Protestant Political Association.

Bruce Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 72, 13 September 1917, Page 5

Protestant Political Association.

BRANCH FORMED AT MILTON. ADDRESS BY REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT. Rev. Howard Elliott (Auckland), who is touring the Dominion as organiser .in the interests of the Protestant Political Association, delivered an address in the Presbyterian Hall, Milton, on Tuesday evfnir.g. Rev. S. Robertson Orr presided, and there was a large attendance of Protestants, the seating accommodation being comfortably filled. The Chairman having explained the objects of the meeting, Rev. Mr Morton the following motion: " That this meeting of Protestants expresses its hearty approval of the national system of education now in vogue in Now Zealand, as opposed to the Bee torian system, and its determination to strenuously combat all attempts to interfere wifch the religious liberty which the national system affords, and congratulates the Minister of Education on his fivm opposition to the grant of Stale aid to Roman Catholic schools." The motion was seconded by Mr Hamilton and carried unanimously. Mr D. N. Wilson then moved the following resolution ! " This meeting of the Protestants of Milton, held in the Presbyterian Hall on Tuesday, 11th September, protests against the glaring injustice that is being done to them, the teachers and children of the Dominion, and especially to the men of the Second Division by the preferential treatment of the Marist and Christian Brothers in respect to military Service. "Further this meeting considers that the proposal which has been submitted to Cabinet to exempt sectarian school teachers, whilst still conscripting the teachers of our State schools, is calculated to provoke the loyal Protestants to the strongest resentment. We emphasize the fact that nearly one4hird of the eligible teachers of the First Division and many of the Second Division have volunteered, while the staffs of the sectarian schools are intact; thus the children attending the State schools are pen* alised because of the patriotism of their teachers, many of whom have laid down their lives for the Empire and the King, and for the children whom they taught. " This meeting therefore calls upon the Government to take action to ensure that these private school teachers render their due service to the Empire before the men of the Second Division are celled upon to leave wife and children to teke the places that the single men of the Marist and Christian Brothers ought to fill. A copy of this resolution to be forwarded to the Prime Minister," ~ This was seconded by two or three persons, and also carried unanimously. Rev. Howard Elliott, on rising to Bpeak, was heartily received. He remarked that throughout the Dominion there was a growing feeling amongst Protestants that they should band themselves together in one common cause to combat the insiduous and pernicious in« fluences on the political life of New Zealand by Catholicism -hence the formation of the Protestant Political Association, to preserve their rights, and guard the rights of their children. Some people questioned whether this was the right time to stir up sectarian strife, but it was a sad commentary that it was left to Great Britain in her hour of greatest peril to discover the enemy in her midst. Certain influences have been manifest which proved themselves unfriendly, and in many respects a serious menace to the welfare of the Empire. In New Zealand the Roman Catholic Federation had organised energetically, and sought to secure the political injustice of State aid to their sectarian Bchools, whilst exemption from military service was sought for the Marist and Christian Brothers, This was working, not for the welfare of the British Empire, but for the glorification of the Church of Rome. The Protestant Association had no objection to the Roman Catholics' beliefs or tenets of their faith, and did not deßire to interfere with them, but when the Church was using its influence to secure political favors it behoved the Protestants to protect their own, and maintain equal rights for all elasses. Rome was shaping her policy for her own glorification, and Protestant Associai tions had been formed inßritain, Canada, South Africa, Australio, and New Zealand to combat the pernicious attempts of the Roman Catholic Church. In Canada that Church had advised its adherents against voluntary enlistment, but the Conscription Act was brought into force to secure that Roman Catholics should bear their share with the Protestants in fighting the Empire's battles. The failure of voluntaryism in Australia and tho rejection of Conscription was due to tho influence of Red Fedism and Green Fedism. After that adverse vote in Australia the Protestants had organised, and at tho succeeding Federal elections not one member was returned at the ballot who had voted against conscription. New Zealand was now awakening to the menace of Rome, but it was to bo regretted that some of the strongest members of the Ministry appeared'to have " fallen*on their faces to worship at the Joss of Rome." The rev. speaker then referred to the Roman Catholics' attempt to secure State aid for their sectarian schools, and commended the Minister of Education on his direct refusal to submit to their demands. Whilst commending the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) on his ability in the discharge of his onerous duties, he averred that gentleman waß truckling to Rome in his proposed exemption of Marist and Christian Brothers from military service. Protestant ministers had not asked for exemption, and the laws of the land should not be

overridden by the canon laws of any church. A principle was involved—the principle of equality of service. Korean Catholics should stand on the o )mmoD basis of manhood, and not on the sacro* sant basis of priesthood. ~ The speaker briefly touched upon the recent postal inquiry at Auckland anont the Protestant Politioal Association's correspondence having been censored, and declared that underlying the trouble there was an indefinable influence at work which ib was difficnlt to detect, but was nevertheless using its inflluence. He commented on the preponderance of Roman Catholics in the main civil services, and referred to unjust promotions. In labor circles Roman Catholicism was a'so makin • its pernicious influence felt, and be contended that it had wreoked the Labor Party in Australia. The speaker concluded an address of an hour and a quarter's duration with an appeal to Protestants to organise themselves on a common platform to cpmbat the in>fluence of Roman Catholicism in our political life. Papacy was working insidaoutly to put '• its bloody heel on the neck of Protestantirm, to crush it out of existence." The address was freely punctuated with applause, and attentively listened to throughout. At its conclusion amo tion was carried that a branch of the Protestant Political Association be formed in Milton. A large number signed tho member-* ship enrolment cards, and a temporary committee was set up pending the ap* poiotment of office-bearers, A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer, and the meeting closed with averse of the National Anthem.