TEMPERANCE CONFERENCE.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 156, 6 July 1877, Page 6

TEMPERANCE CONFERENCE.

A Conference on the Temperance question was held at Wellington on Monday evening, which was well attended. The Bishop of Wellington occupied the chair. Nearly all the clergy of the placo were present, besides a large number of infiuential chiseiis, including tlie Hon. the Premier. Tho following is the text of a petition which tlie Conference propose to adopt for presentation to Parliament :—

J he petition of the undersigned inhabitants of tlie Province of — : , respectfully showefch that in consideration of the acknowledged evils of intemperance, and tbe advanced sfcnfco of public opinion on matters of prohibition, no Licensing Act can meet the necessities of the case without clauses to the following effect, viz. :— 1. That all licensing districts shall as far as possiblo be bounded by the same boundaries as existing highway districts, boroughs, wards of boroughs, or othor already defined areas of not too groat dimensions. 2. That all licensing officers shall be elected by the ratepayers. 3. Tliat on requisition of 20 householders in the district, ifc shall be imperative, on tho chief magistrate or other authority of the district to .take votes by ballot of ail the adult residents in the district, in tho usual electoral manner, as to whether any license shall or shall not be granted. 4. In tlie case of two-thirds of tho actual votes givon being against tho granting of any license, no license shall be (-'ranted for tbe said district, nor shall any 'district under any circumstance be re-tested within a less period than three years.

0. lhat no licenses shall bom-anted unless the porson applying, for such shall, in addition to complying with all other requirements of tho law-, furnish the Clerk of the Court a memorial being m favour of such license being granted, signed by at least a majority of the ad ul fc residents' 3 iv the district in which the house for which the license is sought;.-! situate ; such memorial to be lodged ono month-- prior-: to 7th 6 • day. - appointed for the annual mooting of licensing . b_-_cors,V and to bo opened .tor. public inspection, and the* -ge»ume\;

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iioss of tho signature:, thereto to bo verified on oath in open (Joint.

0. That application, for licenses shall bn heard only at annual meetings of tho licensing officers. Your petitioners therefore pray that "tho law of Now Zealand may bo altered iv conformity with this .petition, and that your honorable House may bo pleased to pass au Act embodying tho aforesaid clauses in such manner as to give thorn full legal forco and effect.