ROMAN CATHOLIC FEDERATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2707, 29 February 1916, Page 9

ROMAN CATHOLIC FEDERATION

MEETING OF DOMINION COUNCIL

'The half-yearly meeting of the Dominion Council of tiie New Zealand Roman Catholic Federation will bo opened at St. Patrick's Hall, Boulcott Street, to-morrow morning. In its report the Executive states that tlio ■ Trentham Camp Church Hall was now free of debt. The urgent necessity of a building foV the use of Roman Catholic soldiers at the new and very large camp at Featherston was recognised by tno Executive.. The financial aspect of the question was such that it was not deemed right for the Federation to incur so vory large a. liability. -■ Under these circumstances, tile Executive, with the approval of His Grace Archbishop Redwood, approached the Archbishops, Bishops, and Administrators of Dioceses,' who kindly consented to have a special collection taken on a convenient Sunday for this purpose, so that the general body of Roman Catholics might contribute their quota. Tlio Otago diocese had already forwarded a contribution of £100, and it was anticipated that an adequate sum would be obtained. At the direction of. His Grace Archbishop O'Shea, /tenders had been called, and a contract would be let by tire ecclesiastical authorities, the Executive acting as treasurer only, and the building will be erected forthwith, The newly-appointed chaplain to tho camp (Father Segrief) would take control of the building operations. Tho Defence authorities had granted a firstclass site in the centre of the camp, Some time ago the co-operation of the Federation of New Zealand was sought in the matter of caring for members of the Roman Catholic Stage Guild, an organisation under the patronage' of Cardinal Bourne, for the purpose of keeping Roman Catholic artiste all over the world in touch with members of their own faith. The Executive is arranging with the diocesan officers in the four centres to take tip the work. Complaint having been made that tho goods shipped from. New Zealand, and contributed by nil sections of the comjmunity in the Dominion, were not being equally distributed amongst Roman Catholic and Protestant Relief Committees, the secretary of the Westminster Federation was requested to call at the office of the High Commissioner and investigate. This was done, with the satisfactory' result that the London Society of St. Vincent de Paul had been nominated to distribute goods to the Roman Catholic poor.

On the subject of kinema film censorship, reference is made by the .Executive to the very representative conference of local bodies held at Wellington on December 1 last, when delegates from all parts of New Zealand attended and gave emphatic, support to the Federation's proposals. At the subsequent deputation, the Hon. Mr. Russell declared himself strongly in favour of the request of the conference, which he promised to submit to Cabinet. Ho warmly eulogised the action of the Roman Catholic Federation in taking the initial steps in this most important matter. Although no written reply has been received from the Minister, ho has defintely announced his intention of 'introducing satisfactory legislation during the coming session. -It is to bo noted, says the Executive, that there would appear to be a unanimous consensus of opinion amongst the leading men of New Zealand that the establishment of an efficient censorship is urgently required, and the Executive lias received congratulations upon the manner in which a diliioult problem has been attacked.