THE NO-LICENSE QUESTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 21 September 1909, Page 4

THE NO-LICENSE QUESTION

! MEETING AT DUNEDIN. (Uniied Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Monday. A mass meeting was held under the auspices of the no-license party, with j the object of making a demand for im- ' proved licensing legislation. Despite the j tact that Tain fell all the evening the [ attendance was so large that the ac- j commodatio nin the hall proved insnffi- ' pient, and an overflow meeting was held ' in tie Salvation Army ' Barracks. Mr I. B. Taylor, M.P., who was to havo been • one of the speakers, was absent, owing to. ill-health. Speeches were deJivreQ by Mr A. S. Adams (Chairman), the Revs. L. M. Isitt and j. Dawson, ! Mrs K. L. Stevenson, Mr Yung Liang ; ■Hwang (Chinese Consul), and Mr J. T. ; Paul, M.L.C. Reference was made to i the preponderence of the vote in favour ; of no-license,' and it was contended that; the no-licenso. .party was suffering an in—i justice, inasmuch as it was in the.majo- j .rity, but had to submit to- the will of j 'a minority owing tathe law requiring a '. three-fifths majority before licenses j could be abolished. The following mo- j tions were carried with enthusiasm : — J This meeting' of citizens of Dunedin • affirms (1) that the time has now come when all questions at the licensing < polls should be decided by a bare ma- | jority ; (2) that a Dominion option vote i. shoud be taken triennially in addition j to local option vote, and urges upon | the Government and Parliament its re- j ;6pectf ul demand for immediate legisla- [ ; tion -to sfecure these reforms. 5 ' That the (members of this great meet- 1 ing express deep indignation at the vio- ; lation'of . the solemn promise given to the natives by the New Zealand Government that no liquor licenses should i ever bo granted in the King Country, and they call upon the representatives of every section of the Christian Church and all press * editors and members of Parliament, to whom the safety of the Maori race and the honour of the na- > tion are. dear, to urge upon the Govern- 1 mant to at once annul the licenses grant- , ed, vid amend this evil. - ,