APPEAL TO YOUTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 47, 25 February 1929, Page 10

APPEAL TO YOUTH.

PROHIBITION ISSUE DEBATZJ. IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION. '•GROUND STEADILY LOST." Education as a factor in the Prohibition issue was emphasised by several speakers at the session of the Methodist Conference this morning. The Rev. E. Drake moved a resolution urging the setting up of a temperance committee in all the Methodist churches of the Dominion. "We have been losing ground, pari ticularly among the young people, and it is for us to make some considerable effort to recover the position we held some years ago," »aid the Rev. C. H. Olds, of Lower Hutt, in supporting the motion.

The Hon. L. M. Isitt agreed that ground had been steadily lost, and he thought even the most sanguine could not hope for a legislative victory for at least a session or two. The Prohibition forces were not as strong as they were a year or two ago. As to the future, much depended upon the success or failure of Prohibition in the United States.

" If the Prohibitionists win there the economic effect will be so euormous that it will spread to other nations," said Mr. Isitt. He added that visitors to America had been much impressed by the importance of the economic aspeeta of the Prohibition issue. i lie aaio.i that appeared necessary in Now Zealand was to start on the old Hues, to carry out temperance campaigns and to organise an educative movement among the youth of the community.

The Rev. J. Jacobson, of Petone, said it was necessary to educate the people up to the standard that ruled a few years ago. The method at present followed was entirely wrong. The appeal to the mass was effective only in the towns, and, away from the towns, the course must be to talk to individuals. Mr. Drake's motion was tarried. At a later stage the couforenc: received a deputation from the NewZealand Alliance, consisting of Messrs. C. 11. Edmond, A. C. A. Sexton, and C. Burton. Mr. Edmond reviewed the movement, and said Prohibition had a vote of of) per cent at the poll of 1011. From 1914 to 1!>22 the vo,e was about stationary, \arying from 17 to 40 per cent, and in ]«.»:>S it dropped to 40 per cent. It seemed that some effort was ne.vssary to recover the position held a few years ago, and he asked the support of the conference.

The aim of the Afliance, said Mr. Sexton, was the abolition of the liquor traffic by the direct vote of the people. It had been an old jibe that the team of M.P.s sent from Auckland had been a thorn in the side of tho-e endeavouring to carry licensing legislation (laughter i. but the position I ,Ti < I been entirely changed at the but election. The Alliance had succeeded in tinAuckland district in drawing cverv candidate out into the ope;C and the'v knew exactly where they stood on the Prohibition issue. That was of the utmost importance. The political action portion of the Alliance work was U n»v a small portion of its activities, ! m f i't was a very essential part. " L'ntil we have in New Zealand a majority of opinion that even t-'i ■ smallest quantity of liquor is harmful we shall never (*» able r 0 briii" about this reform. - ' said Mr. Bur'on. on behalf of the Youths' Movement Against Alcohol, in urging the active, suoo'ort of the churches. k '