THE P.P.A. AND REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1928, Page 6

THE P.P.A. AND REFORM.

The fisat thing to be noted in the remarkable attack that the Protestant Political .dissociation has made upon the Reform P*ty, as revealed in our news to-day, is the claim to political influence made by the Association. This body has, says its manifesto, "in measojrable degree" assisted to return Reform minnbers, "at a heavy cost of money, time, and effort," and it is added that "there are members of the party who were first brought into political life by this Association." This confiims what we have said over and over again, that the Protestant Political Association has Jbeen a staunch ally of Reform. In his reply, the secretary of the Reform League contends *that the activities of the Association have hefrp«ed to discredit and defeat Reform candidates. This is quite easy to believe, for there ane many sensible electors, but it is undeniable that the Reform Party, or a large section af it, has been—or was fo# some time— quite r«sady to accept the help of the P.P.A. Was an(y protest made by the party when the Association threw its weight against Sir Joseph, ward in Awarua? One of the reasons —and perhaps the main reason —for the foundation of the P.P.A. was to put Sir Joseph Ward out of politics, and how well the Associiition succeeded is common knowledge.

Nohht the Association makes a general attaek on Reform policy and administration. It charges the Government with extravagance and * leaning- towards Socialism. The Association has been a long time in coming to conclusions that are plain to thousands, including many good Reformers, and it may be congratulated on seeing the truth even at thia late hour. It is doubtful if a Labour Government would interfere in and with business so much as this down-with-Red-Feds-pnotesting Government of ours. This, however, is fey the way. The P.P.A. is not primarily interested in State expenditure, and the connection between the State and business. The Association's primary object is religious, and it is characteristic that the Association should chiarge the Government with favouring the Roman Catholie Church. The same charge was mude against Sir Joseph Ward. The Reform Pa ity* perhaps now realises what a dangerous bo dy the P.P.A. is, and that the protests made bj this and other newspapers from the first against the raising of a sectarian issue in politics were thoroughly well justified. The A| isolation's attaek on the Government contains the statement that the present Cabinet "includes members who make no seeret of their hostility to the Association, its objeets, and leaders." This is excellent news. It shows that individual members of the Reform Pa.rty are getting some wisdom. If the whole party had adopted this attitude at the outset it. would have been better for New Zealand politics.