WELLINGTON CATHOLICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9717, 20 July 1917, Page 7

WELLINGTON CATHOLICS

MEETING OF EDUCATION BOARD PROTEST AGAINST POLITICIAN’S REMARKS. The quarterly meeting of the Wellington Catholic Education Board was held at St Patrick’s Hall last night. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea presided, end there, were also present the Uev. Fathers Mahon.y, Hurley and Smyth and -Messrs Burke, Davis. McPhee, Swan, Stratford, Giles, O'Brien, and Hoskins.

St. Joseph’s, committee reported that the final instalment on the mortgage on the Affarist Brothers’ residence, Newtown, had been paid off. A suggestion to acquire more land for the Marist Brothers' School, Newtown, was referred to a committee, consisting of representatives from the three parishes served by tin’s school. It was decided to appoint an honorary solicitor to tho board. .

It was reported that the Hibernians effort in connection with the Thomas Moore concert resulted in tho sum of .£2O being added to the fund, and that tho recent social was a great financial success, but as the returns were not yet complete the actual result is not yet ascertainable. The date of the annual meeting was fixed for Thursday, August »th, when the annual report and balance-sheet will be presented. tho early call of the Second Division reservists and the effect it will have on the financial part of the Catholic education system through the breadwinner of the family being on military service, thereby reducing the amount for the support of his dependents, and consequently preventing him from being able to keep up his payments necessary for the Catholic education of his children, was discussed, and it was resolved to advise all Catholic reservists of the Second Division to see that the necessary claim is made from the Government to enable them to continue tiie education of their children_ in the same manner as they were doing prior to enlistment, the opinion being expressed that no Catholic children should be denied the education j their father was prepared to give them, in bis civilian occupation. Strong exception was taken to tho reported utterances of Mr _ Nosworthy from his place in the House in reference to the conscription of the Marist Brothers and the part the Catholics took xn the war. The following resolution was unanimously carried - "That this meeting of the Wellington. Catholic Education Board, strongly protests against the false and malicious statement made by Air Nosworthy, M.P., from his place in the House last evening, namely: That the Catholic body was the only denomination not doing its duty in the war, and was shirking its duty ("New Zealand Times” report!, and further. calls upon the member either to withdraw his unjust and;cowardly aspersion on the Catholic people of New Zealand or prove his words.” His Grace Archbishop O’Shea, in speaking to the- motion, said it was monstrous that a man should shelter behind his privilege as a member of Parliament and make such a charge against the Catholics of New Zealand. Prom every part of the Dominion. Catholic young men had gone and voluntarily fought for King and. country. From Catholic societies officials and prominent members had gone in their hundreds, and from the casualty lists .t c< ild he seen how large a ' percentage of them bad made tho supreme sacrifice courageously and cheerfully. Many of these men had been prominent church workers, and would he classed as clergy by some of the other denominations. Two of the priests'who had gone to minister to the spiritual needs of the Catholic soldiers had been struck down, one fatally and the other so severely wounded that he might never again he fit for duty. Yet because they would not take away the priests from their spiritual ministrations to the bereaved ones at home and to the soldiers on the battlefield where they were of tar greater service'to King and country than their insignificant numbers would allow them to be as soldiers. and because they did not wish bo deprive Catholic boys of tbeir teachers, and thus inflict a positive injury on the coming generation this man bed the effrontery to say that they are not. doing their duty. Catholics were not going to, allow such a false charge, the outcome of an organised attempt to stir up sectarianism, to pass without the strongest protest. , Other speakers followed His Grace, and expressed themselves very forcibly on the injustice inflicted on Catholics bv Air Nosworthy in the statement reported to be made by him.-