MISS MURCUTT’S MISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2151, 6 August 1907, Page 2

MISS MURCUTT’S MISSION.

ATTACK BY DR. COLLINS.

Before proceeding with his portion of the debate at the Debating Society’s meeting last evening, Dr. Collins referred to the lectures that are being given in Gisborne by Miss Murcutt. Ho said that this lady had been brought to Gisborne to speak in the cause of prohibition, but was doing so under a veneer, as she was advertised to relate incidents of travel. Dr. Collins said lie had beard Miss Murcutt speak _ in the Theatre on the Sunday night and had been disgusted to hear her make an attack on the British Empire, speaking in such a way as would have a tendencv to breed disloyalty to the Mother Country. Moreover, he had no hesitation in stating that her remarks in this connection were contrary to fact. As an instance she had stated that Britain had forced opium upon the Chinese. This was by no means the case.. Opium had been exjiorted into China by the Persians, Turks and Egyptians long before it was sent from India. The Chinese did not object to opiunj Being sent into their country, but they (lid object to the •''foreign devils” as they called the white people. Therefore they sunk a British boat containing £30,000 worth of opium because of their prejudice against aliens and the British had to fight for the right to trade with that country. The result was that we took possession of Hong Ivong, which he looked upon as one of the finest achievements in English history, for it secured to us the Chinese trade which was worth now from £7,000.000 to £8,000,000.

Thou this lady had made the most definite statement that 90 per cent, of the diseases we were subject to was the result of the liquor traffic. This was absolutely wrong, for 10 per cent only was due to the cause mentioned. Miss Murcutt had made the astounding statement that Britain, in extending her dominions had done her evangelistic work by liquor. This was a most unjustifiable slander on the British people, and he had been surprised that a large audience could have sat still in Gisborne without challenging such a statement. Only one remark did he hear a that was from a gentleman with spectacles sitting behind her, who ejaculated, “hear, hear.” As a mattor of fact Britain’s evangelistic work in new countries was accomplished by means of missions, and he for one had the highest respect for the work thus achieved. Was it likely that the British could have gained the prestige of being the greatest colonising people in the world’s history if Miss Murcutt’s charges wore true? Dr. Collins concluded by stating that ho was a prohibitionist and always voted prohibition—though he drank a glass of whisky when he felt like it—but if the . prohibition party was going to prosecute its campaign by employing people who would encourage disloyalty to the Empire then ho would have none of them.