INQUIRY NEEDED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17390, 30 January 1917, Page 9

INQUIRY NEEDED.

TO IKB EDITOB.

'Sir,—As I "had forecasted, my letter 6ome (jays ago lias aroused the feelings of some of tne Christcinirch people, but 1 doubt if they all quite understood mo. Now 1 had two objects in writing that letter. One was to show that Catholic opinion is divided, and a matter of personal conscience when a vital question such as this is brought up. The other is that for some time past the clergy of ono of our local Catholic Chinches have been delivering sermons indirectly of a recruiting nature. Now, if there is anything I detest is eligibles asking others to do what is their own duty, es,<scially from the pulpit. Those in .glass houses should not. inrow stones. In saying this 1 am voicing the opinion ot the majority of the Christchurcli Catholics. P. Cooney,' of Lytteltou, quite misunderstood mv letter. I simply said that I did not' understand why the priests were not free from a thorough cross-qnestioning by the Appeal Board,, when hardship cases, such as a - mal j with crippled parents, sisters or blind dependents, were thoroughly examined by the boaf'u in front of the public I' ask, is this fair? P. Cooney says that I am not a Catholic. Let me assure him [ am, also a Federation member, ana also I belong to three other Catholic societies, and I will prove this to him in public on the following conditions: £IOO to be paid to a Patriotic Fund bv him if he fails to prove 1 am not, and £IOO by mo if I fail to prove I am a Catholic. My correspondence on this subject has now ceased, but T do hope the puoHc will not let things rest a*;,** * take this opportunity, sir, of tnanKing you for th G space granted to me.—.l am, etc., ,_ ' LOYAL CATHOLIC.