PROHIBITION CONVENTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5311, 24 June 1904, Page 5

PROHIBITION CONVENTION.

MEETING IN CAMERA. RECORD OF THE PROCEEDIXQS. (From Our Special Reporter.) PALMERSTON, June 23. Tho tenth annual Prohibition Convention. representing tho Nonconformist Churches aiul temperance societies of Wellington, Hawko’s Bay and Taranaki was opened this morning, Mr Jns. b'hibbs (Palmerston) presided. The proceedings were taken in camera. A paper, principally against co-opera* live control of tho liquor traffic was road by Mr 0. Palk (Palmerston). Mr A. R. Atkinson (Wellington) read a paper on "Legislation Required/* He said if he wore Premier, with a threofhihs majority behind him, in both Houses, lio would introduce a Licensing Bill applying the democratic principle of majority i ulc to every issue, restoring to licensing committees' their discretionary power to reduce, preventing the increase of wholesale or wine licenses, rendering the clause against removals effective, and making tho transfer of licenses for tho purpose of ending endorsements illegal. Jlo moved—" That as tho result of tho decision of the Privy Council on the New.own case is that tho will of the people ns deliberately and honestly recorded by a three-fifths majority at the ballot-box: is liable to be defeated by technical irregularities duo to tho negligence of officials or to tho contrivance of the trade, this convcn- ' tion is of opinion that tho first duly of Parliament in the coming session is to amend the law so that no poll cau be’ upset except for substantial irregularities, proved to have affected the result. And wherever a poll is so declared void, new polls shall bo successively appointed until a valid poll has been secured.**—Tlio motion was carried. It was also resolved, on tho motion of the. Rev J, Jolly (Palmerston), “That in tho" opinion, of tho convention, tho chief provisions of tho Licensing Bill introduced by the Premier' lost session were absolutely uncalled for, undemocratic and unjust, and were tantamount to a total repeal of the powers of local option, which havo been exercised by tho people of this colony for tho last ten years; arid that th© unsatisfactory attitude of a largo section of tho Houso of Representatives towards the treacherous attempt to rob tho electors of their most f sacred rights makes it imperative that tho no-liecuso party should pay more attention to the selection and the testing of tho candidate, and should in all necessary cases run candidates of its own/*

In the afternoon the Rev J. Dawson, occupied tho chair. A paper was read by Mr G, 11. Maunder (New Plymouth) on the education of tho children on the liquor question.--It was agreed to recommend to tho executive of the’Now Zealand Alliance tho appointment of Messrs G. It. Maunder and F. Alley as joint secretaries for the promotion of temperance instruction in public 'schools, and that the Minister of Education be asked to amend tho syllabus of education by making hygieno and tho effects of alcohol compulsory subjects for all classes. A resolution was carried, expressing satisfaction at hearing that Mrs Harrison Leo purposes establishing a depot in New Zealand for Band of Hop© literature, etc., and recommending the Alliance executive and honorary secretaries to promote Hand of Hope work. It was resolved, on tho motion of Mr A. R. Atkinson. "That this convention is satisfied from tho evidence submitted to it that certain ballot papers in tho. Brooklyn polling booth of the Newtown electorate were altered by the crime of somo person or persons unknown, through tho striking out of tho proposal for noliceiiso between tho counting of tho votes on the day of tho poll and the recount; that tho Alliance executive bo urged to* take tho necessary steps to bring tbo matter before tho House of Representatives at the next session/ - ’ To-night a public meeting was held, there being a large attendance. Mr T. R/ Hodder presided. Addresses were given by Mr A. R. Atkinson, Revs F. AV. Isitt and J. Cocker. A resolution was passed protesting against tho action of the Manawatu Licensing Committee in granting a'wholesale license to a boardinghouse-keeper in Rougofea, notwithstanding the protests of a ninetenths majority of the residents of the district. It was also resolved that tho House of Representatives bo petitioned to make full inquiry into tho question of the care of the ballot papers taken by some of tho returning-officers at local option polls, and especially as to whether due care was token of such papers as were to be or were used in connection with the local option poll taken in the Newtown electorate on November 25th,