An Indignant Lady.

Southland Times, Issue 9165, 15 March 1886, Page 3

An Indignant Lady.

Woman?' jmtee as follows to the Star (Dunedin¥:---Being on© of those who ' listened to theVßev;*. Waddell's pe > * erf ul and pathetic; appeal on behalf of "Enthusiasm in the Temperance Cause," I am. constrained to give expression to tile thonghts which hie revelations engendered, ' and -to strive to throw the. onus of such a i deplorable state of matters as he described oi &« right shoulders—those of the Government arid legislators 'of this colony. They stand in the position of parents to the State, and it is their plain, Bimp.le_daty to put down with a firm hand anything that tends to degrade and demoralise their children, for such are the public to them. Instead of this,; they do all they can to encourage and fobter a trade to the extent of two millions 'a year in that which influences the passionp, destroys the brain power, sapß all moral consciousness, ruins all peace and happiness in homes, and turns loving-hearted men and women into living masses of corruption — low, sensual, and devilish. Twenty-four millions of money during the last ten years were spent in this colony in this dreadful enemy to human progress and happiness. Had this amount of money been expended in our midst in reproductivo wprKs we would have been a free people ■M^no debt, no taxation ; almost without a gaol, lunatic asylam, or reformatory ; the country blooming and blessoming from end to end ; no lamentation and woe such as are now daily and hourly going up from crashed and ruined *&nes ; none of those cries about depression and hard times, which are now writing wrinkles on honourable men's races and silvering their hair. Intrust it may, however, do its work, and do it well. May ; its lacerating effects cut down bo deeply that men will awake to their true manhood, and demand a Government al the head of affairs composed of men who 14 love; righteousness and hate iniquity "; men whose joy and glory it is "to loose the bands of wickedness — to undo heavy burthens, and let the oppressed go free — that break every yoke." Meu in these days call upon women to arise and free themselves. Shame, thrice over shame ! Men ought to be their defenders and protectors. Christ stood before the damsel and bade heir /arise ; but He ordered it — He strengthened her to do it ; and it is the Christ in men that ought to liberate us this day : bur voice should never be heard pave in their praise ; our service should be that of love, admiration, and obedience. Ah, how easy and delightful would such service be were men of the Christ type ! Women instinctively followed Him in His day, iand they would as readily do so today. I am one of those to whom the cry of •* women's rights" is a perfect pain. I feel each a state of things ought not to be. Women should insist that men arise to the Standard of their true nobility — men who would shelter us, being the weaker vessel ; bnsbandi whom we would have good cause to reverence.