N.Z. PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15039, 5 April 1919, Page 7

N.Z. PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

MEETING AT SpHOOL OE MUSje,

strong counter attractions last evening; there was ,a .crowded meeting-of Protestants at-the School of Music, wheit-the Rev., Howard Elliott, national lecturer for the Protestant Political Association,, delivered an address on the aims and objects- of that body. The" Deputy-Mayor (Mr T. Pettit) presided, in the absence of the Mayor, who was engaged at the fortnightly meeting of' the City Council, and among those on the platform were the Revs. G. H. Gibb (Presbyterian), J. Laird (Baptist), and Mr P. A. Dickson (Church of Christ). Apologies for absence were received from Rev ! E. I>. Patchett (Me*thodist) and Dean Weeks CAnglican). Mr'Elliott, who received a very cordial reception, held the interest of his hearers for nearly a couple of hours. He outlined the aims and objects of the New Zealand/Protestant Political Association, and stressed the importance of unity in order to maintain the rights and liberties which had been so hardly won in the past. He outlined the growth of the Associa-f tion, and said that although it had 'L only been in existence 18 months,; there were nearly 200' branches' in vari- ' ous parts of the Dominion, with a membership of 200,'00Q. At the conclusion of his address Mr Elliott was heartily applauded. Enrolment cards .were handed round among the audience, and. a strong membership for a local branch of the Association, which, is to be formed oh the return of Mr Elliott from the West Coast next week, was assured. On the motion of the Rev. G. H. Gibb, seconded by Mr Edward Webley, it was resolved, "That this meeting of the Protestants of Nelson thanks the Rev. Howard Elliott for his address, expresses its" confidence in him as national organiser of the PiP.A., and pledges itself to promote those principles of freedom which that association inculcates."

The meeting, opened and concluded with the singing of a verse of the National Anthem. .

It is the intention of Rev. Mr Elliott to deliver an address in Nelson at some future date.