PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 186, 26 April 1918, Page 6

PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION

The conference o£ the Protestant Poli* tical Association resumed • yesterday morning. It was unanimously resolved as follows: "The Protestant Political A&socia* tion, representative of New Zealand Protestant opinion, in conference assembled, enters its strong protest against the action of the'Hon; the Minister of Customs in prohibiting certain Protestant publications from entering New Zealand. An inyidious distinction has thereby been mad» in the interests of the Roman Catholio Church. The literature, in question was not intended for public Bale, but for private distribution amongst Protestant people Its seizure can only be regarded, as lieing, in the interests of one section, of the community. This action by a Minister of tho Crown is an indefensible invasion of the liberty of the Press and of the rights of Protestants, and is calculated to raise the gravest concern for liberty in New Zealand. And we call upon tho Cabinet to restore the public confidence in tho safety of our liberties in the hands of the National Government." The question of a Dominion member* ship campaign was dealt with, and re« suited in a motion being unanimously carried that the conference pledges y> self to assist the movement in every possible way. The conference also, by \inammou6 resolution, approved of the proposal to> raiso a sum of ,£IOO,OOO for propagandapurposes. The report of the Newspaper Committee was dealt with at length. It was decided that the question bo remitted to the Dominion executive. It was unanimously resolved: That (bo warmest thanks of this conference be given to the Kev. Thomas Miller, M.A., of Feilding, for his magnificent utterance at the Town Hall last mgnt. We rejoice in the outspoken and fearless manner in which the , reverend gentleman dealt with his subject, and trust that he may be greatly used in theP P.A. campaign. , ' In acknowledging the compliment, Mr. Miller expressed his great pleasure that he had become actively associated with ench a live organisation as the Protestant Political Association. ; Hearty thanks were accorded to the retiring treasurer, Mr. E. Buddeu, and to Mr. J. Aston for making the arrangements in connection with tho iovrn nan meeting on Wednesday. . . Appreciative motions, recognising Ui9 services of the president, Mr.. A. Donald, and Mr. H. G. Bilby, Dominion, secretary, wero heartily agreed to. The conference expressed its sehse or tho conspicuous ability and devotion to tho Protestant Association shown bj «» national lecturer, the Eev. Howard Elliott. Mr. Elliott, in reply, thanked the conference for its vote of appreciation and confidence, and said he had his reward in the fact that the association had already become an influential factor in the Dominion. Appreciation of the very excellent reports of the conference and the publio meetings associated with it published b> the Wellngton. newspapers was placed on re Tho d 'conforence was closed by the singing of the Doxology.