NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 455, 19 March 1890, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

Auckland, March 12. A rrßLic meeting was held last evening the Y.M.C.A. Rooms in connection with the anniversary of the New Zealand Alliance. There was a fair attendance, Mr E. Withy,M.H.R.,presiding. TheChnstian Standard Band of Hope choir was present., and under the leadership of Mr \\. H. Marson enlivened the proceedings with musical items, unaccompanied. On the platform were Sir William iox, Messrs.). 0. Carr, J. Newman, Cox, R. Neal, J. Waymouth, E. C. Carr, W. Shepherd Allen, , W. J. Speight, R. Monk, M.H.K., T. W. Clover, Revs. Percy Sniallfield and Simraonds. The choir sang “Hurrah for Sparkling Water,” after which Mr Withy made a few opening remarks. He explained that the Alliance did not wish bo close all public houses. All they wished to do was to get the sale of intoxicants prohibited. Their aim waa simply to give the people the power to deal with these houses as they pleased. It was purely democratic—ruling by the majority. He said that even the press of the colony and of England appeared to be nob fully enlightened upon the objects of the Alliance. Vote for Prohibition.— The Rev. J, H. Simmonds moved, “That this meeting pledges itself to support the Executive Committee, and to aid it in organising the electorates, through the auxiliaries in each district, so that at the next general election, which must take place at an early date, the principle of prohibition, by the vote of the people of the ballotbox, without compensation, may be, as far as possible, represented in the new Parliament.” Mr Simmonds said that he thoroughly agreed with the motion. There was evidence of a growth of public opinion in favour of temperance. He believed that there was a prohibition point somewhere ahead, and they should take heart and work towards that point. The hindrance was that an amount of capital had been invested in the apparatus for producing and vending liquor. If a few hundred were made richer by the liquor traffic, thousands were being made poorer. The day, however, was approaching when those thousands would wake up to their interests. (Hear, hear.) Mr R. Monk seconded the motion, and said that the liquor traffic was incompatible with the chaining of the spirit of evil. Controlling the traffic was, however, a difficult operation. Their feelings almost restricted them fr*m looking aright upon this dangerous traffic. It disguised the terrible evil it inflicted upon society, and was installed as the divinity of good fellowship. . Bub its seductive influences culminated in galling fetters. Even in this country nearly £3,000,000 worth of liquor was consumed, and what of the 50,000 who died annually through drink in London ? Everywhere could be found homes that had suffered from the consequence of the drink traffic. The support the liquor traffic received from those who wished to do right was really astonishing. No other traffic equalled this ono in baffling the sway of moral influences over mankind. When prohibition was universally adopted it would free more slaves than ever Abraham Lincoln freed by his edict, it would sooth more anguish than ever Howard did in the prisons. This was a plea for the people, that it should be made difficult for men to become incapable sots. Reform in the liquor traffic was in the air, and its aceomplishment was amongst the expectations of people now living. Still the mission must be conducted with the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the \ dove. It would require persistency, but he believed that the Almighty had given the order for the forward march, and there must be no falling back. They must go steadily forward —slowly, but like an irresistible tide.—The resolution was then adopted with acclamation. Repqrt.— Mr Glover reported upon the business transacted at the meeting already held on Monday night and Tuesday morning in connection with the anniversary of the Alliance. The amount promised by friends at the breakfast was £l7O 9s 4d. After paying everybody everything the Executive had £BS in hand before the £l7O was given. No Ccmfensatiox.— Mr W. Shepherd Allen moved, “That the House of ReproBentativeshaving, by resolution, decided imperatively that a Bill should be brought in by the Govern meat, withoutdelay, togivethe people in each licensing district the popular veto at the ballot-box, it remains only to secure that the exercise of such veto should not be made contingent on the payment of compensation to the proprietors or licensees of houses closed by. such veto. And this meeting is of opinion that the Alliance should use every effort to persuade members of the House, or candidates for seats, that any compensation so paid would be equally opposed to justice, expediency, and the practice for centuries of all countries in which I.censing laws have existed, with the solitary exception of the colony of Victoria, where it has proved unsatisfac tory.” Mr Allen said he thoroughly agreed with the popular idea of giving the right to the people to judge for themselves. He also agreed with the idea of no compensation. He- was glad to see that in this young colony the licensing laws • were in advance of the English system. He fully believed in the licensing power being entrusted to the The people could make or unmake Govern- , ruenbs, and as they bad that . power surely they might be entrusted with the power of saying whether or not a paltry drink shop should existi n a certain locality. He fully believed in trusting the people, and giving them the power of the popular veto. With regard to the question of compensation he must say that they.wanted to be just. The State merely issued the license to the publican for one year, and, as a raatter of fact, the State hacl the right to refuse to renew the license at the expiration of that year, and then what became of the claim for compensation 1 Tho State recognised the danger and evil of the liquor traffic, and therefore merely granted the license for twelve months, reserving the right to re-, fuse to renew that license. Five-and-twenty year 3 ago, when he was first elected to the House of Commons for the borpugh of ' Newcastle-under-Lyme, the United Kingdom Alliance persuaded him to become a member, and from that he developed into a total abstainer. Therefore he owed a debt of gratitude to the Alliance. With all his heart he wished the movement every .'success, and . was glad to see so many ladies there that night, Is he knew the immense influence they exercised: Here in New Zealand Providence seemed to have showered down every gsod gift, and lie felt bound to say that the people Seemed really industrious,, hardworking, frugal, and upright, more so perhaps than in any other colony of the Queen’s dominions. Their future was in their own hands, and they should avoid the mistakes of the mother land, and try to do away with the crime, poverty, and misery caused by the drink traffic. Do that and they had before them a grand future.

It would be a grand day for these islands when tho people had accepted the principles of the Alliance, and persuaded their representatives to do that which was right. —Mr W. J. Speightsecondedtheresolution, and said that they did not want the Local Option Bill if it carried with it a clause embodying the payment of compensation. The Executive must take care that compensation was not tacked on to the Local. Option Bill. Mr Speight spoke at length against the idea of paying compensation. The good of the people was the highest law, and if it was for the good of the people then let it be done. Every proposition of the Alliance was that the voice of the people should rule in all matters. Nothing should be done without the voice of the people. Compensation meant. “ Be- j cause you cease to practise \ ice we pay you to practise virtue.” (Applause.)— The resolution was then adopted, -after which the choir sang “ Prayer for the Drunkard,” in a manner that reflected credit on all concerned. Educate the Ratepayers. —The Rev. P. S. Smallffeld moved, “That in consideration of the fact that, in future, licensing elections will be triennial instead of annual as heretofore, this meeting hereby pledges itself, and earnestly recommends all friends of the Alliance in New Zealand to do their utmost in the better .education of ratepayers, especially by the distribution of literature on the question of prohibition, that it may become easy to return candidates on the Committees pledged to grant no licenses for tho sale of intoxicating liquors.” He said he would be brief, owing to the lateness of the hour. He said that at present the members of the Alliance were few in number, bub it was the day of small things, and a time would com when New Zealandwould be free from thee evils of the drink traffic. They must nob stay their hands or lag behind. There was a great reform before them, and they should try to carrv it out. He believed in the spread of literature on these great questions. In America, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ and other such publications had done much towards tho abolition of slavery. The children in the public schools were being taught tho laws of health, and he would like to see the Temperance text - book taught in the schools, for the children of to-day were the men and women of to-morrow. Nowadays people could not do without literature ; the newspapers were also educating the people, and, thanks to the press, the remarks of the speakers that uight would be distributed throughout the whole of Auckland. He considered the publichouses were a necessity, all they wanted was to restrict them from the sale of intoxicating liquor.—Mr E. C. Carr seconded the resolution. He considered that the triennial licensing system would either be a profound blessing or a great cur«e. If the publican secured three years’ good trade he could snap his fingers at them. Therefore it became them, to be careful as to the men whom they elected as their representatives. He considered that they could not as Christians stand side by side with men and give the right hand of fellowship to men who, like the publicans, could not ask the. blessing of tho Almighty upon their business. What they wanted was to educate public conscience so that it might influence public opinion, and thus make them irresistible at the next general election. This resolution was also adopted. The choir next sang, “ Rejoice, for the Day of Deliverance has Conic.” A vote of thanks was accorded to the choir on the motion of Sir William Fox.