NO-LICENSE ASSOCIATION.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13934, 17 July 1917, Page 2

NO-LICENSE ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual'meeting 'of.Mlie Uamaru No-Liceuse-Asspcia.tioii- ww held, in the Baptist Chiircli last' evening.:- -Tliero was a good attendance'.'' Tho president, Rev. •J, ■A„Lochore,- - apology, for absence was received from Ven. Archdeacon Russell.

The report of the Information Committee was read by Mr E. .Ewing, who moved its ■nilpption. -/The/motion was so con d c tf, bjr I'i r tl,. P. ■ al c q!) SV; aiuL-Ca r - ricd. The;chairman said;"thkt M tl ; %rge' amount of -work had been-dono-liy--the-commit tee aipikijir jii tho* rc,-l port. Mr 11, Grocbtt- then 1 read .the fiS'nual

report as follow:?- * : .l .V.'.V'; ,-v ''The cxeciitiyc of the' No : License Association desire• to; roport-a' year of WciTSsfiibwork. Four 'executive meetings'* have helil, iiiul four cmc'rgcnej' 'coimniUcq inectings 'of_ wliicli \vcrc well attended. Visits were received \luring [he year from the general secretary/Rev, J, Dawson, and Mr Tj. "M, Isitt," M.t 5 ., both- of wliom addressed the executive on matters of 1113ment to the association, We lost during the year bv removals Mra Davey, Adjutant Hawkins, mid At 1- W] TT, Eo'se, ear-ii. of whom Las done valuable service fur U'niiK'iiincf in our district. We have hud Ihe pleasure uf welcoming Captain Dunn and ilr Leug.i. .A deputation from I lie association waited upon the Sergeant of Police regarding certain suspected sly-grog sellers. We have reason to believe I hat good has resulted from cur action in the matter. In this connection we would point out a matter well worth public attention, ; namely, that the worst cases of sly-grog selling generally occur in a license district. In accordance with instructions from last annual meeting an Information Committee was appointed. A good 'deal of valuable information has been obtained, which will be tabulated.ami published in due course. This committee will present a separate report, Owing to the failure of the first petition' to Parliament to secure six o'clock closing of hotel bars a second petition was organised in concert with a similar movement" throughout the Dominion. The petition was largely signed, not more than eight per cent of thoife canvassed refusing to support the petition. The petition was presented to Mr E. P.' Lee, at a representative gathering held in the .Wear Street Hall, with an assurance ■ to Mr Lee that the petition represented the convictions of the bulk of the electors of the district. The number of signatures obtained 111 'our electorate was 2911. Our association also undertook to assist by. canvassing the southern porlicn of the Waita'ki electorate. This secured a further S7II names, (equalling ,'I7SI) which were forwarded to the secretary of tile Waitaki NoLicense League in due course." The balance-sheet as read by the treasurer, Mr 'J. 11, Miiligaii, showed that while at (lie beginning of the year there was a credit balance of £2 Ms 7d, now £5 12s fld gtood to tjie credit of. the association, Mr Milligan -inentioiie;V - that little mcuey had: been ! required, though assistance had lieen given lo the deserving patriotic funds. • The chairman took the opportunity -of expressing pleasure.at flic . presets there at-another annual mectingrof tlfeir' old treasurer,Nvlio had for so long occupied the position, lie'also referred to 111:; attendance of Captain Dunn, of the Salvation Army, and Mr Long, of the Church of Christ.

The Rev, J. L, Robinson then gave a resume of the recent Confer: cure, at which, in company with Mr R. Milligan, lie had attended, Mr Robinsen said lie hail gone to Wellington not with great expectations. They were in the midst of a great peril, A i|eterliiino.l attempt to force the nationalisaI lion of the liquor trade upon th'c counI try had been made. It was very evident that there had- been attempts to 1 discredit the movement in the eyes of the country, but he did not think they 1 would succeed. It would, he thought, re-act on their opponents, He believed that the Prime Minister opposed the idea of State control, It was made perfectly clear in the discussion that six o'clock and not eight o'clock, was required, and as an absolute minimum of restriction. He believed that in any square tight they would win, They had' the wen and the arguments, but not tlie '•ash. One of the proposals made by Mr was I hat a mper-lax on liquor should lie miluiiiu-i'il. one of the arguments being that the poor man could not get liquor under six o 'clock closing, but under this super-tax, Mr Robinson explained, only the rich meu could purchase any liquor. It was thought that another proposal would come down providing for the purchase of the traffic, ultimately ending in its total abolition. He was not a party to the proposal, but if it could be the means of doing away with the traffic, then lie would be in favour of voting any sum-to purchase the trade. -It would be asked that if they could not obtain six o'flpck closing, why would they not take the other alternative, He was glad to be able to say that the convention had resolutely opposed auy such alternative or other condition, and positively declared that six o'clock closing was absolutely the minimum condition' acceptable. Mr Icitt had counted thirty-five members who would support the measure, thirty who were against, .and eight, mostly Government members, who were doubtful. They were asking for six o'clock closing, and if they did not get it there were alternatives before tJuni.

| Mr R, Milligan supplemented Mr Robinson's account Qf the conference. 'J he spirit-that prevailed was totally different from what had been the case for tile past four years. If- the enthusiasm of the conference permeated to all parts of the country . then success would'be assured. The dibit balance 6f the alliance for the past' year '.was £6O, n'aking a total of indebtedness 1 of £420. This debt would be abolished. He had promised £25 towards-its payment from the Xorth Otago district, The most important' business, trancasted was 'tho. reorganisation of the alliai.ee, What could be done when its annual income was only iljlOO?- Tliev,weroniow aiming at a \ ictoi} fund of £lj,ooo per'an-

num -till victory was' won, In the achomc of re-organisation separate financial "and national publicity committoos -had-boon, formed, .with- ,an executive. Mr Milligan then explained the new formation, and objects of tlie al,'liauee,,; The. l country would bo : , divided into four districts, with.a well-paid organiser for eatli, who would visit his towns and 'cities Regularly. The whole basis of the movement'would be broadeni?'il"lt was felt'that'the basis of the local unions required broadening, lie dwelt on the advisability of embracing all classes and creeds,

■ It wns'moved'by Mr R. JJilligan, hintseconded - ; by., tho Rev.; J, L ■ Robinson/: that tjiQ bro;t(iehing 'of ,tho basis of membership of the association be by the executive, and that they take action in the,'. 'matter.—Carried.

; A motion-' endorsing .the action'of'Mr; Milligan in-committing the North Otago' district to a sum of ,£25 to pay off. the debt wa>,unanimously earned,. and;; a vote of thanks to hinis and to the Rev,; Mr-Robinson for attending tho confercnce;wa.s passed. : -

"Tlic chairman said lie pleased .to note the confident tone ft*, the report. He wished to titanic all those who had assisted him in his presidei.tial duties during the past year.

The election. of officers resulted 83 follows: President, Rev., J. A. Locliore; vice-presidents, Revs. \Y. Xichol, J. L. Robinson, S. I l '. Hunter. Messrs ,1. 11. Milligan, F. Milner, A. i'nso.r, 11, Grenfeii, Misses llowat ami Milligan; secretary. Mr- 11. (Irocort; Ireasurer, Mr F. G. Marshall; executive, officers oxministers of the town, and Messrs J. I>. Fainilton, J. II- Cunningham, A. Aifken, I{. 1'i1e.,.1. Rodman, E.

lining,' li. .Mckson, R,Milligan, J, P, Malcolm,!';, Thorue, .1, Pine, Mesdames 'Young and Cottrell, am! Misses Beaton and Ferguson. Yotcs of thanks were accorded to flic speakers,, entertainers, the deacons of the Baptist Church for tin; use of; tho church, and to the president, secretary and treasurer for their valuable services, Songs and sacred solos were given during the evening by Mrs Pygall, Hies Ironside, and Mr J, E, Ewing, After the business was dealt with, refreshments were handed round by the ladies,