Prohibition Council Executive.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 157, 5 January 1897, Page 2

Prohibition Council Executive.

(Wellington, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki) It is deemed desirable to issue to all temperance workers in our " division " a circular letter on the lines of the subjoined draft. Kindly suggest alterations or additions. It is important that districts which have polled well for "no license " should make known the chief factors which have contributed to their success. i Geo. Grant, I Secretary. J Palmerston North, 30th Dec , 1896. (Circular Letter.) Palmerston North, January, 1897. Fellow- workers. — The Executive for the Wellington, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki Prohibition Couuoil desires your consideration of the following statement : The recent licensing poll has proved that three sevenths of the voters of the colony desire the abolition of the liquor traffic. Iv five electorates -Marsden, Hawpra, Pahiatua, Bruce and Clutba — a majority vote for "no license " was cast. In other five electorates— Taranaki, Egmont, Patea, Waiapu and Waitaki — the minority of the " no license " vote was very small. There are at least 37 members of the aew House of Repre sentatives favorable to temperance reform legislation. A better result would have been recorded if our party had been more thorough and systematic in the enrolment of supporters and in bringing them to the poll. We also suffered great loss from the confusion of votes for candidates and on the licensing question. Publicans, brewers, and others interested in the liquor traffic made most strenuous and, in some instances, very nefarious efforts in self defence. In any case, they secured the support of thousands who would assent to tue abolition of drink, but who lacked conviction to vote against existing licenses. Our future lines of action must be— (l) Systematic house-to-house visitation by trained workers to diffuse temperance principles and enrol supporters ; (2) Hearty maintenance of existing organisations ; (3) Strengthening the W.C.T.U. forces ; (4) Securing young people who will be " of age " before next poll ; (5) Gaining more pledged abstain ers ; (6) Wide circulation of our literature ; (7) Judicious use of the press ; (8) To avoid offence to the " weak" the term " Abolition" should displace " Prohibition ; (9) The " in-all-seasons" ad vocacy of our principles in social intercourse. We must demand of Parliament, early in the first session. (1) The re-introduction of last year's Licensing Amendment Bill with (a) the removal of the "Reduction" question from the voting paper, (b) the separation of the Electoral and Licensing Polls, and (c) the simple majority to decide the issues ; (2) " Touting" by party-agents at polling booths to be made illegal ; (3) All revenue pertaining to the licensing of the Liquor Trade to be colonial and not local.