REPLY TO AIR ATKINSON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 2 December 1922, Page 11

REPLY TO AIR ATKINSON

(To the Editor)

Sir. May I be allwed I" briefly refer to Mr A. R. Atkinson's totter in your paper of last evening. I be President of the N.Z. Alliance has most certainly not enhanced his personal dignity nor the dignity of his fellow prohibitionists by bis egotism his childish reference to Ihe seat of his precious trousers. Whilst I, and 1 am sure most moderates, strongly deprecate the action of whoever placed the excitable president in the. as reported, ignominious position of a naughty child, yet one can scarcely he surprised at retaliation being taken for the grossly unfair interrupt ions levelled alike Tlev. Ilealhcote when that gentleman delivered his add res:; at the 'theatre some weeks ago. The wan) appreciation of what constitutes fair play evinced by a certain individual, but

liiort; particularly by oilier prohibitionists, and especially by a certain gentlemim whose idea of go rid faste and .sportsmanship has evidently not been fully developed, was bound to 11 bad exrtfnple to others supposedly in ,l lower walk of life. Mr Atkinson says it would' he i/iterestuig to know' what tin; witness who described Mr Hcath(l ie's .meeting as the rowdies! he had ever seen would have thought of Jitine. T do not know what the witness thinks hut f know most people think' it was a lamentabde cxhTulion of poorly deli vered views on the prohibition (pies ti.m and, as it unfortunately proved, provocative by reason of its unmerited abuse, of ‘ the gentle treatment, “without violence” of the President of the N.Z. Alliance’s trouser's seat. I ain pk-., moderate.