An Unwelcome Intruder.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17629, 5 December 1922, Page 6

An Unwelcome Intruder.

Those local candidates who have been named by the organiser of the Protestant Political Association as the candidates for whom the Association desires its members to vote have not displayed much pleasure at the intervention of this sectarian body on their behalf. Nor do we wonder, for a great majority of the public, of all denominations, detest the introduction of sectarian feeling into our politics. The only effect which the unsolicited and unauthorised approval of the P.P.A. might have upon the candidates concerned would be injurious, a fact which the local Opposition paper recognises, and has sought to exploit to the disadvantage of the Reform Party. But the methods of the Association are now so well known, that we do not anticipate that its approval will have the injurious effeot which the Government's opponents may hope for. Mr Kyle seems to us to have hit the nifi? on the head in his suggestion that the P.P.A., wishing to appear to have an effective influence in politics, likes to back winners wherever it has no strong and positive reason as in Christehurch North, for backing one who will be a loser. Since Reform is going to win, it is chiefly or entirely upon Reform candidates that the. P.P.A. gratuitously bestows its unwelcome blessing. If anyone should be so foolish as to conclude from this that the Reform Party has any sectarian bi&s, or any association with the P.P.A., he ought to reflect that in Christohurch North the Reform Party has decided, with Mr Massey'a approval, to support against the Association's candidate the member who excites the Association's bitterest hostility. Indeed, since the Association? endorsement is a (positive handicap to a candidate, it would be almost more reasonable to say that it is a Wilfordite organisation. '