PETONE NO-LICENSE LEAGUE,

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 2631, 5 August 1908, Page 8

PETONE NO-LICENSE LEAGUE,

At tho No-License League meeting. held in the Victoria Street Hall, Petonc, last evening, the officers were kept busy trying to find seating accommodation for the great audience. The IW. J. D. Russell presided. The report of the month's work and business was adopted, including the following resolution: "After careful consideration of tho proposed new legislation, etc.,- tho Executive recommend that the No-License League concentrate their forces upon tho main issues of No-License, and that all other issues be held in abeyance till after nest local option . poll, and that we heartily support former resolution that 'No united action be taken in supporting or opposing any - candidate, 1 and further ask all members to assist in keeping the issue of No-License clear, and avoid anything which may tend' to commit the party in any way." Tho following contributeditems to the programme:—Miss Battersby, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. W. M'Ewan, Master and Miss Bowel], Mr Ballard, Mr. Gray, and a dialoguo by four young girls. ~ The Key. Mr. Russell gave a vary interesting addres3 upon "What I saw and heard in Ashburton." Mr. Russell said it was nice to bo able to speak first hand from ono's own experience'as to what No-License was like. Whilst he had expected to find better conditions in Ashburton ho wit surprised that things had so much impW.ed. He could not help always contrasting the conditions he saw there to the conditions iin the Hutt and also in England. If any•ono:wanted to be converted they only wanted to stay a, little while in a No-License area. He went to Ashburton to see, and lie went about day and night. Tho streets wero bigger than in. Petone and, more 1 shops in thom, and in a'week lie saw no man drunk. What became of the men? The working men's club had over 500 members, . and whilst they allowed the locker system only 80 membors took advantage of it. The young men wtae making rules themselves that, no'liquor is to be allowed in their clubs.' On market day,' said Mr. Russell, he saw tho streets crowded with farmers, but ho saw no man the worso for liquor. "At the Hospital," said Mr. Russell, "I was shown a small building—tho padded cell— which had to be built before No-License because they had so many patients suffering from delirium tremens, but since No-License, nearly six years, there had only. been one case sent there." Mr. Russell quoted many authorities, good reliable business men of Ashburton, he said, who all testified to the beneficent results since No-License came into force. , . .1. . Tho meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the speaker and. all who had contributed items.,