THE STOLEN GLOBE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14219, 6 December 1911, Page 4

THE STOLEN GLOBE.

TO THE EDITOB OF "THE PRTSS."

i Sir,—Will you kindly grant mc 6pace in your columns to explain the matter of ; the "Stolen Globe," which disappeared from Mr Eldridge's verandah lon Friday night last: The Women's Christian Temperance Union decided to have a tableau in the "top line" procession on Saturday last. This was to represent a very large pair of scales. On one side wa_ to be the globe, on 1 the other, insida a huge scale, a num- ! ber of small boys dressed in white. A < streamer, on which were the words, ] "What shall it profit if we gain the world and lose our children," explained the significance of the tableau. The I scale containing the children was to be i represented as outweighing the globe. Onr Union went to considerable expense in having a wire globe made, which was afterwards covered. A friendly, sympathiser spent tho whole of four days in painting on tho globe a map of the world. So accurately was this done, and so artistically coloured, that all who saw it considered it a valuable piece of work. Mr Eldridge ! offered to attend to the arrangement of t the tableau for the Union, and so the work of preparing the globe and .decorating the lorry was done at his house. Tho globe was finished on : Friday night, about ten o'clock, and left oh tha \*erandali, it being too large to pass through the doorway. About 12 p.m. tho globe was missed, and has not since boen seen or heard of. As it would take two men to handle it. more than one person was guilty of a most despicable theft, and as only an enemy would have done it. we have no hesitation in beliovinu that some of the hangers-on of the liquor party wore concerned in its disappearance. They must have been watching the preparation of the globe for the tableau, and did their vile work, as soon as it was oomnlete. Bocanse of tho theft the w.0.l .U. tableau was incomnlete, but we did pur best to hi the public know the position hy another placard containmcr the words, "They have stolen our world, but they shall rot steal our boys. The liouor pr>rtv may disclaim any knowledge of the theft, hut no one. except a sympathiser of the trade, would commit such a dastardly act. We behove thnt this th«ft will ro-*eiv« the eond-mn-Hon of all fairminded peonle, and will not benefit the party in whose interests it was carried out.—lours, etc.,

_, ~ __ . ,-F. COLE. President Hinstchurch W.C.T.U. Cashmere, December 3rd 1911 Advt,