THE ANGLICA CHURCH ABD TEMPERANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 10767, 31 October 1898, Page 2

THE ANGLICA CHURCH ABD TEMPERANCE.

The Committee set up by the Aoflicin Synod of the diooete of Wtlapu hive, titer twelve month** exhaustive inquiries, fart presented, their report. The Coumjttee were set up by the Synod at the session In the ■Briar of 1897 to inquire Into the whole question of tern* peranoa reform, and consisted of two antiProhibitionists, two neutrali-and two Prohibitionists, with the Dean of Waiapu as chairman and the Rev. T. J. Willi as secretary. At the first meting of the Committee, on the motion of Mr Wills, it was resolved that the names of persons to fee consulted and the questions and letters to be sent out must first be submitted to the Committee and approved. As a matter of fact, everything done by the Committee was unanimously done, and the report itself an unanimous one. Letters of inquiry were, sent out to leading physicians and surgeons in London; to clergymen, philanthropists, and poorhouse guardians in England; to public men in Scandinavia; to Governors, politicians, judges, bishops, clergymen, and others in America; and to ministers of the gospel, business and professional men in the Clutha, as well as to many licensed victuallers' associations in New Zealand. These questions covered the science of alcohol, the relations of drink and remedial efforts (including ordinary regulation, the Gothenburg system, high license, and "no license "). A mass of letters and literature from all parts ot the Englishspeaking world and Scandinavia resulted, which the Committee, in several long sittings, considered, after the whole had been carefully classified by the secretaary. The report was also drawn up with care, every paragraph being searehingly analysed and revised (if not satisfactory) by the anti-Prohibitionist members of the Committee. But when it was read in Synod the report was regarded as a strong teetotal-Prohibition deliverance.' A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr Wills and the Committee for " their great labor and valuable report," but when it was proposed that the report be printed with tjie proceedings of the Synod a vigorous debate ensued, in which three lawyers and two other laymen objected to the report as being " one-aided." This brought -Colonel Wood to his feet. Colonel Wood, it should be explained, was placed on the Committee because he had stated in the Synod: "I do not believe in Prohibition of any kind "; and he is known to be a very practical and fair man. When the statement was made that the report was " one-sided," and that Mr Wills " had unduly influenced the Committee," Colonel Wood rose and said substantially as follows:'''My Lord, Hja-a mistake for anyone to imagine that Mr Wills Ins unduly influenced the Committee. We have influenced Mr Wills more than he has influenced ui. lam not a Prohibitionist, and I do not thfok that Prohibition is ibe best method that can be found to remedy the evils of'intemperate.' The import inoabatea, and T think that the evidence we have been able to obtain dtftn* the part year abowa, Chat of a& rem*, dieelhe world ba» Hwi np to dst« ProhJ.

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