temperance

Temperance movement

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  Temperance was one of the most divisive social issues in late-19th and early-20th century New Zealand. Social reformers who argued that alcohol fuelled poverty, ill health, crime and immorality nearly achieved national prohibition in a series of hotly contested referendums.

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• Page 2 – Beginnings

  Dawn of the New Zealand temperance movement, 1881-1893.

• Page 3 – The no-license era

  The 'three-fifths majority' was a major hurdle for the temperance community, but they soon mobilised to campaign for people to vote for it.

• Page 4 – Voting for prohibition

  The First World War period brought total or partial prohibition to several countries: New Zealand came within a whisker of joining them.

• Page 5 – The decline of prohibition

  Alcohol remained an important issue after the war, and the prohibitionists slogged it out with the liquor trade throughout the 1920s.

• Page 6 – Masterton under no-license

  The November 1908 licensing poll saw Masterton electorate introduce ‘no-license' and vote itself ‘dry’. Its 15 pubs closed on 1 July 1909, and remained closed

• Page 7 – Further information

  This web feature was written by Tim Shoebridge and produced by the NZHistory.net.nz team.LinksAlcohol (Te Ara)Hotels and motels (Te Ara)Read about prohibitionists L.M.