Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 13 August 1914, Page 24

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) August 8. The Children of- Mary of Newtown held -an extremely successful social at St. Anne’s Hall last Wednesday. I here was a good attendance, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea was among the guests entertained by the Orphans’ Club last Saturday evening, on the occasion of a visit of his Excellency Lord Liverpool to the club. Mr. F. G. J. Temm, secretary of the Auckland Diocesan Council of the N.Z. Catholic Federation, passed through Wellington on his return home after spending a short holiday in the south. The Rev. Father Zukra, the Maronite Father, has been collecting in the local churches for the diocese of Aleppo, a diocese rendered extremely poor through the Armenian atrocities. Father Zukra administers to the Assyrian race in New Zealand. The collection has the approval of his Holiness the Pope, and his Grace Archbishop Redwood has sanctioned a church collection throughout the archdiocese. A combined meeting of the Parish Education Committees and Education Board took place at St. Bride’s Club last Wednesday evening. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea presided, and the Very Rev. Father O’Connell, S.M., and Rev. Father Tymons, S.M., Adm., were present. Suggestions for an effective collection of funds were discussed, and the committeemen were urged to redouble their efforts for the coming year. The finances of the board were reviewed, and satisfaction was expressed at the results so far attained. The sum of £l5O was lent on a security bearing 51 per cent, interest, and £6OO was placed in the Savings Bank, pending a suitable investment. It was decided to write Mrs. H. Sullivan and family, thanking them for their handsome donation of £SOO. The following officers were elected:—Chairman, his Grace Archbishop O’Shea; vice-chairman, Mr. J. J. L. Burke; secretary, Mr. P. D. Hoskins; treasurer, Mr. B. Doherty; auditors, Messrs. Giles and Stratford. The announcement that Great Britain was at war with Germany has naturally diverted all interest from things local to the war. The daily papers are eagerly bought, and the demand for them is so keen that in one instance this week copies were nob procurable at any price. The reading of the proclamation by his Excellency Lord Liverpool last Wednesday was the means of attracting thousands of people, more than half of whom, of course, could not hear a word. The crowd was so dense that only those fortunate enough to be near the speakers could hope to hear anything, the remainder having to be content with reading what was proclaimed in the evening papers. The Defence authorities are kept busy. Territorials are manning the forts, and guarding the wireless and cable stations at Mt. Etako, Lyall, and Oterangu Bays. Applications for enrolment in the Expeditionary Force are rolling in, including many from our Catholic young men. The evenings are rendered extremely lively by processions of young men singing national airs and serenading prominent politicians’ places of abode for patriotic speeches, etc.