UNIQUE CHALLENGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1919, Page 6

UNIQUE CHALLENGE

BY MB F. .WU|DING, K.C. Hundreds were turned away from the Liberty Theatre, Chrustchurcii, on fcjunday night, when a big meeting was held to further the Matronal Efficiency campaign, says the Christchurch Tress The chair was taken by JJr Chilton, and the speakers for the evening were the chairman, Mr F„ 'Wilding, KjO., and Mrs Don, During 'the evening Miss Milhcent Jennings sang several sacred songs. Mr Wilding s speech was a very earnest and impressive one, lightene 1 by many touche fi of humour. He told how it cost him a considerable struggle to come out in the open to champion the cause of Prohibition. To do so had to a certain extent, against his natural inclination, and also against his professional instincts. A fl a lawyer of 40 years’ standing though, he felt that a few words from Kim, a s a representative of a profession known as “the devil's own,” might: possibly touch a responsive chord m the hearts of his hearers, who, probably, were not all saints either, fie felt that his action would cause a good deal of comment 1 among fua friends, and he could imagine them saying, “What! so Wilding has turned wowser!” and others would tap their forehead* sympathetically. . Personally, he rather welcomed the tT-le ot wowser, as a title o! honour, for future generations would, he felt sure, look back -to their wowser ancestors, who had effected such beneficent reforms, with pride. Possibly some of'his friends • might think his action the result of OT nii e decay, but to counter this he would' issue a challenge to any drinker, weight for age, for a “pony” a side, for the best of five sets of tennis, ihe stakes should be held by the Lord Bishop of Christchurch, and if the boozer, won the money should go to the, funds of the (New Zealand Licensed ’Victuallers’ Association, and if he won it should go to the New Zealand Alliance. Describing the relations of alcohol to sport, Mr Wilding said it was invaluable (externally, but (worse than useless internally, and he had lost the tennb, championship of New Zealand in 'Otago because he had taken a drink- of whisky when fatigued in the game. He urged his hearers to take the advice of Lloyd George—giver? -o the speaker when in England—abolish the cause of misery an,d destitution, 'Philanthropic and social efforts were useless ’.unless the fundamental cause was attacked.