MR GRIFFITH'S ADDRESS.

Evening Star, Issue 18139, 1 December 1922, Page 6

MR GRIFFITH'S ADDRESS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—At Tuesday’s meeting of the Pro testa.nt Political Association Mr H. G. Griffith Mated that there were some queer happenings in Dunedin those last few days. Referring to the recent fir-a in tha old Post Office building, he insinuates that the lire was caused by someone who knew) the -contents of the lotter-'box. He eaya ho 'has his suspicions, jet .ho would lay, no diar-go. Judging by Mr Griffith’s past attitude’ towards those who oppose him, 11 lake it that he is the wrong sort to screen) the person of whom ho was suspicious. Yet by his insinuations he oasts a reflection on the Post Office officials, who arc the only ones who knew what that box contained. Mr Griffith’s next complaint was of tha .street collection for orphans -by camouflaged Roman Catholics who got money from Protestants. Would ho refuse money from Catholics for the P.P.A.? Not he! Ho would grab all he could got. Roman Catholic children have as much right to be provided for as Protestant children, and Air Griffith shows the typo of man ho is when he objects to an orphan being provided with a homo because the helpless child docs not belong to his flock. I would -like to point out.to this kind and benevolent gentleman that all the money collected will go towards an orphanage, «T.iid no tslico will 2>© ta*ken off to pay agitators to rove the country defaming those who are working for a good cause. Regarding the incident between himself and Air Gilchrist at Ravenebourne, Mr Griffith terms this a joke against himself. AH' Griffith told of how ho had on several occasions daring the past two years conversed with a man whom he believed to be Air Gilchrist. Surely Air Griffith does not exijvcct his audience to believe lie associated with a man -for two years and never know his identity. His excuse is (hat in late years his eyesight is failing. Of course, his honesty never fails. His mate in double harness, Air Elliott, backs him, and starts off by condemning the Labor Party, Roman Catholics, and all those who are not Masseyitea or membero of the P.P.A. —in fact, anyone who opposes the Massey Government is a Roman, “ Red Fed,’’ Bolshevik, or whatever this tyrannical parson chooses to call him. Air Elliott makes sweeping statements of the enemy within the gate. The greatest enemy within the gate is the man who strives to turn one section of the community against another, especially through religion. After bombarding Spain, Austria, and the iSouth of Ireland, places about the conditions of which he knows nothing, Mr Elliott goes on to say how the P.P.A. was not antagonistic to unionism. I da-rcs-av-i* is not, as long m unionism is in a mi.d form and can bo kept subservi-ent to capitalist interests. To know the P.P.A. attitude to Labor, one has only to i!Ste the Reform candidates supported by the P.P.A.—-I a-m, etc., December T. Libeeai..