BAND OF HOPE UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8887, 25 May 1892, Page 6

BAND OF HOPE UNION.

BREAKFAST AND CONFERENCE. The breakfast in connection with the annual gathering of the Auckland Band of Hope Union took place yesterday morning in the Wesley Hall, Pitt-street. About CO ladies and gentlemen sat down to the tables., and enjoyed the excellent repast provided by the caterer, Mrs. Parkinson. After breakfast an adjournment was made to the lecture hall in the church, where the conference was opened with a hymn and a prayer offered by Mrs. Kerr. The president of the Union, Mr. D. Goldie, occupied the chair. INCREASE OF MEMBERSHIP.

The Rev. Air. Guy moved the first resolution, which was as follows: —" That this meeting rejoices in the success that has attended the efforts of the United Kingdom Band of Hope Union to increase their membership by a million more, and would recommend a similar movement to be made in connection with the Auckland Band of Hope Union." He said he was certain they would all rejoice in the success of the Band of Hope Union at homo, and it would probably "'terest the meeting if he read the following rief statement in connection therewith :—" in November last Mr. Geo. Williams issued from the Band of Hope Union, of which he is president, a circular letter, entitled ' A New Year's Resolve.' It states that in the United Kingdom there sire over two million of young people associated with the juvenile temperance societies. To secure a million more members all the Bands of Hope arranged for tho distribution of a million copies of a special appeal to Band of Hope members, urging them to engage in a crusade among their companions." Another thing that gave him pleasure that morning was that the Appeal Court had upheld the action of their Sydenham friends ; the highest authority in the colony had upheld the power of the licensing committees to do as they had done. This was something tor which they ought to bo thankful—thankful to the brethren who had carried on the work, I and to God for having carried them through it. In regard to the second portion of the motion, it seemed to him that a great deal more work might be done by the young people themselves. Every young person ought to be encouraged to get as many new members as possible, and with that object a roll of honour might be kept by each Band of Hope, showing at the top of the list those who had secured the greatest number of new members. He would not offer prizes, but make it solely a matter of honour among the young. He also thought they would be wise if they did not make Band of Hope meetings and Temperance meetings generally mere matters of amusement. They" could not compete with the theatre and with professional performers in providing entertainment, and if they created a liking for that kind of amusement they would soon find their young people absenting themselves from their meetings and attending the theatres in preference. A great deal might be accomplished if the school children took up tho temperance crusade amongst their companions. He therefore hoped that the motion would be heartily supported, and that some practical results would follow. .Mr. J. C. Ti'N'Ks seconded the motion, which he said was a very important one, for two reasons. In tho first place there was the individual importance to the persons induced to join the Temperance ranks—if any Band of Hope obtained only a single new member in a year, that year work had not been thrown away—and in the second place there was the educational importance of the movement. Taking it for granted that their object was total prohibition, it was clear that people would not go in for it unless they were taught that it was a good thing, and to educate them to that point a beginning could not better be made than with the young people. These juveniles were the future voters, male and female, and if they were properly trained the temperance cause would soon have such a host of supporters that King Alcohol would be effectually banished from the land. The Rev. G. D. Cox supported the motion, and after speaking of temperance work generally, referred to tho matter of entertainments. He believed the present system was eating out the very vitals of Band of Hope work, and of such importance had it became not only in the Bands of Hope, but also in the churches, that they ought to seriously consider how far they were justified in adopting it. In this connection he had also to refer to character representation. He was totally opposed to theatrical representatives, believing that it would tend to create a liking for such amusements in the young. Ho was always pleased to hear the boys and girls singing their temperance songs, but temperance work was of so solemn and serious a character that it was belittled by any dressing up of characters for theatrical display. They ou<'ht to do everything they could to show the little ones that their work was of too and serious nature for performances of such a kind. He felt that he would be a traitor to his conscience were he nob to enter his protest against this sorb of thing. The Chairman- said the question raised by Mr. Cox was of such importance that it would be botter to deal with it in a special resolution at a later stage. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. 'CO-OPERATION* REQUESTED.

Mr. H. J. Ross moved, " That to assist in the successful prosecution of the work of the Band of Hope Union, this meeting asks for the increased co-operation of heads of families, the Church, and all social reformers, that the efforts put forth to train the young in temperate habits may not be frustrated by the customs of society, or by legalised temptations." From what he had seen of Band of Hope work, ib seemed to him that the heads of families took very little interest in the work, whereas they ought to be urged to take a prominent and energetic part in connection with it. A very small proportion of the children of Auckland belonged to the Bands of Hope, or were being trained in temperance principles. He sincerely trusted that means would be devised to induce parents to take a proper amount of interest in the Bands of Hope. As to the Church, it had, in his opinion, done nobly in the past, and he was sure it would continue to do its best. The third part of the motion referred to social reformers. He believed that the skies around them were brightening, and that the time was speedily coming when all social reformers would make total abstinence a sine qua non in their efforts to secure the happiness and prosperity of the people. New Zealand would become what her children made her, and the children would be what their parents made them. The resolution covered a large field, but it was best to aim high. He hoped his hearers would not be content to merely have the motion moved, seconded, and adopted, but would exert individual efforts to carry it out in spirit. Mr. F. W. Gkkknwood said he had great pleasure in seconding the motion, because he saw that if they once got the co-opera-tion of parents, the Church, and all social reformers, the whole question would be solved. One way of obtaining the aid of the parents would be to visit them, and as to the Church he hoped the time would soon come when no man would dare to stand in a pulpit and preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ who was not a pledged total abstainer. He was very glad to say that many of the most prominent social reformers, including leaders of the labour party in Britain and in America, were earnest temperance men. Mr. C. Aldridgk said the motion was an extremely comprehensive one. They might secure the co-operation of heads of families and the Church, but how they could jret that of social reformers lie did not clearly see. Each social reformer had generally a favourite scheme of his own which he be-

lieved would effect the complete regeneration of mankind, and beside that scheme every other question seemed to him dwarfed and insignificant. Personally he considered the Band of Hope schemc the grandest scheme of social reform the world had ever seen, beginning us it did with the young, and fitting them to take a clear, intelligent, and proper view of human affairs when they reached the age of maturity. Mr. \V. J. Macd'kkmott (secretary to the Union) asked permision to say a few words at that stage, as business compelled him to leave the meeting. He wished to mention that in Victoria the publicans seemed to be coming round, since they had actually re- | turned four teetotallers at the recent general election. He was sorry he could not I stop for the discussion on the character

representation question, as he, like the Rev. Mr. Cox, had strong fooling:? in regard to it. If a dialogue were proposed to be put on the platform merely to allow the performers an opportunity of dressing in fancy costumes, he would have nothing to do with it, but if produced for the express purpose of teaching a temperance lesson he could not see that any harm would be done. After some further discussion, in which two Indies—Mrs. Kerr and Mrs. Collins— took part, the motion was unanimously carried.

SEMI-THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES. The Rev. Mr. Cox moved, "That this meeting is of opinion that semi- theatrical representations are entirely out of place on the Band of Hope platform, and would earnestly urge all Bands of Hope affiliated with this Union to discontinue their use." Ho had no wish to reflect upon those who bad got up the dialogue given at the previous night's entertainment in the City Hall— to be repeated that nightbecause he knew they had been put to a great deal of trouble to prepare it, and were actuated by the best of motives. Such representations were, however, a mistake, and in his opinion would retard rather than help tho work they had in hand. Mr. E. Trkmain seconded the motion, expressing the belief that they would get on far better, nob only in Bands of Hope but in the Church, if the production of such entertainments were abandoned.

Some discussion took place on the resolution, but it was eventually agreed, on the motion of Mr. G. Pi.ummkr, " That a special conference be held to consider the matter, on a date to be fixed by the executive." LICENSING IN THE KINO COUNTRY. The Chairman moved, " That this meeting regrets that the Government have removed the restriction very wisely placed upon the King Country as a district in which strong drink could nob be sold, and trusts that such representations will bo made by the Temperance people of New Zealand as will cause the present proclamation, which opens up a portion of this district for tho sale of steong drinks, to bo rescinded." The motion was carried without discuscussion. PRACTICAL. The Rev. Mr. Guy moved, "That the Executive of the Band of Hope Union be requested to initiate tho movements referred to in the resolutions passed this morning." The motion was seconded by Mr. French and carried.

ROLLS OF HONOUR. The Rev. Mr. Guy further moved, "That it be a suggestion to the Executive that, with a view to interesting our Band of Hope members in the scheme for increasing the membership, each Band of Hope keep an honours list of those who gain new members, those who gain the most members to have the highest places, and all members en the list to wear a simple badge." Carried unanimously.

COMPLIMENTARY. Votes of thanks to the Executive and to the Wesleyan Church trustees for the use of their rooms closed the Conference. EVENING GATHERING. The second evening entertainment of the Band of Hope Union was given last night in the City Hall to an immense audience, every part of the building being crowded to excess. The Mayor, Mr. W. Crowther, presided, and in opening tho proceedings made a few appropriate and effective remarks. The greater part of the programme was the same as on tho previous night, but several now items were introduced. Among these were a cleverly played pianoforte duet by two very small ladies—Miss Flossie Lewis and Miss Lizzie Buchanan—and amusing recitations, one in response to an encore, by another dot, Miss Lottie Perkins. The choruses and action songs were very creditably rendered, while a special feature was introduced into the dialogue, " King Alcohol," in the shape of a procession of some twenty children who had been admirably trained by Miss Walker. The entertainment fittingly closed with "God Save the Queen."

The Rev. G. D. Cox delivered an eloquent address during the evening. Ho spoke of the importance of the Band of Hope movement and the progress that had been made, and concluded by earnestly appealing for the assistance not only of the press, the pulpit, and tho platform, but also the aid of individual influence and example, the influence and example that parents could so effectually exert in their own homes. Mr. W. J. Macdermott also addressed the meeting, urging the necessity of activity on the part of temperance workers in view of the efforts to be made by publicans to secure an extension of tho time during which they kept their houses open. The President ok the Union (Mr. D. Goldie) took a favourable opportunity of presenting Mr. F. W. Greenwood, as representative of the Christian Standard Band of Hope, with a shield, as a trophy to that organisation for having won most prizes at the last Band of Home competition.