NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE. PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 8, 9 July 1903, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE. PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Two publio meetings were held in the city last night under the auspices of the New Zealand Alliance. At the BAPTIST CHURCH, Mrs. A. R. Atkinson, president of the N.Z.W.C.T.U., presided, and the church was moderately well filled. Mr. A. S. Adams, president of the New Zealand Alliance, was given a great reception. " Our fight," he said, " looked very hopeful." Clutha had satisfied them that no-license was the only system for a self-respecting colony. Then there was Newtown! <Three cheers were given for Newtown.) Six years ago they thought they were doing well when they polled 98,000 votes, but how delighted they were — how strong they felt — when afc the next elections they added 22,000 votes, and again last November made an increase of 30,000 votes. The movement forward could not be stayed except by treachery from within. Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.H.R., followed. He attacked the Premier's actions and suggestions on the liquor question, but he predicted that if the Premier attempted any retrograde legislation on the subject this year, next year, or in the coming years, he would have the bitterest struggle he had ever had. The prohibition party would not suffer, but the Premier would fall. They had a majority now in the colony. In all fairness — in the spirit of Christianity — the liquor evil •had got to quit. The Rev. Mr. Hammond, of Patea, spoke briefly of the evils of the liquor traffic amongst the Maoris. Votes of thanks closed the meeting. THE MEETING- AT NEWTOWN. Victoria Hall was crowded to its doors last night with' an enthusiastic audience. During the first portion of the meeting tShe Rev. B. L, Thomas presided, and subsequently he was succeeded by Mr. French, of Auckland. Many of the people who had attended the meeting to see and hear the senior member for Dunedin (Mr. H. D. Bedford) stayed to hear Mr. W. H. Hawkins (editor of the Pahiatua Herald), who made the speech of the evening, his oratory being vigorous, his illustrations forceful and humorous, and his style of the effective aggressive, fighting order. Mr. Hawkins acted as a foil to Mr. Bedford, who presented the temperance; question in a little more highly-polished style than usual. Mr. Bedford expressed the opinion that at the next local option poll the whole of Otago would be swept clean of the liquor traffic. Mr. Hawkins urged temperance workers to keep on the alert continuously, for the hardest part of the fight was yet to come, and he was of opinion that the poll of 1905 would be a memorable one. Miss Robert, of Christchurch, made a bright, chatty, speech, touched with mirth-provoking witticisms and observations. She advised the people of Newtown not to fret about the future ; let the "trade" do all the worrying. The other side at last recognised that their cause was doomed, and the "trade" would fight the next election and poll as it had never fought before. The Chairman also urged the workers of Newfown to keep on the alert in their no-license campaign, to hold fast to whatever had been gained. The following motion was adopted amid much appause: — "That this meeting desires to express its strong adherence to the democratic principle of elective licensing committees, and declares its strong distrust of the suggested change toward a Bench of Magistrates." After a collection had been taken up the meeting closed at 10 o'clock with a vote of thanks to the chairman