PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 246, 5 July 1918, Page 5

PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION

MEETING IN TOWN HILL. Tho Protestant Political Association held a "social" for mejnbers and friends in tho Town Hall last night. The big 'hall was filled, upwards of 2COO. people being present'. Addresses wero'delivered by tho Rev. S; Robertson Orr, of St. 1 Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Wellington, and by the Rev. Howard Elliott. Also there were coil'co and light refresh- . monts, and some musical and elocutionary items. Tho Rev, G. Knowles Smith presided. Tho Rev. S. Robertson Orr, in an address to tho meeting, said that the aims of the association wero as ever—"Equal rights for all and special privileges for nono." It was suggested that 'tho present was not a time for the organising of such a body. His reply was that the time was not of 'their choosing. If 1914 was a proper time for Sir James Allen to secure an amendment of tho Education Act in favour of Roman Catholics, then tho present was fc proper time to organise to protect the rights of all. He referred to the "thinly veiled" disloyalty of a certain section, of tho peoplo, arid aiso to the Vatican being a hatchingplace for the most sinister of German ■ plots, through the agency of one ecclesiastic r.ow in . prison. The • real aim ■of 'the P.P.A. was to protect tho Protestants in tho enjoyment of their rights, and to save tho Roman Catholic people—for they were not to blame —from 'the horrors of religious strife. He had been ioterwited enough on one occasion in the south to ask of. the'heads of three Government Departments there this question: "Is thoro any trace of Roman Catholic influence in your Departments?" And all find replied "Yes." One of these gentlemen had advised him most • strongly that he could give his support to no'better, movement that tho Protestant Political Association. He spoko also of the opportunity the association liad to Christianise politics, and "to break the power of gold," by securing the return to Parliament of men of high Christian principles, men of integrity. The Rev. Howard Elliott spoke of the need for further development of the organisation. He said that there was scope for great advance yet in tho growth of tiio association. Peoplo were' waiting to be enrolled, and 'the only limit in numbers up till the present had been tho capacity of the workers in the cause. There was to l>o a great membership campaign, mid tho work should not bo left to the officials alone. The Protestants, with their organisation comnlote, would be nblo to insist that ■ no Government should ever pander lo the Roman Catholics. Tho only people in this country who could cleanse politics were the great Protestant section —tho people. Who did not ask for themselves anything they .would not freely give to iythers. :