AUCKLAND CITIZEN'S LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 35, 10 February 1909, Page 9

AUCKLAND CITIZEN'S LEAGUE.

EDUCATION. "IN PUBLIC MATtSBSs ENTHUSIAST!© AND ACTIVE ; "' s: ; --.-P»Q«)iSMJS. - A : largely. Atteaded;-public- meeting under the-, auspices- of-; the recently f organised' Auckland Citizens' IJeague was :: held at ..the, Eederat\HaU..last evening;" ..Mr. C. Murdoch.being.XQted..to 'tiie chair, the gathering including a number of well-known, citizens.> : > .- - '■.■•■■■ •■■ The' Chairmen explained-.« that the" leagues had *risen. from the informal' meeting.. ;of-four or, .five,, gentleni'en,'. • which resulted, in ;a.vmeeting..a. jfprtnight back, at which, several.-hundred .cjtizene weTe present. A committee of 18; had been set up, which, was now working for the following ... '•''». To endeavour to organise throughout the City of Auckland-the huge unorganised section of its citizenship 'whose views and opinions - *are Tiot "reflected by .tie, ■ motives'' and l objects- of :*ny institution, with a. view to: (a) Creating a healthy and rational public opinion in all matters of a so- ■ cial, commercial, and industrial character. "•' '■■'"', ' : "" '" '• i : . (b\ Inspiringr citizens with ,-a; true and spirited; sense.'of citizenship. ;' : ' t' : '(e\. IndSicing broaci-mittdei men of . integrity' and ability to "contest ,all public positions. ~ ; (d) Counteracting as far ag possible 1 ' the . influence, exercised by organisations having for their objects the imr . position of extreme views and mea- ■ sures upon s the community. ■.» ' (c) Supporting, actively every move-- ■ ment -which makes for the betterment and liberty of the community. (f) Taking an active interest in'all concerns which ; affect the port, city, and citizens of Auckland!' ■ (gJ'Expressing the voice of. true pubHe approval or disapproval, as' the occasion demands, on the actions and schemes of public corporations in. the. administration of public affairs. ; (h j 'Eepresenting the ypiceand rights 1 . of the public in all industrial conflicts. 1 which occasion loss and inconvenience to the citizens. ' (i) Extending to men of recognised ability the opportunity of addressing ' the citizens upon matters of a public. character whereof they have made a" 1 special study. ■■ (j) Urging the claims of 'Auckland ' to the right to be supplied with necessary public-buildings. '' * -~- (k) Offering every Reasonable tnduce- , merit for the, investment of capital , with a view to the progress and pros- , periiy of the' city 'of -Auckland. ! (1) Establishing throughput the., city of Auckland a complete system of organisation with. a. view. to tile aobievement of the abbve!oiijectia. .". ''' :■■■< Dγ Bamford spoke in warm sympathy: t with the aims of the league, which he Dβ-^ , lieved would work a great amount of , practical good in. the community, -politi- ) cally and otherwise. | The..fact..of. it '. being a nonrparty organisation shoujd. • serve to--»ttract_.people.;.of; all. shades •• of. opinion. ; Becommendations-. carriedi by this body would -merely have the ' effect of being representative of-, a; sane • majority of citizens, and there would be no pledges asked.from any member, nor coercion .of any minority: by. a majority. The league would express moderate,- aye- , rage, an<l sober public opinion. Every" citizen shoujd. be abletp cast an intelligent vote on every public.question, be able to express his and combat" the., views of others, . And in .this respect he thought the.league would exerl cisc an educative influence, and do a . great and useful work by permitting free , discussion oh public topics and questions. , Thfl : league,' irf ehWtt, did riot aim so j'' mtfcli at reforms as "the. creatiow in the i people; of a rational, sound, healthy, and" • national character. (Applause.)'' ■■ Mr Hall' Skelto'n felt sure' that 'the- • league had an iniportant function in ) the education of public opinion. ■ It was • astonishing how gullible the public was' , —in Auqkland the' of otKef'coun- < tries' found a ready" hearing , ; individuals .' *ho, holding a."Bible in One hand and , politics in the Other, lived to bring about' , economic disturbances. Politics was ! eschewed by the best men now.because [ they regarded it as in'unclean "business," i and to remedy in some respect this slur i on . the .national character the league ; would, endeavour, by briPgi'Pg forward ; men able tp educate the. public' upon sound and proper lines in economic prob- , i lems. . "At the present time,' it appeared i as if the women of New Zealand took , more . active' interest in public.; affairs than the young men, which the league, ■ he trusted, would tend to "remedy. Mr. L. W. ,D. Andrews announced the licensing question a3 the first important : matter the league would take up. He understood that the present Licensing Bench' was pledged, which was rather . like condemning a criminal unheard, i (Hear, hear.) The league was disinter: ested, save on public grounds, and had ,no leaning to either, side., Then it was proposed tp deal later with the mayoralty and.Harbour Board questions, and in view of the approaching licensing and. i mayoral elections he suggested volunteer , workers to induce every voter to go to i the poll. The Chairman, referring to the licehs-. . ing * questidh, declared that it was.only : the attitude of the- present committee i in pledging itself that had moved the . league to"take'the'matter upJ "Five, • thoughtful and unprejudiced members f- were required- to examiße thoroughly into I the position, and act as they-considered ! well. He suggested Dr. King, Messrs.. J. . M. Mennie, J. J. Holland, and W. C. ! Somers. The" league's consent to the ? fifth gentleman had'to "be'obtained. If the i meeting co: wished it,' these gentlemen i were to be asked to etaiid unpledged. and untrammelled. ■ ! The four gentlemen mentioned were ~ then unanimously chosen as the 1 'ague's i nomination for the Licensing Com ttee. • After Mr. W. E. Hackett had adt jssed ! the meeting upon the important and • J need of such an organisation, • thi busij ness closed with an enrokn'ent c . new . m^mbeTß.' . A correspoiident ot the Taranaki. I "Herald" forwards to that paper par- ■ ticulars of an attack by a bull.uppn Mr T. M. §tephens r of that district. : Mr Stephens had.brought cows bull being in the herd. L'Wfiile the man- ' wife (Mrs Baunock) was in. the shed with,a baby in ..her arms, bailing. up the. .CQTcs, . the. bull, suddenly,, and. ' without .any warning, savagely attacked; Mr Stephens and knocked him down. ; Mrs Baunbc'i called out to her husband, I who was in the next field, but, owing to I' the noise of the'jnower, h6, did not hear ; her. . Theii Mrs Baunock, rushing out of i th 6 shed, placed ;her, .child-under a fence, j a-nd seizjng. a..shovel, straight ajt, the infuriated' , liuj£ whioh was .severely. J mauling Mir I ' Stephens:'', A struggle I ensued, but eventually the ' bull" was i driven off, and Mr Stephens was rescued. The bull was destroyed shortly afterI wards.