"FROM PUB. TO PARLIAMENT."

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13797, 31 October 1908, Page 7

"FROM PUB. TO PARLIAMENT."

A VARIED CAREER. To many people autobiography from the public platform may appear mere egotism. In ninety-nine cases in a hundred it is egotism. But Mr A. Bruntnell, who is lecturing in Taranaki in the interests of the No-License Party, is tho hundredth man — the exception that proves the rule. The feeling that prompts Mr Bruntnell to tell the story of his life is at the opposite extreme from egotism. This he abundantly proved in the Theatre Royal last evening, when he narrated his career to a large audience. Mr Bruntnell explained his reasons for doing so. Fifteen years ago, when he was in Christchurch, where he was connected with the Salvation Army, acting as secretary to its operations in New Zealand, he learnt Ins first lessons in temperance, from tho Rev. F. Isitt and Mr T. E. Taylor. A little later he was asked to deliver ■jl temperance address in Dunediu, and was requested to telegraph the title of his address. At that time he had been reading a book entitled "From Atheism to Christianity, and What I Saw on the Way." He telegraphed that his address would be called "From Publichouse to Platform." After delivering that address he had received so many letters of appreciation of it that he had felt constrained to repeat it. And, at the close of last night's address, not oue of the audience could accuse Mr Bruntnell of egotism. Mr Bruntnell was born and bred in a public-house in Breconshire, South Wales, many years ago; he prefers not to tell his audience how many years ago. It was not an hotel of the kind we sco in the colonies, but just an ordinary public-house of the common English country type. The darkest and saddest event that could happen to any mail — the loss of his beloved mother — happened to him very early in life. This left him and his brother and sisters to the surroundings of a public-house frequented by all sorts and conditions of men. The men who frequented the house introduced him to that which blighted his life for many years. They used to give him coppers for drinking glasses of ale without stopping — and he had no mother to stop him. At the early age of seven he was under the influence of liquor given him in this way. He was in deepest sympathy with men who had the iron in their soul and knew what the taste of that was. Mr Bruntnell passionately and earnestly appealed to his hearers to hold out helping hands to the drunkard instead of passing him by with a sniff of disdain or a grin of amusement. He described what a reckless young daredevil he became. Then, one Monday night, he met with the Salvation Army, and he thanked God with all his. heart that he had done so. He left his home to join the Army of Christ, cursed by his father and cut by his sisters. In afteryears he was able to show his father that the liquor business was a bad one. His father left the public-house, and blessed him. Mr Bruntnell then spoke of Ins entry into politics in New South Wales, in order to help to gam a local option poll in that State. The thread of personal narrative that ran through the discourse was but a slight one. Anecdote and jest were numerous, and time after time he roused his audience to uproarious laughter. But it was only to show up in vivid contrast his painting of the darker side of life as caused by drink.