CHRISTCHURCH NORTH.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14188, 31 October 1911, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH NORTH.

*0 THE KDITOB 0» M IH» rBESS." Sir, —Mr R. S. McKenzie, chairman of Rev. L. •>!. Isitt's committee, made ! this statement on Sunday night at the ! Clock Tower prohibition meeting in the j hearing of some thousands of citizens jof Christchurch: —" Pethcrick is not i game, ladies and gentlemen, to tell you : how ho makes his living." If this :' wicked innuendo had any truth behind : it, I should bo unworthy to solicit the ; suffrages of the electors or ask them to listen to mc on any subject. If it is untrue, then yon nnd vhe public should be the judges of Mr McKenzie and his fellow "wowsers." I hereby challenge Mr McKenzie to prove that I have ever done a dishonourable action to gain my j living during the th'rty-nino years 1 (have resided in Christchurch. If ho proves publicly one single dishonourablo action against mc, I will give him a written undertaking to absolve him from all liability so far as the law of libel is concerned. I will give up my : candidature for Chri.tchurch North, and will give ten pounds sterling to tho funds of the Prohibition' League, on the • conditions, if he fails to provo what he , has inferred by innuenuo, then he shall : submit himself to the people of Christi church, abide by their verdict, and give Ime ten pounds sterling towards my ! election expenses. Now let us have no ! "shuffling." I shall be in Cathedral equa'ro on Saturday evening next, and I then invite Mr McKenzie to be present, and without any side-tracking, do what the Yankees call " make good."— Yours, etc., JAMES E. PETHERTCK, Theatrical Manager.