ARTER-CHURCH RALLY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15918, 4 June 1917, Page 8

ARTER-CHURCH RALLY.

' STRENGTH OF THE NATION" MOVEMENT.'

An after-church rally was held at His Majesty's Theatro last night, when Mrs Harrison Lee-Cowio, the wellknown temperance lecturer, delivered a lecture on tho "Strength of tho Nation" movement, discussing the subject as it was affoctod by tho liquor traffic. The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. Holland) presided, and thero was.* largo attendance. In introducing tile lecturer Mr Hoi* land made brief referenco to his recent visit to Wellington in tbo interests of national efficiency, and said ho had found that the Government was very' slow. If v tho Government would ttot riso to the occasion then the peoplo must, ho said. In this time of strou tho liquor question w.as ono which concerned every man and woman who hod tho interests of the country and tho nation at heart. Mr Holland madoan earnest appeal to .tho citi?eli6 of Christchurch to attend the public meeting which was to bo held m the King's Theatre next Thursday for tho purpose of considering the proposal to close hotel bars from 0 p.m. as a moasuro to help win tlic war. Mrs Harrison Lee-Cowie. who was re* ccivecl with applause, said that tM Mayor had mentioned, that tho, nwet* ing of citi/.cns was to discuss tho 'question of closing hotel bars at 6 P.*? 1 :! but for the sake of the nation as as a win-the-war measure, would .BO" the people go further aud cay thatjlbo liquor traffic .should be wiped out oifW and for all? Reference was made-» ■what Australia had done in tho niatt® of drink control, and Mrs Loe-Cowio spoke cnthusiastica.lv of tho Victoria, wbicli, after New South Wales had voted in favour of six o'clock closing had through its Government, He* cided to closo tho bars at tho i*iM Lour without asking tho peoplo to vo on the. question. Tho lecturer mad an appeal to all women to bo lip ao doing in this timo of world crisis. ■-« they would fight solidly against liqnor and east it out tliev would go a 10B» way to help win tho war. IJospV what men had dono to control and down the consumption of liquor, the drink bill of New Zealand last yea? was bigger tiiaji ever. At a cons«T»live estimate tho bill was £4,000,000Was it any wonder that tlio women* 0 " the country were up in aims, determined to light the evil and to endM-* vour to repair tho failure of men in to® matter? The question was how to get Parliament to do what it did not desire to do. Women could do it V prayer. A mightier power than Pw jiamcnt must bo moved. Tho lecturer urged women to pray in tliCir homes and become imbued with tho desire "to savo the nation. The women of tho churches and the Salvation Anny would bo asked to como out into th® streets and pray. Women must oonie in their thousands and do their _ duty if the drink evil was to bo abolishedNo matter what Parliament said* women must rite, as in tho days of old,, find fight to save their boys. At tho close of the address Mrs Cowie v.as accorded hcartv applause.