MR. ELLIOTT REPLIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 130, 26 February 1920, Page 6

MR. ELLIOTT REPLIES

P.P.A. AND SIR JOSEPH WARD

WINTON SPEECH TRAVERSED

By Telegraph-Press AnsocialiM.

Auckland, February 25,

The Hev. Howard Elliott has written the following reply to the speech delivered by Sir Joseph Ward:— "Sir- Joseph Ward in his address at Winton attributed tho defeat of himself and his party to the Protestant Political Association, its organisation and propaganda, and referred to what he was pleased to describe as 'wretched tactics 'adopted to bring about that defeat, largely by bringing in. sectarianism of a most unprecedented description.' That Protestantism organised for noli deal action for tho first time in New Zealand met and defeated the ions-established political organisation of Homo is unprecedented, I admit; but that 'wretched tactics' were adopted, I deny. lam prepared to meet Sir Joseph Ward on any public, platform in defonce of those alleged 'wretched tactics.' Our tactics were clean, aboveboard, and uncompromising. Sir Joseph Ward's reply is singularly unsportsmanlike and ineffective. It is based upon misrepresentation and misstatement on every point. He (Sir Joseph Ward) suggests that 97 separate documents which ho has received were all c'rculnti'd by the P.P.A. in various districts. That is incorrect. Literature was circulated of which f'e P.P.A. had no cognisance whatever. The special election edition of the . "Nation," the official organ of tho P.P.A.. was widelv circulated through the electorates, but that 'it teemed with appeals to passion, prejudice, and misrepresentation' is untrue. The ex-Lender of the Opposition did not afford particulars in his" speech to enable a definite reply. Whoii he does so, I will undertake to reply. Might it not. be said, howpver, with moTG truth, that nir Joseph Ward's speeches in Canterbury aiid t the Town Hall, Wellington, teemed with appeals to passion and prejudice?

Catholic School Children and the Railways, "The statement I am reported to have made at Bluff to tho effect that 'it cost between and .£16,000 annually to carry Catholic children freoon tho railways vnst State Echools' afforded Sir Joseph Ward tho principal topic for Lis address. I havo never made such elatement, neither hava I referred to a bookkeeping eatry between the Railway and Education Departhienk What I ■did aay at Bluff, is from many other platforms, was (and I quoted the latest Parliamentary return) that it cost between ,£looO and .£I6OO (the exact amount is £lb4ft) annually to carry Roman Catholic children past State schools to sectarian schools. Sir Joseph Ward says that .it costs nothing. The issuo lies between tho Parliamentary return and Sir Joseph Ward.' Further, Sir Joseph Ward alleged that tho regulations under which free passfe arc issued afforded the same right to children attending State schouls as .to children attending sectarian schools. They do nothing of the kind. A child attending a Stat© school may travel.free on tho railway if Iho home of the child is two miles from the nearest school, and then only to tho nearest Stato school, even _ though it bo a one teacher school; while a child attending a Roman Catholic school may travel up to six miles each way daily, past any number of schools. The operation of this regulation provides a constant incentive to parents other than Romanists to send their children to sectarian schools, and is a source of complaint from many country teachers, handicapping the Stato schools and greatly favouring sectarian schools. Sir Joseph Ward either does not know the facts or has misstated them. I can furnish ample proof of the injustice of the Operation ■ Of. these regulations. Further, Sir Joseph Word'stated that the Railway Department's regulations apply impartially to all members of '.he community. That is not true. Nuns receive free passes on. the railway, to travel to teach in sectarian schools, but iio such privilege is extended to any State school teachers. The regulations operate greatly to the advantage of the Roman Catholic Church, and, notwithstanding Sir Joseph AVard's evasion' of. the fa?t, were brought into operation and extended by the Liberal Government of which he was afterwards a member,

Civil Service Appointments. "Referring to appointments to the Civil Sen-ice, Sir Joseph Ward has avoided the issue by endeavouring to confine the figures "to the year Mil. My statement was that in 1011 a return was furnished which showed that of the last 0000 appointments to the Civil Service 4000 were appointments of Roman Catholics, It wns in that year a census was taken of the religions of Civil servants. Sir Joseph Ward endeavoured to get past the direct statement and at the same time to overlook 'a further statement that 40 per cent, or thereabouts of Civil servants today otb Soman Catholics, and that the majority entered the service when political patronage was rampant, and Sir Joseph Ward was either at or near the head of the Cabinet table. The Bank-Note Story. "The bank-note story is very old, and was age-worn before ever the P.P.A. existed. I have on many occasions in answer to questions in public 'explained the true significance of the coat of arms on the reverse of the Bank of New Zealand one pound note. I have always said that it represented a pioneer Anglican bishop whom Protestants hold in honoured memory. I know nothing of the stories circulated concerning Sir Joseph Ward's alleged borrowing from or lending to the Pope. ' "I have to remind' the late Liberal leader that he has made no attempt to answer our arguments in connection with the exemption of Roman Catholic schools from taxation to the extent of more than .£30,000 annually, nor has ho explained as late Minister of Finance why the Roman clergy are exempt from income tax, whilst'the Protestant cleTgy are liable. Meanwhile, members of the P.P.A, will.appreciato Sir Joseph's sorrowful but flattering estimate of the influence of the organisation."