HOME RULE CONTROVERSY

New Zealand Tablet, 18 May 1911, Page 904

HOME RULE CONTROVERSY

AN EMPHATIC PROTEST - The following letter from the Very Rev. Father Price, Adm., Christchurch, appeared in the Christchurch Press of May 9 : Sir, As a constant reader of and subscriber to The Press for the past twelve years, I feel constrained to make am emphatic protest against your action in permitting from time to time anonymous writers to give expression in your columns to grossly unfair insinuations, and sometimes lying statements against our faith and the nationality of the vast majority of your Catholic readers. The latest insult you have given us is by inserting this morning in the most prominent page of your issue an article entitled Home Rule,’ and . signed by ‘ History,’ which for its display of ignorance of the case he discusses, and fanatical prejudice against those differing from him, might almost be regarded in this particular branch of literature as a classic. I must honestly confess that 1 have never come across anything in the New Zealand papers to equal in. its offensiveness this particular diatribe. I do not propose to argue with ‘History,’ although I feel obliged by reason of the publicity that you have given his statements to traverse a few of the more glaring errors. My quarrel is with you, Sir, for having given his views the notoriety he craved for. An editor, you will say, does i ot hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. That is a proposition that I would ‘distinguish,’ as we say in school; opinions, even differing from our own, but held honestly and put forth in good taste, granted; opinions of the nature of ‘History’s,’ grossly unfair in matter and objectionable in form, most emphatically, no! 1 do object to all this cant about Home Rule being a question relating to English politics only. Who says it is so? Who is to determine what questions have a local and what an Imperial interest? Are only Russians to pass judgment: on the State of‘Finland, Prussians on that of Poland, and Belgians' on the Congo atrocities (sic)? Millions of Irishmen throughout the world do claim to be heard on this subject. If I remember rightly, Sir, you are accustomed to express a like view on the occasion of every visit of Irish delegates to this Dominion. Colonial Statesmen and Parliaments have never hesitated to express an opinion on Home Rule—their opinion being generally an unanimous vote in its favour, transmitted through the proper channel, to the Home Government. It seems to me one of the questions on which citizens iti the oversea dominions are entitled and qualified to express an opinion. Again/ to take at random, another of ‘History’s’ grievances, when is the Mayor of a city justified in presiding over a public meeting?- Is he to ait until all sections of the community are in agreement on a particular measure? A late mayor welcomed to the city the delegates to the ; Conference of the Loyal Orange Society. Would ‘ History,’ ; in view of the numerous’ propositions having for their aim the cementing of the ties' of brotherhood between Catholics and Protestants, carried at the meeting at the Opera House on that Sunday afternoon, say that his late - Worship, in welcoming the Orange delegates to

the city acted as the impartial representative of all citizens I don’t remember reading any letters of protest: even History was silent. If the anti-Home Rulers of Christchurch were to engage the Theatre Royal and hold a meeting there in an orderly and' decent manner, as we propose to do, we would not find fault with them.- ’ ‘History,’ with all modesty, would initiate Mr. Taylor into the real nature of the Home Rule movement. 1 Home Rule means Rome Rule ’ has long since been regarded as an exploded canard. / The Catholic Association exists only in the. fertile imagination of your correspondent. I am well acquainted with a Society bearing that name in England, but it is non-political, its object being to organise pilgrimages and promote social reunions amongst its members. Of course the Catholic Church has a ‘ vast organisation’; it may have a ‘ larger service than the- Imperial or our own Government. Ovid inde? One expects everything big in the Catholic Church. It is not true that the Bishops wink at Catholic Secret Societies, if there be any such. The Scotch and Irish Bishops, and the Pope himself, have fearlessly condemned Catholic Societies whenever there was anything deserving of censure in their aims or methods. I have heard of A.P.A.’s and other alliances that would appeal to your correspondent, but t know of no such in the Catholic Church. Catholic ascendency means the triumph of the Irish liquor traffic.’ An impudent lie! Michael McCarthy is as much a Catholic as ‘History,’ Hocking, or "any other distorter of everything Catholic. He is a renegade who makes his living by vilifying the Catholic Church in .Ireland, and secures a wide circulation for his works by representing himself as a Catholic. ‘Michael’ and ‘McCarthy’ are names that have served him well in pushing the sale of his books. What does it matter to us in New Zealand, anyhow, who drinks more, the Irish Catholic or his Presbyterian brother? Isn’t it largely a question of liver? As regards Catholic intolerance,’ Viceroys, past and present, statesmen, Anglican and Presbyterian clergymen, regard it is a bogey whether existing in the North or the South. If Catholics are in a majority on local boards, as the correspondent says, it only shows that they out-number the non-Catholics in those particular districts. The Irish delegates, when they come, will tell us how many Irish Protestants represent Catholic constituencies, and how many Catholics represent Protestant constituencies. Everybody know's that all the leaders of the Irish movement in the past, excepting O’Connell, were Protestants. Mr. Lloyd George’s much-debated Budget met with opposition, as a financial statement might oe expected to, on purely economic grounds. Saul among the Prophets!’ I remember reading some time ago, with great pleasure, a letter in your columns, showing how our language was permeated with Biblical allusions and imagery. Would you consider ‘History’s’ letter as exemplifying your remarks?— Yours, etc., * ... Thos. W. Prick, Administrator. ; Catholic Cathedral, Christchurch, May 8.