W.C.T.U. CONVENTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 464, 24 March 1909, Page 8

W.C.T.U. CONVENTION.

"THE DELUSIVE THREE-FIFTHS." A LIGHT ON THE LIQUOR BATTLE. At tho public meeting held last night in Vivian Street Baptist Church in connection with the W.C.T.U. Convention, Mrs. Colo presided, and a paper by Mr. M'Combs, of Christchurch, on "Tho Delusivo ThreeFifths," was read. In this the writer essayed to show how greatly tho No-Licenso party was handicapped by tho necessity of securing a three-fifths majority. He put tho matter in a light new to even tho most experienced of tho women present. Many an electorate, ho said, has been buoyed with tho hope that it only required 200 or 300 votes to win, and groat had been tho disappointment when, although the votes had increased, victory roomed very little nearer. ' To illustrate this position: Let them suppose an eltctorato in which tho liquor voto was 2200, rtitl the No-License vote 2300, making a total of valid votes of 4500, throe-fifths of which is 2700. It would appear that tho No-License party were just 400 votes short of winning, because the NoLicense votes are 2300, and three-fifths of the total is 2700. But if they como ■to fkuro it out they would find that if they added 400 new votes to the No-Licenso votes, they also increased tho total by 400 votes, and, instead of having to get tlireofifths of 4500, they had now to get throefifths of 4900, which was 2940, and consequently were still 240 short. But directly the 240 was polled there would again be a deficiency, and so on and on till in all 1000 now votes would have to be. polled to wipo out the original apparent deficiency of 400. All this presupposed that-- the Continuance vote did not increase, because, should the Continuance voto increase, then, in addition to tho above difficulties, every increase in the Continuance vote would liavo to be met in the proportion of 3 to 2. It must, he remembered in this connection that iho Continuance vote for the Dominion hac , always increased. This was a factor which they wore prone- to lose sight of. Their real gains at an election were not measured by the increase in the No-License vote, but by the net increase over the Continuance increase-. Furthermore, they must remember that, as three-fifths is SO per cent, more than two-fifths, they must add 50 per cent, to the Liquor column before estimating how far they were off final victory; and then tho Dominion columns for the last poll would stand at: No-License, 221,471 votes: Continuance, 289,232 votes; which showed the No-License party was G7,701£ votes short of final victory. At tho last poll tho number of valid votes increased by 26Jthousand; of these new votes tho No-License party polled over 22J-thousaud, and tho Liquor party scarcely 4-thousand. The figures stated thus, their net increase would appear to bo 185-thousand; but, becausethe three-fifths provision add 60 per cent. to the Liquor party's 4-thousand, their net apparent increase is really only 16J-thou-sand. But as tho,l6J-thpusand votes added to the total of valid votes, of which they had to get three-fifths, then throe-fifths of this 16}-thousand No-Licenso votes practically counted against itself, and their apparent net gain of 18J-thousand was whit* tied down to an effective gain of about 6> thousand.

At last poll they made an enormous in. crease in tho number of votes cast for NoLicense, but because of the three-fifths pro vision, rather than because of tho increase in the Continuance vote, their real position— , their effective voting position, as distinct from their apparent position—showed filial victory only a little over 6000 votes nearer consummation.

" Having pointed out," continued the lecturer, " that once the bare majority ia reached, three-fifths of each now No-license vote counts against itself, and only two-fifths of each new vote is effective in overcoming an apparent deficiency, I have given the key to and exposed tho delusive nature of tho three-fifths provision; but, before closing, might I bo permitted to touch on ono or two collateral aspects of tho threefifthe provision, and to give it as my opinionthat, if tho rate of progress as evidenced at tho last poll continues to bo maintained, It will take nearly forty years to get Dominiop No-Licenso under the three-fifths provision. If that increase be not maintained, and there is a diminishing rate of progress as we closo on tho inconvertible residuum, then final victory will bo postponed for half a century and more. If wo tako a rough calculation, and presuppose that wo gain six single electorates each poll, as we did last poll, then, as there are 64 tingle electorates still containing liquor bars, it would,- on this rough estimate, tako about 36 years to rid the land of drink.

._" It may be urged that tlie three-fifths will give stability to No-License when once we do got it. My own opinion is that it lias an entirely opposite effect, first, because of the danger to. which the movement is exposed through the long delay in its final consumnxtion tempting fclio people to say: "We miiM havo a speedier solution, State control, or something." Secondly, the disheartening o f the workers through hopes delayed. Third!), a.nd not least, if tho Liquor party had to fight for their very existence unprotected by tho three-fifths banner, they would have neither time, nor money to attack No-Licenso forte. They would be so busy on the defensive protecting their own forts that it would bo impossible and impolitic for them to aot on the offensive." The following resolution was moved :— "That this meeting protests against thoenormous handicap imposed upon the Temperance party throughout, the Dominion by, the do-' niand that they obtain a three-fifths majority vote to'ensure .victory, and urges that the -Government introduce legislation which will give the unfettered control of the- liquor traffic into the hands of the people. In. tho discussion that followed only one speaker opposed tho resolution, and that waa a delegate from Ashburtou, who was strongly in favour of tho three-fifths majority, because- No-License was held by tho saano majority. Tho resolution was carried with three dissentients.

The next subject, "Lessons from the Local Option Poll," was introduced by Misa Powell, H-ho, as an organiser for tho NoLiconse party at many elections, had had much experience. Sho told how difficult it was to get a roll purged before an election, and urged that the old system, of purging tho roll after each election should bo resumed. Other speakers supported her contention, and it was stated that the No-License party would not remain patient much longer. If they did not secure from this Parliament means for taking a fair poll, they would elect men who would give them what they wanted. GENERAL BUSINESS. ; Tho elcotion of officers for tho New Zealand Union was tho chief business transacted during-yesterday's sessions, and this was interrupted by an adjournment in the morning, when tho convention ns a whole waited upon the Minister for Education. Mrs. Colo whs re-elected president (unanimously), Misa Powell corresponding secretary, Mrs. Mitcheil recording secretary, and Mis. J. M'Combs treasurer. New Zealand superintendents were appointed as follow: —Evangelistic: Mrs. Upton, Wanganui; • Homo Meetings, Sister Moody Bell; Work Among Young People, Mrs. Spciico, Auckland; Scientific Temperance Miss Maunder, Hawera; Unferniented Wine, Mrs. Gaskin, Greymouth; Hygiene, Mrs. \V. S. Smith, Christchurch; Press, Miss Treversa, Ashlmr. ton; Mothers' Meetings, Mrs. Harlutt, Auckland; Bible in Schools, Miss N. Dewar, Auckland; Narcotics, Mrs. Siddels, Wanganiii; Work Among Seamen, Mrs. Whitby, Lyttelton; Peace and Arbitration, Mrs. Griffin, Hamilton; Literature, Mrs. Hushes, Auckland; Anti-Gambling, Mrs. Jemison, Tariki; Legal and Parliamentary, Mrs. 13 Lowq, Wellington; Prison Work, Miss John, ston, Auckland; Backbloeks Literature, .Mrs. Israel, Napier; Non-Alcoholic Treatmentoo f Disease, Mrs. Herbert Noalc, Napier; Agricultural Shows and Sports. Mrs. Howard, Timaru; Flower Mission, Miss Colo, Christchurch ; Good Citizenship, Mrs. Logan. Wai puUurau; Purity, Mrs. Webb, Oniiondvillo 1 Educational Meetings, Miss Powell, Otahuhuj Sabbath Observance, Mrs. Lill, Ashburtou.