TO-DAY'S DISCUSSION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 76, 1 April 1910, Page 2

TO-DAY'S DISCUSSION.

When Uie conference resumed to-day, the president urged delegates to discuss the matter calmly and without feeling. Bro. Casey (Greymouth) said his branch held firmly to the opinion that unity in the society was absolutely assen. tial to its progress. He had to confess that when he saw the mention in the New Zealand Tablet of the intention to form a new district in Aucklarid in the event of the headquarters being removed to Wellington, he wan extremely sorry Similarly, he was sorry statements had been made of intentions to form newdistricts in Wellington, and the South Island. Three mistakes had been made. For nine years a- motion to remove tho headquarters had been brought forward and defeated. The same old arguments had been adduced on each occasion — the subject was an evergreen one. Auckland .had tried to patch the matter up in a way that was ill-advised and unbusinesslike. (Hear, hear.) .H-e maintained that if the society was to occupy the position in New Zealand which it should, not only as a benefit society but as a Catholic society, they had to present a united front. In this materialistic age, when doctrines opposed to Christianity were being propounded, it was essential that they should be banded together in unity. There had been hitches in the past, but if they went into grievances as brothers should the society would be what it should be, and these differences would never occur again. IN OPEN REVOLT Bro. Doolan (Christchurch) faicl he occupied a rather unenviable position. He had to confess that his branch was in open revolt against the district exerutive. H? was not going lo read the resolution carried by hi.* branch, as Bro. Dug£-m (Oamaru) did. but he would sa) that it was an entirely contrary opinion. Hard things hiid'bpen saicl before, and hard things would be fcaid I again, tfut they were not going to carry away personal differences. Had not Wellirgton, Christchurch, • and Dunedin fought the battle for removal, and had they_ not been outvoted by district executive' votat, and votis of weak branches ? Would anybody tell him that

a, district officer supporting or opposing any proposal did not carry more weight thaai a delegate? Tho D.P. used a double influence if he spoke on any motion. (The president:. "Quite right, 1 and "Hear, hear."-) He had come to the conclusion that the question of headquarters should be wiped out for ever. Christchurch had no intention of forming a separate district, nor had the South Island. Could Auckland and Wellington say the same? Bro. Beehan (Auckland) : Yes. Bro. Duggan (Oamaru) : I rise to a point of order. Has the speaker any right to speak lor more than his own branch ? The president said he had not. Bro. Doolan : I hold in my hand the consent of no less than eight branches to rally round the flag which Christchurch is prenared to hoist. Tho president ordered Ihe speaker to speak for hi» own branch only. Bro. Doolan said he ventured the opinion that tho brother who had criticised him did not. represent eight branches. Bro. Duggan: I don't; but had I sought the representation of branches I could probably have represented a great deal more than eight ! ALLEGED BAD MANAGEMENT. Bro. Doolan proceeded with his speech, arid said he proposed to speak of What he would describe as the mismanagement of the district for some' time. The president said the speaker was exceeding his rights, and Bro. Marlow (Dunfdin) had obtained leave to discussthe matter in order that unity might be maintained. He did not intend to allow any dirty UneD to bo washed. (Hear, hear.) v Bro. Doolan was continuing his speech, whe"n he was informed by the president that lie had only three more minutes. The Christchurch delegate had criticised the appointment of district deputies. For his references he was called to order by the president, who said his criticism of £he deputies was an insult, and a gross one at that. (Hear, hear.) Finally, Bro. Doolan said he saw no good reason for believing the existence of two -districts with headquarters in each island would mean disruption. A DISGUSTED DELEGATE. Bro. Hooker (Hawera) said he was very much 'disguested with some of the remarks which had passed. jWhen Hawera first gave notice of a motion, it did so solely -with the intention of hav-iug-the question of headquarters finally settled for all time — not to foster disruption or disunion. He could again only say he had been disgusted- with some of the remarks which had been made. Bro. Dennehy (Milton) took objection to a remark made yesterday that the ! District Executh c kid brought delegates from the south to represent branches (with* which they were not connected) by proxy. This allusion was made to himself. He lived in Timaru, but he had not sought the representation of Milton, and in eny case who was better entitled to a seat at the conference than he ? He had been c6nnected with the society for very many years. Bro. Patterson (Gore) said the branch which he represented had passed a motion hoping the headquarters would be retained at Auckland. AIMING AT PEACE. Bro. Hodgins (Lower Hutt) protested against the discussion being continued. It had proceeded far enough. A delegate had simply being allowed to introduce the nuestion. These personal recriminations and disputations were to his mind disgraceful. The question should be dealt with in general business. Bro. M'Keowen (Wellington) agreed with the last speaker. The duel was a triangular one, and should be left to the disputants to settle. He deprecated the references which had been made by one delegate, which were insulting, and unworthy of a Hibernian, Personally, Tie hoped therewould be one Hibernian district, and one alone for New Zealand. (Applause.) A CONFERENCE SUGGESTED. Bro. M'Keowen went on to protest against the use of the word "dissension." It was a word which should stink in the nostrils of every Hibernian, tie moved: — '"That a conference be held between the Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin delegates, and the District Executive, the conference to go into the whole question of headquarters and report to the conference at 2.30 p.m." The president here interposed a few words. He thought it would be unfair to accept the amendment. It might result in stifling the opinions of delegates who had mot spoken. He proceeded to explain the position of the executive. The Auckland! Executive, which was the District Executive, decided, in view of the continued motions of removal of headquarters from Wellington, to form a new district if such a step were decided upon. The Auckland Executive, sitting as the New Zealand Executive, when the matter came before it, decided that it was its duty lo inform branches of what was taking place la Auckland. Instead of being commended for that action -it had been * condemned. As to the representation of branches by proxyT he said only three branches were represenied. On one occasion in Christchurch it was found impossible to obtain proxies locally. Bro. Haywaid : That was twelve [ years ago. The President : Nevertheless it occurred. Bro. Beehan (Auckland) said the Auckland branch had nothing to do with the sending out of the circular. He submitted that the D.E. had no right to send around any intentions or presumed intentions of the Auckland branches. If the Auckland branches wished to form a new district, nothing could prevent them doing so. They only desired to protect their own interests. , The president said the issue of the circular was the result of what had been reported in the Auckland press. Bro.-.Corrigan: (\Taimate) asked if the question was allowed to stand over for three years, and a vote taken at the end of that time, would the executive be r.uled by the majority? The President- : Of couise the executive must be ruled by the majority. After further considerable discussion Bro. M'Greevv (Waipawa) seconded Bro. M'Keowen's motion, which was caivied unanimously. Bro. M'Keowen said he was satisfied the whole matter could be settled. It- was arranged that the conference should resume at 3.30 p.m.