THE H.A.C.B. SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, 19 August 1915, Page 41

THE H.A.C.B. SOCIETY.

To THE Editor. Sir, —The proposal to be brought forward by the district executive at the August half-yearly meeting, to adjourn the triennial movable meeting or conference of 1916 to some future date, will, 1 hope, meet with the fate that it deserves. Now, what does this proposal mean? It means that our conference held triennially is to be put back indefinitely, and the opportunity of discussing progresive measures by direct representatives of branches is withheld. Surely once in three years is long enough to wait -for a meeting with our district officers and the leading representatives of the society throughout the Dominion. Our society is the only friendly society that meets at such lengthy intervals, and it is certainly not to our advantage. I wonder' how long would the Federated Catholic Clubs or the Catholic Federation last, if delegates from their branches only met triennially. The 11.A.C.8. Society could, with advantage, copy some of the progressive methods of our younger Catholic bodies, for instance(l) diocesan meetings of branches, with annual meetings of diocesan representatives in a Dominion centre (2) an organising secretary, which would save hundreds of pounds and give more satisfaction. The business paper should have reached branches in time for their half-yearly meetings, but it did not reach here till after that date, July 5. The late arrival does not affect so much the city branches, but in the country (and they are the majority) the quarterly and halfyearly meetings are the best attended during the year, and consequently the opportunity of getting an expression of opinion from the majority of members has been missed. As the August district meeting will be held in Auckland, and will not be attended by many direct representatives, it is more than likely that, the eloquence of the district executive will carry such weight with the Auckland proxy delegates, that the suggestion will be carried. The business of the triennial movable meeting is now in course of preparation by branches—two remits being proposed by the Christchurch branch and a suggestion by an esteemed rev. member from Dunedin should see the light of day at that meeting, so that business is assured. I think, also, that Westport should be considered, and the letter from there in your issue of August 5 speaks for itself. The society’s officers and delegates will be their guests, and arrangements have been made for their reception, etc., which should not be lightly postponed. Bro. Burke, of Wellington, has dealt separately with the reasons put forward by the district executive, and the consensus of opinion seems to be that things will be worse after the war is over. Unless the district executive propose to cut out the triennial movable meeting altogether, what will be gained by the postponement? If the district executive are in earnest re expense of the triennial movable meeting, well then, all I can say is that war or no war, our funds should be conserved and not frittered away in big unwieldy meetings. Let the district executive, in their wisdom, bring down proposals to the Westport meeting, either to end or mend such meetings, and they will find plenty of support. —I am, etc., F. J. Doolan. Christchurch, August 9.