GUY FAWKES

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15657, 8 November 1918, Page 8

GUY FAWKES

A ROMAN CATHOLIC’S PROTEST. THE COUNCIL EXPLAINS. "For a year or two now the Wanganui Borough Conucil Las been providing for the children c£ the Borough a bonfire on Guy Fawkes night, at which they might keep up the time-honoured custom. Evidently under a misapprehension as to the Council’s actual intentions in the matter, a ratepayer of the Roman Catholic religion wrote a vigorous letter of protest to the Council, protesting against what he considered a deliberate and open insult to the Catholics of this community. His letter follows; “I notice a paragraph in this evening’s ‘Herald’ that the Council, following its usual custom, intendes to again openly insult ail the Catholics of this town by keeping fresh in the minds of the youth the gunpowder plot which, took place 313 years ago. Had it been the action of Irish Catholics I am certain it would not be enacted from yea* to year without a protest, especially aa all the Catholics cf the Borough are called upon to pay their share of the expense . f the insult deliberately intended for them. I cannot imagine sane and intelligent men keeping this unsavoury history fresh in the minds of their children when bo many Catholic young men are at this moment shedding their blood in defence of—whom? The Major and, will I say, the little burgesses of this little anti-Catholio community, which happens to be a little unit of our glorious Empire. Is there a gentleman in the Council with sufficient patriotism to protest against the insult offered to the Catholics of this town? 1 am aware that there is one Catholic who sits at the Council table, but I fear he has never taken the trouble to read the history of the plot. History tells us that there were only six desperate men concerned, and all suffered death. Was Ihere any justification for their rash action Bead the history of the time and ask yourselves whether the few Catholics who had the courage to stand out and survive that movement of plunder which Englishmen call the glorious Deformation had any real grievances. I solemnly protest before God that the rates collected from me should not be used for the purpose of insulting me and my fellow Catholics of this town.”

The Deputy-Mayor said the Council had no intention of insulting the Catholics. The custom was an old-time one. He moved that a reply to that effect be sent.

Cr. Luxford said everyone knew he was a Catholic, and he was not ashamed of it. He thought the letter was written under a misapprehension. No councillor had any intention of insulting the feelings of the Catholics by having the annual bonfire. He explained that a year or two ago people used to have bonfires on Guy Fawkes Day lit all over the town, and these became a danger to buildings. It was suggested that, rather than have a number of scattered fires, the Council should have one central fire, at which all those who wished to celebrate might attend. The Council merely had an annual fire for the benefit of the children of the town. For the last two years we have been burning the Kaiser, not Guy Fawkes. He was sorry that the letter had been sent. He was sure that very few of the residents of Wanganui really knew the circumstances of the gunpowder plot, and few of the younger generation knew anything of it. The matter had been dead hundreds of years ago, and should remain so. It had been, suggested that in future the Kaiser’s effigy should be burned instead, and he endorsed that suggestion. Cr. McCaul moved an amendment that the letter be merely received. There was no religious significance in the burning of Guy Fawkes. It was a time-honoured practice, and the Council should not demean itself by answering the letter. Cr. Thompson agreed. Cr. Slipper said he thought from his reading of history that the Catholics disclaimed any association with the Guy Fawkes incident, therefore the day should not convey any significance to them. Cr. Darkness remarked that the writer migl\t rest assured that no money was being spent on the bonfire. The Council decided to “receive” the letter.