PSYCHIC MEDIUMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1407, 6 April 1912, Page 5

PSYCHIC MEDIUMS.

WANT LEGAL- PROTECTION. (By Teleffrapli.-Prcss Association.) Christihurch, April 5. Tho sixth annual convention of tho National Association of Spiritualists was opened this afternoon, and was attended oy delegates from different parts of tho Dominion. The retiring president (Mr. W. C. Nation), in his address, said that the timo had come when they should ecek protection from tho Government, for their genuine, and honest mediums, who at prosent wero liable any day to be haled before a magistrate- on tho flimsy pretest of fortune-telling. A Hill drafted by Mr. M'Lean would lio before Hie delegates. Tho administrators of the law hud no knov.ledga of psychic gift?-', and therefore wero not competent to deal ivit li those who possessed and ussd them. For this reason they claimed tho same protection of the Crown for their mediums os is given clergymen. They wero told that tho law is put in forco to deal with thoso who practiso fraud, and that was what Spiritualists wero aimiug at in seeking legislation, because they objected to any person practising fraud in the name of Spiritualism. Ho concluded this portion of his remarks by condemning police methods of obtaining evidence against modiums, and said: "Wo, as Spiritualists, object to tho sanctity of tho home being invaded by a policeman or detective, 'as ignorant as Paddy's pig' of psychic manners, and securing a conviction under an Act that is a disgrace to tho Statutebook-." Ho also dealt with tho relationship between tho Church and Spiritualism, and also with psychic matters generally. Tho convention resumes to-morrow.