ANTI-OPIUM ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 68, 13 December 1907, Page 6

ANTI-OPIUM ASSOCIATION.

— « ANNUAL MEETING. Oyer forty members of tho Wellington Anti-Opium Association attended tho annual meeting of that body, held in tho Conrt-snay Place Congregational Church last evening. Tho Secretary (Captain Blackburno) Having read tho annual-report, of which a summary has beon. already published, Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, M.P., the prosident, moved its adoption. Ho referred to the great interest which had-bcen taken in this matter by,Jautain Blackburno, and tho financial sacrifiws which ho had, made. It was almost impossible to understand how any nation could first have forced opium upon anothor natio i at tlio point of the bayonet, and then continued year after year to send it in in everincreasing quantities. How a nation that called itself Christian could do that was hpyond Ins imagining. They should mako very clear and emphatic their desire to have this traffic brought to an end at once. Ho moved that tho report be adopted, that, tho name of tile Society be altered to N?iv Zealand Anti-Opium' Association, and that the- officers for the ensuing year he as fdlow president, i\lr. J. G. Yv. Aitken, M.1.; vice-presidents, the Revs. J. Dawson, J. J. North, Dr. Gibb, Messrs. \V. Gray M.A., A. Hoby, and H. N". Holmes; secretary and treasurer, Captain Blackburnocommittee, Mrs. Dunning, Messrs. S. Pearso laradiso, Purdie, Jolui Rigg, James Rumgay, and J.'Storr. The motion was carried unanimously. l ie Rev D. C Bates said that tho Church of England at Home had formed a great society, with the Archbishops and Bishobs at its head, to oppose this traffic, and lie hoped that a branch society would soon bo formed m New Zealand. Mr. Justico Button moved: —"That this meeting recognises with shamo and humiliation the awful crime of which our nation is guilty in still forcing the Chinese to acccpi; the vast quantities of opium grown and manufactured in India, and that notwithstanding the House of Commons has twice by resolution declared that tho trado in opium mto China is morally .indefensible " One of the chief objects of the Socicty should be to make known to the community the facts relating to the traffic and the Sociotv's attitudo towards it. Individual efforts" should also bo omployed to educato tho public, a'ld some of tho Society's funds might well he oxponded in advertising tho facts of tho case. The Rev. J. J. North seconded the motion which was adopted. %■ — ,