Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 3 February 1916, Page 23

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) January 29. Mr. E. W. Gibbs, of Thorndon, returned to Wellington last Monday after an extended tour of the United Kingdom.

Mr. W. F. Healy, of Brooklyn, has received advice that his son, Private M. Healy, of the 25th Battalion, Queensland Reinforcements, is in hospital at Alexandria, suffering from frost bite.

The funeral of the late Private George F. Stewart, who died at Trentham Camp through drinking formalin by mistake, took place to the Karori Cemetery this afternoon; The Trentham Band headed the cortege, and a firing party was present from Trentham Camp. Chap-lain-Captain Daly conducted the burial service, and Captain J. A. Shand, of A Company 11th Reinforcements, represented the Defence Department.—R.l.P.

Sergeant R. P. Smyth, ex-secretary of the Thorndon branch of the Catholic Federation, and a past president of the Thorndon branch of the H.A.C.B. Society, son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Smyth of Howick, Auckland, was married last Wednesday to Miss Eileen D. Mulhane, of May street, Thorndon, by the Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M., Adm. Sergeant Smyth, before joining the Rifle Brigade, was an officer of the Police Commissioner's Department. He sails with the next draft for active service.

Master Albert Scanlon, a pupil of the Marist Brothers' School, Thorndon, has been awarded a three years' scholarship at the Sacred Heart College, Auckland, of the annual value of 40 guineas. The scholarship was open for competition to boys attending Catholic schools throughout New Zealand. Master Scanlon is a son of Mr. W. B. Scanlon, of Island Bay, formerly of Featherston terrace. The Segrief scholarship, tenable for two years at St. Patrick's College, Wellington, has also been secured by a pupil of the Marist Brothers', Thorndon, the winner being Master Roy Knight, a son of Mr. C. Knight, of Wadestown.

Last Thursday evening a concert party, organised by Miss Marie Fix, and consisting of Misses Marie Fi«, Teresa McEnroe, S. Morrison, Vera Lynch, and Messrs. Hamilton Hodges, Uaslett Exton, and John Carr, journeyed to Trentham and gave an excellent entertainment to the men in camp at the Catholic Federation hall. The Rev. Chaplain-Captain Daly, on behalf of the men, thanked the entertainers for their kindness, and for their high-class entertainment, which was appreciated by himself and the men. The Hon. T. W. Hislop very kindly placed his car at the disposal of the party and drove them out himself.

Last evening Mr. H. E. Nicholls, secretary of the Harbor Board, on behalf of the tally clerks employed on the wharf, made a presentation of a travelling rug and suit-case to Mr. W. F. Healy, who has been in the employment of the Harbor Board since 1876, and who, for two years prior to his recent retirement, was wharfinger at the King's Wharf. Mr. Nicholls referred, in terms of high praise, to Mr. Healy's long connection with the waterfront. Mr. Healy had been a valued servant in every capacity in which' he had been employed, and, although they were all sorry to lose him, they hoped he would live long to enjoy his retirement. There had been many changes since Mr. Healy first joined the service, not only in personnel, but in the direction of the vast increase in business. On replying, Mr. Healy was given a very cordial reception by the assembled tally clerks.

For a considerable time past the Superior Council of Australasia of the ( St. Vincent de Paul Society has consistently advocated the establishment of a central council for the society in New Zealand in order to unite the various particular councils already established and the isolated conferences under one head,

in addition to carrying on an active propaganda for the extension of the society throughout New Zealand. The Superior Council also suggested that the headquarters of the proposed central council should be in "Wellington, as being the central city of the Dominion. For several months past the Particular Council of Wellington has been moving in the matter. His Grace Archbishop Redwood gave the project his heartiest approval and blessing, and the approval of his Lordship the Bishop of Dunedin and the Administrator for Christchurch as well as that of the various conferences in these dioceses was also obtained. Last Friday the election of officers took place, and resulted as follows: President, Bro. M. Kennedy; vice-presidents, the presidents of the Particular Councils of Christchurch, Wanganui, and Wellington; secretary, Bro. B. Ellis; treasurer, Bro. M. O'Connor; board — P. Fagan, T. Fouhy, P. Cairns, Johnson, and Wells. The first meeting will be held next month on the return of Bro. Kennedy to Wellington, and the officers non-resident in Wellington will be notified in due course.

• The annual meeting of St. Patrick's branch of the Hibernian Society took place at St. Patrick's Hall last Monday evening, under the presidency of Bro. F. W. Whitaker. The following officers were elected for the ensuing term:President, Bro. F. W. Whitaker; vicepresident, Bro. P. Sherlock; treasurer and assistant secretary, Bro. J. J. L. Burke; warden, Bro. A. W. Godsell; guardian, Bro. M. M. Mahon; auditors, Bros. H. McKeowen and J. P. McGowan; sick visitors, Bros. M. Condon and P. O'Callaghan. The newly-elected officers were installed by Past-President Bro. J. P. McGowan. Advantage was taken of the occasion to present Bro. McGowan, the retiring president, with a past-president's set of regalia and framed certificate. Bro. Whitaker made the presentation, and eulogised the sterling work performed for the advancement of the branch during his term of office by Bro. McGowan. The December quarterly returns and annual returns for 1915 were read and presented. They disclosed a very satisfactory state of affairs. The sick pay for the year was abnormalno less a sum than £306. The amount paid for medical attention and medicine totalled £274, whilst the levies to the funeral fund, which is consolidated, totalled £79. The branch's contribution to the district supplementary sick fund totalled £52. Some twenty members of the branch are serving with the Forces, and already some have sacrificed their lives for the Empire's cause. These men's contributions are being paid out of the district guarantee fund. Advice has been received that the annual district meeting will take place at Auckland, on Tuesday, 25th April. The remainder of the evening was spent socially, the following contributing items: Bros. Whitaker, McGowan, Burke, J. J. McKeowen, Glavin, and O'Kane.

The schoolhouse in Boulcott street was transformed on Saturday evening into a veritable hall of gaiety, the occasion being a festival founded by the Very Rev. Father O'Connell, in aid of the funds of St. Mary of the Angels' parish. The appointments were artistic in every respect, with a frequent outbreak of patriotic colors; the stalls were well furnished with a tempting array of goods of all descriptions, and the numerous army of saleswomen worked hard to ensure the success of the undertaking. The Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke) opened the festival in a characteristic speech. It was, she said, always a pleasure to her to assist in any object that tended to the uplifting of our social life, and one which was for the benefit of the children. There was quite enough sorrow in the world at present, and they did not want the burden of the little ones to be any harder than they could possibly help. She wished the enterprise every success, and was loudly cheered on resuming her seat. Among those present were his Grace Archbishop O'Shea, the Mayor, and several of the local clergy and visitors from other parishes. The evening was chiefly occupied with a very pleasant entertainment. A juvenile orchestra, directed by Master Ben O'Brien, played remarkably well, and the Waterside Workers' Band played some very welcome selections; while the Sports Pierrots kept

the audience amused for quite a long time with an excellent selection of songs and choruses. The Pierrots —Mr. Frank Eller (director), Misses Dorothy Theobald, May Butler, Stella Simon, and Mona Butler, and Messrs. J .Clements, Jack O'Brien (pianist), Chas. Houston, and Jack Dunn. The following were in charge of the various stalls:—H.A.C.B. stallN. McCarthy, M. Morrison, K. Griffin, B. Craig, M. Brennan, M. Cotter, I. Gregory, N. Fuller, B. Delaney, M. Delaney, W. O'Neill, L. Barry, G. Butler, A. Lyon, E. Doyle, M. Tarabochia, M. Griffin (secretary). Tea kiosk (Brooklyn Altar Society)Misses Ross (2), Steadman, Monahan, Pearce, Jennings (2), Greaney, and Harte, Mesdames Burke, Odlin, Thorburn, McKeowen, Taylor, and Homes. Children's stall Misses O'Brien, Curtis, O'Regan, O'Driscoll, Ryan, Moran, Pearce, Black, McMurich, Halpin, and Clisby. Altar Society's stall—Mesdames Scott, O'Driscol, Phelan, and Misses Kent, Walker, Smith, Little (2), Easson (2), Pearce, Keeney, assisted by the flower sellers—Misses Davis (2) and Sheridan. The amusement parlor is in charge of Messrs. Turner, Fitzgerald, De Muth, Godsell, Tustain, Hicker, Galagher, and O'Driscoll. Mr. F. J. O'Driscoll is secretary to the committee, which consists of the Very Rev. Father O'Connell and Messrs. T. O'Brien, J. D. McPhee, L. Carroll, and H. McKeowen. The festival will conclude on Tuesday, after a very successful run of eight nights.

A sale of work in aid of the presbytery furnishing fund commenced on Tuesday evening at the Marist Brothers' School, Thorndon.

The Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Catholic Federation met last Wednesday evening, there being present Messrs. J. J. L. Burke (in the chair), J. Duggan, P. D. Hoskins, R. Sievers, L. T. Reichel, and M. Walsh. It was decided to erect a hall for church and social purposes at the new camp at Featherston for the use of the Catholic soldiers in training, and subsequently, at the conclusion of the war, for Territorial purposes. With this object in view, plans and specifications have been prepared, and tenders are invited, to close at the office of the New Zealand Catholic Federation on Saturday, February 5. A site has been set apart by the camp authorities fronting the main Tauherenikau road, in the vicinity of the Wairarapa Patriotic Society's clubroom, and a substantial building is to be erected, equipped with all conveniences for the use of the men. The newlyappointed Catholic chaplain, who will be in charge of this church-hall, is the Rev. Father Segrief, who accompanied the hospital ship Maheno on her first voyage. A large amount of routine business was put through. The. date of the next Dominion Council meeting was fixed for March 1.