THE P.P.A.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17631, 7 December 1922, Page 9

THE P.P.A.

DUNEDIN EDITORIAL COMMENT. (si'ECIAli TO "THE TIIMB.' 1 ) DUNEDIN, Docembcr 0. Leaflets v. ere distributed in Balcluthu. this morning bearing the title, "The Might.'' These had reference to tho fact that the P.P.A. organiser (Mr S. G. Griffith), who was advertised to speak in the Oddfellows' Hall last evening in reference to the P.P.A. attitude to Mr Edie's candidature, returned to Dunedin by the aftcrnoou train. A i'airly large crowd assembled for tho meeting, and to avoid disappointing the public Mr Edie'a committee took the hall." Seven speakers addressed tho crowd, and their goneral tone was denunciatory of tho P.P.A. methods. Ono of the speakers was a former secretary of the P.P.A. at Kaitangata, and another was a well-known Orangeman.' When seen by a reporter .in the office of tho P.P.A. this afternoon, Mr S. G. Griffith said: "I went to Balclutha yesterday with the intention of carrying out my arrangements, but found that tho people upon whom I had been depending to make arrangements for the meeting had not dono so. Oa account of the arrangements not having been made, I felt it was not advisable to go on with tho meeting." Tho "Star" says: It seems to be tho usual thing that when tho Rev. Howard Elliott appoars in an electorate and unmasks his batteries, it is not only his traditional enemies who tako cover preparatory to training their own guns on him, but those with whom normally one might expect to see him in alliance. The thing has now reached a climax with the position which has developed in Christchurch North. Of all parliamentarians or political aspirants it is Mr L. M. Isitt who is repelling unprovoked attacks by Mr Elliott. Mr Isitt is not ouJy a Protestant, but a Nonconformist, "and no mere passive adherent at that. Nobody wants to live in a fool's paradise, but still less does anyone want to turn a smiling countryside into a devastated battlefield for sheer lust of fighting and destruction. Mr Isitt last night objected to his orderly oleetorate being turned into a "rough house," and that seems to bo all Mr Elliott accomplishes anywhero with his gospel of hate and I suspicion. Mr Isitt gave him wise counsel when he suggested that another kind of gospel existed, and was capable of better results. Still more pointed was his suggestion that Mr Elliott was running risks by the repetition of calumnies which had been_ refuted in one caso which Mr Elliott had even publicly apologised for, anl was supposed to have withdrawn. A BLENHEIM KESOLUTION. (SMCIJU. TO "THE PRESS.") BLENHEIM, December 6. At a meeting of Protestants held ia Blenheim to-night-, a motion was unanimously passad "imprecating tiw> bitter attack made cm Mr L. M. Isitt by Mr Howard Elliott, of tho Protestant Political Association, protesting that Mr Elliott is not representing the views of the (rreat majority of Protestants in New Zealand, and recording its protest against Mr Elliott's attitude. 5 1