BENGOUGH AT LUNCH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 601, 1 September 1909, Page 4

BENGOUGH AT LUNCH.

— « . A SERMON ON CANADA. ITS GREATNESS AND DANGER. Mr. J. W. Bcngough, tho Canadian humorist; who has been entertaining Wellington audiences .with his crayon sketches, jokes, storie3, and recitations, was tho speaker at yesterday's luncheon of the New Zealand Club at tho Y.M.C.A. Mr. P. C. Frecth presided, and was supported by tho Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister , for . Education. Thoro was a full attendance.

Mr. Beiigough's speech was cast in tho form' of a sermon on the greater Dominion, each letter of the word "Canada" serving as .a "head." From-first to last tho address was brightened with a whimsical, and characteristic humour. ' After announcing that ho would throw his ideas into, pulpit form, Mr. Bengough took tho word "Canada," and stated that ho would ha'vo "C" stand for Confederation, "A" for Autonomy, "N" for Nationality, "A" for Abundance, "D" for Danger, and "A" for Advancement.

Undor-the first "bead," he touched briefly on tbo troubles which had preceded the federation of the Canadian provinces, and declared that thoso troubles had vanished, and they now had a splendid, solid Canadian Dominion from Atlantic to Pacific. Confederation was ..as precious to tho Canadians ,as tho solidarity of tho United States' was to its "people. "Autonomy" bad made Canada prosperous, happy, and satisfied. Each provinco had homo rule, and tho Mother Country, in accordance with her Bplendid traditions, had long since granted nationhood to tho Dominion. The population of Canada was at one time predominantly French, hut the liberty given by England had transformed tlicm into loyal British subjects, and ho did not bclicvo thoro was : a solitary French Canadian who objected to Canada doing her duty in defence, of tho Empire. (Applause.) "Nationality" was Canada's aim, and thoy believed that it would be best accomplished in alliance with the British flag. Already Canada,was practically a nation, having been granted almost full treaty-malting powers. Diverse -nationalities were to bo found in Canada in these days of immigration, and they specially welcomed those who camo from the United States. They did not talso long to discover that they had.got into a country just a littlo better than tho pno they had left.' They camo with solid Christian ideals of citizenship and nationality, and found a I country of their own hind, with their own language, ideals and literature, ■ and yet a country which could proudly say that it had nover known one solitary case of lynching. It was an interesting problem why lynching and other demonstrations of absolute bar-' barism occurred so frequently in 1 the United States, and yet had no parallel in Canada.' Tho same difference was observable in tho American and Canadian territories of Yukon and Klondike. Ho believed ho could not better.uso what influence he possessed than in helping along a brotherly feeling between Canada and tho States. (Applause.) Passing on to "A" for." Abundance," Mr. Bcngough enlarged upon Canada's resources as tho granary of tho Empire, and alluded also to her mineral wealth, as jnstanccl! in tho Cobalt~silvor mining district. Speaking of a recent conference of mining experts at Toronto, .Mr. Bcngough said: "The Government got them to go to Cobalt, and thoy talked language.that was'only'fit for a boomster's circular. But, I'm sorry to say, the shares didn't rise." (Laughter.). ." D " for " Danger "—also for "Drink," which was Canada's greatest danger. Canada was gradually coming to realise what it was, and the best way to get rid of it. Opinion' was maturing throughout tho .Dominion in' favour' of' tho absolute extinction of tho drink traffic. Already they'had a local option law in all the provinces, and a very large part of each provinco was "painted white." "If wo can only save the. peoplo from the drink—and we aro going to—nothing can prevent Canada from becoming a great and powerful nation." (Applause.) , ; Tho last head of tho discourse. was "Advancement,'':" arid :th!s,''-Mr;' Bcngough" ex-; plained, was to bo secured by following tho cxamplo of New Zealand in making land' values a sonrco of public ;revenue. ; The speaker was heartily applauded, and thrco cheers for. Canada wero given on the call of tho .chairman; . . ,