H. A. C. B. SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 30, 16 November 1888, Page 5

H. A. C. B. SOCIETY.

At the eleven o'clock Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Sunday, October 21, the Very Rev. Father Hackett (administrator) announced " that a meeting would bt held that afternoon for the purpose of reorganismg the juvenile contingent of the Auckland branch of the Hibernian Society." This contingent was at one time in a flourishing condition, and a great many of its m?mbera came into the senior branch. The charge for entering the senior branch ia in such cases psui from toe funds of the contiogent, and is ot course one of the advantages denvi d through membership. For some years past, bowever, the contingent ha* been going to the bad, and would doubtless be a thing of the past before long but for the kind nesa and determination of Father Hackett not to let it die. During the course of an eloquent address on the Hibernian Society in general, in which he dealt with its manifold advantages, Father Hackett earnestly urged all that were eligible for membership to join one or other of the two branches in Auckland, and parents to send their boys to the meeting that day to have them enrolled as members of the juvenile contingent. The rev. gentleman stated that the •' Church approved of the lormatioa of societies of this kind, and pointed out the. need of re-establishing the juvenile contingent, wherein the boys of the city could from an early age associate with their fellow-Catholics, and as they grew up in years be induced to keep away fiorn societies condemned by the Church." Fathea- Hackett's address had the desired tffect, for, notwithstanding the rain that, continued to pour down during the afternoon, the meeting was well attended and over 50 boys joined the contingent. A mother who was urjable to attend wrote as follows :—": — " Dear Father Hackett, — Will you kindly enioll my two boys in the Hibernian Society this afternoon. Tbey are not able to be present at yonr meeting, but 1 would like their names to be put down — Francis Joseph,

12 years old last birthday, and Cuthbert James, who will be nine years old on the sth of next month, I hope you will not think he is too young «r I would like the both of thum to bs in from the commencement."