THE HIBERNIAN SOCITTY.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 632, 5 February 1870, Page 2

THE HIBERNIAN SOCITTY.

(To the Editor^ of the Qrey River Argps.) In your issue of Tuesday last. itant' took occasion to circulate -a report which, if allowed to pass without contradiction, would be calculated to exercise a damaging influence on the Society to which SucVTelmaTk^pvS?f'pl£^*^r^^>;' sions, were directed, and on which 1 notice that the Editor of the Wek Coast Times dayJa^v | ! Now^ Sir*, yort hav§ encfor«e^ the remarks, ,qf ,. " Ijihabitant," .wit;h . ,a& due deference '1 takf the 1 liberty % % the ■ Whole subject is utterly falsey and without foundation in factj ; at least so: far- as jthe Ballarat Hibernian So'ciety'^of Greymouth is concerned; / ,;:;'; .;/ t. [.-, ■;■;,. ; ?- »O ; j The facts are these ; :-- One bf our ; rules' provides that the anaiversary. of. the.^by Tciety'ahd St.' Patrick's day 1 is t6'be' vceMbrated in the most suitable mariner 'practicable, to be determined-" by a previous general meeting. Tv carry qu^ this purpose, at Our ordinary : nieetiug| held on? Thursday last,. 27th ,ult 4 , it was -agreed to' co-operate with the. other Friendly Societies of this town ' t6 r libicl a fete on St. Patrick's day, provided that the stewards of the races were favorably disposed, and provided the other Friendly Societies were likewise willing. To carry out the preliminaries 5 for this purpose ;W. committee was appointed, of which' th'fe writer was onS. ? On the Saturday following," 29th ult:, we met for other business ;. : the matter of the fete, was reconsidered, and. owing, to. the probability of our, regalia not coming to hand. in? time for the occasion, weidecided not to carry out our intention, leaving it for a future meeting todecide how, and in what manner we, in common with other Irishmen and townsmen, may celebraWr St. Patrick's day, which day 1 may remindyou is bebomingly celebi-ated by all classes throughout the colonies. -We are not unmindful of our duty to : our fellow-towns-men, who are not members of our Society, and however much are valued the opinions of the press, I venture to say we need not • their admonitions to conduct ourselves becomingly on all occasions; r ; .- ,-,-., '. Sir, the B. H. S. needs no defence^ my hands ; it is only to cbrretjt false impressions, as, 'also, * to place tlie true facts!; before the public, for,. had .we concluded to celebrate the pccasibn referred to by a peaceable procession, Iy.enture to say it would be done notwithstanding all that thathas been said on the subject. Is it that we are exclusively Catholic that we are to be denied', what . is i freely accorded, and which is' ttife right of eVeiy Friendly Society, viz;j to w.alk ia.. procession a.nd celebrate what days' they think proper.' ?t The question has bqen soften asked of me why it is exclusively .Catholic? . I am not an authority on that pointy but I can seW many reasons for it. Ojie iai, that.thereby we have pur respecied clergy as chaplains, and the influence; of their presence in bur assemblies is not very lightly thought of by practical •Catholics. , It 'is. to one of tHeir body tlie Society owes its Origin, and the preaent'Bishop of Melbourne is patron i if. the Society, which would " not be so if it -:was not exclusive. I^ust tliis will be sufficient to. .show we are not actuated w.ith any uncharitable motives towards onr.fellow townsmeii. , . ,; y ■■■] .• - Sir, had you or " Inhabitant" applied for information 'regarding the so-called party procession, to : any-, of, the pfficera of the Society, it' would be readily accorded, and the letter in, question never written. I trust, sir, when anything of the sort is brought under your notice again that you will do. so, and not allow defamatoryjetters, without the Jslightesi fbundatib^, to go, forth throiigli , your" joupial . to the .public. ;,..-. . ;.;;-•; . ''['~'. / ';. .....'■ „'..., '.' Sir; : for, the position of the B. H. S in _' relation to other .kiiidred Societies,l;would refer you. to the published report -of: the /efc held at Ballaratpn bpxing-day, 1869, y6xi will see there were two detachment of this Society, #ith ..Oddf eUows, Fprresters, ' -&c, and that there was' upwards of LIOOO realised for charitable institutions. Apologising^ for intruding so much on your valuable space, : • ; ' lam^ <&c, A Member opthjb B,H:S. .'•■' February,^ - -; .V; .. j I ;.!<:■ \ ============ ' 'f