N. Z. ALLIANCE ANNUAL MEETING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 10 June 1901, Page 4

N. Z. ALLIANCE ANNUAL MEETING.

(pee press association.) *■ Auckland, This Day. At the afternoon session of the New Zealand Alliance, the Rev P. W. Isitt moved, “ That the Alliance cordially ac- . cepts the invitation given by the President of the British National Temperance Union Council to federate therewith, provided the Alliance shall remain unfettered in respect to its own platform and action/' The invitation was cordially accepted by a unanimous vote. The Rev. T. G. Hammond moved “ That this meeting congratulates the Young Maori Party on their successful initiation of a reform movement which aims at the social, intellectua, and religious advancement of their race, and pledges itself to do its utmost to aid them in preventing the destruction of their people by drink.” Mr. Hammond highly complimented the Government upon its recent native legislation, which he stated, was just what the temperance people required. He believed it was specially drafted to enable the Maoris to deal with some of the blackguardly Europeans who lived amongst them. The motion was carried unanimously,, also the following, submitted by Mr. Hammond -“This meeting also expresses its thankfulness to the Government for legislation, conferring power upon

Maori Committees to exclude drink from Maori meetings, and trusts that the law will hejentirely and impartially enforced

The next business was a series of resolutions protesting against the substitution of provincial for electorate district option, the bestowal of power upon the Colonial Secretary to reverse the local option vote, and the submission to the referendum of the duration of the term between the option polls. The following resolution was adopted —“The members of this meeting determine that they will endeavour to induce their fellow electors to vote at Parliamentary elections only for men of sterling character, irrespective of party, who may be trusted not to promote legislation which will lead to the degradation and destruction of the Maori, nor to withhold from election of the colony the right to deal as they please with the liquor traffic in all its branches.’’