Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 29 April 1915, Page 47

Intercolonial

‘; ' Sister Mary Thekla and Sister. Mary Benignns have returned to Brisbane from Ireland, with 21 postulants for the Sisters of Mercy. •“ ' In spite of the war and the general depression, the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Sydney this year eclipsed all previous records, and in consequence over eight orphanages will profit to the extent of £BS each, apart from a similar sum allotted to the schools’ musical competitions. , ■ The Mater Misericordise Hospital, Brisbane, treated during the year 1482 in-patients, and 3047 out-patients, a large increase on the preceding year. Of the inpatients 613 were Catholics and 869 Protestants. On the staff of the hospital are 17 Sisters, who are registered with the Queensland Nurses’ Registration Board. After about 21 years’ missionary work in Australia the Rev. Father Battle, who has for a few years been in charge of the Ballina parish (Lismore), leaves .for Europe, and will be absent for about twelve months. The Rev. Father P. M. Ryan, of the Bellingen district, who was previously in charge of the Ballina parish, will act as locum tenons for Father Battle. The new Ministry (says the Adelaide Southern Cross-) will probably be known as the Family Cabinet, containing as it does Mr. Crawford Vaughan as Premier, his brother as Attorney-General, and his brother-in-law as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Agriculture. The Advertiser, commenting on the new Ministry, says: 1 The caucus, not the Premier, has to answer the interesting question why the former AttorneyGeneral, Mr. Denny, after putting so much literary and other work into the recent campaign, has been quietlydropped in favor of another Vaughan— the Hon. J". H. Nobody would for a moment question the ability of the new Premier’s brother, or his fitness for the AttorneyGeneralship, but the incumbent of that office-is at all times better placed in the Asesmbly than in the Council, and in a new House containing only two lawyers— one on each side— the Ministry will be at a serious disadvantage with their legal adviser in the other Chamber. In the course of a press interview his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne as asked whether he had read the recommendation adopted by the Political Labor Council at their annual conference, to the effect ‘ that no person shall be permitted to remain a member of the Political Labor Council who is a member of any other organisation which selects, or lends support to, candidates for public positions, replied:— ‘l have read the recommendation adopted with surprise and sorrow. I believe it will have far-reaching consequences beyond what is contemplated by its framers. It will be taken is already taken—as a declaration of war on the Catholic Federation, and, through it, on the Catholic people. I can foresee the cleavage this war will create, not only in regard to State elections, but also in regard to Federal and municipal elections. This I sincerely regret. I have always sympathised with the Labor Party in its efforts to ameliorate the conditions of the working men and women. Catholics have aided them to the best of their ability, but the Political Labor Council, judging by the recommendation^ adopted, seems determined to render it impossible for Catholics to continue their co-operation. There may be a few recreant Catholics, but the heart of the body is sound, and they will not abandon their just claims to remuneration for valuable work done for the State. They will fiot willingly continue to pay a double school tax, which alls chiefly on the laboring man, nor will they sacrifice the sacred purpose of giving to the poor man’s child, as well as to the child of the rich, the inestimable blessing of religious education.’