TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11279, 21 May 1902, Page 3

TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

(Published by arrangement with the Prohibition League).

"DRINK AND ATHLETICS. In an article under this heading a few weeks ago reference _n_3 made to the evil j influences of the liquor traffic upon sport, ! and to tbe device* of the publican to secure tli. patronage of customers by so generously j granting accommodation for club meetings. | The statement that W. Martin, the cyclist, attributed his success to abstinence from alcohctic liquors was also made. It is cot often that £_ose engaged in tbe liquor trade attempt to defend their position, for reasons which we think are obvious, and MR WALTER SPRING, of Leeston, must have thought that he had surely at last found a joint in a probibi-tioni-ts armour when he penned his letter of April 16th. Mr Spring states that Martin during his four days' stay at his hotel drank more than ens glass of English beer every day, and adds* that if other temperance items are on a pax with the one under notice, they are not to be believed. For Mr Springs information we will repeat our authority, THE SYDNEY 'BULLETIN," not a temperance paper, __ys: —"Martin, at ll_t, is lighter..now than at any previous time during his Australian career. His success is largely due to total abstinence from intoxicants, and getting to bed early—a system which he rigidCy follows.'* We took the trouble to verify the above by forwarding it to a prominent cycling oflicial, with a request for information as to his performances. His reply was as follows:—"Enclosed please find letterpress re Martin. Ido not 'know how long' he has been on the track, but certainly over 10 years. You will see oy notice be is 43 years of age,'and still probably the best handicap rider in the world. He neither drinks nor smokes, and always prides himself on the fact that to this abstinence he holds his success. It is also true that he never hardly retires to bed later than 10.30 p.m." From further information received we learn that Martin announced his adherence to total abstinence principles at a welcome meeting accorded to him on his arrival. On the publication of Mr Spring's letter we submitted it to a gentleman who was on intimate terms with the cyclist wh__t m CJhristchurch, and his comment was: "I don't believe it." We, however, prefer to Heave it an open question. If Martin departed from his avowed total abstinence principles to the extent of even "more than one glass of beer per day" while staying at the Leeston Hotel, Mr Spring may take all tbe credit, therefore, be desires.