NO-LICENSE DEMONSTRATION

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14379, 12 June 1912, Page 5

NO-LICENSE DEMONSTRATION

THE THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY QUESTION. A No-license demonstration was held in the King's Theatre hist evening, the principal subject dealt with by thovarious speakers being the importance of united political action. There* was a large attendance. The first speaker was Mr J. McCombs, secretary of the Christchurch Prohibition League, who -said that the meeting was being held under the* auspices ol the Canterbury No-iicense Council, and was one of a series of meetings intended to be held throughout -tuiterbnry during the next lew months. The object .was. to demand irom Parliament full political rights. Tho people of, New Zealand, by n majority of 54,000 votes, had declared that they did not want the liquor business, and the business existed in their midst to-day by virtue of the iniquitous three-filths clause. ... Mr G., B. Nicholls, the newly-ap-pointed organiser, said that he would try 'to play the game" in Canterbury. He was going te try to be accurate and moderate. He had found the liquor trade a little stronger in Canterbury than in Otago, and he advised them that tho question was only to be settled by.education. They wero in for a great time, and they needed to make themselves felt in Parliament, and so do away with tho throe-fifths handicap. The Chairman, in announcing that a collection would be taken up, said that plenty of financial help was required, as tho League intended, publishing a paper during the campaign. The Rev. R. S. Gray said the vote in fnvour of no-license was always increasing, and he was satisfied that they would win even with the three-fifths handicap. He moved the followim- motion:—"This -mooting, having in view tho fact that a majority of more than 54,000 vote*- was cast iii favour of National Prohibition at the last poll, protests against tho continuance in our midst of a trado that is, in the opinion of a large majority of the thoughtful and disinterested citizens of New Zealand, hurtful to both tho moral and material interests of our people. We demand tho repeal of the law rcciuiring n three-fifths majority to carry No-license or National Prohibition, and will withold our support from any candidate for Parliament who will not agree to this democratic and fair reonest." Tho motion was seconded by Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P.. and carried. *

At the conclusion of tho mer-tin"-" a large number of person-- stayed behind to ftign trio Petition a*king for the removal of fife three-fifths provision, in the Licensing Act. nnd also signed as members of a Democratic League, renardless "n? political belief, not.to vote for any tlirr-e-fifths candidate. The intention :'.*- te get- 1000 such signatures in each electorate.