Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 14 December 1916, Page 49

Intercolonial '

On November 23 a number of ladies met at St. Martha’s Industrial . Home, Leichhardt, the object of the gathering being to present Rev. Mother with a cheque for £660, the proceeds of the recent, fete and sale of work. Mrs. Barlow made the presentation. The Very Rev. Dr. McDermott. P.P., on behalf of the nuns.- thanked the committee for their zealous and practical interest in the institution. Afternoon tea was served in the reception hall.

Another Acting-District Court Judge in New South Wales has been appointed in the person of Mr. Andrew Robert James Watt, who for years past has been following a very varied practice at the Bar. Mr. Watt, who is a Catholic, is the son of the late Mr. Alexander Watt, well known in the Newcastle district. He was educated at St. Joseph’s College, Hunter’s Hill, and subsequently graduated at the Sydney University, with the degrees of BA. and LL.B., with honors.

Mr. Justice Duffy, of the High Court Bench, has 'says the Catholic Press) received intelligence that his son. Lieutenant Desmond Gavan Duffy, has been killed in France. The deceased was educated at St. Ignatius’ College, Riverview, and graduated at the Melbourne University. He was called to the Victorian Bar in December, 1913, and was admitted as a member of the New South Wales Bar in May of the following year. For some time prior to going to the war he acted as associate to his father in the High Court. He had not attained his 30th birthday. His brother, Major Gavan Duffy, is fighting in France. Shortly after the commencement of the war Mr. Justice Rich, of the High Court, had a son killed in action, and two sons of the late Mr. Justice O’Connor, also of the High Court Judiciary, have been killed at the front. With regard to the State judges, Mr. Justice Simpson (Chief Judge in Equity), Mr. Justice Street, and Mr. Justice -Ferguson, have each lost a son.

The Archbishop of Perth, the Most Rev. Dr. Clune, who has been commissioned by the Commonwealth Government to visit England and prepare a report upon the camps and hospitals where Australian troops are stationed, is now staying at the Jermyn Court Hotel, Jermyn street (says the London Tablet). The Archbishop, who has the rank and title of colonel, will also visit the Commonwealth troops in France and Egypt, and send a report to the Defence Department as to the working of the chaplains’ department as far as it concerns the Catholic troops. Although he arrived in London only a few days ago, the Archbishop has already visited many of the larger hospitals, including those at Harefield, Denmark Hill, and Hartford, and everywhere has been struck by the wonderful courage and cheerfulness of the wounded men, and the uniform excellence of the accommodation provided. A visit to Salisbury Plain, where he was the guest of General Sir Newton Moore, enabled him to inspect the fine body of Australian troops now in training there. He hopes; to complete his work in England in about three weeks, and then to cross over to France, whence he, will proceed to Egypt, taking Rome on his way. So far the Archbishop is well pleased with all he has seen, and in the hospitals has met many old friends, who were at once surprised and delighted to see him. The ship which took’ him to England had 1100 soldiers on board, of whom 219 were Catholics. On the last Sunday of the voyage the men begged for a Missa Cantata to celebrate the occasion. Accordingly it was arranged that while a Low Mass should be said at the usual h0ur6.30 should be a Missa Cantata at 10.30. At the first .Mass there were 182 communicants, and at the later hour Webb’s Mass was sung, the soldiers’ choir being admirably led by Lieutenant Master. At the end of the Mass the Archbishop gave Confirmation to 13 candidates, whom he had prepared during the voyage.'! It only remains to add that there are now 45 Catholic chaplains with the Australian contingents!