CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 26 November 1914, Page 27

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

DOMINION EXECUTIVE.

(From our Wellington correspondent.) The Dominion Executive of . the N.Z. Catholic Federation met on last Wednesday, Mr. R. P. Flanaghan presiding. A quantity of correspondence was dealt with. The secretary reported the .action taken in connection with the circulation of indecent literature under the guise of religious pamphlets, ; and of the decision of the Attorney-General (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) to take action to bring the offenders to book. The emigrant, -employment, and accommodation bureau have been largely availed of. The question of physical training, school journals, and other matters in connection - with education not being satisfactorily dealt with by the Government, it was decided to formulate questions on’these points for submission to candidates for parliamentary honors. It was decided that subscriptions from now on be credited to 1915! This should give , committees another opportunity to commence a recruiting campaign forthwith. It was also decided to send the organiser to Masterton and surrounding districts. In this visit he will be accompanied by Mr. R. P. Flanaghan. Applications for the care of Catholic children, who through unfortunate circumstances have no one to provide for them, are not coining forward freely. Several children are now waiting for homes. Persons, of course, who apply will receive payment from the Government for each child entrusted to their care. Any person so desiring should communicate at once with the Secretary, Box 958, G-P.0., Wellington. His Lordship Bishop Cleary wrote in appreciative terms of the great service the organiser (Mr. Girling-Butcher) had rendered in assisting in the task of combating the Bible-in-Schools League. Employers requiring labor are requested to communicate their wants to the secretary, as he has a large number of persons on his books looking for employment. The Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M., reported the result, by letter, of his inquiries re immigration in Ireland, England, and Scotland, and as a result Mr. Dowling, secretary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Dublin, will, through the various branches of the Order in the United Kingdom, bring under the notice of those who are' determined to emigrate the advantages of coming to New. Zealand, and the facilities placed by the Government in the way of intending emigrants.

AUCKLAND DIOCESAN COUNCIL.

A meeting was held on Wednesday, November 18, in the Federation office, Gleeson’s Building, with the object of forming a literature committee in connection with the diocesan council. ~ Rev. Father Doyle was in the chair, and there were also present Misses Jacobsen and Callan, and Messrs. Temm and O’Malley. Apologies were received from the Very Rev. .Mgr. Brodie and from the Rev. Father Furlong and Mr. M. J. Sheahan on account of unavoidable absence. Officers were elected as follows: President, Rev. Father Doyle, and secretary, Miss M. C. Callan. The constitution of the remainder of the committee is as follows: Very Rev. Mgr. Brodie, Miss F. V. Jacobsen, M.A., Mr. F. G. J. Temm (hon. secretary of the diocesan council), Mr, Leo O’Malley, and Mr. M. J. ’ Sheahan. The committee at its first meeting mapped out a comprehensive programme for the’ dissemination of good Catholic literature, the judicious discouragement of objectionable and anti-Catholic matter in libraries and bookshops, the establishment of a Catholic reference library in the Federation office, for The convenience of Federationists and non-Catholics seeking information, and the publication of catalogues of the. Catholic books and - newspapers available in" the Auckland Public Library. It was also resolved that anything in the nature of misrepresentation, of Catholicism in the Auckland daily press should be promptly and publicly combated in the name of the committee. As time goes on,

it is hoped that the literature committee will enter upon a wide sphere of useful work; and it will at all times be pleased to co-operate with Federation committees throughout New Zealand, aiming in the same direction. Communications may be addressed to the Rev. Father Doyle,- Catholic presbytery, Kemuera, or to Miss M. C. Callan, ‘ Clovelly,’ Lower Symonds street. The above officials will also be* glad to receive gifts of Catholic books suitable for the proposed reference library. ,

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CHRISTCHURCH DIOCESAN COUNCIL.

(From our own correspondent.), The executive committee of the Christchurch Diocesan Council met on last Saturday evening in the Federation rooms, Wiltshire Buildings. - The president (Mr. W. Hayward, jun.) presided, and there were present Councillor J. R. Hayward, Messrs. M. Garty, J. E. Doolan, and the secretary. An apology was received from Mr. T. H. Williamson for unavoidable absence. An amount of correspondence was read and reported upon by the secretary as. having been attended to. Mr. Arthur Mead wrote accepting the position of official auditor to the council, and thanking the executive for the opportunity of assisting the Federation in the honorary capacity offered him. Mr. T. Archer, manager of the Burnham Industrial School, courteously replied to a communication from the executive giving the names, and addresses of Catholic boys placed out to service, with the assurance that all future placing out will be supplied, and the wishes of the Federation as regards the locating of the Catholic boys as near as practicable to a Catholic will receive every consideration. The secretary was instructed to reply, thanking Mr. Archer Tor his ready compliance with the request of the executive and the kindly sentiments expressed in his letter. The secretary reported having issued circulars to all branches conveying resolutions on various important subjects passed at the last Dominion Council meeting, together with circulars received from the organising secretary. Mr. M. Daly (Akaroa) wrote announcing the formation of a branch of the Federation, with a membership so far of 70, and the election of a parish committee in that district. This latest addition brings the number of flourishing branches in Canterbury alone up to eighteen.

ADDINGTON.

Members of the executive committee went out to Addington on, last Sunday afternoon to attend a previously arranged meeting in'the Catholic school of the congregation of the Sacred Heart Church in that portion of the extensive Cathedral parochial district. The secretary of the diocesan council explained that the gathering of the parishioners together for the purpose was to further the work of organisation, as although previously a _subcommittee had been formed, circumstances had arisen preventing to a great extent much effective work being done. Councillor J. R. Hayward gave a comprehensive outline of the aims and objects of the Catholic Federation, emphasising in an effective manner the urgent need of organisation and solidity if we were to become the force, and hold the position our numerical strength entitled us to. Mr. W. Hayward, jun., president of the diocesan council, spoke of what the Federation had already achieved in the brief period of its existence, and showed the immense possibilities of united action were we but unanimous and thoroughly alive to our interests. The meeting, although »ohly moderately well attended, was enthusiastic. Questions were asked and answered on prominent subjects, and information sought. A representative and apparently energetic subcommittee was then formed, consisting of the follpwingMrs. O’Leary, Miss Sloan, Messrs. Getson, J. Dunn, O’Connell, and Hurley. After enrolling members, the committee arranged •to meet on next Sunday after the half-past eight o’clock Mass to elect officers and institute a vigorous canvass.