NO-LICENSE LEAGUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2159, 7 April 1908, Page 2

NO-LICENSE LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETING

Tho annual meeting of the Gisborne Xo-Liconso League was hold m Andrew's Schoolroom Inst « Hie Pre«idont( itov. fi. W. Clwtter ■°Tl)er r o was 1 only a moderate attendee©, tho wot weather probably pre-,-onting many people interested m the league from being present. The treasurer (Mr. D. Morice) read ho annual bakincc-slieot winch bowed that tho receipts for tlio year rcre £303 Is (id, and tho exnondituic f cog Qg 7(J. Tho balance-sheet, which, was con.idered very satisfactory, was adoptedj’ho treasurer stated that £249 was required to make up the dd erence letwcen assets and liabilities for the mesont year, but ho anticipated lie ulliculty in raising tho amount. Tho chairman said there was no sec.otary’s report, as Miss Burgess, the present secretary, had only held office .or a few months. Since the last annual meeting, regular meetings of the .joague had been hold, and ciitliusiism m the work had not been lacking, the League had fought against the granting of tho charter to the Cosmopolitan Club, and lie hoped tho circumstances would be remembered ax ho next election. Miss Murcott had /isited Gisborne, and helped to .spread lie work. The League had engaged Jr. G. S. Kerr as organising workei .or the electorate, and ho wished to .under him a warm welcomo to Gisjorne. 'The loss of Mr. Long as sec•etary had been greatly felt, and his issistance in tho work was fully apireciated. The coming fight was likoy to lie tho most important in the history of tho League, and lie fell hat success was looming in the dis.ance. Tho constant number of un.ortunates who camo before the courts .aado it desirablo that tho hotels hould close rather than that tho town ihoukl earn such unenviable notori Ay. Visitors asked, “What is tin natter with Gisborne?” and looker upon the drunkenness as a reproach .lie success of no-license in Xnvercargil, Oamaru, and other places bat )een sufficient 'to convince the mosf .ceptical, and as years went on be . loped the results would be more pronounced. Ho felt they were getting near victory in Gisborne, and hard, veil-organised work was necessary. The following officers were elected : President, Rev. F. W. Cliatterton (reelected); vice-presidents, Mesrs Granun and Somervell, and all ministers if religion, including the captain of die Salvation Army, who are in sympathy with tho movement; treasurer, Mr. D. Morice; executive, Messrs McLeod, Slack, Stafford, Koliere. Grubb, F. Morice, and East, Misf Morice and Mrs. Graham.

The Rev. W. Lamb said that considering the wet night he was glad to ice so many present. As a strangei .io had been deeply impressed by the interest of the Gisborne people in the no-license movement. The question was already awakening interest, and many were getting ready for a. fight, tie had been working for a long time in tho cause, and had labored in Ashburton prior to the carrying of the poll there, but lie then looked upon no-license as an ideal, more than a work to bo accomplished. He now fully believed that no-license would, within a few years, ho general throughout New Zealand. No-licenso had come to stay, and ho looked upon it as the best reform that could overtake the country. The work needed tho enthusiasm, concentration, and whole devoted effort of every temperance worker in Gisborne.

On the motion of Mr. Stafford, a voto of thanks were returned to Mr. Cliatterton and the retiring officers ior their work during the past year. Dr. Wi Repa, in a brief address, said he was pleased to be in Gisborne again, and to find the people as enthusiastic in the causo as they had been in past years. He had been asked to express his opinion on alcohol as a medical man, hut would rather give his opinion as a private citizen. For certain reasons ho could not gi.ve an authoritative opinion from a proxes sional standpoint. Tho medical profession knew as well as any other profession that liquor was not good, but tho doctors always took sides when an election was at hand. It was not wise to quote the opinions of individual doctors. Tho public saw tho effects of drink upon its victims, and that should bo sufficient for pushing no-’ license in Gisborne. A large number of victims of alcohol liad come under fils treatment, and he always looked upon it as oiio of the most deadly poisons, while other doctors had elevated it- to the place of a daily food. It had been disputed that no-license was a- cure for all the social evils; but his experience had convinced him that it was the only reform that would remedy the social evils of the people as a whole. He was convinced that alcohol was doing a great deal of physical and economic harm among tho -Maoris, and believed the temptation should be removed. If this was done, there would be far more unity among tho two peoples of tho Dominion.

Mr. Koliere said that during the past four months lie had noticed a great industrial movement among the natives of the East Coast-, and how tho people were improving their social condition and bringing their land into use. Still there was a stumbling block among them in, the shape oi drink, and many of the best farmers were drunkards. Many educated Maoris had fallen victims to the curse, and led other natives into bad habits. He would like to see all hotels removed from among the Maoris. lie moved: “That this meeting strongly urges the Government, in justice to the Maori race, to extend the principle of local option, so that if in any Maori electorate a majority of voters are in favor of no-license, it shall be illegal for them to be supplied with drink in that area, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the Hon. J. Carroll.” Mr. J. Somervell seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Kerr, organising worker to the League, also spoke. A number of students from Te Ran College contributed musical items, and refreshments were served by the ladies.