GOLDFIELDS CATHOLIC CLUB

New Zealand Tablet, 3 April 1913, Page 15

GOLDFIELDS CATHOLIC CLUB

(From our Waihi correspondent.) The annual conference of the Goldfields Catholic Clubs was held* at Thames on Easter Sunday. The new club formed at Hamilton a few months ago was also represented. The delegates were:Hamilton, Messrs. Lafferty, McCarthy, and O’Leary; Karangahake, Messrs. Poland, Riley, and Connolly; Waihi, Messrs. J. Lynch, T. Collins, and P. Lynch; Thames, Messrs. Coakley, Lawson, Dwyer. Mr. Creau occupied the chair. It was resolved to make a rule that at the annual conference three delegates from each club be entitled to vote. Considerable discussion took place on a motion that an interchange of reports between the clubs should take place quarterly. It was thought that sending a report of each meeting to the Tablet (which had been considerably reduced in price during the year, so that the majority of club members ought now to be subscribers to it) would meet the case. During the discussion the N.Z. Tablet was highly recommended to all by those who were already subscribers. , Eventually it was resolved that the delegates recommend the interchange of half-yearly reports to their respective clubs, and the advantages to be gained thereby were pointed out. It was also decided to levy on each club one shilling per member to raise a fund for providing prizes for the inter-club competitions. A collection taken up in the room for the purpose of obtaining prizes for competitions at the present conference resulted in the sum of £2 6s. All clubs represented were recommended to federate with the N.Z.' Federated Cathobc Clubs. In the evening a debate took place on the question -—‘ls State control of the liquor* traffic preferable to prohibition?’ Hamilton (prohibition) defeated Waihi (State control) by 18 points; Thames (prohibition) defeated Karangahake , (State control). Hamilton was

declared the winner on points. . A prepared speech competition then ensued, the following taking partiMr. Lafferty (Hamilton), Aims and aspirations of Catholic clubs'; Mr. Connolly (Karangahake), ' Women's franchise '; Mr. Dwyer (Thames), 'ls the Yellow peril a real peril to Australasia Mr. Collins (Waihi), 'Schools of the ancient Maori.' The result Dwyer and Lafferty (95 points) equal. Mr. McCormick capably fulfilled the office of judge, and at the conclusion explained his method of judging; he also told where the teams in debate had lost points. He congratulated the speakers, on. the high ability shown by them. Rev. Father Dignan said that the merit shown by each speaker had greatly surprised him and many Thames members. The audience had been very much interested throughout, and for himself and the parishioners he heartily thanked the visiting delegates. It was a pity they did not come oftener. The visiting delegates left for their homes by Monday's train, well pleased with their visit to the Thames, and the way they were treated by the members of the local club.