NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22325, 27 July 1934, Page 15

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

ANNUAL CONVENTION THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.; , (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 26. In his presidential address at the anfiual meeting of the New Zealand Alliwhich was opened here to-day, the Rev. J. E. Blanchard said that the outstanding event in the past year had been the repeal of the eighteenth amendment in the U.S.A., and the return of legalised liquor. It had been claimed that a revenue, of £120,000,000 per annum would be obtained,, but neither, this nor any other promise made by the advocates of repeal was being fulfilled. There had been deplorable increases in drunkenness, and startling increases in fatalities due to intoxicated drivers. A special, grant of £2,200,000 was. to be issued to try. to put down bootlegging, and seven new coastguard vessels, costing £2,300,000, were to be built to combat rum-running, Crogressmen had denounced the increase in the production of poisonous whisky, and there were complaints of a 10 per cent, increase in income tax and of the repressive effect of heavy taxation on all-' enterprises. There - had been a public outcry against drunken orgies by high school boys and girls in saloons, and an appeal had been made for a campaign by temperance organisations to arouse public opinion and compel drastic action. Several localities which had voted in favour of repeal had since voted again, some four' to one, against saloons iu their localities. There were 21 Slates which still had their State prohibition laws not affected by the repeal of national pro. hibition. Repeal of the eighteenth amendment ended an episode only. It bad not solved the liquor problem in the U.S.A. nor terminated the conflict. . Despite the reduction iu New Zealand s drink bill, drunkenness convictions accounted for over 31, per cent, of distinct convictions in arrest cases, and every sixth conviction for drunkenness involved conviction for some other offence committed at the same time. Drinking at dances continued to cause concern to ; public authorities. The Alliance had noted with pleasure the effective action of the police in a number of cases concerning.liquor at cabarets and clubs. An aroused public conscience was needed to ensure the fullest co-operation with tbe authorities to help check an evil which, whilst, happily not condoned by the majority, was a grave menace to wholesome social pleasure.

Interested persons were seeking to create. sentiment in favour of removing licenses that were no longer necessary for the accommodation of the travelling public to places where they could do more business. Some would have them believe that large numbers of tourists were travelling about the world looking for places where they could get alcoholic liquor,' and that New Zealand’s peerless scenic resources would fail to charm unless seen through alcoholic haze. Licensed hotels were not necesasry to the well-being or prosperity of any district. That a licensed hotel, was not required for. the convenience of the travelling public was a valid legal objection to the renewal of the license, and such redundant .licenses should not be renewed. It was generally admitted that there was a large amount of after, hours’ trading—virtual bootlegging—going on in many of the licensed hotels in New Zealand. The evil was not confined .to small hotels. The 6 o’clock closing law had .done great good, but its beneficial, effects were being nullified by widespread illegal trading which ought to be checked. Happly, they had cause for hope, from the complaint of the liquor interests in an effort to induce young men to cultivate the beer-drinking habit. An effort was to be made to get well-known athletes to.allow their pictures to be, used in; association with liquor advertising. Safety on the , roads and in the air demanded total abstinence ‘ from alcoholic liquor. Pre-eminence in sport demanded abstinence, and the tremendous nervous pressure of modern; life made abstinence from alcohol the wisest course. The liquor interests should not be permitted to do anything tending to create the craving i.. those wlio did not use alcolohlic liquor. The doom of alcohol as a beverage was writ large in all the circumstances of modern life. A motion was carried reaffirming the alliance’s opposition to any redistribution of hotel licenses and expressing the firm conviction that redundant licenses should not be renewed.

It was decided to urge upon the Government'that the consumption of intoxicating ■ liquor by any person in charge of a motor car-be deerried an; offence; -that hotels should have only one bar and that this should be ,the, only place from which liquor can be supplied;' and that golf, bowling, ■ and similar clubs and all cabarets and dance -halls should' be subject to inspection in the same manner as licensed premises with a view to eliminating the illegal sale and consumption of liquor. The.meeting also urged that it be an offeried for any, person other than parents or . legal guardians to offer intoxicating liquor-to a person under 21 years of age. Mr Blanchard .. was unanimously reelected president. All the vice-presidents were re-elected, and ‘ the following were elected' members of the Standing Committee:—Messrs T. C. Brash, F. W. Burton, Rev. S. J. Campbell. C. R. Edmond. F. A. Feist, Sir William Hunt. A. H. Ivory, Misses C. E. Kirk, and M. MfLean, Messrs R. S. Maunder, S. T. Martin, the Rev. H. J. : Odell; H. E. Pacey, Mrs N.. Peryman, the Rev. W. Brarawell-Scott. Messrs N. R. Seddon, F C. Snratt, G. L. - Stewart, T. B. Strong, the Rev. A, G. Saunders, and Mr B. H. Wood. Mr A. H. Ivory was re-elected treasurer.