TEMPRANCE REFORM LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12176, 23 January 1903, Page 5

TEMPRANCE REFORM LEAGUE.

: , [BY TELEGRAM.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ' GiSBORNE, -Thursday. The first general meeting of the Waiapu Temperance Reform League Was-held to-day, there being a large attendance. Mr. A. H. j Wallis presided, arid ifa opening the proceedings, said that tli% had been called .together to counteract what this prohibitionists had been doing in th& electorate. Those who had jbihed the. league were naturally not prohibitionists, 'ahd the idea that they.. should have ill view should be tb fbrrii something to counteract what the prohibitionists had s already done in reducing licenses, and prbbably taking away all licenses from the district. The programme of the league is as follows To vote and Work, against "prohibition" ahd " no-licCnse" fts at present provided bv law 5 (2) to Work and use our influence individually and collectively to get the licensihg laws of this.colony put on a better footing, So as to minimise the abuses emanating from liquor and its laws to the smallest degree possible j (3) to promote the general education of the community as to the use and abuse of liquor ) BJ to secure practical effect for th& proposals of the 1 league through legislation and Other means. The above programme was adopted, and rules were formed. Mr. W. D. Lysnar, who is the. promoter of the league, said the greatest opponents to their reforms would be the prohibitionists find prohibition nieinbers of Parliament, but ho thought that thejf could look for every, assistance from the trade: He hoped to See the league have a membership of from a thousand to fifteen hundred in Gisborne, arid that it would extend throiighbtit the colony. At present they Had a membership of over three hundred. A meeting is to be.held in a fortnight to receive the committee's report as to the proposed reforms.