Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1923, Page 2

Wk join with a contemporary in expressing regret that goes much deeper than any consideration of party politics in noting that the Rev. Howard Elliott proposes that the Protestant Political Association should intervene in the O.amaru election. Mr Elliott deli'erutely sets up the Liberal and l.ab.mv parties as forces opposed to Protestantism and associates Protestantism with the present Government. TIDs is a grotesque and dangerous reading of tlm political situation, grofesque because it is so far removed from fact, dangerous because it feeds the fires of religious prejudice and hatred, and introduces into polities considerations that should he rigidly excluded from that iiedd. The only extent to which this Govct nmciit especially represents I’rotestan!i-ni the country, of course-, is overwhelmingly Protest cent —is that Ihe Reform Party has ieeeivc-d the help of the P.P.A. and Mr Massey has permitted one of his Ministers to de-c-hire that he would not take office with a Roman Catholic as a colleague, a declaration which, if Mr Massey had done his duty, would have ended Mr Nesworthy’s Ministerial career on the spot. Protestants and Roman Catholics are to he found in all parties ami the fact that a. candidate is a Protestant or y Roman Catholic- should weigh 110 more "ith eleetois than the colour of his hair.

Tiik Auckland Star from which wo have quoted goes cm to say : Of course the roast n for the impudent ranking of l.ilterals as enemies of Protestantism is the fact that Sir Joseph Ward is a Roman Catholic, and as such has ineurred Mr Elliott's undying enmity Mr Elliott speaks shout Sir Joseph tvith a frankness that we hope wdl he widely noted. Refen ing to Sir Joseph's defeat m Tauranga. Mr Elliott .says that defeat ‘•began live- years ego alien Die Protestant Political As soeiatioo uas formed,” and he ao-

nounees that Sir Joseph “would never talk himself into Parliament while the P.P.A. existed.” Here is a pretty political-religious creed. The most ox--1 erieticed statesman in the country, a man whose absence Imm Parliament sensible moil of different opinions deplore. is to be kept out of politics for no other reason than that he is a Roman Catholic. The inference also is that nobody who is a Roman Cathode can avoid tlu* displeasure ol the P.P.A. The Roman Catholics consditute fourteen per cent ol the population. but according to Mr Elliott, that fourteen per cent is to be debarred from election to Parliament. Wo do not believe Dint such deplorable fanaticism appeals to more than a handful ol Protestants, or even that it pleases many members of the P.P.A.. Me I cel certain that" such rabidly intolerant utterances are mivt distasteful to a great majority of the men and women who have been associated in the past with that hotly, and we hope that, it they cannot restrain Air Elliott's outbursts, they «ill take an early opportunity of publicly disclaiming any sympathy with them.