DIRECT VETO CONVENTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2526, 8 July 1893, Page 2

DIRECT VETO CONVENTION.

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union entertained the Direct Veto Convention at a breakfast at Wellington on Wednesday morning. Mr E. Wither, of Auckland, presided. Among those present were the Rev. F. W. Isitt, Messrs Saunders, Harkness, Meredith, and McLean, M.H.R’s., and Madame An. toinette Stirling. After breakfast the chairman referred to the loss the temperance cause had sustained in the death of Sir William Fox, and moved “ That this Convention desires to place on record their high appreciation of the noble life-work of the late Sir William Fox, and his valuable service to the cause of temperance reform.” Mr 0. M. Luke of Wellington, in seconding the resolution, feelingly- alluded to the deaths of Sir H. Atkinson and Mr Ballance, and testified hia high appreciation of their work, and that of Sir William Fox. The motion was then passed, the whole assemblage standing and engaging in silent prayer. The Rev. Mr Walker, organising secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, next spoke, saying that they did not intend to rest until the Direct Veto Bill now in the House had been passed. They felt hopeful because public opinion had very greatly changed during recent years and even months, and it was astonishing how the movement had progressed in the House during the last few mouths. Addresses were also given by the Rev. Mr Isitt and Mr Harkness. It was decided that a deputation, consisting of delegates and others, should interview the Premier on temperance matters.

At the afternoon sitting, Mr A. R. Atkinson read a paper on the “Inefficiency of all licensing regulations,” and Mr A. Adams read a paper prepared by Mr J. W. Jago, Dunedin, on the “Influence of the liquor traffic ou the moral and material interests of New Zealand.”

On Thursday Mr H. D. Bell, the Mayor oE Wellington, read a paper on “ The right of the people to the direct veto without compensation.” The Rev. Mr Walker read a paper on “Prohibition and public revena At the close of the of the discussion on these papers, the following resolutions were adopted :—“ That in the opinion of this Convention (1) greater moral injury and material loss are inflicted on this colony by the traffic in intoxicating liquors than by any other cause. (S 3) The universal experience of the last four centuries demonstrates that systems for the regulation of the liquor traffic have entirely failed. (3) Both the commonwealth and public exchequer would be enriched by the suppression of the liquor traffic, and under any circumstances it is morally wrong to maintain what ia publicly injurious, for the sake of deriving revenue from it. (4) It would be a gross wrong to the people to create by new legislation any claim which the existing law does not recognise for compensation for non-renewal of license. (5) The right of direct veto on the questiau of the continuance yf the liquor traffic ought to be at once granted to the people,”