POLITICS AND RELIGION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 February 1920, Page 6

POLITICS AND RELIGION.

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S SPEECH. REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT IN REPLY. Auckland, Feb. 25. The Rev. Howard Elliott writes in reply to the speech by Sir Joseph Ward at Winton as follows: Sir Joseph Ward, in his address at Winton, attributed Uio defeat of himself and party to the T'votesta-nt Political Association, its organisation, and propaganda, and referred to what he was pleased to describe as "the wretched tactics adopted to bring about that defeat, largely by bringing in sectarianism of a most un-1 precedented description." That Protestanism organised for political action for the first time in New Zealand, met and defeated the long-established political organisation of Rome is unprecedented I admit, but that "wretched tactics" were adopted I deny. I am prepared to meet Sir Joseph Ward on any public platform in defence of those alleged "wretched tactics." Our tactics are clean, above board, and uncompromising. Sir Joseph's reply is singularly unsportsmanlike and ineffective. It is based upon misrepresentation and misstatement on every point. He (Sir Joseph) suggests that 07 separate documents which he has received were all circulated by the P.P.A. in various districts. That is incorrect. Literature was circulated, of which the P.P.A. had no cognisance whatever. The special election edition of "The Nation," the official organ of the P.P.A., was widely circulated through the electorates, but that "it teemed with appeals to passion and prejudice and misrepresentation" is untrue. The ex-Leader of the Opposition did not afford particulars in his speech to enable a definite reply. When he does so I will undertake to reply. Might it not be said, however, with more truth that Sir Joseph Ward's speeches in Canterbury and the Town Hall in Wellington teemed with appeals to passion and prejudice?

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN. The statement I am reported to have made at Bluff, to the effect that '"it cost between £15,000 and £16,000 annually to carry Catholic children free on railways past the State schools," afforded Sir Joseph the principal- topic for his address-. I have never made such a statement, neither have I referred to a bookkeeping entry between the Railway and Education Departments. What I did say at the Bluff, as from other platforms was, and I quoted the latest Parliamentary return, that it cost between £ISOO and £I6OO (the exact amount is £lfl40) annually, to carry Roman Catholic children past State schools to sectarian schools. Sir Joseph says that it costs nothing. The issue lies between tho Parliamentary return and Sir Joseph Ward. Further, Sir Joseph e.lleged that the regulations under which free passes are issued afforded the same right to children attending State schools as to children attending sectarian schools. They do nothing of the kind. A child attending the State school may travel free on the railway if the home of the child is two miles from the nearest school, and then only to the nearest State school, even though it be a oneteacher school, wsilst the 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 State school and greatly favoring sectarian schools, Kir Joseph Ward either does not know the facts or has misstated them. I can furnish ample proof of the injustice of the operations of these regulations.

CIVIL SERVANTS' APPOINTMENTS. Further, Sir Joseph stated that the Railway Department's regulations apply impartially to all members of the community. That is not true. The nuns receive free passes on the railway to travel to teach in sectarian schools, but no such privilege is extended to any State scliool teachers. The regulations operate greatly to the advantage of the Roman Catholic Church, and notwithstanding Sir Joseph Ward's evasion of the fact, were brought into operation and extended by the Liberal Government of which he was afterwards a member, Referring to appointments to the civil service, Si( Joseph Ward has avoided the issue by endeavouring to confine the figures to the year 1911. My statement was that in 1911 a return was furnished which showed that of the last 6000 appointments to the civil service 4005 were Roman Catholics. It was in that year the census was taken of the religions of the civil servants. Sir , Joseph endeavored to get past the direct statement, and at the same time overlook the further statement that 40 per cent, or thereabout of civil servants to-day are Roman 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 BANKNOTES. ■ The banknote 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 At.'ns on the reverse of tliu Bank rf New Zealand one-pound no';c. I have always said that it reprcst:.. l.hl a pioneer Anglican Bishop whom Protectants hold in honored 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 eoi.i.eeyon with the exemption of the Roman Catholic schools from taxation, to the extent of more than £30,000 annually, nor has lie explained as the late Minister of Finance if the Roman clergy are exempt from income tax, whilst the Protestant clergy are liable. Meanwhile members of the P.P.A. will appreciate Sir Joseph's sorrowful but flattering estimate of the influence of the organisation.