Presbyterian General Assembly.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 243, 19 February 1894, Page 3

Presbyterian General Assembly.

[r-ER PRESS association ] l .inisTCHVBCH, February 18. The report of the Temperance Committee was submitted to the Presbyterian General Assembly on Saturday morning. After alluding to the prominence of the temperance question, it stated that during the past year there was an increase of £82,604 spent on alcoholic drink, the amount per head being £3 6s 7d, an increase of lOd per head of the population. Despite the increased expenditure, however, fewer persons had been arrested for drunkenness, while the New Zealand born as a rule had no general desire for the cup that intoxicates. Referring to the new Licensing Act the report states that instead of giving satisfaction to all it had only pleased the trade, while many of its clauses had given great umbrage, to the Temperance Party. Still it must be admitted that other clauses might be regarded as ou the whole favourable to temperance reform. In view of the Temperance Party not being* given an opportunity, by means of a session immediately after the general election, to get the obnoxious clauses repealed, it was recommended that the best of the present Act be made during the next three years, by using every legitimate means to secure a diminution of°thisevil. The report recommended that besides frequently bringing under the notice of church people the evil results from indulging in strong drink, a temperance sermon should be preached in November, and that encouragement be given to Juvenile Temperance Societies. The Rev. R. J. Allsworth, of Picton, was selected as tbe next Moderator.