NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9001, 14 March 1888, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING. Yesterday tho second annual meeting of : the New Zealand Alliance was held at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms. At half-past eight about 60 members and their friends sat down to breakfast in Robson's Dining Rooms, Sir William Fox presiding. Amongst those present were Messrs. Monk (M.H.R.), Withy (M.H.R.), and Moss (M.H.R.), Mr. Baddeley, and Rev. Messrs. Chew, Bavin, Miller, Roberts, Ward, and Worker. After breakfast speeches were made by Messrs. Withy, Monk, Speight, Newman, and Rev. Mr. Ward. Before dispersing, Mr. Waymouth moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Theo. Cooper for the noble manner in which he had fought their case in the Resident Magistrates' Court. Mr. Cooper, in reply, said that owing to the circumstances prior to the election they had no chance of winning City East, but they had practically secured a victory in Ponsonby, now that there was to be a new election, and he hoped they would also win in City North and South. At ton o'clock the annual meeting of the Council was held in the Young Men's Lecture Room, Sir William Fox again presiding, supported by Mr. Withy, the secretary (Mr. Newman), and Mr. Glover. Sir William Fox, after silent prayer had been indulged in, delivered the presidential address. He said he would not speak at length, as they had much work to get through. Besides, there was very little he could say to the point until the report was road. When they had heard and digested that, they would be bettor prepared to understand the resolutions to be put to the meeting. There was one thing he might refer to, namely, that a very much greater interest would be felt in th>3 movement if the members of the temperance bodies were careful to make themselves better acquainted with what was going on in other lands. The great battle of prohibition was being fought with intense vigour, not in New Zealand only, and in other countries great victories were being obtained. They knew nothing here about these victories, with the exception, perhaps, of a few who took American and English papers. As an instance, showing the importance of knowledge in these matters, there was the question of compensation to be paid when they got prohibitory powers. At this moment a large majority of the members of the Assembly were prepared to give them prohibition to-morrow provided compensation wa¥Fpaid. The brewers and publicans were the sole demanders of compensation. The people did not want it. The fact was the members of Parliament had no stock of knowledge on the subject. At the last election they had cajoled the candidates to tell what they knew on the subject. They all replied that they were willing to give the people the power of prohibition provided compensation was paid. That was the main question to be decided, and they had to educate the people up to the fact that no compensation was needed. With one solitary exception, where tho white feather had been shown, there was no place in the world where compensation had been awarded to the brewers or publicans. Everywhere there had been an absolute refusal to entertain the question of compensation for an interest which was opposed to the interests of every other interest in the colony. There had lately been a battle fought in the United States on this subject, which had been as great a victory for them over the liquor interest as the Battle of Waterloo had been over the First Napoleon, and the Battle of Sedan over the Third Napoleon. Had that battle gone against them they might have furled their flag and never hoped to obtain prohibition at all. In Kansas, eight years ago, the people had embodied prohibition in their Constitution so that it could only be repealed by a two-thirds majority of the people. After this law had been in operation for eight years, and the brewers and publicans had been put down, after absolute prohibition had been very efficiently carried out, the brewers summoned courage to test the constitutionality of the Act. They took the case before the State Court, and the judge who sat on the case was named Brewer. The decision was given in favour of the brewers. Judge Brewer said the brewers were entitled to compensation for the loss caused to them by this Act. This decision would have entitled the publicans to compensation for their loss during the eight years the Act had been in operation, and would have affected every one of the eight prohibition States of the Union. They j would have been liable for an amount which even a mathematician could hardly compute. It was the State Court which gave that decision, but the United States Court, on being appealed to, reversed the decision. Seven Judges sat on the case, atd six out of the seven Judges, in perhaps the highest Court in the world, decided that State Judge Brewer's decision was rotten, and must be set aside. (Hear, hear). Now, that was a fact very little known here. If that decision had been confirmed there would have been an end to the prohibition movement. In all probability the ruling of the United States Court would have been followed by Canada. That was an instance of the things they did not hear about from not reading temperance literature. It was such a victory as had never been achieved before, and yet people here knew nothing about it. Now they could appeal to the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States to prove that no brewer or publican had a shadow or vestige of interest in his trade. The State had a right to stop any man's business whenever that business injuriously affected the public welfare. (Hear, hear.) If that principle were acted on they would not be long in getting a prohibition law here. But they had much to teach yet. They had to enlighten the community on the subject. If the Women's Temperance Union would flood the country with the admirable papers published in America and England, they would soon get the minds of the people so permeated with facts and figures that it would be impossible for brewers to get compensation. That was the point on which the whole question hinged. There was not the ghost of the shadow of a hope of their ever being able to get prohibition if they admitted the principle of compensation. (Loud applause. ) The Secretary (Mr. J. Newman) then read letters of apology for non-attendance from Messrs. R. Hobbs (M.H. R.), H. G. Seth Smith (R.M. J. C. Firth, F. G. E wing ton, J. M. Lennox, YVarnock, Buddie, F. G. Clayton, H. Worthington (Wellesley - street School), the Rev. W. Tebbs, and many others. ANNUAL REPORT. Mr. Glover then read the annual report of the Alliance. It was a long and able document of over five columns, of which the following is a summary After stating that the work of consolidating existing auxiliaries and the formation of new ones had been vigorously carried on, the report said Mr. Glover had performed his work in a most satisfactory manner. As showing the character of the work done, and the large area of country, covered by him in his mission efforts, 162 public meetings for the explanation of the principles of the Alliance had been held all over the colony. Beside these meetings, Mr. Glover gave 38 addresses on the Sundays, in different, | places of worship. A special conference | was also held at Wellington on Saturday, j January 21, when forty repressentatives j were present from the different parts of ; the colony. Sir William Fox, president, and Mr. T. W. Glover, organising agent, attended on behalf of the Executive. Deputations also were present to express their sympathy with the aim and objects of the Alliance from the Grand Lodge of the 1.0. G.T. and the W.C.T.U. A number of resolutions were passed urging tho necessity of all friends of temperance becoming subscribers to the Alliance, and for absolute prohibition of the liquor traffic by the will of the people, without compensation. In the evening a great public meeting was held in the Theatre Royal. The Presidehtand others had visited various districts as honorary deputations, and delivered lectures. More friends willing to do such work were urgently wanted. Their agent and representatives had been most generously treated in every district they i had visited, and for this the Alliance de- j sired to express its most hearty apprecia- ; tion, as a large amount of Alliance funds had been saved as a result. One hundred and - thirty-five auxiliaries were now in existence, and were doing much good work, the expenses as a rule, being met locally. These auxiliaries would in time become rallying centres for the prohibition party; The success of the Alliance during tho yfitir had boon great, and a

marked advance in public sentiment in favour of prohibition had taken place, largely by the work of the Association s agent, Mr. Glover. Referring to finance, the report said the income for the year had been £715 19s 9d, and the expenditure £712 2s lOd. The income had been derived more from the whole colony than last year, showing that the Association was fast becoming a colonial organisation. The subscribers now numbered 3100. The necessity of wider distribution of temperance literature was insisted on, and • the report said " A really trenchant handling of the pros and coils of the question of compensation, in pamphlet or leaflet form, is also needed, as too much importance cannot be attached to the urgency of giving a right bent to the public mind on this coming question, before people have been indoctrinated with those specious but deceptive arguments which the friends of the traffic are now so industriously engaged in disseminating." During the next year the executive advocated a greater use being made of the printing and daily press. Referring to prohibition, it strongly insisted on the necessity of a prohibition law, and of a party to gain for the people the right to prohibit. Accordingly the executive took active measures during the general oloction in various ways, especially by questioning candidates on thoir views of prohibition without compensation, and if they thought compensation necessary, by whom or from what fund it should bo paid. The result was that they now knew their minimum actual strength in Parliament, andLthe basis of a recognised parliamentary prohibition party had been formed. Of the candidates elected, 24 adopted the programme of the right of the people to prohibit without compensation, in its entirety ; 33 agreed to giving the power to prohibit, but insisted upon compensation; whilst 14 others, although agreeing to prohibition without compensation as a rule, thought there might arise some cases in which a limited degree of compensation might be called for in equity ; a further number (7) could not accept tho principle of prohibition at all, deeming the liquor traffic a necessity for the colony. The question of where the compensation fund was to come from was most diversely replied to, and the difficulty in suggesting where it should come from should go far to satisfy the people that the claim was utterly unfounded. Although the elections had not been altogether satisfactory, still they gave great encouragement tor the future. In the North, in one province alone, about half the whole number of Prohibitionists in the House obtained their seats. No less than 12 members of the Alliance were among the successful candidates, of whom live were direct or exofficio members of the Executive Committee. The approaching session was deemed & favourable opportunity for testing how far Parliament was prepared to trust the people, and it was recommended as an instruction to the incoming executive that a resolution or bill formulating the advanced opinion of the country in favour of the right to prohibit being grant-ed to the people, be prepared for introduction ; such resolution or bill to be introduced annually until its demand is conceded. The report commented favourably on the greater signs of activity being shown by kindred temperance organisations. The churches of all denominations, including the Salvation Army, had continued in active support of Alliance principles, and much valuable aid had been given by the clergy of the colony. Reference was then made to prohibition in other colonies, which was stated to be in much the same condition as last year. A great triumph had been claimed in Victoria, but so long as they were content with anything short of prohibition without compensation they could not claim to stand in the front rank of temperance reformers. Tho following statistics were given for 1886 : —" Public records show that there are some 1476 publicans holding general licenses for the retail sale of intoxicants ; wholesale dealers (two gallons and upwards), 196; packet boats, 54: bottle licenses, 77 ; and that these and other conveniences for the demoralisation of the people have drawn from the pockets of the colonists no less a sum during the year than £2,080,216, being a decrease upon the former year of £209,298, while the total consumption during the last IS years reaches £46,214,563m0re by twelve million one hundred thousand pounds than our entire national debt incurred during the same time." A table was also given showing that the amount spent per head of a population of 600,000, was £1 17s 7d on wines and spirits, and £1 Ss 5d on beer, or a total of £3 9s 4d. This was a reduction per head of 6s Sd on the previous year. Comments on the decrease in the consumption of spirits by the Registrar-General were quoted, which showed that in 1886 there had been a 21 per cent, decrease in the quantity of liquor consumed per head of population. This was satisfactory, but the figures quoted only showed how much work still remained to be done. Referring to drink traffic's evils, the report quoted from the Registrar-General, in his statistics for the colony for 1886 (the last issued) reports in reference to public charges for drunkenness, as follows:—"The number of separate persons received into gaol in 1886 on account of drunkenness was 1129, or 36 per cent, of the total number of separate prisoners received. This by no means represents the full proportion of the burden thrown on the country by imprisonments for drunkenness, as a large number of these persons- were convicted more than once— many, several times during the year— in many cases of other offences, as assault, riotous or indecent conduct or language, these charges were combined with those of drunkenness. Exclusive of Maoris, the number of separate prisoners received on account of charges of drunkenness in 1886 was less by 141 than the number in 1885." The Registrar further stated that of the whole number charged for drunkenness (1129) there were but 42 New Zealand-born, of European parentage. When it was remembered that the New Zealand-born population represented 51.89 per cent, of the whole, it was clear that the contention that Young New Zealand, with favourable surroundings, gravitated towards true sobriety, was fully borne out. The number of deaths from drink was also a serious item, and during the year 1886 thirty-six deaths were directly attributed to drink. The placing of temperance men on licensing committees had not resulted satisfactorily. This arose from the fact that it was not the sellers of the drink, or the houses, but the drink itself that did the mischief. If the same amount of work that was spent on the licensing elections was performed in many localities, with prohibition for the issue, it would do more to educate public sentiment in its favour, and ensure more real progress than if they could seize the control of every licensing committee in the colony, merely with a view of settling what number and set of men should retain the monopoly of selling, and the class of houses and terms under which they should sell. Every contest, with prohibition for its object, not only acted as a splendid educational exercise for the public generally, but raised the true banner under which our people could fight with a definite object, and the certainty of marking the progress gained. There were numerous districts within the colony where local prohibition might be gained if friends would but organise to that one end, not fearful or ashamed of temporary defeat in the first instance. Their duty was to ascertain their strength at the ballot-box year-by-year. In conclusion, tho report expressed the sincere conviction that a rigid adherence to distinct principles, in such a moral reform as they contemplated, afforded the only hope of satisfactory results being achieved ; that faltering or compromising with the evil served but to injure their work, dishearten their friends, and thus defer the dav when men would ceaso to sec in the traffic any factor which went toward the building up of a frco people, but would, in the interest of tho species, recognise nothing in it save a national curse which must be stamped out. For the new year patient, plodding, systematic work should be the rule. The Rev. Mr. Bavin moved tho adoption of the report. He said ho had never heard such an able, statesmanlike, comprehensivo report before. He had been connected with ; the Alliance for 25 years, but never felt so : hopeful as on that morning. He then made some comments on the various items in the report, and said he was glad they (iad a man like Mr. Glover as their agent. Tin; financial part of the report was most satisfactory, and he was right glad they couM show a clean balance-sheet. The Leader had done excellent work during the year. From correspondents in other colonies, !u.knew the paper was very highly though; of. He also referred to the excellent series of articles on compensation which had appeared in its columns by Sir W. Fox. Ho i was glad to see tho change of tone in their I

morning paper. (Applause.) There was plenty room for it, and . he was glad to notice it. (Laughter, and applause.) He was glad the report insisted on prohibition' and not regulation. He was sorry to find that in the country districts the revenue accruing to the local boards from publichouses was a great obstacle in the way of Erohibition. This excellent association had is heartiest sympathy, and he moved the adoption of the report with the utmost enthusiasm. The Rev. Mr. Davidson, of Maungaturoto, seconded the resolution, and referred to the cheery tone of the report. He was glad to see they were nailing to the mast the question of prohibition. The resolution was put, and carried unanimously. Mr. J. Graham asked how the Legislature had allowed an Act to be passed by which an hotel had been erected in that pleasant picnic resort known as St. Helier's Bay ? Mr. Withy said the Bill had slipped somehow in a way he could not explain. If he had known about it he would have sat up many more nights to try and prevent it passing. Cases of this kind would demand much greater attention from the members than nad been given in the past. He took full blame to himself for not being sharp enough to oppose the Bill. Mr. Carr said Mr. Goldie had told him he had had a great deal of correspondence on the subject, and he had understood the matter had been dropped. Suddenly it was brought up again and passed before they were prepared to oppose it. Mr. Macdermott said he had understood that Sir William Fox's articles on compensation were to have been published in pamphlet form. Sir William Fox replied that he intended to have the articles reprinted under the auspices of the Alliance. Ho hoped it would be done in time for him to give copies to every member in tho House, so that there could be no ignorance on the subject. Mr. Garlick moved, "That our thanks be given to the Officers and Executive, who during the past year have carried on the operations of this Alliance, and the following gentlemen be elected to the positions of President, Vice-Presidents, ana Executive Committee, for the coming year. President : Sir William Fox, M.A., K.C.M.G. Vice-Presidents : J. A. D. Adams, Port Chalmers ; Sir H. Atkinson, K.C.M.G. (Premier), New Plymouth ; Hon. Thomas Dick, Dunedin ; Robert Clephane, Christchurch ; Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, Rangiora ; Thos. Field, Nelson ; J. Fulton, M.H.R., West Taieri ; F. H. Fraser, Wellington ; D. Goldie, M.H.R., Auckland ; J. Harding, Hawke's Bay; R. Hobbs, M.H.R., Pokeno ; Hori Ropiha (Chief), Hawke's Bay ; R. C. Hughes, New Plymouth; Rev. F. W. Isitt, Invorcargill; Rev. L. M. Isitt, Sydenham ; J. W. Jago, Dunedin ; W. Kerr, Auckland ; Dr. Knight, Auckland ; J. Lamb, Auckland ; J. Lennie, Invercargill; T. M. Lane, J.P., Whangaroa; R. Monk, M.H.R., Auckland; R. Neal, Auckland ; J. Newman, J.P., Auckland; E. Okey, New Plymouth; Rev. W. Oliver, Nelson; Rev. A. Reid, Auckland; A., Rennie, J.P., Dunedin ; W. Seth-Smith, Oamaru; Hon. Sir R. Stout, K.C.M.G., Dunedin ; Rev. R. Waddell, M.A., Dunedin, Executive Committee: S. J. Ambury. J. Buchanan, A. Cox, J. Elkin, G. Gregorv, H. Leßailey, R. J. Roberts, W. H. Smith, W. J. Speight, J. Waymouth, J. H. Upton, E. Withy, M.H.R. Officers : Chairman of Executive, Sir Wm. Fox; Treasurer, E. Withy, M.H.R. ; Hon. Sec., J. - Newman, J. P. ; Organising Agent, T. W. Glover ; General Sec., H. Field." Mr. Harrison, of Warkworth, seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Gregory moved, " That this Council re-affirms the platform and policy of this organisation adopted at the inaugural meeting held in Wellington in March, 1886." He hoped they would all advocate absolute prohibition of drink. Mr. Speight seconded the motion. He said they had to educate the people, Press, and Parliament into granting absolute prohibition. The report dealt very kindly with the opinion of people who believed in the regulation of the drink traffic. He believed these attempts had embroiled them in greater difficulties than any they had had to contend with. They could not by paltering with an evil escape from it« effects. In the regulation of the traffic the Alliance had had no part or lot. They had now an excellent test for the temperance questions. If a measure forwarded total prohibition it was good ; if not, they should have nothing to do with it. He thanked God that the Ponsonby election had been upset. They did not propose to shut up any house unless the people had clearly said so to them. If the publicans had not fought at the last election, in God's name let them come forward and fight now. (Applause.) If they shut up an hotel against the will of the people they were doing an injustice. Their motto should be prohibition by the will of the people. Let the battle be fairly fought, and not by technical flaws. If defeated, let them come up again and again. Some people, after fighting for a wnile, gave up, and said what s tho good, but if they carried that principle into everyday life, what would be the result ? In ail history they would find that at first a little rivulet of public opinion had been started. This had been joined by other rivulets, which purified all they came in contact with, as they flowed together to the ocean. This liquor traffic was a curse which defiled all who came in contact with it. The Licensing Committees had come in contact with it. They had had to deal with things of the vilest character, and yet they had signed licenses for hotels. He said by all means respect vested interest, but let them first be sure there was a vested interest. Once they adopted total prohibition no doubt could come to them. There was no consideration, divine or human, for allowing the continuance of the liquor traffic to-day, and therefore he seconded the motion. The resolution was put and carried. Mr. Monk, M.H.R., moved, "That in order more fully to convince the people of this colony of tho frightful evils and danger of the Liquor Traffic, and the absolute necessity of obtaining legal power for its suppression, the Council earnestly solicit the friends of the Alliance in each locality to promote an increased circulation of temperance literature, and provide that the valuable leaflets published by us be placed in every home in this community, and we further recommend such papers as the Leader and the Temperance Herald to the support of all friends of Temperance." He said they had a great deal to do in the way of education of the people up to the facts of the evils the liquor traffic was inflicting on them. Even local bodies wanted educating to the fact that in taking a paltry fee for a public-house they were injuring the people twenty times more. A question had been asked about St. Heliers . Bay Hotel. He was surprised the honourable gentleman on the platform had not brought in his law of compromises. It was a case of compromise. A member of the Government had said that it was most inequitable that St. Heliers Bay should be shut out from a licensing district. If the matter had been pushed in the House they would have been most ignominiously defeated. He sympathised with one of the speakers that morning, who had said they must educate their children on the drink question. It was the only way to protect them from the effects of the traffic. Then before long prohibitionists would predominate in this land. They would not do much with the old men whose habits were fixed. He thougnt a special course should be introduced into the schools showing the children the influence of the traffic on their future being. If the Board of Education came forward with a motion to that effect he would be found on their side. (Applause.) The meeting then adjourned for luncheon from one o'clock till two. On resuming at two o'clock, Mr. Woßboys seconded the resolution, and said the Council had acted wisely in deciding to bring forward this motion. The resolution was put and carried. The fifth resolution, moved by Mr. Withy, was as follows:— That bearing in mind the severe depression which has existed during the past year, tho Council gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions of the friends of tne Alliance, which from their increase and greater diffusion throughout tho Colony, have rendered it unnecessary again to call upon the original guarantors. \Vith a view, however, to increased efficiency, the Council earnestly solicits a continuance of their hearty financial support, and their assistance in still further increasing the number of members." Mr. Withy, before speaking to the resolution, said, a small omission had oeen made in neglecting to road the balance-sheet. He accordingly read it) as followsCr.; To balance in

hand, £3 2a ; members' subscriptions, donations, and collections from all parts of the colony,' £712 17s 9d; total, £715 19s 9d. Dr. : By salaries and commissions £481 5s 3d ; travelling expenses of agent and deputations, £102 9s lOd ; printing and advertising, £61 lis 6d ; postage ana telegrams, £30 13s 6d; grants to auxiliaries, £17 2s 3d ; expenses of annual meeting, 1887, £11 3s Id ; office expenses, £7 17s 5d ; balance in bank, £3 16s lid ; total, £715 19s 9d. He then commented briefly on the resolution. Referring to the difficulties in the way of the Alliance, ho said many friends had done good work in assisting their agent on his travels. It was no idle boast to say the Association had become a colonial institution. They had now 3000 subscribers, or 50 per cent, advance on last year. This was most satisfactory. He was glad to see they had not this year found it necessary to call on the guarantors of the Association. There were many ways - in which they could make themselves more efficient, the principal one being a wider circulation of temperance literature. He hoped the time would come when they would have more agents to assist Mr. Glover, who, although a host in himself, was unable to be in two places at once. They should also, he thougnt, have a legal adviser to the Association, to interpret some of the peculiar laws on the New Zealand statute books. One thing he would like to impress on all was, the need of more subscribers and subscriptions. Referring to the very low per-centage (4 per cent.) of New Zealand-born youth in the list of drunkards, he said it afforded much food for reflection. Mr. Carr seconded the resolution, and said the depression had not in any way hampered the work of the Alliance. Their agent, Mr. Glover, had done very valuable work in travelling about and gaining members for the Association. He thought Mr. Speight was rather hard on the members of the Temperance Licensing Committees. The motion was put and carried. The Rev. C. H. Garland moved the sixth resolution, as follows:—"That this Council considers that the provisions in the Licensing Act of 1881, for granting charters to clubs, are absolutely inconsistent with the principle of prohibition and control by the people upon which the rest of the Act is based. It also considers that the working of these provisions has proved inimical to the public interest. Ib therefore recommends that early steps should be taken in Parliament to obtain the repeal of the clauses providing for such charters." This was one of the most important matters on which they should keep a watchful eye. If the Government allowed prohibition, but winked at clubs, their efforts were useless. Mr. D. Goldie, M.H. R., seconded the resolution, and enlarged on the evils of the drink traffic on the youth of the colony. Referring to clubs, he said the law on the subject was gravely defective, as it compelled the Government to grant a charter to any twenty people who chose to form a club. They could then drink as much as they liked. The report from the club required by the Government was not compulsory, as there was no penalty for not sending a report or return, the consequence was no reports were sent, and thus the Government had no control over the clubs. One difficulty was that the "aristocracy" had clubs and consequently the working men must have theirs. He thought, in the words of the resolution, that it was radically wrong, and that legislative steps should be token to amend the law. Hotels were under some control, but the clubs were absolutely free from any. He hoped some steps would be taken next session to put an end to these clubs, for unless they did so they would have, instead of 45, 450, every one of them being worse than six publichouses. (Hear, hear.) He had great pleasure in seconding the resolution. (Applause.) Sir William Fox said that the Lower House had not made any provision in the Act with respect to clubs, which were left in tho same condition as hotels, and were liable to. inspection by the police. The Upper House had added the club clauses, ana had succeeded in forcing them through. The motion was carried, and the meeting adjourned at a quarter-past three. evening meeting. In the evening at half-past soven a general meeting was held, at which three more resolutions were brought forward. There was a fair attendance. Sir William Fox opened the meeting by a short address. Referring to the quotations from the Registrar General in the report, dealing with deaths from alcoholic poisoning, ho said that if they wanted to find out the most ignorant man on this question, they would have to go to the Registrar. He only gained his information from reports of doctors and coroners, who only gave the disease which caused death, but not the cause of the disease, which in very many cases was drink. He knew the Registrar personally, and they could depond on it that all figures given by him were reliable, but the trouble was the sources of his information were not always trustworthy. He gave many instances of this which had occurred in his own experience. He had come to the conclusion that instead of thirty-six deaths there were 1500 deaths from alcohol poisoning every year. Mr. John Buchanan moved, "That whereas widespread depression in business throughout the Colony has resulted in enforced idleness and severe want among very many sections of the community, has necessitated a wholesale retrenchment in ,our public affairs, and caused people j generally to enquire regarding the prospects of the future, the time has now fully arrived for the Parliament to seriously consider the bearing of the drink problem in its relation to colonial finance; and to decide how far the country can with safety continue to | give legislative sanction to, or draw its main revenue from, a traffic which, in its varied ramifications presses more hardly upon the people than the whole weight of the public debt." In speaking to the resolution he entered at length into the evils of the drink traffic, and quoted statistics and the statements of doctors to show its magnitude and baleful influence. In reference to country Boards making revenue from publichouses, one of the worst cases he had ever heard of was where a Road Board had actually granted a license in order to derive a revenue from the drink traffic. If prohibition were carried, every trade would revive except that of the undertaker—(laughter)and perhaps the doctors. They need not fear that the revenue would fall by prohibition ; it would increase by tho lifting of the drink incubus from the country. He was flad to see their president (Sir William ox) in the chair, and he hoped his life would long be spared to carry on the Christian and God-like work in which he was engaged. It was in a great measure owing to him that they had now a prohibition party in the House, consisting of 24 members. (Applause.) Mr. Leyland seconded the resolution, and said the question was of more importance to the working men than to any other class. That, perhaps, was the reason why he as a working man had been selected to second the resolution. He gave a most apt instance of the manner in which the spending of money on drink was a pure waste. He denounced the absurdities of the cry of over-production being the cause of the depression when thousands were starving. The true cause was tho money spent on drink and in supporting drink producers. He believed that Richard Cobden was right when he said that temperance reform was at the base of all others. It, therefore, gave him great pleasure to second the resolution. (Loud applause.) The resolution was put and carried. Mr. Theo. Cooper moved the following resolution:—"Recognising with gladness the many proofs which the various sections of the Christian Church are giving of their practical sympathy with the object of the Alliance, this meeting of Prohibitionists thanks them for their aid, and desires to publicly express the conviction that many districts throughout the colony are ripe for prohibition if only tested ; and therefore urges upon the Church and trusted leaders of temperance reform the wisdom of as frequently as possible putting this issue before the people during licensing elections, at every possible opportunity." It was, in his opinion, a very important resolution, and should have been put into abler hands than his, but perhaps they had entrusted it to him because they recognised the bond of affinity between the law and the Gospel. (Laughter.) They had a great deal to be thankful for to the church in the past, and for what they had done in the colony. He had been greatly impressed with the singing of the grand old hymn at the Ponsonby election, •' Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." It showed that the tern-

perance movement must necessarily partake very largely of religious sentiment. He believed that if a vote of the whole people men and womenwas taken, there would be a very large majority in favour of prohibition. The Ponsonby election had proved this. The battle they were fighting was to be gained by educating young ana old. That was the pivot on which the whole thing turned, and those bast fitted to educate the people with the highest and most humane views were the leaders in the Church. They had done much in the past, but not as much as they might have done. Nearly every member of the Ministry in the Church were total abstainers and prohibitionists. So the Church were supporting the movement by practice as well as precept. They now wanted them to do moreto discuss the matter in their pulpits. He hoped the pulpit would in future be looked on as the exponent of public opinion, directed, of course, by religious sentiment. On an important occasion like this they should have had a crowded house. He did not know who was to blame, but the Auckland people certainly wanted much waking up. Many representative men should have been found upon that platform to lead public opinion, instead of waiting till they could gain applause by doing so. The time was ripe to test the question of prohibition. The election at Ponsonby would test it in a very few days, and if the prohibitionists lost the day they had been woefully deceived, and the Alliance would have to hide its diminished head. He did not believe that would happen, and he fully expected to hear that grand old hymn sang again. (Loud applause.) Mr. E. M. C. Harrison seconded the motion. When he had read the resolution he had thought the platform would be crowded with leaders in the Church. He did not altogether agree with Mr. Cooper in his sanguine views. His experience showed him that the growing youth and the pulpit were falling apart. He thought more clergymen might have been there that night. . Hewouldtrytobeashopefui as Mr. Cooper, but he would have liked to have seen the hall filled with their opponents, and not with those already converted. One of the best things was the teaching of temperance lessons in school. He had taught scores of children, and had found young New Zealand particularly sound on the question, and they were eminently practical. He was old enough now to see it was hopeless to convert the older members of society. It was the young people on whom they must rest their hopes. It gave him great pleasure to second the motion. (Applause). Mr. Ewington said he was very pleased to hear Mr. Harrison speak of the progress of temperance in schools. He would also like to caution them that when they sent thif> resolution to all the various churches and denominations they did not let the clergy think they were quite satisfied with what had been done. Ho saw no clergymen there that night. More people should have been there. They had no right to allow two or three men to do all the temperance work. They must all put their shoulders to the wheel. He did not think people were ready for prohibition. If by stealing a march on the publicans they got hotels closed in a district, and next year they were opened again no good would have been done. There was no need to rush the question. In time it would almost settle itself. (Applause. Mr. Speight said there was no way of deciding their strength but by the god of battles in the ballot-box. He repudiated in the strongest language the insinuation that they were stealing a march on the publicans. He did not agree with Mr. Cooper that the Alliance should hide their heads if the Ponsonby battle was lost. If they lost the battle it would not be by fair means. He believed that through their paltering and cowardice in the past they nad failed through not testing their strength. He did not think they were going to win the battle at' once, but every contest strengthened them. By their insistance on the improvement of publichouses they had given their opponents the only scintilla of a claim to compensation. That would be the only qualm on his conscience when the question of compensation came up. He at least could say that he had kept himself clean from the regulation of the liquor traffic, and the publicans could have no claim on him. Mr. J. Newman moved the last resolution :—" That this meeting pledges itself persistently to give its earnest moral and financial support to the New Zealand Alliance in its efforts to develop public opinion more completely in favour of the Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic by the direct vote of the people." He endorsed the principles of the Alliance most fully. He called heaven to witness that he would devote his life to securing the principle of total prohibition. It was not far distant, and when it did come, it would sweep through the country like fire through the furze. (Applause.) Mr. Glover seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. The usual votes of thanks to the president and others terminated the proceedings.