HOWARD ELLIOT'S STATEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1920, Page 2

HOWARD ELLIOT'S STATEMENTS.

(To the Editor.) Sir—ln the Interests of truth and justice I pen these few lines. There appeared in your last aSturday's Issue, .and also in Monday's i report of the Rev. H. Elliott's address In Stratford. Were it not for the fact that he has made repeatedly certain wild statements whltfi I know to be untrue, X question whether it is worth while to contradict liim. To make my position clear, I wish to state that I belong neither to the Protestant nor Catholla faith. Taking any impartial view of the Rev. Elliott's work, If I may dignify it by terming It so, one must be struck by the amount of bitterness which he (manages to Impart to his speeches. He Is, I presume, the chief mouthpiece of the P.P.A, and one must believe that it is with the sanction of that body that he launches forth so despicably. It Is no part of a minister's religion to decry his co-religionists, neither is It a part of Christ's teaching. I have no doubt the P.P.A. are qute a numerous body cf people, and:it Beem3 hard on them and also on their organiser that they conjointly could not manage to defeat Mr, Masters for the Stratford seat, but possibly they may console themselves with the thought of the sixtyfive to seventy per cent, of M.P.'s pledged to their "reforms," whatever they is just as ludicrbus as saying that nine-tenth of the people are in the asylum through drink. I tako exception to the remarks or rather statements naming the New Zealand Labor Party, also certain statements consenting trade unions. I have been and am actively connected with the Labor Party, and nlsfl with a trade union, When the Rev. Mr; Elliott says, that "In labor organisation women as well as men, Rome was at work," I haven't the slightest hesitation In saying that he Is entirely wrong. Purlng the last five years I have been on the inside of trades union management. Three years ago I was a dolegate to the district council of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, in Auckland, and out of seven members there was ono Catholic. At the same time I was secretary of the Otahuhu branch of the AS. C. and J, There were no Catholics on our executive. This conclusively settles Mr. Elliott's statements that "every union," etc. . Positively he has proved himself a Btranger to the truth. Secondly, With regard to Ills statement that the Church of Rome was behind the disloyal utterances of the' leaders of the tabor Party, Well, as a member 'of tho Labor Party I don't admit their disloyal utterances, but even if it were admitted It is utter bosh to blame tho influence of the Roman Church. I ami gild to say the Labor Party recbgnlaes all religions, and we have them all, both Gentile and Jew, and some without any religion, exception, the religion of humanity, which is a rellgoln the party stand by—"That man to man, should brothers be the world o'er and a' that." We-are et:;remc, there are one hundrod and thirty thousand of us in New Zealand. We are not out to smash the VP A, nor the Church of Rome. We are not Reds Feds, nor Bolsheviks, etc. We are gaining ground rapidly. Our movement Is not to be a convenience for bigots and we can stand all the abuse! from men of Mr. Elliott's type. I

recognise the useleasness of convincing the P.P.A. organiser, but I am sure that members of the P.P.A. and the general public ought to have an opportunity of discrediting the foolish utterances of the Rev. Elliott. It Is over two years ago since he made a statement that the Catholic vote put the Labor (heimbers Into Parliament. He was challenged to name any Labor member from the House, but, as usual, thought discretion the better part of valor. Now the lie Is reversed, The Catholics are going to get Into the House on the back of Extreme Labor, Does he know what he Is talking about, think you? It goes against the grain ,of any fair-minded man or woman to see a fairly large law abiding people slandered so consistently by such an evidently bigoted, narrow sectarian as the Rev. .Elliott lins proved himself to be. Give it up Howard. Try to pucceed In playing a man's part In a man's world. Don't drag in the gutter the raiment of Christian love and fellowship, which you profess but don't as yet know how to utilise—l am, etc., 0. scow; ..' Soutli Boad, New Plymouth, June 9,