NO-LICENSE CONVENTION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14620, 22 March 1913, Page 12

NO-LICENSE CONVENTION.

YESTERDAYS SiioSIONS.

Tho Annual Convention of tbo Canterbury A\u-iicen&« Council was iaeld yeste»uay, at tuo Culuuouiun iiuii. liiel liist sesiioii was hciU ai iU.iJo a.m., and was weii aueuueil by itutn oil parts ot Cmi-eibury. Air J. JlcCombs, l'resideuc ot tuc Council, ocmptuu Uie chair aud weicomeu tuo deic^utes.

Mr T. JX'iu, secretary nuu nt.ui.urer, presented the annual report and balance-sheet. Tho report dotaiiod tuo carrying oui ot tao plans lor a lunvaid movement, niauo at tho List convention. Tho baiauce-&iieet snowed tnnt tuo uuaucial piuus were working out fairly well. M*r U. li. KicboJls presented the argamsers' report, and it showod that with tiie exception of a lew smuli areas tho paper was being faithiuily Oistributca over the whole of Canterbury, Tho reports were adopted. Mr JvltUouibs siiid : —1 havo a nicesage from tho United ivingdom Alliance and it is this, "Hit the truilic hard for tho sake ot other lands. Tho world is looking on." Various speakers referred to tho excellent work accomplished by Mr McComba and iJuaa associated with him.

.Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., presided at tie afternoon session. Tho election of officers resulted in Mr J. McConus being re-elected by acclamation. M* H. G. Ell, M.P.. tie Rev. J. J. Nortk and Mr li. Holland were elected vice* presidents. Mr T. Dvnt was re-elected secretary and treasurer. It was resolved that tho Democratic League system should bo revived and pushed with renewed vigour. Mr J. ,H. Blackwel! presided at tho evening meeting. The speakers were tho Rev. J. J. North and Mr U. D. Bedford.

Jir North spoke on the subject of "Tho Church and Prohibition," and urged that in tho past the Church hod always helped social reform whenever it itself hnd been deeply stirred by.religious emotion. No sensible prohibitionist believed that a perfect state of affairs would result from the carrying of national prohibition. What they really believed was that ttey would, by doing so. remove a stumbling block, and thus help many weak onsa fiom falling. It would surely remain for the Christian Church to complete tho victory. '■:;,

Mr Bedford gave a number of instances of the great truth that when a pjreat ideal had been lifted up it.wae never finally pulled down. It had'lts ups and downs, but finally it won. Hearty votes of thanks to Mr Notith and Mr Bedford closed the meeting.