NO-LICENSE PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 853, 27 June 1910, Page 8

NO-LICENSE PARTY.

—-$ , CAMPAICN PLANS. CONVENTION'S FINAL BUSINESS. The genera! feeling of those, attending the. Dominion Convention of the New Zealand Alliance for the Suppression of the Liquor Traffic seems to be one of satisfaction, inasmuch as, notwithstanding that one of the knottiest problems over faced 'by a tompcranco convention had had to bo dealt with, yot complete unity has been preserved. The official report of the proceedings states that it was resolved to invito Dr. Henry, tlie American evangelist, to visit the Dominion three months before the next general election, Mr. and Sirs. Potts to accompany him if possible. In view of the anticipated v-.'fiit of the Rev. It. S. Gray, of Ghrietchurok, to the United States to attend the Baptist "World Conference, the convention requested him to gather all the very latest information available in the Prohibition States, such information to be for use at the next general election, before which be will return to Now Zealand. Votes of thanks to the officers of tho illiauee, various helpers .hi the convention, and combined "choir were pa-sscd with acclamation. It was decided to hold tho next convention in Wellington, the date to be fixed by the AUia.uce Executive. The following wore elected as members of the executive:—ltevs. A. Dewd•ncv, W. Comrie, T. Fee, J. J. North, Col.' Kniglrt, Messrs. A. R. Atkinson, :A. J. Bennett, H. Hart, J. W. Brown, it. Denton, J. M'Leigb, A. Hoby, W. J. Helver, H. N. Holmes, J..8. Einlay, !]3. Lowe, J. Nichol, and Jordan, Mr. Wesley Spragg, tho president of the Alliance for the ensuing year, having to leave by express for Auckland, 'it was decided, as a graceful tribute, to •ask him to close the convention before : iho left. This ho did at 11.4-5. THE FINAL MEETING. SPEECH BY MB, POOLE, M.P. Tlie final meeting in connection with the convention was a thanksgiving service in the municipal concert chamber jast night. Tlie preceding services at many of the city and suburban churches had 'been signalised by references to tlie No-Licenso movement, special services being preached by convention delegates [rom different parts of the Dominion "and by the local ministers. At the evening meeting, tho Rev. A. Oewduey presided, and was supported ay other ministers and No-Licenso leaders. The united choir, which was gathered by tho Henry-Potts mission, assisted in the singing. Tho Rev. T. J'ee offered prayer. The chairman said that after attending the sittings of the convention, he felt confident that there was no party in tho land that would be able to resist the accumulated force which would drivo to a successful issue the policy that tho convention had endorsed. Mrs. Cole, of C'hristehurch, president of the W.C.T.TJ., expressed thankfulness that the children in the Now Zealand schools were in future to receive mstructioh on the effects of alcohol. To such instruction, the 'victories of Prohibition in America were largely due. She would ask parents to see that tho ieacbing was actually and efficiently given. The deletion of the canteen ■clause from tho Defence Act of last •year was also a cause for great thankfulness, aud showed the power of public opinion. The abolition of the licenses in the King Country, to take effect next Thursday, was referred to by tho speaker in similar terms. She also alluded- to the, spread of tho W.C.T.TJ. among the Maori women, aud urged all present to become active workers for the cause. > The Rev. J. Jackson, of Southbridgo, 'delivered an earnest address, enlivened with touches of humour. Mr.-C. 11. Poole, M.P., in the course ■of his address, said the liquor trade iiad influenced some of the churches in the direction of silence and connivance, but the time had come when tho people of the churches must cry to the liquor traflic, "Hands off!" Thp Church would then receive more sympathy from the community and fill its position in tho world to better adiipntage and would lead the forces of virtue and morality to permanent success. Jf only the No-License cause had the co-operation of all branches of the .Church in tlie Dominion, the liquor tratific would not attempt to dominate and intimidate. Parliament, still less the church-life of tho community. The ■speaker alluded to New South Wales prison' records and the reports of Dr. Truby King and others as showing that alcohol was the principal" cause of crime and insanity. If he had his way ho would send tho people who were responsible for the liquor traffic to Pakatoa Island And let the inebriates who wero confined thore go back to their ihomes. Ho did not believe the country was getting a fair percentage of cures for the expenditure thero. "Lloyd's Weekly" had published a condemnation of the British Act under which inebriates were put away, and had stated that nearly 70 per cent, afterwards became as bad as "ever, some of them appearing in the courts on the day after 'their release. That sort of thing would not do. Dealing with anti-prohibition arguments based on the occurrence of illicit trade, Mr. poalo said he had it on good authority that in some out-of-the-way rarnors of the Southern States of America the negroes had never heard •of emancipation, and were still in •slavery. Yet who would, for that reason, say that slavery should be reSlimed ? The Rev. J. Dawson said that a friend of his who had been to Waihi, ■where No-Licenso was carried at the last poll, had visited tho police cells there and had found them emptv of prisoners, hut occupied with a quantity of liquor which had been seized by tlie police in a sly-grog raid. Thus the police cells in No-License districts would for a timo ■florvo a useful purpfee.