SPIRITUALISTS' CONVENTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 63

SPIRITUALISTS' CONVENTION.

CHRISTCHURCH, April 5. The sixth annual convention of the National Association of Spiritualists opened this afternoon. It was attended by delegates from different parts of the Dominion. The retiring President (Mr W. C. Nation), in his address, said that the time had come when they must seek the protection of the Government for their genuine and he nest mediums, who at present were liable at any day to be haled before a magistrate on the 'flimsy pretext of fortune-tell'ng. A bill drafted by Mr j M'Lean would be brought before the'deleI gates, who would be able to judge of its I adaptability to bring about just legislation. The administrators of the law 'have , no knowledge of psychic g"fts. and therefore are not competent to deal with those who possess and use them. For this reason they claimed the same protection of the Crown for their mediums as is given to clercrymen of the church. They were told ' that the law is put in force to deal with i those who practise fraud. That was what Spiritualists were aiming at in seeking j legislation, becai • they objected to any person practising fraud in the name of 1 Spiritualism. Mr Nation concluded this portion of his remarks by condemning the police methods j ill obtaining evidence against mediums, ' and said: ,v We as Spiritualists object to the sanctity of the home being invaded by a policeman or a detective ' as ignorant as Paddy's pig ' of psychic matters, and to souring a conviction under an act that is a disgrace to the Statute Book." He also dealt w'th the relationship between the Church and Spiritualism, and witli psychic matters generally. The convention resumes to-morrow. CHBISTCHURCH, April 6. At the conference of the Spiritualists' Association the election of officers result ed as follows : —President, Mr VV. CV Nation (re-elected) ; vice-presidents—■ Messrs Wm. M'Lean (re-elected) and F. A. Moody; secretary. Mrs W. E. Moore (re-elected); treasurer, T. M'Nicholl; other members of the beard—Miss G. M'Lean and Mr G. Astridge; Mr Fryer. Delegates were present from Auckland, Levin. Waih.i. Wellington. New Plymouth, and from the Lyceums of Wellington and Christchnrch. There were also representatives from Victoria and Queensland in attendance.