NATIONAL LEAGUE. ITS ACTIVITIES & OPERATIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 126, 30 May 1911, Page 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE. ITS ACTIVITIES & OPERATIONS.

QUESTION OF CONSTITUTION. MODERATE THINKING PEOPLE. .VARIOUS SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. A general meeting of the members of tha Wellington branch of the National League was held last night. Mr. H. P. Rawson presided, and there were about fifty present, including a number of women. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The chairman reported that since the laßt meeting the following had been appointed an Executive Committee: — Messrs. W. H. D. Bell. J. A. Bruce, F. J. Courtney, J. E. Fitzgerald, E. J. Fitzgibbon, John Fuller, jun., E. F. Hadfield, M. F. Luckie, V. Meredith, E. W. Seaton, W. H. Turnbull. RULES. Mr. E. F. Hadfield read the draft of the ruled. They fixed the annual subscription at Is a year, and £1 Is for a life momber, and generally made provision for the carrying out of the objects of the league. The rules were adopted. POLICY OF THE LEAGUE. The committee put forward the policy of the league as under : — • (1) To closely watch all Parliamentary and municipal legislation for any encroachment that may be proposed upon the rights or liberties of individuals, and oppose ady such encroachment. (2) To closely watch all social movements and propaganda, and keep fully informed thereof. (3) To take all steps within its power to ensure that laws and regulations' shall be formulated, executed, and administered by moderate and honouratle citizens, and to oppose the election or ap^ pointment of unsuitable persons to any offica. And in particular: — ■' LIQUOR. (1) This branch is opposed to any reduction in the three-fifths majority in connection with national or local option. (2) This branch will also oppose any attempt to abolish the sale of liquor altogether. (3 This branch will support all reasonable regulation of the liquor traffic ' ' ' GAMING. This branch will oppose any further restriction on reasonable gaming by adults. SUNDAY. This branch will oppose any restriction on the enjoyment by individuals oi reasonable recreation on the Sunday. The chairman moved the adoption of the proposed policy. In seconding the motion, Mr. E. F. Hadfield said that th« special subjects mentioned in the policy must Hot be taken gs setting any bounds to the activities or operations of the league. As to the general policy, he said people insisted that the majority must 'rule, and that the league was trying to interfere with that fact. The league did not suggest that the majority should not rule. Mere passing of laws was not ruling; laws had to be enforced; but when they came to deal with ineradicable tendencies of human nature no possible amount bf laws would have any' lasting effect because of the Impossibility of enforcing them. And even ii they could enforce them, did it follow that it was right to enforce them? Majorities had, of course, power, but they must striv* against allowing majorities to «*ercise their power in a tyrannical maiwier. The position of the league was this : where there are actions which ar« harmless in themselves but liable to be abused by individuals, and for that teasoQ to become objectionable, the restriction should be put upon the men who abuse and not on th© people who don't abuse them, but use them properly and reasonably. (Applause.) The people of New Zealand, he added, were getting bo used to being told that they were not to do certain things that they were much in_ danger of acquiescing unless they realised that the whole thing was intrinsically and philosophically unsound and rotten, from beginning to end. The league was not against religion; people of all' shades of religion belonged to it, and some of no religion at all, and all worked well together. The league was opposed to every unreasonable restriction against individual freedom and liberty; it was in favour of Freedom. (Applause.) GAMING: REASONABLE RESTRICTION. Mr. W. H. D. Bell said the league was designed to induce moderate thinking people to organise and resist the attempts of the organised extremists. It now behoved the general body to instruct the executive as to its attitude on leading subjects. The executive had put some views forward for discussion, but it did not follow that the list could not be amended or added to. Speaking on tho subject of gaming, he said tney had to consider what legislation was necessary to effect reasonable restriction. They must start without the hypothesis that gambling was ineradicable, and therefore they must direct this tendency into decent and honourable channels, and to suppress the disreputable element. The present legislation left the safety-valve of legitimate racing, and excluded the bookmaker. If^that channel was large enough, well arid good. If the reduction of thfe legitimate outlet by doing away with' the bookmaker made the channel too small, then gambling would break out in an undesirable form. At any rate the committee suggested that a trial should be given to the present system, and vit the same time to oppose any further reduction of the legitimate outlet. Tho exclusion of the bookmaker would, it was hoped; do away with swindling. It was for them to consider whether that result had been arrived at. It must be admitted that gambling was a national evil, and anything that would reduce it would be a national benefit (providing that it did not result in diverting the evil into a worse channel), and they had to consider whether the exclusion of the bookmaker had reduced gambling and done away with _ street betting. " They had also to consider whether the exclusion of the bookmaker had not resulted in bet- a ting in a hole-and-corner fashion. . THE LIQUOR QUESTION. Mr. E. J. Fitzgibbon spoke on the liquor question. The league, he said, had no brief for any political party, but) it had a brief for moderate-thinking people. The policy of the league on the liquor question was, he urged, a moderate policy. It was entirely against the bare majority in connection with local option polls, and as to doing away with the sale of liquor altogether h© believed that if it was done away with other evils of a worse nature would result. They were not there to support the brewers or licensed victuallers, but those who took a moderate view of affairs. If they fottud a brewer or a licensed victualler who was doing something against the general interests of tho community they v.ould bo against them. They believed tiwy could not do away with the saie ol liquor, but the brewer and licensed victtmlle" must both do the mmc thin<r. (Applause.) ' t I A member pieysnt UK""' t'vt l : n • league should it»k-« vu If <nit.-ti n "1 . the Stat-o control oi liqwji:- I

Mr. M. F. Luckie said they objected to any law being passed which would deny anything to a moderate minority 1 because a very few were immoderate. They should punish the immoderate to any extent that was considered desirable, and see that those who desired to drink in moderation were not deprived of liquor. Greater restrictions on the immoderate drinkers would easily minimise the evil effects of the over-con-sumption of liquor, and there must be the strictest possible legislation against the abuse of the law by both brewer and publican. If that liind of legislation was not satisfactory he would be in favour of State control or municipal control. (Applause.) SUNDAY' OBSERVANCE. Dr. Fyffe spoke on Sunday observance. During the fifteen years he had been in New Zealand he had formed the opimon that the majority of the youths of New Zealand were not in any way religious — due to the fact that they did not possess the quality of reverence. Ib was not the fault of the boys; ib was the fault of their training. The point of view of the league on the subject of Sunday observance must be the tolerant point of view. Men who were cooped up during the week must get healthy exercise, even if they had tt> take it on Sunday. Perhaps they might go to church as well. But they must be careful not to hurt the feelings of people who were religious. Their motto must be the -golden mean. (Applause.) Mr. R. R. Waddy moved a? an addition to thei policy of the league a clause objecting to Supreme Court Judges receiving commissions, coupled with emoluments over and above their statutory emoluments. The policy put forward by the committee was first put and adopted without dissent. ANOTHER PROPOSAL. Mr. Waddy, speaking to his motion, said he did not propose it from any party feeling, nor did he wish to reflect on the Supreme Court or -any Judge thereof. (Hear, hear.) Mr. W. H. D. Bell urged the withdrawal of the motion, which amounted to a direct accusation on the Chief j Justice by the members of the league. t Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald said the National League was only in its swaddling clothes, and did not wish to "bump up against any member of the judicial bench. Mr. John Fuller, junr., regretted the fact that the motion had been moved. It might create a wrong impression in the public mind. He should refuse to belong to such a league unless members were protected from motions of that sort being moved. Mr. E. J. Fitzgibbon said he hoped that as long as he was a member of the league every member would have perfect liberty to make any motion he pleased. As to the motion, he said no member of the Bar believed that a Chief Justice was influenced by any commission he received from the Government. Mr. Waddy withdrew his motion, and in doing so declared that he never had any intention of casting any reflection on the Chief Justice. Mr. C. P. Skerrett was elected president, and the following vice-presidents were elected :— Dr. Fyffe, Messrs. W. H. S. Moorhouse, E. W. Seaton, and F. J. Courtney j Mr. J. A. Bruce was elected secretary, and Mr. E. L. Chaffey treasurer.