ATTACK ON ROMAN CATHOLIC CDHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 2 November 1925, Page 9

ATTACK ON ROMAN CATHOLIC CDHURCH.

(To tne Editor.) 4T . Sir, attention has been called to the letter written in your issue of October 31 by the R ev . Father Gondrmger. My committee and I know nothing about the pamphlet mentioned by the rev. gentleman, and neither mv committee nor I have any knowledge of the contents thereof, its publication, distribution, or circulation. We cannot, nor would it be reasonable to expect my committee or myself to be responsible for the many pamphlets or statements that are published or made without our knowledge or consent during a political campaign, and we repudiate this or any other pamphlet issued, published, or circulated without the consent of my committee or Myself. That we cannot accept responsibility | for unauthorised pamphlets must be ! obvious to the Rev. Father Gondringer, or any unbiased persons. It is very significant that the Rev. Father Gondranger waited until the eve of the election before publishing a letter, of which, he himself says: "I have trespassed on your space, sir, beyond all ordinary lengths." The rev. father could have got mc on the telephone, or communicated with mc, to know whether I knew anything about the pamphlet, before going to the Press. Surely this would have been only common courtesy to mc, a Reform candidate, a follower of the Hon. Gordon Coates, of whom the rev. gentleman speaks in such eulogistic terms. This extraordinary long letter of the rev. gentleman at this late hour is unfair to mc and my committee, as the only object of the publication of ,the letter is to attempt to injure mc at the last moment of the election and to help my opponent. I have already stated that I am opposed to any sectarian issue being raised and still am opposed. My attitude as to the Bible in schools and on any Church entering into the political arena is so well known from my many public utterances as not to require reiteration. —I am, etc., VIVIAN H. POTTER. October 31, 1925. (To tbe Editors Sir, —I gladly accept Mr. Potter's assurance that the P.P.A. pamphlet was published without his knowledge or consent, and even more gladly his further assurance that he repudiates such a vile publication. Mr. Potter complains (and priina facie, his complaint seems justified) that I waited until the eve of the elections before I asked tho question. Had such been my intention Mr. Potter would have had a just grievance against mc. But here are the facts: My attention was drawn to the pamphlet on Wednesday nJght, and my letter was written early next morning. I was anxious for it to appear that evening, so that the matter should be out of the way before the Prime Minister's Town Hall meeting. My "copy" was in the "Star" Office before noon on Thursday, but the letter was necessarily a long one, and raised a delicate question. Howevej,' I was assured that it was in type by 4 o'clock that afternoon. On Friday, for the reason stated, I pressed hard for publication that evening. But Friday's "Star" was a small paper, and, despite a special effort made in the office, it was found impossible to publish my letter in that issue. Thus, though written on Thursday morning, it appeared on Saturday night.

I now look upon the question as definitely closed, so far as Mr. Potter is concerned. He has given a straight-out answer. In conclusion, may I assure him, on my word of honour, that I had, and have now, no political motives whatsoever. It has always been the teaching and tradition of the Catholic Church not to take any part in politics, as such. Jly sole desire was to expose to the fair-minded citizens of Auckland the forgeries emanating from the Roskill branch of the P.P.A.—I am, etc.,

B. J. GONDRLNGER, S.JL Jlount Albert.