The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, July 31st., 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1127, 31 July 1913, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, July 31st., 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The N.Z. Tablet sets forth its Greymouth correspondent’s views in connection with the sectarian bitterness which the recent byelection aroused. It also reproduces messages from Grey correspondents which appeared in the Otago Daily Times and Evening Post and comments irom the Grey Star. The Tablet, which voices Catholic opinion, comments as follows : “ Such a state of things stands for the utter degradation ot politics ; and the individuals or party primarily responsible deserve the execration ot all decent citizens. Sooner or later such tactics are, certain to recoil upon the candidate who employs them, or who fails to condemn them and to dissociate himself from them when they are being employed by his supporters, in the case of Mr Michel, it looks as if Nemesis would overtake him very early. Moreover, the taint attaching to this election is morally certain to follow him 'into future contests ; and the mistake made by his Grey supporters is likely to cost him dear. At the last two general elections he contested the Westland seat; and it is said that he received a not inconsiderable measure of support from the Catholic voters in that constituency. It remains to be seen how it will fare with him when he again submits himself as a candidate for their suffrages,” It is absurd to place all the blame of stirring up the sectarian issue on the supporters of Mr Michel. The gentleman who is reported to have first raised the religious element in the election is Professor Mills, Anyhow, whoever was responsible deserves severe censure. We are afraid that sectarian bitterness will insinuate itself into the next general election by reason of the Bible-in-schools agitation which is fanning the smouldering fires of the Reformation. Parliamentary candidates should discountenance religious bigotry.