PROHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 4

PROHIBITION

RECENT CAMPAIGN REVIEWED

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE ANNUAL MEETING

STATE OF ROLLS DEPLORED

Tlie annual meeting of the New Zealand Alliance -was commenced in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute yesterday. There was a large, attendance of delegates. In the absence o fthe president (Mr. A. R. Atkinson), the Rev. AV. J. Comrie presided.

The Revs. AV. S. Smallfield and A. 11. Rowles, Messrs. AV. Dobbs, and Polson were appointed secretaries. Mr. John J. Royds, of Christchurch, was unanimously elected president. The Rev. J. Dawson read the thirtyseventh annual report, which jtated that there was reason to believe that a substantial proportion of those who voted for State purchase and control at the last poll would have voted for prohibition rather than for continuance, had the illusive issue of Stare purchase and control not been on the ballot paper. A comparison of votes showed 18,122 more for prohibition than for continuance. “In the face of these figures,” the report stated, “our obvious duty is to carry on the campaign more vigorously than ever, Continually demanding a fair ballot paper.” Splendid work in connection with immigrants had been done on behalf of the alliance by Mr. R. G. Denton. Owing to the activities of the campaign, however, this service had been discontinued, but it should be possible to organise in every electorate workers willing to, and capable of interviewing new arrivals. Reference was made in the report to the publication of “Public Opinion,” for by this an attempt was made for the first time to reach every home in the Dominion. The “Vanguard” had also attained wide circulation. Many books dealing with the faults of the liquor traffic were in circulation at the time of the election. The publicity campaign had been cramped by the stringent financial position. The report stated that the prohibition cause had more energetic and concerted backing from the churches on the recent occasion than it had ever before had. The Anglican General Synod, as well as several Diocesan Synods, took a more definite stand than they had done in the past, and that had the effect of causing both clSrgy and laity, who were favourable to prohibitjpn, to take a more active part in the campaign work than they had felt free to do on previous occasions. Many of the non-Anglican Churches and. Salvation Army, the Christian Brethren, au<] the Y.M.C.A. were never so active or effective as during the last fight. Never before in her history has New Zealand witnessed such a lavish outpouring of money as was provided by the liquor traffic’s campaign last year, declared the report, which went on to comment on the class of publicity indulged in. Reference was made to the state of the rolls prior to the election. Many examples were cited of duplications and other mistakes. The Bay of Plenty rolls were particularly alluded to. The claim was made that the prohibition has not gone back, but has infcrea.-od by over 30,000 votes, arid is actually the largest vote that has ever been cast on any sfibject in New Zealand. It is simply defeated and hold in check bv the unjust and undemocratic nature of the ballot paper. . .” AVe infer that less than one-third of 35,727 of the State pur-, chase and control voters, or say, 12,000 out and out continuance voters, prevented 325,000 voters saving New 7 Zealand from the liquor traffic.” “The time has come,” it was stated, “when 300,000 prohibition voters must exert pressure to havo removed from the ballot paper an issue (State Control), which is not interesting to even six per cent, of the voters, and yet which baffles and defeats noble aims.”

.... The statement has been repeatedly made that the 1918 Licensing Amendment Act is tho result of a compromise between thg New Zealand. Alliance and the Trade. The statement is emphatically untrue, and has been denied repeatedly. . . Sir F. D. Bell, who prepared the Bill, made this .perfectly clear in his statement when the'.Bill was under discussion in the Legislative Council.” “This hateful traffic will gain its riches by reducing to poverty those unable to withstand the craving for alcohol,” concluded the report. “The traffic is a pirate on the sea of commerce.”