Current topiCs AT HOME AND ABROAD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 42, 18 October 1900, Page 1

Current topiCs AT HOME AND ABROAD.

There is many a gem of thought of purest

things ray serene in the admirable papers contnTO remember, buted to the great Catholic Congress whose

sittings were recently so happily terminated in Sydney. Several of the papers will be published in full in our columns. Among the others we would single out for honorable mention the admirable paper contributed by the gifted Coadjutor Bi-hop of Hobart on ' The Relation of the Church to the non-Catholic World m Australia' ' Australia,' says the distinguished writer in one place — and his remarks apply also in a great measure to Xew Zealand — ' is a land ot peace and gladness. In its social atmosphere there is something like the breath of spring, something that quickens the pulse and brightens the eye, that draws people together in genial mood arid sets them looking ever tor the bught side of men and things. Xo people .we so unwearied m cordi d appreciation oi all desert, whether corporate or mdividu U . and no people aie more sincerely sympuhetic in those iiailties that sometimes surprise the well-meaning. Such is one le iding quality of Australian character — a benevolent bn^htne^s. Such likewise is the special character generated by the Catholic Church. Catholic l'ngland was Merrie England. If the elements which the Church strove to combine wete ot thiir nature refractory, if her ideals were rudely arrested in their realisation by regal violence, feud. il tin bulence, and baronial greed, neverlht less the all-pervading spn it ol the time was one ot inextinguishable glee. In spite of Lollard acrimony, Chaucer's times are as genial as a morning in May. It was the same throughout all the nations of the North in the daj s of Catholic unity. Lven into the ptecmctsot the s.uilluu) we trace the radiant humor of the time. '1 he great >,onstructi\e genius of that age rcl i\es at every turn in some qu tint tout h ol lightheartt dness, which shows how sunny the he uts ol the people must have been. As lor the t'uhohc South then and later, its very exct ss of gaiety h.i-. been an unpardonable scandal to prudes and puritans , and, finally, oven to this da\ , Catholic Ireland has, it is well known, often touched the deepest sympathies ot the whole world for the easy cheeitulness with which the people bear misfortune not wholly ot their own making.'

The people of these colonies, sa>s the same writer, 'are much more than tolerant ot the Catholic Church. In h ilf a century the Church has accumul Ued .in enormous amount of wealth in lands, buildings, such as churche-., presbytene-,, colleges, schools, hospitals, orphanages, homes for the aged, the blind, the deaf and dumb. And the annual cost in the up-keep of them is almost staggering, taken in the aggregate, and considering that all the money, both for foundation and maintenance, has to come pretty well from volunlaiy contributions. The Catholics of Austral) i are not certainly the depositaries of the nation's wealth; yet no other denomination can .show an annual expenditure to approach ouis, especially on works such as schools and orphanages and homes, which do not properly fall under the head ot reheious service. No doubt the Church has within its system an unequalled economic resource. Our Orders and congregations ol men and women

enable us to cope with difficulties on a vast scale. And the general body of the Catholic 1 nty, especially those who work for their livelihood, are generous, m lynificently generous. Yet, when all is said, we must own, and indeed we Are proud to own, that not a little of the money winch stands to the credit ol Catholic institutions comes out of the pockets of Australians who are not themselves Catholics.'

Referring to the number of converts to the Church in these colonies the same Right Reverend writer says : ' So far as I am aware, no statistics are kept beyond the baptismal entries, and these should be separately kept and posted in each parish to enable us to siywhit the aggregate conversions are each year. But enough has come under my personal observation for some years in two colonies to warrant me in saving that, taken all round, the actual total is resp 'ctable. Many of these conversions are occasioned by marriage, but this does not alter the iact that for the most part they are genuine. But whit it is important to note is this, that year by year the Ctiuicl. is drawing into her net, or to change the figure, is leavenmq with Catholic laith an evergrowing number of families which tor generation-, were .then and hostile. 1 have repeatedly tabul ued the names of candidates for Confirm ition in many district-., and h ive been surprised at the large percentage of other th m lush ongin. Xo doubt in most instances the faith of the children h clue to the lri-.li mother or grandmother ; but the I ict sull n mains, and is vei y s'gnifkant, th it the faith is tlm-. assimilating m Uerial winch li i> been all but refractory. This t.itt is Ivlpmu likewise to neutr tbse the general prejudice ng un^t the 1 Church as a suit ot nitioiiil b idge. It has cert nnl % be< n God's v ill to pi in t tie Church in these coloiies through the agency ot tne lush, both priest and people ; and no /» al for Catholicity, no Australian patriotism calls for the repinh dion of a debt registered in the Book of Lite itself. If the Church is to prosper in Australia she will be bound not to to r t/et the to<J< out of which she has been hewn ; undutifulness canned but displease Him who atta< h<_d a blessing to the fulfilment of the coimn mdment which bi js us honor our father and mother. Bat the comer ie truth is equally important to remember. If God h i-> granted our i.-cc the privilege of planting His tabernacles in thesj ne»v liniU, He has not thereby enkotted His inheritance to u-. foi all time. Our glory no man sh.ill take irom us, but we must not presume to trespass on diuncly set franchises. Xo man rver lived who possessed wirinu human sympathies, stronger rate feelings than St. Paul ; )et he fought Munboinly tor the heidrm of otherrar.es than his own, whom it was his mission to lead into the inheritance of the ti nth. And lor this reason— which has always weighed so nuuh with the Cathohr ( hurch — I hail with delight the r.tpid enrolment into the ranks of the Catholic Church in Australia of names tli it recall the Severn and the Thames, the Humher and the 1 Wet d, side by .side with my fellowcountrymen bom the b'iriks of the Blackwatcr and the Shannon. Kvin though Irish mothers have drawn them into the Church with coi ds ol Adam, their very presence helps on unpoitant work: it serves to bung into relief the Church's Catholicity.'

'What,' says he in conclusion, 'are we doing to help on the conversion oi Australia A jjre.it deal. I am gui te sure that nothing better could be projected to secure that end than

what is embodied in the legislation for the Church's d^ily action such as you have it in the decrees of the two last national councils of Australia. As far as circumstances allow, that legislation is being faithfully carried out by bishops, priests, and people. Impatient zealots will chafe at the slowness of our movements ; they forget that great masses though slow in action have an irresistible momentum. The Church >s wiser than her monitors. Her achievements are enduring. Her programme for one and all of her children here as elsewhere embraces many activities. I could not here attempt to enumerate them, and lea c t of nil dw-ll vpen them <-t"gly Some will form the subject of treatment at other hands ; but one and all they are familiar to us, and what we really have to remind ourselves often is to put our whole heart, our whole mind and our whole strength into our several parts in that vast and complex action whereby the Church stands ever before the world the apostle, the prophet of God announcing the good tidings of peace and salvation.'

Nothing could demonstrate in a more

THE south striking manner the greed and selfishness of DUBLIN seat, the ruling class in Ireland than the treatment

meted out to the Right Hon. Horace Plunkett, who has lost the South Dublin seat in consequence of the opposition of his own party. Numerically and politically the Conservatives have always been in a hopeless minority in Ireland, nevertheless they have had, during the nineteenth century, a monopoly of Government patronage. They cannot tolerate the idea of one of the mere ' people ' receiving any Government appointment whatever, as such a thing is contrary to all the traditions of Castle rule. Such an innovation, unless nipped in the bud, might lead to unheard of changes. It is a firm article of faith among them that all important posts are their special perquisites, and that the introduction of new blood into the sacred circle of officialdom would be nothing short of desecration of their caste. Mr. Plunkett, although a Conservative, has progressive ideas. For some years he has taken a very keen interest in the spreading of the co-operative system among the dairy farmers, and with a considerable measure of success. When he was appointed president of the new Agricultural Department he determined to run it on modern lines. The main object of the department is to introduce new methods of agriculture and dairying, and to bring technical instruction within the reach of the people. He knew full well from past experience that if he were to administer his department according to the traditions and hide-bound methods of Dublin Castle it would be doomed to failure. He looked around for a suitable man for the secretaryship and found him in the person of Mr. Gill, a Nationalist and a Catholic. Mr. Gill, while in Parliament, displayed a practical acquaintance with modern agricultural systems and furthermore he knew what the people — the farmers of Ireland --most needed. Since Mr. Gill took office he has in every wty justified the high opinions entertained by his chief of In-, c.ip ibilities. But Mr. Plunkett's political friends did not care one iota about the new secretary 'i> capabilities, he was a Nationalist and a Catholic, and these two disqualifications in their eves unfitted him for the position. They told Mr. Plunkttt quite plainly that unless he got rid of his protege he would lose his seat. Mr. Plunkett declined to accede to their selfish demands, with the result that he is no longer the member for South Dublin.

A meeting was held in Dublin daring the last week in August for the purpose of considering what action should be taken to punish the President of the Board of Agriculture for his contumacy. The following report of the proceedings will give an idea of the feelings of what .is called the ' loyal minority ': — ' Under the presidency of Lord Ardilaun a meeting of Unionist electors of South Dublin who are opposed to the retention of the representation of that constituency by the Right Hon. Horace Plunkett, M.P., was held in the Molesworth Hall. The principal charge made against Mr. Plunkett is that he has shown too much toleration towards his political opponents, especially in appointing Mr. T. P. Gill, Nationalist •x-M.P., to the secretaryship of the new Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction. The chairman explained that he had hesitated in summoning that meeting — not because he did not approve of the views of those who desired it should be held, but because he wished to assure himself as far as possible that their views and resolutions were definite, and not merely caused by a passing flash of anger, which would soon die away and end in nothing but ridicule. The results of that meeting would, he hoped, show their determination and decide their course ot action. If they once put their hands to the plough they would not turn back. Mr. Plunkett had said that he would rather lose a dozen seats than acknowledge disapproval of Mr. Gill's appointment. He had also said that Air. Balfour had advised him to contest the seat, and that he considered the retention of the seat for the Unionists a matter of minor importance. Was it possible that their leader should advise such a course of action, and thus turn his back on many of his own supporters ? On the motion of Mr. J. G. Nutting,

D.1,., seconded by Piofessor Dow den, it was resolved that the Unionists of the constituency could no longer support Mr. Plunkett, a■■ they were of opinion th it his return by Unionist votes had ceased to be pi.ietic.ible Itwis .iKo decided to prepne a reg notion, si^n 'd !;v Unioust electors, to Mr. Plunkett, ,-iskin .- him ni t'<e mteiesi-, ut the put\ to withdraw his candid itun 1 A< nrnnitti c, uith Lord Ardilaun as chairman, was appoint', el to ian \ this into ell _et .'

Writing on the opposition shown to Mr. Plunkett the l.eeas Men ury s.i\ s — i'h.u Mi . <. i.ll ii i-. ,1 v ncja^ Knowledge ot the soi t ol work the new I) -p tri nvni h is b -en formed to encourage, or th it he h\s for \i us elewttd himselt to the development o f ttvhnic.il ed \r iimi ,nul ot home industries in the rural elish lets ul [rt'litul, i;>|> h hi!, m i ( t< is m j. lnns' in the opinion ot the ay( rage Irish Lmo,,' • . I'm mere l.v t that Mr. Gill is a Nationalist and a Rom in ('ahulio is a sufficient reason in the opinion of "the men of Lister" tor debarring him from every office under the Government, for it appears to be one of the fundamental principles of most Irish Unionists that Government appointments should be the monopoly of Orangemen. It is astonishing to find an accomplished man of letters like Professor Dowden seconding the resolution of excommunication. It i-> incredible that in the last year of the nineteenth century any University Professor endowed with ordinary intelligence should thus lend his support to the monstrous doctrine that no man who is not a Protestant or a Tory is fit to hold public office in Ireland.' It will be interesting to see how Mr. B ilfour will regard the action of his Unionist friends. They are the ' loyal minority,' and the price ot their loyalty is office. Patriotism and devotion to political principles do not count for much -vith them. Their suppo tis a marketable commodity, and as the Government are strong enough to do without them their political wares are likely to be at a discount for a time.