PASSIVE RESISTERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 813, 17 February 1910, Page 4

PASSIVE RESISTERS.

For the twenty-third time, some thirl}' passive resisters appeared at the Town Hall recently before the Paddington magistrates for failing to pay the local rale, to the “sectarian” portion of which they objected. Among the resisteis were Dr. Clifford, Rev. R. Roberts, and Councillors J. F’airbank, O. Phillippo, and C' Constable. In making his protest, Dr. Clifford said; ‘‘Your Worships, may I be permitted to say two or three things at this, our twenty-third appearance before you, in illustration of the grounds on which we rest our protest ? Two ot our friends are at this moment in prison because they will not pay a rate demanded in the name of the State for the propagation of what they regard as Roman Catholic teaching to the children of England. They are both ministers—one is a Baptist, and is sentenced to fourteen days ; the other is a Primitive Methodist, and his term of imprisonment in Winchester Gaol is for seven days. These men are Protestants. They are ministers of Protestant Churches, and they cannot be content to preach Protestantism on Sunday and weekdays and pay for the propagation of that which the legislation of 1902 has placed us, and it is against that we are entering our protest this morning.’’