AUCKLAND PROHIBITION LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10921, 28 November 1898, Page 7

AUCKLAND PROHIBITION LEAGUE.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Prohibition and Temperance League, was held in the Pitt-street Wesleyan schoolroom, on Friday evening last. About 60 members were peseut. The Rev. W J. Williams, president of the league presided. ■ Owing to the secretary's absence, through ' illness, the report of the year's work was read by Mr. R. French. The report referred to the visit of Mr. W. H. Judkins, secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, and Mr. R. French, chairman of the league, to the ffaikato, where they found " a growing consensus of opinion on the advisability of maintaining prohibition in the King Country. The recommendations of the Police Commission, on the same subject, were refed to, and tho report proceeded, that "the prohibitionists throughout the colony should be nerved to urge the Government to ; jive practical effect to these suggestions, and to secure to the Maori people the strict prohibition of the liquor traffic in their territory." Detailed reference was made in the report, to the sitting of the Police Commission in Auckland, the action of the Commission in excluding evidence bearing on matters prior to the appointment of the Commission being condemned, as the effect was to shut out some important evidence. In connection with the Commission the report proceeds : "Your committee wish to point out the gross injustice the Government inflicted upon the Prohibition party in compelling them to act 8 public prosecutors, and then placing obstacles in their way. In our opinion the Cortduct of the Clovernment over this inquiry Bents the strongest condemnation, especi- % in the refusal of the Premier and the Minister for Justice to give evidence before ™ Commission, and subsequently in predating the discussion of the report in the House of Representatives, in ignoring the recommendations of the Commissioners, and W giving Commissioner Tunbridge that freedom of action necessary for tho correcnon of proved abuses." The steps taken in TO crusade .against the proposed Exhibition tense were related, and regret expressed that the matter had not been finally disposed I Reference was made to " the attempts 0 force licenses into Penrose and Mount ~1 "I, which illustrates, among other m s, the folly of large licensing districts or 'be purpose of popular control. The ®®e remarks apply to Opitonui, and possibly ,| r districts. The underhand, dishonour's manner by which eleven o'clock licenses ere obtained. also gives ground for the ® e complaint." The routine work of the rtTj referred to ''1 detail, and it was kikv l ' lat I<l adequately conduct the proon crusade the league would require secretary wholly set apart for the work, •fr. S. C. Brown, treasurer, read the finan--4 report, which showed that the receipts ™ the year were £108 Is lid, and tho cxW'ture £106. n '' ow ell gave a, report of her six Ob 1. visitati °'< work. A hearty vote of j', on the motion of Mr. Peckover, |?' J, b .y r ' >cc h, and supported by tho PnL .r I- Keecroft, was passed to Miss i., . ' f° r her work, and the address she l' us ' given, Ie J 18 '"""wing officers were unanimously l,j„ j ' an d their past services acknow2r~?resident, Rev. W. J. Williams; 0 ? an . Mr. R. French ; treasurer, Mr. S. The vice-presidents elected, lerf r?.^ ev - H. Kelly. M.A., Messrs. Shepfiirrf ?' Hosking, J. Coupland, Hv. Bull ' an i Joshua Robinson. Pastor T. J. the' ac ,. n 8 to the unanimous request of tarr'n®' acce l?i the position of seoreoftb t> follo «'ing were elected members Vool! ?. ecu 'i ve : —Miss Brown, and Mrs. IP Messrs. Geo. Aldridge, C. G. Hill, tiiotf'T m and ' A ' Th °™. W. J. MacderJ Li' W ' Carr > Kerr, E. 0. Saunders, liuldnon T « Cale y, Wilfrid Cooper, J. H. Scott w' i Bathgate, J. C. Morton, H. pickery' kinsol1 > H. C. Haselden, and J.