CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 276, 10 August 1918, Page 10

CATHOLIC EDUCATION

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD The annual meeting of the Wellington Catholic ivducation Board was held at St. Patrick's Hall on Thursday evening. Archbishop O'Shea presided, nnd there were also present the Bo>\ Fathers Mahony, S.M., Hurley, S M., Admr., Messrs. ■T. J. L. Burke, B. Doherty, P. D. Hockins, J. S. Swan, J. Stratford, J. Fagan, D. 11. Giles, J D. M'Phee, L. Blake, and B. Nolan. The sixth annual report and balancesheet were adopted. The report stated that the accumulated fund, which at the beginning- of the year etood at .£2273 13s, lid., now stands at .£2968 13s. Id., thereby adding the sum of MM. 19s. 2d. as a result of the year's working. The principal source of this splendid result for the year was due to the strenuous efforts of the committee α-esponsible for the organisation of the St. Patrick Day celebrations. Boxing Day picnic, Thomas Moore anniversary festival, and the annual f-chools' social, which added the satisfactory sum of 4572 8s Gd. to the fund. ' i . "It is most' satisfactory," the report stated, "to be able to report that the little insignificant copper coin , contributed by members of the congregations attending (he Catholic Churches of the city, and commonly known as the penny collection, practically covered the year's expenditure, which totalled .£7OO Bs. 5d., ye..'there are many people attending'the different churches who, Sunday after Sunday, never dream of placing a penny in the box. This particularly applies to young people. If all contributed regularly every Sunday, not only would the annual charges be met, but money would be available for the accumulated fund so necessary to enable the board to realise tho purpose for which it was established. Since the .establishment of the board some six , years ago, no less than the sum of .£3700 has been derived from the Sunday peuny colkcSßn."

The principal items of expenditure this year were as follow:—lnterest on mortgages on school property, s£2B7 155.; payment of school fees for pupils whose parents ftro uma'ble to,contribute, ,£210.55. dd.; insuranco premiums, £lh 11s.; rates and water, 125.; repairs, etc., to school buildings and furniture and general maintenance, .£lO9 6s. 7d.; and cleaning, .£67 18s fid. The- accumulated fund .was well invested in freehold security. To the amount invested at the beginning of the year there lias been added during the year tlie sum of £W, making a total of J2781 now invested, earning on nn average fho sum of .£142 per annum in interest. The total of Hie mortgages on school properties for which the board is paying interest is .£7700. The estimated Catholic population of the metropolitan area of Wellington, excluding Tlutt, Potone, and Eastbourne, is 11,328, so that by excluding the children from that number a donation of per head would pay off the mortgages and enable the board to at once abolish the payment of school fee 9 for all time. The board is pleased to record the opening of another school in the Thorndon parish to meet the needs of the Catholic residents of Northland, Karori, and Kel'bwn. The St. Vincent de Paul schoolroom chapel is the building .used, and the school is conducted by the Sisters of Mercy. All .of the schools of the board have been examined by the Government inspectors, and in every case a most favourable report bas been received. It is a matter for congratulation, therefore, that tho children are taught by such an excellent staff of •teachers, who, while giving tho cbildr;n a thoroughly sound and CarisMan training, are also imparting a secular training right up' to the standard required by the Government. There is much scope for the activity of Catholic women in'furthering the great cause -f Catholic education. The boaid desires to thank the Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of, the S&wed Heart, and the Mavist Brother's lor their splendid work p durin; the past yean , , work that lias brought the schools to'a very higlyitatc of efficiency, making them second To none in the Dominion and a credit to the Catholic community. In conclusion, Catholics are exhorted to continue the great sacrifices which they have been making consistently for the past forty years, a record which the Official Year Book eSFotes:— 170 Catholic schools, with an attendance of 15,499 pupils, taught by GO devoted men and 5W . self-sacrificing women, which,, according to the statistics obtained from the same source, would cast the Government the sum of per annum to maintain, and whilst doing this also contributing to flic State system, which they cannot conscientiously avail themselves of, a very largo sum of money for which they receive very littlo in return.

The balance-sheet showed that the various, parishes had contributed, per the penny collections, as under:—Thorndon, .£IOB 195.; St. Joseph's, £2(A k IOd.; St. Anne's, £106; St.. Mary's, £169.

Archbishop. O'Shea congratulated the hoard on the very successful year and on the fact that they had set up the board for the ]iurno.se of financing the schools in the metropolitan area. The object of tho board, to freo the parents from piiyinK school fees, was gradually being attained, and he hoped that beforo many years it would be an accomplished fact. He exhorted them to continue what tlioy were doing, and although tho process might bo regarded as slow, yet they were doins a grand work, work that would eventually benefit, if not themselves, those who would come after them. Votes of thanks were accorded to the officers for their excellent services. The members of tho board, by its constitution, retiro from office, and as soon us tlio new members are .elected a special meeting will bo called to elect the officers and committees. ,