PROTESTANTS’ AIMS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10291, 28 May 1919, Page 6

PROTESTANTS’ AIMS

POLITICAL FIELD “UNDERMINING INFLUENCE OF CATHOLICS.’’ ASSOCIATION'S FUTURE ACTIVITIES. There was a fairly largo attendance in tho Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last evening, when a meeting was held under tho auspices of the Protestant Political Association of New Zealand. The chair was occupied by tho Rev. Q. Kuowles-Huuth. The chairman opened by ridiculing the idea- that the Protestant Political Association was purely out to destroy the Roman Catholic Church, ihey were by no means desirous of crippling the Catholic conscience, but they wanted to find out what was intended politically by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. It was alleged by the Catholics ■ that the association's aim was to introduce sectarianism into politics, a step which they professed to deplore. Ji-iit who started the inireduction of sectarianism? He went on to say that the purpose for which the Catholic Federation was created was to obtain its aims and influence the Governmental heads- As a matter of fact, politics had been forced upon the association to protect the interests and secure .the rights of tho .Protestant communiy. in lace of the facta, tho mandate of tne Catholics to the Protestants to “get out” savoured of impudence. Now the Protestants bad ueen driven to political action, they intended to go right through the country and make theii influence felt at the ballot-box. The speaker attacked those Catholics who, he said, had indulged in - personalities and calumnies, and added that the- Protestants stood lor principles and not personalities. Ihe Catholics should ■ remember , the words of John Plowman, who said, that to make a street clean each one should sweep the dirt away from his own door first. The association was going 1 to find men capable of representing Protestants in Parliament, and when they found them and put them into Parliament- they were going to see that these men abided by their principles’and objects. MORE BACKBONE WANTED.

Mr G. Harford, Major of Feilding, was accorded a good reception. He said he had worked hard in the interaits of the spiritual side of the Protestant religion, and now he had entered the political side. He believed the aims oi the association were good, and challenged the Catholics to prove their assertion that the association was only' out to stir uj> sectarian strife. He deplored the want of backbone exhibited by Protestant business people. They were nothing but cowards, because they would, not join the Protestant Political Association for fear ol losing a few shillings in business. It was a most peculiar attitude, because the, population of the Dominion was only about one-seventh Catholic. Did that not show that if these business people stood true to the Protestants they would flourish in spite of the enemy? - The Protestants would stand by a man who proved true to his colours; there was no doubt about that. A. reason why the Protestants should hold together and fight the Romanists was because in countries under Rome’s domination there was great poverty. Itomanism spelt poverty. Did they want the Catholics to dominate the country when such a state of affairs existed ? Ho related a story of a woman who had had to sell the means of her livelihood and that of her children to pay a Catholic priest the cost of the Mass- If such a thing were allowed to go on all through the country the position would be worse than if the Gormans had conquered them.

THE NEST ELECTION. The speaker warmly attacked the Ne Tonic re decree, and said that it was np to Protestants to rise against such lies as the catholics had put forth. hie urged the Protestants of the country to light against the underground influences being worked by Catholics.-with the object of killing the Protestant movement. It was up to them to sort out the politicians and say who Uio> wanted 5o represent them. There were men in the House who would have to go, and the Protes.-ants would have a very big say at the next election. , "TREATED AS DIRT.” The Roy. J. Howard Elliott, organising secretary of the association, who was well received, said that the movement had awakened the slumbering Protestantism of the country, ‘in spite of the buncireds of resolutions that had been passed, at the meetings ot the associations and forwarded to -he Government, uud in spite of the huge meetings that had been held under the auspices of the association, the Government continued to treat them as dirt and as not worthy, of any consideration. It was quite plain that the Government had leanings towards the Pope ot Home and ms representatives in this country. H« briefly traced the history of the association i'’and said that it the Protestants' ' stood united they would win out in the end. Bir James Allen had said, ■"What can you Pro-eatauts do?” A voice: WeTl show them. The Rev. Howard Elliott; Wo will. Ho contended that the elections that had been held in different pants of the country had shown that tne organisation of the association had already made itself felt. The question to answer now was this: “Is Rome, in alliance with extreme Labour, Bolshevism, and 1.W.W.-ism, to rule, or is sane Protestantism to guide the destinies of the Protestants in the future?” If that question wore emphasised, the association would not call for support, financial and otherwise,, in vain. ABOUT A "BARGAIN.” The speaker referred to the loyalty el the Protestants in accepting conscription when the nation was in dire straits. What had the Catholics done, however? The position was that the while the Protestant clergy and theological students had gone into tho ranks of the Army, not a single priest or Manat Brother had gone away to fight. The secret of that scandalous thing, ho declared, was that Archbishop Redwood went to Sir James Allen and forced him to his knees. Thus was Sir James Allen forced to conclude a bargain which would for ever bo, a disgrace to the politics of New Zealand. Tho people wh» had lost their sons and relatives would never forget that scandalous bargain and would wrench from power n Government whose members were mere slaves and puppets of Rome. Speaking with regard-to tho recently-

published list of defaulters, Mr Elliott charged the Government with being careful to record the names of some and omit the names of others. He particularly referred to the fact that a Mnrist brothel whoso appeal had been turned down by a Military Service Board did not have his name included on the deserters’ list. He also gave other " instances to show that the Government was causing the law to he a dead letter in the interests of Catholics. He referred to the prohibition of certain Protestant literature and again charged the Government with pandering to the Catholics. When the Go vernment said that no books dealing with P rotestant questions should be allowed into, the country, it showed that, they .were getting back to the old .‘‘Star Chamber” methods. Was it not »'monstrous thing, that two Ministers should thus'dictate to a very large section of the community? In plain words it was tyranny and tyranny by an aristocrat was no more excusable than tyranny by the lowest toiler, GOVERNMENT ATTACKED. In view of the facts ho had related, the speaker asked anyone who queo toned the association’s objects to think a while. If they thought they would have no. hesitation in supporting tho movement. : The man who must .first be deprived of power was Sir James Allen, the greatest friend the . Roman Catholics had in this country. Truly the Catholics had a great deal to thank the members of the National Government for.

The speaker also attacked the Ns Temere Decree, and stated that the present position was absolutely intolerable, He contended that any man who went to the homes of decent married people, as had been done, and cast cruel aspersions on them just because they did not happen to be marred by a Catholic priest, should he treated as a criminal and imprisoned. Hequoted several instances alleging that priests had indulged in such persecution as ho described. POLITICAL REPRESENTATION. Dealing with politics Mr Elliott said that unless the people of Now Zealand rose to to combat them, the two Allies .—Rome and Bolshevism —would dominate the country politically. Ho charged the Catholics with supporting Sinn h’einism, and contended that Ireland was as much In a state of war as over Prance and Germany were. The fact was that the truth was hidden. With regard to New Zealand politics, he urged all Protsetants to sink their* political differences and etrlve to put men into' Parliament who could be trusted. It was not proposed to run a separate party, but It was proposed to select m*n who could be depended upon to stick to Protestant principles.