THE MILITARY CAMP AT TAUHERINIKAU.

New Zealand Tablet, 30 September 1915, Page 36

THE MILITARY CAMP AT TAUHERINIKAU.

To the Editor. Sir, — great deal lias been heard all over New Zealand during the past few months of the comfortable hall provided at Trentham Camp by the efforts of the Catholic Federation. We have been told that it is an edifying sight on Sunday mornings to see the large numbers of young men assisting at the Holy Sacrifice; that the facilities for confession in the ante-room, specially provided for that purpose, are fully availed of; that the goodness of the Sisters from the convent at Upper Ilutt in playing the hymns for the Mass is greatly appreciated; that the advantage of having so energetic and zealous a chaplain as Father Leo Daly resident in the camp is recognised, both from a spiritual and social point of view, by all our Catholic soldiers. We hear of hundreds of letters written weekly to every part of the Dominion in the hall on paper supplied by the Federation free of charge; of a piano and organ lent for the time of the camp by a generous firm ; of papers and books forwarded for the use of the men, and of games of various kinds available in the hall, and concert parties who travel the twenty miles from the city after their day’s work to entertain the men. Altogether one cannot deny that in this matter our people have done well, and that the Federation, had it done nothing else for the good of the faith in New Zealand, would have justified its existence. However, though the work at Trentham has been so good, it does not exhaust the work to be done for the young Catholics who are daily offering themselves for the defence of their country. Another permanent camp has been decided upon, and is rapidly being built at Tauherinikau, where some thousands of men will continually be in training during' the period of the war. Quite as many Catholics will be located there as at Trentham, and their needs will be similar. Other religious bodies are already providing, or have provided, for the welfare of their members, and it is time Catholics followed their example, and erected a hall where Mass can be celebrated regularly. The matter is emphatically not one exclusively for Wellington archdiocese, though the camps happen to be situated in that district —the men come from every part of the Dominion, and every Catholic in New Zealand should assist. Many have given generously to the Trentham hall fund, but many more are in a position to give, who have vet made no move. Will these good people show their Catholic loyalty and patriotism by assisting in the work of helping our Catholic men to prepare for the fate that awaits many in the course of the next few mouths? Perhaps the editor of the X.Z. Tablet would be

good enough to receive any sums that may be forwarded for such a purpose?- am, etc.. Sister of a Soldier at Tauherinikau. Wellington, September 25. , [We will gladly take charge of donations for so admirable and laudable a purpose. —Ed. N.Z.'l'.]