CARRYON

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 78, 27 December 1926, Page 7

CARRYON

N.Z. ALLIANCE S NEW POLICY LARGEST FINANCIAL MEMBERSHIP IN HISTORY It. is generally admitted that the work of the first year after a poll is the worst of the whole triclinium (slates “The Vanguard,” the niouthpicee for tho N.Z. Alliance). Ju the past it has been the accepted policy of the alliance to allow the organisation to take a rest during this particular year. This policy has been changed, and during the last twelve months we have carried on our organisation in spite of that afterpoll feeling which brings the temptation to down tools for at least a year, '•’he policy of “carry’ on” is a new one, and therefore one of the chief difficulties has been to convince our constituents that the new policy >s the right one. As this involves, in many cases, a change in the mental processes of many of our supporters and some of our local leaders, it is not surprising to find that a small percentage of these remain unconvinced of the need of the change'. l policy. The change of policy really means that we are spending more money and time in educational work amongst the children, young people and adults, in order to create a permanent senti uient in the Dominion in favour of the abolition of (lie liquor traffic. If . we compare the activities and achievements of the alliance during the last twelve months with those of the year following the 1922 poll, we must admit that, the change of policy 1 as been justified. The evidence is available to those who will care to spend the time in studying tlje position. This evidence is available from four sections of our work, and can be grouped under tho following four Leadings:— (1) Finance.—The year has been :» difficult one in financial matters, because ui the large, deficit which we carried over from last year. The economic situation in the Dominion, particularly during the winter months has been difficult, and this position w,is reflected in our finances Tn spite of this we are steadily gaining ground. Ou.r revenue this vear. judging from rhe figures of the past eight months, will be three times as large as the revenue for the year following the 1922 poll. The great-

est thing we can do this year as an alliance would be to liquidate our financial liabilities before the end of our financial year at March 31, 1927. (2) Education.—The amount of interest displayed in temperance education work during the past year has been really worth while. Temperance, teach' ing in primary schools is increasingly effective. The conference of the secondary schools headmasters recommended the continuing of (hat teaching in the secondary schools. The Band of Hope movement is nearer to pre-war standard than any year since the war. The Sunday schools, Bible classes, and ministers. are displaying increasing interest in this aspect of our work. (3) Political.—We have fought the first round of the fight in politics io this present Parliament. The Licensing Bill of 1926 was dropped; agitation against it was too strong. The second round has already commenced, in that our local leagues up and down lhe Dominion are forming up for action early next year. We have high hopes of securing a two-issue ballot paper from this Parliament. (4) Organisation.—The alliance to-day has the largest financial membership in ils history, and this membership is gaining month by month. Many of our local leagues are in working order, ami are making preparations for an early start next vear in organising the roll work for the purpose of winning 'otes. During November we bad the opportunity bf visiting a number of the areas—mostly in tho South Island—and in most of tho places a great amount of interest was evident, particularly in regard to the political situation.