BISHOP LISTON’S SPEECH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18511, 23 March 1922, Page 5

BISHOP LISTON’S SPEECH

COMMENT IN -WELLINGTON. DEPLORED BY PROMINENT CATHOLICS. QUESTION OP PROSECUTION. (Thom Oijb Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. March 22. Numbers of prominent Roman Catholics here greatly deplore the speech delivered in Auckland by Dr Liston on St Patrick’s Day. Newspaper comment upon the remarks of the bishop has also been severe. Dr Liston was a Dunedin boy, who received his early education in the southern city, and afterwards went to Rome. His scholarly attainments are generally recognised. The speech as reported has been referred to the Attorney-general, and on receipt of his opinion the will no doubt be con sidered by the Cabinet. Under the law as it stands it is very unlikely that a prosecution would succeed. It remains to be ascertained whether Dr Liston was correctly reported, but as there hag been no correction published it is presumed that the report was accurate. WELFARE LEAGUE'S CONDEMNATION. (Pi* United Punas Association.! WELLINGTON March 22. The Welfare League lias sent the following telegram to Mr Gunson, Mayor of Auckland: “New Zealand Welfare League expresses its emphatic disapproval of the anti-British and seditious speech delivered by Bishop Liston at Auckland, and endorses your action in the matter. Such a speech can only tend to engender bitterness and strife among our people and encourage those whose efforts are directed at the destruction of the Empire.” CRITICISM FROM THE P.P.A. (Per United Press Association!) WELLINGTON, March 22. Mr George Harwood, vice-president of the Protestant Political Association, speaking at the annual meeting of the Wellington North branch to-night, attacked Bishop Liston for his speech of Friday last. He said Ireland had stabbed England in the back at the Easter rebellion of 1916, and Dr Liston colled the suppressing of the rebellion murder. Yet he professed to love his country. If he was a loyal New Zealander he should love his country well enough to get out of it. The Hibernian Society at Auckland had endorsed Dr Liston's action, it was impossible to attribute his attitude to ignorance. This meant that Roman Catholicism had dropped its mask. No apology oould atone for this outburst, nor would it be sincere. He considered Mr Gunson's attitude worthy of all praise. He was a Protestant with a backbone. The following resolution was passed;— “That this meeting of members of the Wellington North branch of the P.P.A. heartily congratulate Mr J. H. Gunson (Mayor of Auckland) upon the loyal ,nd patriotic manner in which he dealt with the disloyal utterances of Dr Liston ct Auckland.” THE BISHOP’S REPLY. (Pi* United Fims Association.) AUCKLAND, March 22. A copy of a letter sent to the Mayor (Mr J. H. Gunson) has been handed to the press by Dr J. M. Liston, Roman Catholic Coadjutor Bishop of Auckland. The Bishop says: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter ert Saturday. I notice your Worship issued your “protest” before I could possibly have received your letter. Seeing that your Worship had not the courtesy, not to say sense of fair play, to await my reply to your question before handing your condemnation of me to the press of New Zealand, it seems to me quite unnecessary that you should have written to me at all, and it is certainly unnecessary that I should answer your question. The Bishop, in a postscript, says: “As your Worship has made this matter public I am handing this letter to the press. ’