RELIGION AND POLITICS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22507, 15 September 1938, Page 12

RELIGION AND POLITICS

NATIONAL PARTY’S ATTITUDE ENTRY OF CONTROVERSY OPPOSED STATEMENT BY HON. ADAM HAMILTON [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, September 14. “We stand for Christian principles in all our dealings, and we oppose fee entry of religious controversy imo pomics, ■’ said me Leaner or fee Oppo s.iion ithe Hon. Aciara Hamilton; in an mteiview to-day, in whicn he outlined the attitude of fee National Par tv toward certain religious questions which have recently peen mtiotiuced into the political campaign in New Zealand. ■T have received many letters nom various parts of the Dominion, Mr Hamilton added, “asking me to state my personal attitude, and that or fee National Party, upon religion and fee cnurclios. Alinough I have replied to seme ot them individually, 1 consider me lime is opportune lor me to maite a public statement on the matter. Emphasising the great spiritual heritage with which Christianity has endowed the British Empire, Mr Hamilton said that while the Christian forces of the world were in need of practical encouragement at present, the practice of denominational religion was a matter purely for fee choice of the individual, and, as such, should piay no part whatever in party politics, or in the conduct of national administration. . ... . “Religious strife has no rightful place in party or national politics,” said Mr Hamilton. ‘*A well-balanced Eolitical group is composed of memers- of all religious denominations, whose duty it is to work in the interests of all. That is the position of the National Party in New Zealand today. Our members and our candidates for Parliament at the coming election have been drawn from practically all of the main religious bodies represented in New Zealand, and our membership is made up of persons holding widely differing viewpoints on religious questions. “A Gross Misrepresentation” “We welcome this distribution of religious opinions, which, far from creating strife and dissension, has given strength to the National Party’s claim to be truly representative of the people of this Dominion. “Those who introduce religious strife into politics are doing a grave disservice to the country as a whole,” Mr Hamilton continued, “and those who associate fee name of the National Party with such efforts are perpetrating a gross misrepresentation of what this party stands for. We will have nothing whatever to do with sectarian issues in the political field, and we dissociate ourselves entirely from them, and from those who endeavour to foster them. It should be clearly understood that .the aim of the National Party, when returned to po.wer, will be to encourage the practice of religious beliefs among the people according to individual conscience, and. to be tolerant to all, no matter to what church people may belong; We, as the Government, will guarantee immunity from any suggestion of religious colour, either in public or Civil Service appointments, or in the general administration of the nation’s affairs. Any suggestion to the contrary is a mischievous attempt to mislead the public upon the policy and principles of the party. “May I conclude with a personal note,” Mr Hamilton added, “I myself am a church member, and fully realise the present necessity, not only for religious tolerance, but also for united Christian action to preserve the personal and spiritual message of Christianity against the growing forces of materialism.”