LICENSING ISSUE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 139, 16 June 1927, Page 13

LICENSING ISSUE

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

ANNUAL MEETING

Over 100 delegates' from all parts of New Zealand were present at the Dominion Farmers' ; Institute to-day for the opening session of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Alliance, which will be continued', to-morrow. Mr. Charles Tocld, of Dunedin, president of the alliance, occupied the chair, and associated with him on the platform were Mr. John I. Eoyds, Christchurch, ex-pre-sident; the. Rev. W. J. Comrie, chairman of the Standing Committee and Mr. C. K. Edmond, general • secretary.

After opening exercises, ana formal official business, the president welcomed the delegates. .....;■

The annual report, previously circulated, was taken as read

The hon. treasurer (Mr. T. Feist) presented the financial' statement, which was dealt with by the general secretary. ■ .. ■ . .

The Hon. George Fowlds, in speaking to the report, ■ said that organisation ■with a deficit was better than a. clear balance;sheet and no organisation. .

The report was received and adopted.

The annual report stated that under the educational policy of the alliance the number of Bands of ; Hope during the past three years has been increased from 100 to 313, and that the special children's paper, the " Challenge, "published by the alliance, 1 has now attained a circulation of over 47,000 per month. ■-■ '■'■' • - \ •' ,', '

The figures for the 1926 drink bill for New Zealand are not yet available, but a table in the report .shows a progressive increase -in -the -convictions -for drunkenness, as follows:—l 922, 7790; 1923, 8448; 1924, 8691; 1925, 9652. The convictions 6£ women for drunkenness have risen from 405 in 1922. to 494 in 1925. It is pointed out that the prosecutions against hotelkepers for breaches of the law were 560 in 1925, an increase of 73 as compared with 1924. There are 1115 licensed hotels in-the Dominion,

The .report states that as nearly as can be estimated the consumption of absolute (or pure) alcohol per medium of the- various intoxicating beverages in 1935 was ,s.72'piiits for every man, woman, arid child in the Dominion.

' The adverse effect of, the return of licenses to Ohinemuri"is recorded, it being pointed out:that in the six months since license was restored there have been as many prohibition" orders issued as there were during,th.e previous three years, which/ is ■ "equivalent to an increase of 500 per cent. The arrest cases for sis months were 191, whereas under three years of nb-license the tbtalwas only 201, so that this represents an increase of over 420 per cent..

A demonstration takes place in the Town Hall to-night at 8 o'clock, when the Eev. Lionel B. EletcKor, of Auckland, will-be the principal speaker. Th« chairman will be ' Mr. Charles, Todd, and Mrs. F. Kendall, soloist, will sing "All Joy Be Thine." Preceding the meeting there will be community singing, coninieneing at 7.30 o'clock, led by a . massed choir of children under the direction of Mi. and Mrs. W. E. Howe. Admission is free. It is expected that a resolution bearing on licensing legislation will be submitted to the meeting.