BISHOP AND HIS PIPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15951, 23 June 1915, Page 9

BISHOP AND HIS PIPE.

NO TOBACCO DURING WAR.

SACRIFICE THAT HURTS.

SEQUEL TO AN ADDRESS.

[BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Christchurch, Tuesday. An effective point was scored by Colonel Chaffey in an address at a "K. of K. Pledge" meeting, held in His Majesty's Theatre. He remarked that whilst it was a laudable thing to adopt the pledge, it was only right that those who were already abstainers should also make some sacrifice. How many smokers were ready, he asked, to give up half their tobacco and give the money they would have spent on it t<> the war funds" The Mayor and he often argued over the matter, and he (Colonol Chaffey) had challenged the Mayor, " I will give up my liquor if you will give up your tobacco." "But he won't give it up," added Colonel Chaffey, and the audience laughed.

Bishop Julius now writes as follows to the newspapers:—"Colonel Chaffey knocked the bottom out of my speech at the ' K. of K. Pledge ' meeting on Sunday night. I came away with a bad conscience, so the pipe must go until the end of the war.' Men at the front want it more than I do."

Bishop Julius was asked by a reporter if giving up his pipe involved any real sacrifice. "Oh, yes," said the bishop. "It hurts indeed. 1 have been a smoker, and a hard one, for many years, and just now it is not safe to come to Bishop's Court. Yes," he added, as though in self-commune, "it hurts."

" Does Your Lordship suggest that the example should be followed by the rest of the clergy and by the laity?"

"Oh, dear, no," came the answer. " You see, it's this way. I was one of the .speakers at the ' K. of K.' meeting on Sunday night. I was urging the people listening to me to sacrifice the use of unnecessary things, such as drink. But here is the point. I don't drink at all. I am not a pledged .total abstainer, you know, but don't care for the stuff. I might drink the King's health in a drop of claret at a social function, but really don't want it; so it was easy for me to give it up. It was no sacrifice at nil, in fact. Then Colonel Chaffey turned to us on the platform and said": 'It's all right for you fellows asking us to give up our drink, but why don't you give up your tobacco?' Now, I'm logical, and I felt strongly the force of the colonel's argument. The more I reflected on it the stronger did I feel it my duty to make a seasonable sacrifice, and I just did it. So now you have the story." "And Your Lordship does not suggest that others should follow your example ?" queried the reporter. "Oh, no," replied the bishop; "with me this matter is purely personal. If the others want to continue smoking they may do so as much as they like."