District Meeting of I.O.G.T., at Palmerston North.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 46, 22 August 1895, Page 2

District Meeting of 1.0. G.T., at Palmerston North.

J \ The members of the various Lodges ■ in the Palmerston district held their usual quarterly meeting at Palmerston 1 yesterday. The following officers were ! present — Rev. Bro. J. Cocker, D.C.T. ; 1 Bro. J. Merrett, Dis. Couns. ; Sister M. ; Relf, D.V.T. : Rev. Bro. G. Grindley, Dis. Chap. ; Bro. F. Pidgeon, Dis. Sec. ; Bro. H. Ransom, D.A. Sec; Bro. J. J. Good, S.J.T.; Bro. E. Westwood, Treas. ; Bro. F. Bray, Dis. Mar. ; Sis. J. Good, D.D.M. ; Bro. J- Morris, D. Guard ; Bro. V. C. Ransom, P.D.C.T. The meeting was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, and 100 representatives and members were present from nearly all the Lodges in th<s district. The District Degree was conferred on twenty-eight members. It was found that the Lodges in each district had increased the number of membership by thirtythree, exclusive of two Lodges, Birmingham and Rangiwahia, that have lately been inaugurated. A committee was formed to arrange for a Convention, which will likely be held in the beginning of the next year. The following resolutions were passed in the District Lodge : — -' Tbis District Lodge of 1.0. G.T. appeals to the Ministry and Parliament, in view of the fact that nearly all the existing railway licenses expire at tho end of -this year, to enact that all such licenses shall be abolished as was proposed in the Government Bill of last session." " This District Lodge appeals to Parliament to enact that scientific temperance 3ball be a compulsory subject in the public school syllabus." " That the G.C.T., Bro. Adams, be invited to the next District Meeting or Convention, and the District Lodge Executive make some provision to pay his actual travelling expenses." The next District Meeting is to be held at Levin on the third Wednesday in November. It was also reported by our Bush Pioneer, Bro. Dick, of Apiti, of a Lodgo being opened at Birmingham and Rangiwahia, and that these Lodges are prospering phenomenally and bid fair to be among the largest in the district. The visitors were splendidly entertained during the day by members of the Palmerston Lodge. In the evening a large cortege of Templars, headed by the Salvation Army Band, marched through tho Square, to the Army Barracks to hold the public meeting. Mr J. Stubbs presided, and after a hymn being snng, gave some very interesting remarks, and read apologies from Sir R. Stout, Mr F. Pirani M's.H.R. and Mr Carson for their not being able to attend the publio meeting. The Rev Walker, Organising Agont and Lecturer of the New Zealand Alliance, gave a very interesting address, wbich was of a very instructive nature. Rev T. Willis, of Ormondville, Anglican Minister, then addressed the meeting, and inculcated that every soldier in the Temperance Army should march manfully on. He also read some very interesting statistics from Prohibition States in America. Rev Mr Wrigley, of Woodville, then addressed the meeting, his remarks were based chiefly on the rising generations, who were being trained in tbe principles Of Temperance, and who when they had the power to vote would eventually destroy the giant. Rev J. Cocker, of Feilding, then spoke in a terse and concise manner. He said tbat some people were of opinion that the number of the Temperance Army was diminishing ; but, he said, although they were not making much noise, tbey were silently educating the people, and quoted reasons why he thought their numbers were augmenting. Mr Geo. Grant, of Palmerston, ended the meeting by giving a splendid account of the work being done by tho Temperance people ; and, as an example, referred the public to tbe vast number of recruits who occupied the stage. It was resolved : That this meeting appeals to Parliament to so amend the Alcholic Liquor Sale Control Act Amendment Bill as tbat : (a) Either direct prohibition votes and reduction votes shall be cumulative, or a vote shall be given for or against any one, two or three of the four proposals submitted ; (b) Where reduction is carried the minimum shall be 25 per cent ; (c) No increase of the present number of licen- : ses in the colony shall be lawful ; (d) It | shall be unlawful to remove any license from auy one site to any other ; (c) Railway licenses shall be abolished ; (f) Public houses shall be closed on election days. That the member for the district be asked to do his utmost in tho House to give these proposals effect.