“CATCH MY PAL.”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10711, 8 October 1928, Page 5

“CATCH MY PAL.”

BKV. >ATTERSON AT MAJESTIC THEATRE

TLEA for PROHIBITION

Two hours’ very entertaining discourse, from an able speaker who has a remarkable fund of witticisms »nd a most original method of expression; was listened to with great interest by a large gathering in the Majestic Theatre last evening. The Itev. It* J. Patterson. 8.A., L.L.8.. of Belfast, Ireland, the originator of the . “Catch-my-pal” temperance movement, gave an address under the auspices of the N.Z. Alliance. .The Mayor (Mr I). W. Coleman) presided and, in introducing the speaker, expressed pleasure at the large gathering which was, lie said, a record during the present campaign. After opening by explaining that he came from “8000 miles down there” (and he pointed to the floor 9? the stage), Mr Patterson stated that he would present the case for Prohibition in an unusual way. Since his early days at Dublin University. when he - had first seen the evils of intemperance,, he had been a worker against alcoholic liquors, the use of which he designated 1 the deadliest of “snakes” worse by ffitr than any which Saint Patrick had driven out of Ireland. Many pfeople say they can drop the use of alcohol, but they refuse to be muzzled. “Surely”, stated Mr Patterson “it is safer to muzzle a good dog when poison is round?” “I visited Tasmania recently, and 2 was told it was the original Garden of Eden”, Mr Patterson went on. “‘I failed to find Adam and Eve, but the serpent was still there. (Applause). i don’t know what you’re applauding for. You should applaud when I say the serpent is scotched. I thought this was a prohibition meeting, Mr Chairman, but now I don’t know where I am.”

'Continuing, after the laughter had subsided, Mr Patterson stated that he wag there to educate the people up to. putting the right man into Parliament. With the right men there, they would get the right legislation out. The important thing was for each individual to do his or her best. Ho did not wish to dwell unduly on the horrors of intemperance, but he had attended at the graveside of many drunkards and. on these occasions he had not done so as a man of religion, for he felt that he could give no words of consolation to the relatives of those brought to - the grave through drink. Explaining the origin of the “Catch-my-pal” scheme, Mr. Patterson stated that it arose accidentally through’ an encounter with six men one evening. Five of them departed but the sixth remarked that he (Mr Patterson), should go after the other five and get them to sign the pledge. He went after them and ultimately they agreed to come to his home four days later.. They turned op, but, before they signed, he conceived the plan of getting them to obtain another drunkard to sign also. They agreed to do so and, a week later, eleven men arrived to sign. He gent the newcomers off on the quest and 31 turned up next time. The total was 105 a few days later. In five or six weeks they gathered an about 6CO men to sign the pledge. ‘‘Moderate drinkers are the curse of the country”, remarked-Mr Patterson- ‘‘They are the financial backbone of - the Trade—its only backbone. .It must be remembered that all drunkards, were moderate drinkeps once and it is these moderates which set the worst example to the young folk. “Regarding the Maoris in this country, I feel it terribly that we Britishers should have brought this curse of drink into their lives. Isn t it time that we cleared it away?” Mr Patterson stated that .he would not refer , at length to Prohibition in America'. “But” he continued, ‘Til bet my whole overdraft that A 1 Smith will never see the Presidential chair, America will never go back on the 18th Amendment. They are making a most praiseworthy . effort to clean out this evil and it is terrible that Britishers are helping the law-breakers in this . respect; We must give full credit to America fob what is the greatest social reform every attempted in history. You have murders in. New Zealand, but not as many as you would have were there no law. You have thieving here, blit not as much as you would have if there was no law. You have drinking in America, but not as much as there, would bo if there Was no law. America is not a nation as we know it,, it is not even an amalgamation, it' is a conglomeration and yet they put in the 18th Amendment by a big majority. If people were killing themselves by drinking wood alcohol, then it serves them right for breaking the law.,. “1 am jealous cxf the honor of my country for I am all British’” continued Mr Patterson. “It was said in America, before Prohibition, that the total abstainer was a 10 per cent, better man than the drinker. It follows than that the total abstainer nation is .10 per cent, better than the drinking nation. That .is : the end to which America is working and I db not want Britain ousted from her leading position. Wherefor I fight for Prohibition in Britain'

“How many of you go into a church and say, ‘Lead us riot into temptation’, and then you come out arid license the most damnable temptation possible? “You may ask what the N.Z. Alliance is doing”, concluded Mr Patterson. “Well, in Any battle, it is the officer who gives the lead and the rarfk and file who carry it through. Without the rank and file the officer is helpless. The Alliance gives you the lead, it’s up to you to see it through;” Vv; On the chairman’s motion, a' vote of 'thanks was passed to Mv Patterson with acclamation. A