LIQUOR QUESTION

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 121, 24 May 1928, Page 7

LIQUOR QUESTION

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE : ANNUAL MEETING LICENSING LAWS About 100 delegates were present from all parts of the Dominion when the annual meeting of tbe New Zealand Alliance opened, in the. Dominion Farmers' Institute, yesterday, under the presidency of Mr. Charles Todd. The president extended a cordial welcome to the delegates, who constituted, he said, one of the most representative gatherings that the Prohibition movement had had. The annual report and the annual financial statement were presented, and the general secretary reported on the financial campaign. The programme and budget for the year was submitted by Mr. Charles R. Edmond, the general secretary. The official report of the proceedings states:— Drunkenness. —In the annual report there appear statistics for drunkenness, which show that in 1926 the total convictions were 7486, as against 8106 in 1925, a reduction of 620. It is significant that the convictions for drunkenness rise and fall almost in exact proportion to the consumption of absolute alcohol. In 1926 the estimated consumption of absolute alcohol was 5.89 pints per head, which shows a reduction as compared with 1925, when it was 6.14. The reduction in consumption and the reduction iv drunkenness convictions undoubtedly have a relation one with the other. Prohibition orders for the year 1926 reached a total of 1633, an increase of 87 over 1925. Ohinemuri.—Attention is called in the report to the crime statistics for Ohinemuri. The figures are tabulated to show the average per year for six no-license ' years,l and the average for two years, the latter period including 18 months o£ license. The increases per cent, under license, as compared with the no-license period, are as follow:—Summary convictions, 151.6 per cent.;-assaults and other offences, 129.5 per cent; drunk, including habitual drunkards, 275.0 per cent.; prohibition orders, 390.1 per cent.; distinct summary convictions, 130.7 per cent. Drink Bill—-flic detailed figures for the drink bill have not yet been published, but the alliance estimates that for the year 1927 the drink bill will reach a total of very nerly £9,000,000, an increase- ot over half a million. . ■ : Motor Accidents—Attention is directed to the frequency of motor accidents m which alcohol is a factor, and the report states that the responsibility for. the sanctioning of the-traffic which-is responsible for this rests'upon society as a whole. The main business of the morning session was the presentation o£ the annual report, which was adopted; the submission .of the financial statement'by the hon. treasurer, Mr. F. Feist; the report on the financial campaign by the general secretary, and the programme and budget for the year ending 31st March, 1929. The debate on the budget was adjourned till this afternoon. - ■ ■■ , ■ LICENSING LEGISLATION. In the afternoon the general secretary presented the report on licensing legislation and political action, and in the course of the ensuing discussion the following resoltions were carried:— "That the New Zealand Alliance re-af-firm the cardinal principle that the continuanco 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 the New Zealand Alliance use every endeavour to secure facilities for the passage into law this session of a Bill providing for the adoption of a two-issue ballot paper. "That the New Zealand Alliance strenuously oppose 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 iv consequence of such inclusion have lost their licenses and subsequently have been included in a license "That the New Zealand Alliance, m pursuance of its policy of striving to minimise the evils associated with the liquor traffic, (1) demand that it be made an offence either to drink any intoxicating liquor or to allow any intoxicating liquor i to be consumed upon any premises licensed for use as ,a hall or cabaret for dancing; (2) oppose the extension of the facilities for the sale of liquor proposed in clause 30 of the 1927 Bill, and demand that j* be made an offence to supply intoxicating liquor to any person during t_<* hour.' for which' licensed premises are required to be closed; (3) oppose 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 demand 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 bar; (4) demand 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.'" A resolution was passed expressing appreciation of the services of general secretary in connection with the passage of the Licensing Bill last session; also, of confidence in him as the representative of the Prohibition forces in all dealings with the Prime Minister and members of Parliament. The meeting was continued to-day, and it is anticipated that a deputation will wait on the Prime Minister at the conclusion of the conference.