Prohibition Protest

6th August 1903, Photographer Northwood Brothers, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection AWNS-1930806-3-3

I stumbled upon this photo which is showing some sort of prohibiton protest and although the photo says it's somewhere in the far north it kind of looks like it could possibly be in the Hokianga region to me.

Temperance was a huge issue over the 19th and early 20th century. Social protestors argued that alcohol fuelled poverty, health problems, crime and immorality and they nearly achieved their prohibition ban nationally over the country but people and critics prohibition would inhibit their liberties and and free will.

New Zealanders were allowed to close the pub doors in their own districts and towns through licensing polls between 1894 and 1914. Although prohibiton was never legally introduced the country came close to it several times.  

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