NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

Southland Times, Issue 20228, 13 July 1927, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

RALLY AT GORE. FIELD SECRETARY SPEAKS. A campaign meeting of all those interested in the prohibition movement was held in Milne’s Tea Rooms, Gore, on Monday evening, when there was a moderate attendance present. Mr. Joseph Hunter occupied the chair, and briefly introduced Mr. H. Grinstead, Field Secretary, who, he said, had gone from one end of New Zealand to the other in the cause of the New Zealand Alliance. Mr. Hunter also introduced Mr. F. Woodfield, who with Mr L. G. Bradley had attended the annual meeting, at Wellington on behalf of Southland members. Mr Woodfield, a youthful worker in the cause, had done very well. Southland's quota to clear the debt of the Alliance amounted to £173, and he trusted that each district would pay up at the rate of 3/- per head for each supporter of the movement, when pot only would the debt be liquidated but there would also be a surplus on hand. Mr. Woodfield then gave a lengthy resume of the work of the annual conference in Wellington. Mr. Bradley also addressed the meeting, and then called upon Mr H. Grinstead to speak on the legislative demands of the New Zealand Alliance.

Mr. Grinstead stated that he hoped Mr. Coates would prove the leader Mr Massey had been. Mr. Massey had put through the 6 o’clock closing measure and had taken all credit for it, and there was little fear but that the two-issue ballot would go through in the same way, as the Alliance had seven members of Cabinet and 44 members of the House of Representatives in favour of the two-issue paper. State purchase was a dishonest issue put in to hoodwink the electors, and no one dreamt that it would be carried. All that the Alliance asked for was a fair field and no favour, with a straight-out vote on a twoissue basis. Control was the reason for prohibition’s failure at the polls. The liquor people were beginning to realise that the Alliance was on the job, and the latter body had also realised that it was far better to have 15 men at work for its cause w'ho knew and loved their jobs for it was only by organisation that prohibition wpuld get anywhere. The educational work among the children was good, and the teachers by a pronouncement through their institute were in favour of the Alliance’s work. Continuing, Mr Grinstead stated that should prohibition be carried, the Alliance strongly objected to the extension of the time to four years when it should come into effect. There was a majority in the House who would see that no such extension was granted. The two-issue ballot paper was the issue in demand, and it was only by becoming an organised force in the Dominion that the Alliance could win through. They had 320,000 supporters at present out to abolish the liquor traffic. Looking back, he had found that five votes in every 100 favoured prohibition at the first poll, 10 favoured it in every 100 at the nevt poll, 20 in 100 at the next, 30 at the next, and 40 in the 100 at the last poll. At the present time in spite of propaganda disseminated throughout the country by the liquor traffic, the voting power of the Alliance stood at 484 per cent., and this with a three-issue ballot paper. Prohibition looked forward with hope and courage to the future. At the conclusion of his address Mr Grinstead was greeted with applause, and he answered several questions satisfactorily. Mr. A. Speden moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker for his interesting address, which was carried by acclamation. A social hour was then spent, and an enjoyable supper dispensed.