Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 1 September 1910, Page 1395

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) August 27. Bro. S. O’Regan, of the H.A.C.B, Society, has been appointed secretary of the Masterton Friendly Societies’ Council for the ensuing year, _ A social gathering will he held on Tuesday in the Sydney street schoolroom, the proceeds to go towards the Thorndon Catholic school fund. Mr. S. J. Moran, a prominent member of the Wellington Catholic. Club, is announced as a candidate for the forthcoming by-election of the City Council. The annual social gathering of the members of the St. Joseph’s choir was held in the New Century Hall on August 19, and proved most enjoyable. Messrs. Donoghue, McCusker, and McKenzie worked hard to make the function a success. A letter received from Archbishop Redwood, who is on his way to attend; the Eucharistic Congress at Montreal, states that the trip between Auckland and Suva was a very rough one, most of the passengers feeling the effects rather severely. Some little time ago the Rev. Father Hickson had the misfortune to injure one of his knees. As the injury continued to worry him, he submitted to an operation on Thursday last. The operation was successful, and with a fortnight’s rest he hopes to be quite himself again. A few weeks ago an advertisement appeared in the N.Z. Tablet calling for applications for the position of choirmaster for the Hill street Basilica. The position has now been filled by the appointment of Mr. T. J. Lamble, master of the Jesuit Church, Richmond, Melbourne. Mr. Lamble holds very high qualifications as a musician and choirmaster. The death of Mr. J. J. Devine was referred to at the meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid BoaiM on Wednesday, August 24, when, on the motion of Mr. Aitken (chairman), seconded by Mr. J. Godber, a resolution was passed placing on record the board’s regret at the late member’s demise, appreciation of his faithful services as treasurer, and condolence with the family. The legal practices of the late Mr. Devine and of Mr. M. J. Crombie have been combined, and will in future be carried on under the name of Devine and Crombie. A large audience assembled in the Sailors’ Rest last Monday evening, when the St. Patrick’s Seamen’s Conference of the Society of St. Vincent do Paul gave their usual fortnightly entertainment. The programme submitted was of the usual high standard, items being contributed by the following: —Piano solo, Miss Q. Doherty; song, Mr. E. Walshe; song, Miss M. Frith; song, Mr. W. Scrimgeour; recitation, Mr. Ambrose; song, Miss A. Frith; comic songs, Mr. C. S. Wilson; song, Mr. D. Henderson; song, Miss Doherty; waltz, clog, and sailor’s hornpipe, Miss and Master Rowell. The accompaniments were efficiently played by the Misses Frith, Doherty, and Mr. Scrimgeour. At St. Patrick’s Hall on Friday evening a reunion between the St. Aloysius’ and St. Vincent Boys’ Clubs took place. There was a good attendance.'* The St. Vincent Club won 18 games (euchre 5, bobs 5, ping pong 5, and rope quoits 3) and the St. Aloysius’ 5 (euchre 1, bobs 1, ping pong 1, and rope quoits 2), After the results were announced by the president of the St. Vincent Boys’ Guild the manager of the St. Aloysius’ Boys’ Club (Mr. T. M. Peters) thanked their hosts for their kindness in initiating the reunion, which he hoped would be held frequently. The Brothers of the St. Vincent de Paul Society supervised the function. _ Last Thursday evening five boys were sworn in the St. Vincent Rifle Cadets by Mr. Martin Kennedy, J.P. Tenders are now being issued by the Defence Department for the uniforms for the Cadets. A quiet wedding took place at St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, on August 22, the contracting parties being Mr. John Michael Murphy, eldest son of Mr. Daniel Murphy, of Wanganui, and Miss Kate Taylor, second daughter of the late Mr. Malachi Taylor, of Wellington. The ceremony was preformed by the Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M., V.G., who also celebrated a Nuptial Mass. The bride was attended by her sister (Miss Lizzie Taylor) as bridesmaid, and the bridegroom by Mr. Daniel D. P. Murphy (his youngest brother). _ The bridegroom is a well known Catholic of Wanganui, being connected with all organisations of the Church. He is president of the Catholic Club, a prominent member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and a member of the Church Building Committee. After the ceremony the happy couple left by the Auckland train to spend their honeymoon at Rotorua. It is with sincere regret that I record the death of Mr. David McLaren Campbell, who passed away on August 23 at Wellington Hospital in his 60th year. Deceased was a native of Sutherlandshire, Scotland, and was a most

prominent Highlander in Wellington, being well known at Caledonian Society’s gatherings in New Zealand and a recognised authority on Highland piping. He arrived in New Zealand in 1874. A military funeral was accorded the remains. The coffin, covered with the Union Jack, was conveyed from his late residence to St. Anne’s Church, Newtown, where the Rev. Father Herring, S.M., officiated. c l 6 funeral was attended by representatives of various Scottish societies, and the procession was headed by pipers, xhe interment took place at Karori Cemetery, the Rev. h ather Herring officiating at the graveside. The deceased leaves a widow and two grown-up sons to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and fond father.—R.l.P. The twenty-fourth half-yearly meeting of the Wellington Catholic Club was held in St. Patrick’s Hall last Wednesday evening. Mr. A. H. Casey (vice-president) presided in the absence of the president, the Very Re* bather Shea, V.G. The meeting was addressed by the Rev. bathers Quinn and Venning, S.M. The balance sheet showed a credit balance. The following officers were elected: Patron, his Grace Archbishop Redwood; president, Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M., V.G.; vice-presi-dents, Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M. (Provincial), Rev. bathers Venning, Quinn, Kimbell, Rev. Brother Justin, Messrs. M. Kennedy, K.S.G., C. P. Skerrett, M. O’Connor, A. H. Casey, and J. McGowan; lion, sec., Mr. H. A Rees; hon. treasurer, Mr. J. W. Callaghan; executive, the foregoing officers (ex officio), and Messrs. M. O’Kane, H. McKeowen, G. Dee, B. Leydon, E. Dunne, Geo. McNamara, J. b. Quinn W. Thomas, and F. Eller; hon. auditors, Messrs. .S. J. Moran and J. F. O’Leary. Mr. Jno. McGowan, the retiring secretary, who has held office for the past five years, was elected a life member. The fourth half-yearly meeting of St. Anne’s Catholic Club was held at the club rooms on Thursday evening. Mr. R. W. _ Collins (president) occupied the chair. There were also present; Rev. Fathers Herring and McDonald, S.M., and a large number of members. The half-yearly report and balance sheet for the term ending September 30 ere read and adopted. The balance sheet disclosed a satisfactory balance of £l2. The Rev. Father McDonald, in congratulating the members on the position of the club, pointed out the many advantages to be derived from such a club, and especially impressed on members the benefits to be derived from the literary and debating branch. The Rev. Father Herring also spoke a few words of encouragement to the members. The election of officers resulted as follows:Patron, Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M.'; president, Mr. B. A. Guise; vice-presidents, Rev. Father Herring and McDonald, S.M., Messrs. W. J. O’Neill, T. M. Peters, and E. B. L. Reade; hon. secretary, Mr. T. Pender; hon. treasurer, Mr. C. Cotter chairman literary and debating branch, Rev. Father McDonald; vice-chairman, Mr. E. J. Fitzgibbon; librarian, Mr. H. Vaney; auditors, Messrs. J. E. Gamble and E. J. Fitzgibbon; executive, MessrsJ. Wareham, G. Harris, F. Galvin, 0. Foote, D. McCarthy, H. Ridler, E. J. Foote, J. Twomey, and J. Flanagan. * Before the City Council commenced its business on Thursday night the Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford) rose and made reference to the loss sustained by the Council in the death of Councillor Devine. He moved: * That this Council express its profound sorrow at the death of Councillor Devine, and place on record its high appreciation of his faithful and zealous service as a citizen and as a City Councillor during eleven years, and its' deepest sympathy with the widow and family in their sad bereavement.’ ‘I do not know very well,’ said the Mayor, ‘how I can describe the services rendered by Councillor Devine to this city. My tenure of office has been so short that Councillors here will be better able to speak of him as Councillor. In private and in public I have often come in contact with him, and admired his genial temperament and good humor, and if ever there was a fearless critic in matters affecting the public weal it was Councillor Devine. During my short term of office he advocated to the greatest possible degree, and with all his power, whatever he thought to be right, even though he might be alone in his advocacy. I am certain this city has suffered a loss' in the death cf Councillor Devine. Nobody had a wider knowledge on anything pertaining to civic affairs. His knowledge was of infinite value to myself, and I received great help in regard to matters that were in train before I became Mayor. I have been much indebted to Councillor Devine. His death is the city’s loss and the City Council’s loss.’ The motion was passed, the Council and officers standing. Nelson At the fortnightly session of the Nelson Debating Society, held on August 24, the subject for debate was * Home Rule for Ireland.’ The very large attendance was evidence of the great interest manifested in the subject under discussion. Mr. A. T. Maginnity presided, and in his introductory remarks (says the Evening Mail) stated that it had been decided that the religious element was to be kept out of the debate. The subject allowed proper thoughtful and able reasoning without injury to the susceptibilities of anyone.

Mr. J. J. Sullivan opened the debate in support cf the question ‘ that it would be to the best interests of the British Empire to grant Home Rule to Ireland.’ He stated that last year this subject was debated at Oxford University, when an overwhelming majority affirmed that Home Rule was desirable. He defined Home Rule. Ireland was' to have a Parliament sitting at Dublin to deal with purely Irish —elected by the Irish, with an executive responsible to and subordinate to the British —government of the people for the people by the people is something similar to what we have in New Zealand. When Ireland had her own Parliament she was happy and prosperous, but since she has lost her Parliament the country had been impoverished and there had been trouble, misery, and famine. The Irish did not want to be separated from Britain, but to be united as were the self-governing dependencies. During the last year of the Irish Parliament the progress in industrial, agricultural, and intellectual pursuits made Ireland the wonder of Europe. But under the Union the smiling villages and towns that had sprung up became deserted and industries were closed and mills abandoned. In sixty years Ireland’s population decreased from 9,000,000 to 4,500,000. In one year she lost 1,500,000 people, and 40,000 continued to leave Ireland yearly. Young Ireland had left and was leaving by a never-ending stream of emigrant ships, and if it continued it would not be in the best interests of the Empire. One out of every 100 in Ireland was an inmate of a workhouse, one out of every 44 was living on State aid as distinct from the old age pension ; and 80,000 of the Irish peasantrystrong, sober, and intelligent people —were housed in houses of only one room. The average wage in Ireland was 10s a week, against 18s 3d in England and 19s 3d in Scotland. The Irish were a soldier race and Ireland could be made a recruiting ground instead of being a menace. A few years ago the Boers were our deadly enemies—now they had home rule. Ireland had helped to fight the battles in South Africa and keep the flag flying, but she was denied the right to govern herself in purely local matters. Various Acts that applied to England but not to Ireland were mentioned, while it was stated that an Act passed ,in 1361 was still in power in Ireland, but obsolete in England under which a man could be arrested and imprisoned without a trial. Home Rule, which was supported by America, France, and other European countries, was not an experiment, as it existed in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa. Home Rule, said Mr. Sullivan in conclusion, would bring prosperity and contentment to Ireland and solidarity to the British Empire. . Mr. Newberry led the opposition. He said that if Ireland was in the middle of the Atlantic the question of Home Rule could be considered; but at present it would be a menace. Mr. Sullivan has described Ireland as ‘a seething mass of discontent,’ and it was a true description of the state of Jreland at the present time. Lord Clare was quoted by Mr. Newberry in support of his side; and he referred to Mr. Gladstone who at one time had said that Home Rulers were marching through rapine to the dismemberment of the Empire. Gladstone had taken up Home Rule only as a fad in his old age. Mr. Sullivan had not shown that the Irish Parliament was a success. The, Irish Parliament had been tried, proved a failure, and had to be taken away. There were over 10,000 members of secret societies in Ireland, and the object of these was to disunite Ireland from Great Britain. That was the reason why the Irish Parliament was taken away and why Ireland would never have another Parliament while the British Empire remained. No consideration had yet been framed which would give Ireland self-government •without separation. Other speakers on the affirmative side were Messrs. W. J. Moffatt, G. Stewart, W. S. Milner, F. Hurley, and E. V. Semi; while Messrs. W. V. Rout, T. A. H. Field C. R. Fell, and Morgan opposed. ’ The leaders replied, and prolonged applause followed Mr. Sullivan s closing speech. A show of hands resulted in a 2 to 1 majority in favor of the motion.