N.Z. ALLIANCE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 139, 8 March 1929, Page 18

N.Z. ALLIANCE

RESOLUTIONS AT ANNUAL MEETING TWO-ISSUE BALLOT-PAPER Following the presentation of a report by the general secretary (Mr. C. K. Edmond) on the subject of licensing legislation and political action, the New Zealand Alliance annual meeting, after full discussion, reaffirmed the following resolutions which were adopted bv the annual meeting of 1928:— '“That the New Zealand Alliance reaffirm the cardinal principle that the continuance or-abolition of the liquor traffic must be determined in accordance with the expressed will of the simple majority of the electors who record their votes.” “That the New Zealand Alliance renew its demand for the removal from the ballot paper of the discredited, issue of State purchase and control.” “That we opnose any extension of time between the licensing polls. ’ The New Zealand Alliance is’on record as being willing to support legislation which will provide for the question of restoration being submitted to the electors after Prohibition has had a fair trial—on this question, the annual meeting has decided that the issue should be defined. to mean the restoration of conditions obtaining immediately prior to the coming into force .of the determination in favour of National Prohibition. “That the New Zealand Alliance ■ strenuously opposes any attempt to increase—by reduction of the prescribed majority or otherwise- —the unjustifiable advantage conferred on supporters of the liquor traffic by retention of the power, by a local vote, to restorelicenses in no-license districts, after withdrawal of the corresponding power, by a local vote, 'to abolish licenses from licensed districts.” “That the New Zealand Alliance demand : (a) That any notice, or amended notice, as the case 'may be, of the result of any national licensing poll published by the Minister of Justice, shall be final and conclusive for all purposes, arid that the result of the poll as stated therein shall not be questioned in any. proceedings whatsoever; and (b) that sub-sections 3 and 4 of section 32 of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910, be repealed.” “That the New Zealand Alliance strenuously opposes , any proposal to make retrospective provision for the grant of licenses in respect to premises that, owing- to the changes in electoral boundaries, have been included in a. no-license district, and in consequence of such inclusion have lost their licenses' and subsequently have been included in’ a licensed district.” “That the New Zealand Alliance in pursuance of its policy of striving to minimise the evils associated with the liquor traffic,’ demands: — “(1) That it be made an offence to drink any intoxicating liquor or to allow any intoxicating liquor to be consumed upon any premises licensed for use as a hall or cabaret for dancing. “(2) Opposes the extension of the facilities for the sale of liquor proposed in clause 30 of the 1927 Bill, and demands that it be made an offence to supply intoxicating liquor to any person during the hours for which licensed premises.are required to be closed. “(3) Opposes the proposal contained in clause 9 of the 1927 Bill to enable licensing committees to authorise the use of one or more private bars in addition to one public bar, and demands that no part of any licensed premises shall be permitted to be used for the sale or supply of intoxicating liquor other than one authorised bpr. “(4) That section 162 of the Licensing Act, 1908, be amended by substituting the words ‘at any time while the licensed premises are required to be closed’ for the words ‘after the hour of eleven at night.’ ” “That the Alliance reaffirms its demand for'a two-issue ballot paper. Experience has proved that less. than ten per cent, of .the people are in favour of the third issue. The Alliance further resolves that if Parliament insists on a three-issue ballot paper, provision should be made for preferential voting ’ (with the single transferable vote) as provided in the late Mr. Massey’s Legislature Amendment Bills of 1923 and 1924.” . , The alliance dealt with Maori work and passed appreciative resolutions touching the work of the Revs. A. J. Seamer and R. T. Haddon amongst the Maoris. Youth WorkThe report of the Youth Work Conference held on Tufesday was submitted to the meeting, and the following resolutions were adopted:— “That, where practicable, a house-to-house visitation be carried out with a view to recruiting members for the Band of Hope, present members being encouraged to accompany adults in order to personally invite other young people to join.” “That this conference recommends area councils to interest themselves in temperance teaching in the day schools, by arranging for an annual essay competition or examination for the school children of their localities with suitable awards as an incentive.” “That where such action is not already taken, areas be urged to make a feature of an annual young people's demonstration for .the purpose of arousing and sustaining interest in the young people’s work.” The reports on education and roll work prepared by Mr. G. A. Tuck were presented and adopted, and a resolution expressing hearty thanks to Mr. Tuck for his work was 'carried unanimously. The Rev. S. S. Emmit and Pastor Scragg gave inspirational addresses before the morning and afternoon sessions’ respectively. Comprehensive Education. Mr. J. Malton Murray, executive secretary of the alliance, was granted leave to submit to the meeting certain proposals not on the official programme. The pith of the proposals was that under the auspices of the Health Department, Education Department, and Publicity Department there should be set up a council or hoard, reinforced by economists, psychologists, and others whose co-operation might be considered necessary to attain the highest efficiency, and that this body should be responsible for the conduct of a comprehensive large scale educative programme directed against the use of alcohol as a beverage. The funds to be expended by the board would be derived by appropriating 2J per cent, of the present revenue from alcoholic beverages, or ■ alternately by increasing the taxation on these beverages by Is. 6d. per gallon on spirits, Id. per gallon on beer, and Is. 6d. per gallop on wines. Even then, said Mr. Murray, the excise and Customs on these liquors in New Zealand would be unfavourably low as compared with Great Britain. Prohibition, State control, or any other political proposal would have no place in the programme, which would be directed solely to informing all sections of society, young and old, of the scientific facts about alcohol and the economic reactions of the liquor traffic on the life of the community. In view of the increasing recognition of Governments of their responsibility in regard to anti-alcohol education in the schools and to the general public, the speaker said he was satisfied that such steps as those he advocated were inevitable if we were to advance beyond the alcohol drinking stage. He asked the alliance to make a demand upon the Government for the establishment of.* board on the lines indicated. The

meeting referred the proposals to the standing committee with power to act. Prohibition Position. The meeting adopted the following resolution concerning the position of prolnthe New Zealand Alliance at its annual meeting haying taken into consideration the whole situation, makes the following statement: — “1. That the world-wide situation gives increasing cause for encouragement. “2 In regard to the position in the United States of America, an impartial survey of the evidence indicates that despite inevitable initial difficulties the general effects of the prohibitory law are good. The election of Mr. Hoover as President is a conspicuous sign of the determination of this nation of 120 million people to hold fast the benefits already experienced, to consolidate the position, and to make no concession to the forces of anarchy and disintegration. “3. The chief feature of the 1928 campaign in New Zealand was the command exercised by the liquor monopoly for propaganda purposes of huge financial resources with which we could not possibly compete. Many unfair and prejudiced statements thus passed unanswered during the campaign and seriously af-, fected the poll. . “4. There has been no time m the history of the movement when the case was so overwhelming for personal and national total abstinence, and victory only awaits the day when the scientific facts concerning the nature of alcohol and the effects of taking this drug as a beverage displace traditional ideas. In that day, the traffic in alcohol must go the way of everything that shackles the free development of enlightened peoples. The coining of that day will be hastened by all those who will make.an unbiased investigation into the scientific facts relating to the physiological, economic, eugenic, and moral health uf the communitft'"