The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1913. THE CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 14 August 1913, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1913. THE CATHOLIC FEDERATION

<==vV|l=|\o one could read the lengthy report supplied &|nSnm Iy n our last week's issue of the proceedings 5 |||§S! I' a t the first meeting of the Dominion Exe1 cutive of the Catholic Federation of New \*wj&B> Zealand without being impressed with the energy, enthusiasm, and very marked oi*y&i ability which the delegates brought to their 4jjp*% work. The meeting was held, it must be - admitted, under some drawbacks. So far no provision had been made for the payment of delegates' travelling expenses, which in this country amount. to a considerable sum, and delegates from the south had — thought they hadto face the further inconvenience of submitting to vaccination before they would be allowed to return from Wellington; and both of these circumstances militated somewhat against '.the attendance. The gathering was, nevertheless, thoroughly representative, and the zeal and acumen displayed by the delegates in facing and settling the many and at times difficult problems before them were worthy of all praise.. '• /■ ' " v

•■" The work of the meeting which' was- perhaps of the most , general and far-reaching .' importance was that connected with the enactment ' oi changes and amendments to the constitution. Of these the principal amendment was the establishment of an entirely new body to be known as the Dominion .Council, wnich will take the place of the old Dominion Executive. The Dominion Council is to consist of the Archbishops and Bishops of the Dominion, ex officio, and three representatives elected by each Diocesan Council, and is to meet, -yearly in Wellington, in the months of August and February. At its annual meeting it elects a Do- ; minion., Executive, consisting of ; the '; members of the Dominion Council resident in Wellington, together with seven other members, all of whom are to be residents of Wellington. '; The general control of the Federation is; to be vested, in the Dominion Council, which is empowered to initiate all work coming within the scope of the aims and objects of the Federation; but during such time as the Dominion Council is not in session, the powers of the Council are .' to be vested in the Dominion Executive who will j be responsible to the Dominion ; Council, and will report to each half-yearly meeting of that body. The position, then, is that for the future the central governing body of the Federation will be the Dominion Council; and the Dominion Executive will carry on while the Dominion Council is not in session. The proposal is an experiment and a compromise. Under the old provisions, for the Dominion Executive—as they : appeared tentatively in the Provisional Constitution—-representatives from distant dioceses could not possibly have.attended the meetings, which would thus have become in a serious degree unrepresentative. As Mr. Poppelwell remarked, the new proposal will have the. effect of preserving intact the representation of the Diocesan Councils, while it will enable the affairs of the Federation to be managed in Wellington during such period as the Dominion Council is not m session. The expedient gives promise of proving a workable and practical solution of what -is in this country, with its peculiar geographical features, a somewhat difficult problem— how to get a governing body which shall be able to operate from a single centre and which shall yet be representative of the whole Dominion. If the new Dominion Council pans out successfully, well and good if not, we will have to make fresh effort to adapt the generally accepted features of the Federation organisation to the special circumstances of this country. 1 .; s<•'■ -*.' ■-■" -■ *>-■.:-.■-■■ ■..•.-.■ ■. ' • Other minor but not unimportant alterations adopted in the constitution were an amendment which gives the clergy direct Representation on the Diocesan Councils by making each parish priest a member ex officio of the Diocesan Council, and a further amendment which enacts, that all members of the Parish Committees not elected by societies shall be elected by the parishioners. It was- felt that the clause in the Provisional Constitution which directed that six members of the committee should be,nominated by the parish priest placed upon the priest a duty, that might be very invidious; and it was at the strong and general wish of the clergy that the change was made. The question of the exclusion of members of Parliament or of local bodies from participation , in the work of the Federation was discussed at length; but the overwhelming weight of opinion at the gathering was strongly against the proposal. Finally, as an interpretation of the Constitution it was decided: .' That Clause 2 in no way debars any member of Parliament or of any public body from becoming a member of the Federation, or holding any. office of the Federation, or of any of its committees.' The all-important subject of finance naturally received much attention from the delegates- and _ it is obvious that the arrangements under this head require tightening up. As the meeting was not favorably disposed towards the proposal . to strike a levy for literature purposes, it might be worth while to consider the question of establishing a special Literature Fund to which special donations could be given by individual members of the Federation, and which the Dominion Council or Executive would; be empowered to

supplement from time to time by allocations from the general fund. ; r ::^ ; - - w # The holding of what was. in effect the first meeting of the permanent . governing body of the Federation marks an important stage in the development of the organisation m this country, and has invested the movement with fresh life and interest. Gradually but surely the Federation is finding its feet, and taking definite shape , and form ; "and there are unmistakable indications that the arduous and effective work accomplished by the Provisional Executive during the year that is past is only an earnest of the still greater successes that are to come.