THE POPULAR PADRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18297, 13 January 1923, Page 7

THE POPULAR PADRE.

Sir.—" Digger," in his gratuitously in- - suiting, and needlessly extreme letter in Tuesday's Herald, entirely loses sight- of : his original object. He is bo intent- on . belittling the Rev. Lochore and his ilk, ; that.he neglects to defend his idol, Canon Taylor. - What " Digger" forgets to do, I will now attempt. Be v. Lochore asks: ; " Who has ever heard of Canon TayJoff as a' fighter for , prohibition?" If " pig- . ger!' has heard of him as; such, .why" doesn't. ; • he say so? 'The canon, when I first knew . ■ him, was doing ft. splendid work -in the " ' Buller district, . particularly at Murcbi- : son,. : where he was ~ lovingly known :as . . "Tommy Taylor." He was not lien a : fighter for prohibition. He then msirriea V ana settled in a 5 suburban parish in Nelson. While there ha was never known as a prohibitionist. He soon after went into ; camp, and to the front. On. " Digger's"'... own showing he did no i; advocate prohibition there. (I never heard any padre do so, except at the referendum on April 10, 1919. Since the war, the canon has .. . done excellent rescue and relief work lin j Wellington.• Prior to the last election ha.: issued a Stirling appeal/ 1 for prohibition, which was published in the Vanguard.' So far as I know he never, before advo- - cated prohibition, . and Has' been known to quietly oppose it... He, therefore, while being a temperance " advocate of; years' .; standing, is but . a recent recruit "in tlis prohibition camp. I have a better opinion : of the canon than "Digger" holds. Though ' , naturally " cast down," ho •is not - in despair,; but, along > with older fightorg, will think better . of" bin - words, spoken. in tjjo gloom ■of defeat, and will ; again' arise and ; strike 'mighty blows for prohibition. He realises that the liquor trad© believes in temperance; they have preached it for years. They thrive on it, They are in mortal dread of prohibition, - knowing it means their extinction." .Canon Taylor will dbubtleiis forfeit the "good opinion of " Digger* by remaining in the camp that contains Rev. Loehore; but, gallant gentleman thai he is, he will view this untoward incident ~ with composure. Diggee, No. 3/3447. . - Rotcrua. ■ ■ " ' '

Sir.-r-B© Bey. J. A, Lochcre's letter of ' 11th inst., X have on several occasions attended church .parades and voluntary meetings -where Padre:Taylor adcltess&j . the troops, and he was always warning us ; of: not only the liquor danger;-; hire the other dangers and temptations- that \ beset ,> a soldier. ■ He is not?.the only ; chaplain who- leans toward moderation ■ and not extinction. of the liijuor -trade. ■ As you. will remember; a moderate-scheme '■'/ was published in the Heba&b ; during the last election bearing the signature of a canon,of the Church,of England, who ; has rendered service with expeditionary Then Mr. Lochore describes Mr. Taylor as a "wobbler," which I think is unfair, . . because ihero are thousands of people,fn. New Zealand who. se£p." i '*'--.->«-«il»s i ' of the last election,. have arrived at the conclusion that total prohibition iV: not wanted, but that sweeping reforms- 4 are ' urgently necessary. . A: clear majority ;,: against prohibition : .of 17,605 v: is shown; ■_-'--■■ .Now that is proof* that prohibition is, not. wanted. I claim that thousands of people with moderate views voted ; for continuance because they believed the present conditions are better than conditions would ■>' ; be under prohibition. I believe, that if the. prohibition party launched a campaign with the object of compelling the trade I to put its house in . order, and _aiso- the - Government to improve the licensing laws, they would have the support, v not only, of the 35,727 people who voted State control, but of a very big majority of continuance , ;. voters as well .'. - •■-■■ S. J. Geae?.' ~ ,V Te Awamutu, January 11, 1923. *'' ■ *; ■