PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17106, 30 March 1921, Page 10

PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

ADDRESS BY EEV. HOWAED ELLIOT*. -\ ■ ' Und«r the auspices of the Protestant" Political Association, a lecture, entitled "The Assassination of-the- British Empire by Borne and. the Reds," was given in the Choral Hall last night, by the Eev. .Howard Elliott. Mr G. B. Franklyn, president of the Central Group of the P.P.A., presided over a large attendance. There were < influences, said Mr Elliott, that Were seeking to undermine ! our country and our laws, and trying I to tear to pieces the whole British Empire, that it might die under the influence of Rome and Bolshevism. It was proposed by the enemies of the I Empire that the latter.should be divided into a number of Soviet republics.They would deal thus with New Zealand, England, Scotland, etc., and even Ireland. (Laughter.) - Wherever contumely waft hurled. at »the Flag, and the Anthem waa treated with disrespect, two powers were behind it all —the Greens and the Reds: Rome and the Bolsheviks. It was these two powers that had united to create disaffection I within, the Empire. Borne little time 1 ago the speaker heard Mr P. Eraser, 1 M.P., of the Latfour Party, speaking in the Grand Theatre in Christchurch, Mr Fraser then advocating the overthrow of the Government and the establishment of a Soviet. One of his remarks was: "I hope that the same means will not be necessary to bring this about in this country as in Russia." Mr Elliott stated that hatred of the Empire was being instilled into the pupils attending Roman Catholic educational institutions, and I held that the Government would be doing the country a service by clos- | ing them. In urging that convents ihould be liable to Government inspection, Mr Elliott read depositions from a young woman, signed before a local Justice of the Peace, in which it was claimed that .the girl had run away from a Roman Oawolio institution in Christohnrch, because of alleged cruelty. The following motion, moved by Mr A. D. HassaU, and seconded by a member of tbe audience, was carried by a large majority: "This meeting of the citizens of Christchurch congratulates the Right Hon. Mr Maisey upon his invitation to attend tho Imperial Conference, and urges upon. Mr Masser the desirability of using his utmost influence .at the Conference to maintain the unity of the Empire and to encourage the British Government in its determination to suppress the Sinn Fein sedition in Ireland."