NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 207, 26 May 1908, Page 7

NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT

\ « : 'applications,FOßENßOLM^NT. SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS 'BY MR. 'T. E f TAYLOR. ,'(3Y; TELmUPH^PnESS^ASSOCIATION.y' 1 t Ashburton, May 25 In-' the course of.;,conversation - with • a •fGuardian this morning, Mr.' Taylorfi'said 'tKat within tlie .laßt few ' weeks r & corisiderable, number of. applications : for enrolment had been-put into'the Registrars offica;of, one of the City of Christchurchelectorates,*.all of-which wore mado out in. : one-^handwritingj- and signatures to . all-of which" were; in the -of expert evi- . - denco'and";iofproof tothe contrary, signed by one porsoA—that is,-tunder different names, 1 j hut in thcr samo handwriting. '.' The occurrence naturally attracted the attention of. the . offidSals," Jsaid Mr. Taylor/ " ahd tho matter. < r has' been .referred to the Wellington; authorities, withr a request that instructions may be given'to'"the local-registrar to proceed "for ■ a breaehtoffthe-Electoral Act." - Mr. Tay- ■ lor added: "So far asr l can 1 ascertain; 1 the < matter is still under * consideration-m "Wel- .-. lington. I beliovo I ,am.- right in saying '' that-all of-these applications for-enrolment were - witnessed by a 'publican. \We have . go often suspected-corruption m electoral . rolls : : that.:action ,in ;.this [matter is of vital •importance to us' at'this _ v stage'' of j.thb.'. campaign, /and 'we intend:.-,; if.possible, to see that ..the! Government' snail take prompt and , tliorough-iaction'.tovdeal with tho matter. . if tho* No-License party wero -suspected of , ' similar; njisconduct--the.-;,whfcle of the liquor ." interest.? .in ; ,thq; Dommion. /wpuld: demand prompt and vigorous^punishmsnt.' 1 < ' 1 A MASS ■' MEETING. A'Nq-Ljcenso ! mass meeting held -to-night '■ ■ was • olio; of the largest land most enthusias- ; -• tioigathermgs.ever-held m; Ashburton. ,Tho. . Mayor presidcdj;.and .was, supported .'by the ,j ; . Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist; and -Bap- < .. <tist clergymen of-the .county and: of Gelral- ] . ; - i dine J ..ojifl; -prominent'; workers. Mr. , Atkin- v son spoke for nearly an hour and Mr. Taylor j for an hour • and .-a half, and- at the contusion , the following motions were carried j unanimously: —(l) •'That this i re-' j ' cognising \thoj .substantial .benefits . accruing { in " ovqn restricted areas, { unanimously'jdfemands from Parliament the j powet'of/colonial option by a bare majority." (2)) ','That. rpcognisirig the iiiimenso, benefit ' conforjed'upon this.district by six years' No- - . License,; in/Vreduction-! of drunkenness and crime/'and, promotion of domestic happiness, ,? pubjie,.decency, and material prosperity, and i . undeterred by.outrageous misrepresentations -1 of ./patent facts which. have . been made by i advocates' of tho liquor traffic with a'view to'/ : j . securing, the restoration of licenses, . this 1 . public "meeting of Selectors: of. Ashburton ex-. presses its determination,to use every legiti-. mate 'effort to secure 1 tho. carrying '.of the poll .1 against; restoration and to extinguish the six !s JiceiistSa/recently; added to. the electorate." I