance people have been opposed to either the reform or restriction of the liquor traffic. This is an untrue statement. Desiring to remove some of the glaring evils connected with the trade, many prohibitionists have secured election upon Licensing Committees. The writer has sat upon Licensing Benches in various parts of the country for ten years. The prohibitionists have either originated or supported every reasonable reform of the liquor traffic which has been brought before Parliament. They advocated the appointment of inspectors to analyse the liquor and they demanded the abolition of barmaids. They sought for legislation to protect the Maoris from the liquor trade and have advocated raising the age at which it page 13 should be legal to supply liquor to young people. For years they have insisted that scientific temperance should be taught in the public schools. They opposed women being allowed to drink in public bars and advocated the reduction of the hours during which it should be legal to sell intoxicating liquor. Through these efforts six o'clock closing became an accomplished fact after they had advocated it for years. They have opposed legislation which would have increased facilities for drinking.

Leaders who Fell Early. There have been men and women who have died earlier than they would have done had it not been for their excessive labours for this great reform. They counted not their lives dear, they gave their heart's blood for the cause. Many of the greatest leaders fell in the fullness of their powers. T. E. Taylor, the ‘Tribune of the People,’ died at forty-nine years of age when he had reached the climax of his powers and was recognized as one of the Dominion's greatest men. Dr. H. D. Bedford, scholar, preacher, orator, writer and inspiring leader, died as the result of a drowning accident when in the fullness of his powers. Dr. Robert McNab, Cabinet Minister, a thoughtful man, of clear judgement, deep religious principles, and a most reliable counsellor, passed away in the prime of life. George Grant, a man who was a great force as a leader, died while his sun was still high in the heavens, and the same may be said of the Rev. P. R. Munro, the Rev. J. T. Wills, the Rev. Alex. Doull, and Mr. G. B. Nicoll. The cause has suffered by the early passing of these leaders.

The Prohibition Party and Politics. The prohibitionists have never united with any political party. Men of every shade of political belief are page 14 within their ranks. Their work is of a moral and religious nature, but when Mr. Seddon, in 1893, introduced his Bill which contained the clause compelling the prohibitionists to poll sixty votes to forty of their opponents he forced the Prohibition party into politics. Had all votes been of equal value at the ballot box, victory would have been achieved long ago. In 1905, 1908, and 1911 majorities were recorded in favour of No-License. The prohibitionists ask for a vote without a handicap.

From the ‘Who's Who’ it will be seen that among the temperance workers there have been many of the Dominion's greatest leaders who, as patriots, have taken a deep interest in the material and moral welfare of the people.

Prohibition is coming. Just as the slave trade has ceased among the civilized nations of the world, so the liquor traffic will be swept away, though greed, appetite, custom and a lavish expenditure of money by the defenders of the trade, may for a time delay this victory on the way to a higher state of civilization.

Conditions in New Zealand are favourable to Prohibition being a success. We have no land border over which strong drink can be smuggled. We are separated by about twelve hundred miles of sea from our nearest land neighbour, and far removed from old established centres of distillery. When a law has been passed, the British people are strongly inclined to observe it, and no people in the world have a greater respect for law than the residents of New Zealand.

Prohibition is God's cause; hence victory is sure for in the end He is always victorious. The opposition is strong, but the Dominion will be delivered from the power of its greatest enemy.