PROTESTANT POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 185, 25 April 1918, Page 8

PROTESTANT POLITICS

MEETING IN TOWN HALL THE P.P.A. AND LABOUR A meeting arranged by the Protestant Political Association was held in the Town Hail last Light. Admission was by ticket only. 'The chair was taken by tho Rev. G. Ivnowko Smith, and the hall was filled. The chairman, in opening tho proceedings, said that the Protestant Political Association was not a party organisation. It did not attach itself to any party, but it wished to protect tho heritage of Protestantism. Tho Rev. T. Miller (Feilding) fiaid he had no objection to (ho Roman Catholic Church working in its own peculiar sphere; but he resented any attempt on the part of that Church to interfere with his liberties and tho liberties of the Protesla.it community. The Catholics represented one-seventh of the community, and tho Protestant majority had been Triliini* alwavs to accord the Catholic minority the" utmost liberty of .thought and speech. But some Catholics at Feilding had adopted other methods. Mr. Miller proceeded to refer to the assault mado upon himself and two other Protestant ministers after a meeting addressed at Feilding by the Rev. Howard Elliott. He said that his nose had been very nearly broken and a blow upon his eye had rendered him unconscious. Then he had been brutaliy kicked whilo lying on the road. A returned soldier who had been making some interjections asked, "By whom?" and was ordered by the chairman to remember his uniform. Mr. Miller said it was the "genius of Protestantism" to grant freedom of thought and speech bv all. It was true Calvin had burned Cervitus, but Protestants had subsequently erected an expiatory monument. Roman Catholics had not ereoted expiatory monuments in memory of tho victims of St. Bartholomew's eve. The *poaker proceeded to refer to the work of tho Spanish Inquisition and other historical incidents, Ho charged the Papacy with failing to appreciate tho moral issues at stako in the present war. Returning to the Feilding assault case, Mr. Miller protested tliac the Press Association had tailed to give sufficient prominence to the affair. Ho made an attack on an Auckland Magistrate for justifying an assault upon tho Rev. Howard Elliott.

The Rev. Howard Elliott said that the meeting shov;ed the intelligence of the Protestant community had been aroused. All that was necessary to secure absolute control of the political life of the country was for Protestants to stand together. The Protestant Political Association was advancing and would enrol every earnest Protestant /ho wished to attain high ideals and maintain cherished freedom. Mr. Elliott proceeded to deny that the association was inimical to Labour. Misstatements on this point had been circulafc.d by interested parties. The assocation had no alliances, but it realised that attempts had ceen made to place the control of unwns in Poman Catholic hands. A similar effort r.ad resulted in wrecking tho Australian Labour Party. The Sinn Pein and other disloyal sections had followed Dr. Mannis, and thy other sections had gone to the Nationalists, Itananism hod split the Australian Labour Party. Ho asserted that a .New Zealand Labour journal was a "pro-Roman organ.''

Several interjections contradicted this statement tlatly.

Mr. Elliott: "I know tho truth. Tho people who control the paper will never lead Labour in this country, because tho majority of the workers are Protestants." Tho Protestant workers should come together and form an (rganisntion that would represent both Labour and Protestantism; or else they should join the P.P.A. and vote for the inndidatcs who would better represent Labour than any candidates chosen by llomanism. Mr. Elliott referred to the refusal of the Government to admit info N.Z. certain books assailing the' Church of Rome, and alleged that Ministers had been influenced by "Jesuit influences." Ho was sure there was something very sinister in the action of the Government in this resnect. Boys attending Marist schools in New Zealand wero wearing "Irish r ebel badges." He protested against grants to denominational schools, and against State concessions of any kind to Italian Catholic teachers. He urged the C?ov eminent Co prevent religious influences operating against the efficiency of (no Police Forco A Ik. conclusion, ho appealed to the audience to assist in making tho association "the great political feTcu right throughout the country." The Hon. \\. Earnshaw moved:—"That this meeting expresses its confidence' in Sir Eclwavii Carson ris tho leader ot Ulster, and assures him and ail associated witn him of its deep interest and sympathy with Ulstermen in their stniggld for liberty and loyalty." This motion wan carried with few dissentients. Mr. Earnshaw moved a further motion pledging the Protestants pres*nc io snpiport actively tno Protestant political movement. This motion was carried. Mr. Ellatc uniswcied ajfrw questions, and thb proceedings closed with tho Doxoloiry and the National Anthem. A collection taken up at tho Tnoeting and doiirttions ana promises realised upwards ot J!SO.

THE DOMINION CONFERENCE ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The Dominion Conference of the Protestant Political Association resumed at the Foresters' Hall yesterday morning.' Consideration of the constitution was pro. ceeded with, and occupied tho attention of conference all the morning. At the afternoon session the constitution and bylaws were finally adopted. The election of Dominion oflicors resulted as follows:—President, Mr. A. Donald; vice-presidents, Alessrs. J. A. Hny, E. M'Gregor, and Major Johnston; secretary, Air. H. G. Bilby; treasurer, Air. G. Aston; national lecturer, Rev. Howard Elliott; committee, Hon. W. Uarnshaw, Rev. Knowles Smith, Messrs. J. Middletori, J. Aston, and J. G. Dickson, M.P.; auditors, Jf r. E. C. Ludwig and Alessrs. J. Kellow and Son. Tho following resolutions were adopted during tho day:— "This conference of the Protestant Political Association, representative of New Zealand Protestant opinion, expresses its fullest confidence in Sir Edward Carson as leader of Ulster, and assures him, 'and all associated with him, of our deep interest in and sympathy with Ulstcrmen in their struggle for liberty and loyalty." "This conference records its eatisfaction that the British Parliament has applied tho principle of conscription to Ireland, and trusts that tho opposition of the Roman Catholic hierarchy and of disloyal Sinn Fein organisations will not deter the Government from fufilling their duty to tho loyalists throughout the Empire, who have given their husbands, sons, and brothers, their time and substance, to tho cause of human freedom, wliich is assailed by Germany and her allies. By every consideration, of justice Ireland should long ago have been compelled lo assume her obligations; and any weakness on the part of the British Government'lo enforce the measure will arouse bitter feelings and regrets in the. Dominion." "That the conference lake this opportunity of making emphatic protest n",itnst any encroachment upon oiir national system of education by the grantin" of "Stale scholarships lo sectarian schools. That such concessions have increasingly been made since 19H unknown to and without Ihe sanction of (he general public, we regard as a decided blow' and a menace lo the solidarity of tho 'national educational system. This conference furl her emlnhatfcaUy pro'lHs ajainst railway concessions lo sectarian teachers and scholars. Further, grants made to sectarian schools for lechliicil education we hold lo be a direct broach of the Education Art: and we demand that the Hon. the Minister of Education shall forthwith cancel all such concessions as being inimical to tho mfp,.pst of our educational system, and against the will of tho electors of the "Dominion." . , "That Ill's conference offers lis nearly congratulation* to the Grand Orarme SflW of New Zealand iipou iforec\M and wisdom in initiating Ihe ' '"■ tenant Political Association; and. records iff appreciation of the generosity < lis. illtiTcd in connection therewith, and the effiesy and good-will with which it

facilitated the steps which permitted of the registration of the Protestant Political Association as. a distinct organisation." The Newspaper Committee reported that, after duly considering the rievernl suggestions made, they had pleasure in recommending:—"That the Piolcstant Political Association's executive arrange tb confer with 'The Nation' Committee, with a view to increasing the capital to .£SOOO, and the object of reconstructing and extending the interests of the paper to serve as the official organ of the Loyal Orange Irish and Protestant Political Association."