CORRESPONDENCE.

White Ribbon, Volume 40, Issue 470, 18 November 1934, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Mis Peryman, It was a great pleasure to read that cur Organisers, the Misses had met that grand old warrior, K. N. t'liaii ngtoii, as he was always called. As a Hash my mind went back to some years ago, when I experienced also a great thrill because of that wonderful man. As a speaker for the United Kingdom Alliance and one of their members, I had been invited to attend a meeting in the Central Mall. Manchester, to discuss the question of State i*mchase * mat*- ('ontrol of tlie Liquor Traffic. Mr Lief Jones, M.P., was in the chair, and on the platform notable Temperance workers. A few of the members had gun* over to State Control ideas, thinking that half a loaf was better than none, and imagining that it was a step towards slaying the drink » vil. The various speakers, for and against, had made their plea, voicing their arguments, and one felt that i great decision was about to 1 ** made when the vote was taken. Personally, 1 felt that. State Purchase wou’d be in the majority. A great silo* . came over the great audience as Li* f Jones rose to put the vote to the meeting. Suddenly, just in front of me, in th* centre of the hall, a man rose from his seat. “Mr Chairman.” Immediately the cry rang through the hull, “Charrington. Charring! on, platform," and a burst of cheering and clapping. When . ilence came, (Tiai rington, for it was he, very quietly said, “No, I will stay here, thank you, hut, Mr Chairman, before you put the vote to this meeting, may I say a few words? “You all know who I am; you ad know what I am doing, and why I gave up a fortune of money to help my v aker brothers and sis!* r . For years now I have never touched a penny of drink money, and, Mod helping me, I never Will, bid if State (’ontrol is carried you force mi Lack into the liquor traffic against my will. 1 ecause, as a member of the State I will be in the Lquor Traffic." Then suddenly holding out these great ands of his, hands which had uplifted hundreds, hands which had done the Master’s bidding, he cried: “These hands are clean now-, washed with the tears of willows and orphans, and I vant to keep them clean till 1 die. Will you then, by your vote to-day, make me soil them with taking the blood money of the Liquor Traffic? I w i>uld i i her di. first lb* sat down. We wept without ham**. and when Lief Jones put the vote the platform principles «>f the I K.A remained firm, and Stab* »’ontrol was lost. ('an you wonder how ho is loved ami honoured, and here in New’ Zealand 1 till experience the thrill as I read even lnv name in print and learn ;hat one of our winkers hits had the h»y and priv* 1 ::»* t » fleet him face tc face. Yours very sincerely, MMM \NVI,’ TJISSON-rurWTI. ! iinet ion Store Queen Street, Masterton.