NO-LICENSE CONVENTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 227, 18 June 1908, Page 8

NO-LICENSE CONVENTION.

« ANNUAL MEETING. The delegates to. the No-License Convention met at tho Y.M.C.A. Rooms yesterday to hold their annual meeting. The chair was occupied by Mr. A. S. Adams (Dunedin), president of the New Zealand Alliance, and he was supported by the Rev. J. Dawson (chairman of the Alliance Executive), and tho Ilev. F. W. Isitt, general secretary. Mr. G. 8..-Nicholls, Allianco agent for Otago, was appointed secretary, with the Rev. F. Shiner and Mr. H. Foston as his assistants. Ihe chairman welcomed tho delegates, and gave -an outline of tho progress made by tho No-Licenso party since the Alliance was formed twenty-two years ago. Ho appealed to his hearers not to rest until tho Dominion was freed from tho liquor- traffic. THE ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report showed that this year had probably not been equalled in activity by the workers for No-license, in any former year, with tho exception of those in whicV the local option polls had been taken. Tho general secretary of the New Zealand Alliance had visited a large number of electorates lying between and including Southland and the Bay of Islands. The stall of workers engaged in tho. various electorates largely exceeded the number so employed in former years. • Representative citizens in the districts whore No-license prevailed, l somo of whom vigorously opposed its introduction, now doclarcd that progress had not been hindered by No-license. " Financially," tho report continued, " wo have not progressed as we hoped, and as we should undoubtedly • in™" 3 ! 3 " 10 w °H _ .devised schome, adopted in 1906, by representatives of the electorates of the Dominion, had been faithfully and earnestly given effect to." Other questions demanding attention wero the import-anco of teaching public school the effects of alcohol, on the human system, and the impropriety of tho Government remaining the proprietors of liquor-selling hotels intouiists resorts. There was need to keep in mind the fact \of which the .Justico Department ought to bo iully aware, that in tho matter of supplying drunken men and youth's and prohibited persons with drink, tho Licensing Laws of the Dominion were continuously ignored. Tho lepoit alleged that tho No-liconso party had • been cheated in the past, not only by the tampering with ballot papers, but much more extensively by impersonation of votors, emphasising the necessity for vigilance." The report was- adopted. . A general discussion took place on the outlook, and tho speakers wore generally ontimistic.

It was agreed, " That this Dominion Con-' vontion of ISo-License Workers heartily welcomes Mr. Smedley, Mrs; Smedley, and her sister, and expresses its deep appreciation of tho generosity and self-sacrifico which led tliom to como across tho world at their own cost, solely to help •in the prohibition campaign." Mr. G. B. Nicholls, Alliance agent for Otago; spoke on the subject of " Our Outlook, ' and gavo a general review of the progress of tho movement. Mr. H. Post on, of Taranaki, said that about 2000 more votes wore required to carry No-License throughout Tnranaki. On the motion of Mr. Carson, seconded by the Rev. Mr. Reed, the Convention agreed to recommend all No-Licenso Leagues in the Dominion to make a special contribution to help the cause in the electorate of Taumarunui, and that the Leagues report results within one month. Tho Revs. J. Dawson, S. Lawry, and W. J. Elliott, and Messrs. W. J. Hol'yer, J. A. D. Adams, French, and Bollringor wero appointed a finance' committee. Tho Rev. L. M. Isitt gavo a short report on tho "Homo Journal" and tho "Vanguard." Tho-Rev. F. W. Isitt dealt with legislative proposals, and stated what had been dono in the various parts of the* Dominion. ' The subject of majority rule was introduced by the Rov. Edward Walker, and tho following resolutions wero carried:—"That this Convention dccides to approach Parliament for an alteration of legislation in the interests of temperance reform; that a Bill bo introduced giving tho pcoplo a bare majority voto to settle tho (juestion of local option; and that a Bill'be'introduced giving tho power of a'Dominion as well as a local option vote." . ■ The meeting then adjourned until 9.50 this morning. jpUETLIG MEETING. A public/meeting in connection with tho No-License Convention was held at tho Concert Chambers of tho Town Hall last evening. There was a largo attendance. Air. A. S._ Adams, president of the Now Zealand ; Alliance, occupied tho chair, and there wero also on the platform tho Revs. F. W. and L. M. Isitt, J. Dawson, Messrs. W. H. Hawkins and Jolianu Hansson.- of Gothenburg. - In opening the meeting, tho chairman said that many pooplo did not know of tho awful condition under which so many of their fellow creatures wero compelled to live. . Ho believed that if thoy could get the hearts of the pcoplo this traffic would be brought to a speedy and triumphant conclusion, for they should see the truo facts of the position as thoj' (tho speakers) know thorn. The liquor traffic, : lio said, was a greater poril to-day than Carthago was to Rome. Haw! ™ s save reasons why ho bated the liquor traffic. He regretted that in earlier lite ho had not taken such a firm and active public stand^as ho .'had done during the past eight or nine years. ' If thoro wero any young men present who were doing nothing, ho urged them to got into harness as soon as they could or they would rogrot it. Ho had been challenged by a Wellington advocate ot continuance, and when tho dobato came off there would be a Kilkenny battle. (Laughter.) However, they wore not fighting the men, but the traffic itself. If his hearers allowed' their children to «et drunk in notels liconsed by iho parents thoy woro responsible to God, and it thoy voted they would not havo to carry that responsibility. At the forthcoming poll, there would be two armies, one which would allow their boys and girls to become drunkards, and the other which would not. •

Mr. Johann Hansson, of Gothenburg, who was received with applauso, said that it was impossible for him to be hero as an official representative, as he did not know of this convention...-Ho. was glad, to say,- however, that great interest was taken in tho subject in his country. Ho paid a tribute to tho action of ,the women in New Zealand on tho Question of. No-License. The speaker gavo'a brief outline of the Gothenburg system, under which, ho said, the salo of liquor, was conducted by private enterprise, but under control. The. companies only rcceivod about 6 per cent, of the profit, which was divided among city councils, county councils, and the State. . This revenue became the foundation of municipal finance, and tho State received about 18 per-cent. Of course, this did not have a good effect on municipal life, and tho companies were not altogether disinterested. The Gothenburg system could -only bo regarded as a temporary step, and they were going for prohibition. In Sweden, there were half a million No-License workers, and there woro 200,000 Good Templars ■ Naturally, bodies like this would have a powerful influence in Parliament, and a majority had declared for national prohibition. The Rev. L. M. Isitt said that tho liquor advocates urged that they were acting for tho people, but they never put their hands in their pocket 3 for tho. people, but - tho reverse was tho case regarding the NoLicense workers. Their efforts were not directed against t'ho drinkers, but against the men who ran the trade—regardless of the harm they did—for their own pockets. He had no • quarrel with a publican as a man, but as a publican; these were the men to be vanquished. A speaker at the Convention had said that the trade had reached its highest stago of energy, but lie was not in agreement with this. They would raiso double the money. Thia was, perhaps, a compliment to tho No-Licenso workors, but the latter must bo ready to meet tho enemy at their own gates. _ Tho speaker related a number of pathetic incidents as to the results of indulgence in liquor. They should persevere, and iii God's time they would grasp victory. (Applause.) At the conclusion of the meeting, a hearty voto of thanks was accorded the chairman and lecturers, on tho motion of tho Rev. ' Dawson. ' I