RANGIORA

New Zealand Tablet, 28 March 1918, Page 17

RANGIORA

Howard Elliott recently delivered himself of his stereotyped No-Popery speech in Rangiora, at a meeting over which, we are sorry to say, the Mayor presided. Elliott's remarks covered the usual ground. He protested that he had no desire to attack Catholics, that they were united and Protestants were disunited. Thereupon, as usual, he proceeded to make a liar of himself by advocating that Catholics should be driven from political, educational, and commercial positions, and that no schools of the accursed religion should be allowed in this Protestant land. He again tried to whitewash himself from the opprobrium of the Clements incident, which gave occasion to a magistrate to call him a cad and a contemptible mischief-maker. There were the usual ranter's allusions to the Pope and papal domination, and the usual hysterical regrets that Catholics are allowed even a vestige of fair play in New Zealand. Apropos of the lecture, Dean Hyland addressed to the Mayor a letter which we here publish. Howard Elliott is a cad and a low calumny monger, but men, like the Mayor of Rangiora, are far worse to support him. Some time ago a-hired howler of the Elliott type got six months in gaol in South Africa. Is it any wonder that at a Labor meeting in New Plymouth it was recently asserted that Mr. Massey and Co. are behind Elliott's campaign. Addressing Mr. C. I. Jennings, Mayor of Rangiora, Dean Hyland states: —lt was only a few days ago I learned from some of my people that you* presided at a lecture of Mr. Howard Elliott, recently given in this town, of which you are Mayor. Whilst away in Westland, I read an account of this meeting in the Lyttelton Times of the 14th inst., and in this account, presumably written by yourself it was not stated that you acted as chairman. From a fairly comprehensive precis of the lecture which I have before me, I find it in no way differs from others of a similar nature

delivered in other centres^— vile, malicious ; attack on the Catholic people of this country. • : . •.. -f -. It is not for me at this : juncture to discuss the desirability or' otherwise'of such a propaganda at any time, but more especially when there is need of: the greatest *harmony amongst our people, and when our Empire is bleeding from every pore. -From your own very intimate knowledge of this town and the surrounding districts,'.you must know that the blood of Catholics has flown as freely as that of other denominations. I know full well that it is not incumbent on the chairman of a meeting to endorse the policy of the speaker, but with a lecturer of such, notoriety as Howard - Elliott in his campaign of slander and cruel innuendo, it is very ' difficult to see how you have not lent your official position of Mayor as a sanction . for such a policy. ■ . . For this reason I deem it my duty, on behalf of the people whom I have the privilege of representing, to protest most emphatically against your action. ~..-, Rangiora, March 22. * "_>• v ■

In , reply to i! the Dean, Mr. Jennings said : he had: been misinformed as to;'the nature of the meeting in question, being told that "it was to be purely a political* one, and had* since remonstrated with the promoters for having led him into,, a false position.