NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24406, 18 September 1940, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE

ANNUAL MEETING Lieutenant-colonel F. W. Burton presided at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Alliance, held at Wellington, there being an attendance of about 40 delegates. The Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett was elected chairman, and the names of Mrs J. Hiett (Dunedin) and Mr Flemming (Auckland) were added to the list of vice-presidents. The same officers and executive were appointed, with the addition of Mrs Brewer. The following resolutions were carried: ' That special attention be drawn to the fact that the alliance urges that any restrictions in regard to liquor applied to the fighting forces shall be equally applied to civilians." " That the attention of the Government be drawn to the increase in convictions for the illegal sale of intoxicants to members of the Maori race." "• That in view of the need for the provision of other cool drinks than liquor in the canteens in the military camps, we urge upon the Government the desirability of providing equal facilities in the canteens for the sale of such drinks as are customarily sold at the city milk bars, and that if it prove impossible for such facilities to be provided in the existing accommodation, that permission bo granted to the church huts and/or the Y.M.C.A. to instal plant for the sale of these milk or fruit drinks." " That we ask the Government to arrange for educational lectures on personal hygiene to be given by experts to the men now in the military camps, and that included in such course of lectures be courses showing the harmful effects of alcohol on both body and mind." " That we organise a nation-wide petition embodying a request for the following regulations for the period of the,war and six months thereafter:—Reduction in alcoholic content of beer; reduction in hours of sale and the facilities for the sale of liquor: further restrictions on the importation of liquor: total restriction on sale, suply, and/or delivery of liquor to any person between the hours of (5 p.m. and 9 the next morning." " That we view with regret the doubt cast by defending counsel in several courts recently on the harmful effect of small quantities of liquor while driving. We draw the attention of the Government to, and ask for actio: along the lines of the report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the prevention of road accidents." " That no person other than a parent be allowed to supply intoxicating liquor to any male or female under the age of 21 years." "That in view of the "all-in policy of the Empire in the prosecution of the war this conference urges the Government to take such action as will lessen the present expenditure of £9,000.000 a year on alcoholic liquor." The Government was urged to institute compulsory scientific temperance education in all schools throughout the (country. , , . A motion that the Government be asked to reconsider the question of wet canteens in air camps was referred to the Incoming executive. The financial statement pointed out that the year had ended with only 18s Id credit but that there were, however, still 32 electorates which had contributed nothing for years. The levy returns to headquarters were £529, a considerable increase on previous years, and £126 had been saved on office salaries compared with last year. In addition to £2O for printing, there was £lB9 16s 4d for the New Zealand Temperance Society literature. Considerable discussion took place as to how finance and organisation, particularly in the electorates Where nothing was being done, might be improved.