CATHOLIC VOTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23156, 30 September 1938, Page 13

CATHOLIC VOTE

EXISTENCE DENIED THE CHURCH'S PRINCIPLES FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUAL The existence of anj' such thing as a "Catholic vote" in the general election or at any other time is emphatically denied in an editorial in this week's issue of Zealandia, the journal conducted by Bishop Liston. The article states that "a familiar organisation emerging from its welldeserved obscurity" has been endeavouring, by chain-letters, pamphlets, circulars and rumour, to attach '"some elusive commodity described as 'the Catholic vote' " to one of the major political parties. It continues: "The Catholic voter records his vote freely as a citizen, without any interference or direction from the ecclesiastical authority. That situation which is commonly understood as 'religion in politics' has never been countenanced by the Church. "As the list of the Dominion's Parliamentary candidates shows, both political parties have Catholics among their nominees; which fact should be a sufficient indication, if such were needed, of the freedom of choice which Catholics hold and exercise. ... In exercising their political rights. Catholics do so each in his own individual capacity, and not as representing the Church." In a later passage the article states: "Wo would remind Catholic electors that the leaders of both political parties have emphatically repudiated any connection with the sectarian campaign that is now in being. ]\lore than that, they have expressed the strongest condemnation of both the spirit and the methods of this unscrupulous strifemongering."

SLUMP INSURANCE NO NEED FOR DEPRESSIONS MR. LANGSTONE'S CLAIM LENGTHY SPEECH AT TE AROHA [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] TE AROHA, Thursday A marathon speech lasting nearly three and a-quarter hours was given by the Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, to 400 electors in the Majestic Theatre, To Aroha, this evening. The deputy-Mayor, Mr. G. Hedge, presided. There were a few interjections in the early stages of his address, but later there was little interruption, and Mr. Langstonc held the interest of his audience throughout. The administi'ations of the Labour Government ami the previous Government were compared at length by the Minister, who said that under Labour ride the great bulk of the farmers in Now Zealand were more than satisfied. This statement drew several interjections, but they were drowned by the applause of the bulk of the audience. The Minister claimed that farmers throughout the Waikato felt the security of the guaranteed price in such a manner that they were now able to budget for modern dairy farming in a way they had never been able to do before. Labour would definitely insure New Zealand against slumps, Mr. Langstone said. Where there was always a surplus there was no need for depressions. Had the last depression been handled in a commonscnse manner, the sufferings of the people would never have taken place. j After Mr. Langstone had answered j a number of questions, a motion of con- i gratulations to the speaker and confidence in the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, and in Mr. J. Thorn, Labour candidate for Thames, as member for the electorate, was carried with only one dissentient. RECORD OF PROSPERITY CLAIM BY MR, ANDERTON The claim that from the day the Labour Government paid the 1933 Christmas bonus to the unemployed the prosperity of tho country had continuously improved was made by Mr. W. T. Anderton, M.P.. Labour candi date for Eden, when addressing electors in tho Parrish Road football shed, Sandringhani, last evening. Mr. H. Barnes presided. The candidato received an attentive hearing throughout and an audience of over 100 passed a unanimous vote oi thanks and confidence, tho meeting concluding with cheers for tho speaker and tho Prime Minister.