PROHIBITION CONVENTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11227, 26 March 1897, Page 6

PROHIBITION CONVENTION.

The animal .convention of , Canterbury Prohibition '.League?' was opened at the Congregational Schoolroom yesterday, i- At the afternoon session Mi - T. -i- Ihylor moved:—“That,; in view of the frequent incidents .demonstrating the widespread nature, of the corruption and iuefbcieney o the police force : of the colony, tins Convention urges-the immediate appointment Ox ,a ■i Royal Commission of inquiry, authorised to thoroughly investigate the morality and , organisation • of the force,” Mv lay er ’ Btated that the police force was more m- • efficient in New Zealand than in any oi the Australian colonies. 1 ' ' . ' . , V - The Rev L. M. Isifct said that in England -and. America he, found,-that the licensing laws were carried; pub better than m this ThJdiscussion was continued by several of the delegates, who instanced several ' cases, : supporting the resolution, which was - carried uhanimonsly. , . „ , The election of officers resulted as tol- . laws: —President, Eev C. Porter; vice- ■■■■■ presidents, Revs IT. IT. Lyon, VT. Scorgie, Messrs Gf: J. /Smith, T. E. Taylor and J. ■ • ; ■' * , ~ . The Kev. C. Porteramoved—“ That this |; Convention desires, to . draw the attention . ' of Parliament to the gross irregularities ;! whichocctirred in connection with the late local optidn polli and asks thht proper provision ‘be made for the followingrecom- ><' mendations-, which :Wpro considered and - . ’ adopted seriatim. : —(1) The appointmont of scrutineers representing the opposing parties -at the',l polls - (2 j - Uniform official instructions relating ■ to the poll to -be -issued for the whole colony. (3) Uniform books of, voting papers, propprly numbered, to be issued for the whole colony’'; the elector's number to be - entered on block'Only ; blocks to be re-turned,!-with used papers. (4) Forms to be issued setting out, full particulars re- : ' quired, to:'be reported from each polling ■ place- and gazetted. (5) Time for challenging irregularities to be extended to davs from the-declaration of ■ ■ the-poll. • ; (6) Exclusion of, loiterers .from -f.tho precincts of.polling booths, and the ■■ distribution of imitation voting papers on the.day of the. poll-made illegal. (7) All the provision's of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act which can apply to be ■ made-applicable and to; be specified. (8) : - As a check to illegal practices the rolls of ■ all constituencies, ? represented by more than one member -.to ...be divided into dis- ' tricts.” ; '. ■' ’ ’ ... It was resolved to draw the Premier’s at- , tention to,the statement of the Secretary of the Liberty'Beaguo, Dunedin, thatan official --of that:organisation had entered all the booths in his electorate, and to request that the responsible officials should bo asked to explain why such an irregularity was pe- . mitted. .' • . A number of delegates wereappoiated to attend the.Uouth Island Convention, to be held in Dunedin at Easter time. The ballot'for the election of the committee ,was announced as follows: —Mrs Newton, Mrs Field, f ßev W;. Tinsley, -Miss Roberts, -. G. Ell, C. Palk, H.. A. Atkinson, J. Robinson, (5. ; Cressw:e!l, . J. Banks, representing Christchurch; Pov E. J. Murray, Oxford; Eev Bellow", Wood- ,, end; ■ Mr A. D. - Hassall, Gust; Mr ■ H. L. ■ Rogers, Rangiora ; Mr.R. Evans, ■and. Mrs -Blackwell, Ifaiappi; Mr. H. '■ Holland, Grcend'ale ;• Mr W. Bbag, Eakaia V Messrs G-. Sheato and W. R. Devereaux, .-Dunsandel;. Mr G. W. Leadley, Ashburton ; Miss Bishop, Papannl ; Rev J. - Dixon, Texnuka; ,and Mr J. S.Olliver, .Lyttelton; honorary secretary, Mr F, Thompson. , Mr Hi A. Atkinson introduced the quesi. tion of early selection of ' parliamentary ■' candidates, and moved—" That this Council recpffimhnds that'wherever practicable ■an eariy selectipn.be made of candidates for the nest general election, and that steps be - taken to make the selection public,” After discussion the motion was put and ' cam s d unanimously. Mr C. Palk delivered a short address on Corporate Control of the Liquor Traffic: its Fallacies and Failures.” It was resolved to recommend to the Christchurch League that a,condensed leaflet on the

Gothenburg and other systems should he published and circulated. ■ Rev L. M. Isitt spoke for a few minutes on “ Lessons from the Late Campaign.” He strongly urged the wider use of literature, especially recommending Finch’s lectures.

The meeting then adjourned till today. , / '