CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 15 March 1917, Page 45

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

The following is the report of the Dominion Executive presented to the eighth half-yearly meeting of the Dominion Council of the New Zealand Catholic Federation, held in Auckland on February 21 : Personnel. At the meeting of the Council held in August last, the constitution of the Dominion Executive was altered, and it was decided that it be formed as follows:—The members of the Dominion Council resident in Wellington, four members elected by the Dominion Council, and four members elected by the four city parishes of Wellington. By inadvertence, the fact that St. Gerard's (Redemptorist) Church Committee had beenconstituted a parish committee with full powers was overlooked. This occasioned some confusion, in that five city parishes were equitably entitled to elect representatives. Under the circumstances the amended rule 9 was temporarily suspended, and each of the five parish committees elected representatives. Owing to pressure of business Mr. McCosker (elected by the Dominion Council) was compelled to resign, his place being taken by the Rev. Brother Egbert. He, in turn, was obliged to resign, and, owing to the number of seats on the Executive being complete, no fresh appointment was made. Owing to his joining the Expeditionary Forces, Mr. Duggan (Wellington Diocesan Council delegate to the Dominion Council) resigned, and his place was taken by Mr. Sievers. The personnel of the executive at present consists of the following:—Rev. Father Smyth, S.M., Messrs. J. J. E. Burke (chairman), P. D. Hoskins (treasurer), J. Corry, T. P. Halpin, J. P. McGowan, B. Nolan, F. K. Reeves, R. Sievers, J. Sullivan, M. Walsh, and the secretary (Mr. Geo. Girling-Butcher). Meetings. Nine ordinary and special meetings have been held, and sub-committees have met as required. Papal Benediction. Quite the most important event of the past halfyear has been the response to the Council's request, through Monsignor Cerretti, Apostolic Delegate, for the blessing of his Holiness Benedict XV., upon the New Zealand Catholic Federation. In October last his Excellency transmitted the original letter of his Eminence Cardinal Gasparri, Secretary of State, conveying to all members of the Federation, and especially to the Council, his Holiness' highest praise and encouragement, and imparting to the work itself, and to all its members, the Apostolic Blessing. Copies of the letters of his Eminence and the Apostolic Delegate were at once forwarded to each diocesan council in order that this great favor conferred might be notified to each parish committee. The letters were also published for general information in the New Zealand Tablet and the secular press. Federation Sunday. Your executive trusts that a greater effort will be made this year to bring Federation Sunday into increased prominence, and a remit as to publicity by advertisement will be brought before you. Catholic Congresses. Congratulations have been extended to his Lordship Bishop Brodie and the executive of the Christchurch Diocesan Council upon the success which attended the congress held in November last. The chairman of the executive, Mr. J. J. L. Burke, attended as its representative, receiving a cordial and gracious welcome. The pan-Southland Catholic gathering is again being held in February, the committee having decided upon Invercargill as the meeting place. The executive trusts that the convention to be held in Auckland immediately after thej Dominion Council meeting will prove to be the forerunner of many equally successful gatherings. St. Patrick's College Magazine. The editor of Blue and White having signified his willingness to accept, a contribution, an article on

the Catholic Federation was published in that magazine, especially appealing to the younger Catholic men. Education Pamphlet. By the kindness of Father Roche, C.SS.R., the executive has been enabled to publish an illuminating brochure entitled The" Fundamental Principles of Education, to which was annexed the comprehensive statistics on education compiled by Mr. W. F. Johnson, secretary of the Wellington Diocesan Council. Rules. The sub-committee set up to revise the constitution and rules has completed its work, but in view of certain minor alterations necessary, decided to defer reprinting until after the Dominion Council meeting. Offensive Cablegrams. The appearance of calumnious matter in the cable news has engaged your executive's attention, and representations have been made to the manager of the Press Association that greater care should be exercised prior to the dissemination throughout the Dominion of references insulting to the Church and to Catholics. The present war circumstances have postponed the establishment of the much-needed Catholic Press Association suggested by Mr. Hilaire Belloc. Other Federations. As directed by the Dominion Council, felicitations were extended to the various branches of the Federation in Australia and Tasmania, and congratulations tendered on the phenomenal success attendant on the membership campaigns. Cordial relations are maintained with the councils in Australia and England, and publications exchanged regularly. Invitations have been extended by the Australian Federation to members of the N.Z.C.F. to attend the annual conferences at Sydney, Hobart, and Melbourne. Railway Department and the Federation. Following upon the council's deputation to the Minister, a reply was received from the Railway Department definitely refusing to place the Catholic Federation upon equal terms with Friendly Societies in regard to the issue of railway tickets to attend Catholic gatherings. School Certificates and Railway Cadets. In response to a request from the Auckland Diocesan Council investigation was made as to the requirements of the Railway Department in respect to education certificates to be held by boys applying for employment. It was ascertained that no discrimination was or could be used against any class of applicant, the conditions being absolutely fixed by regulation. Scholars' Railway Concessions. A considerable number of cases have been investigated in which head teachers of Catholic schools have inadvertently transgressed the regulations under which railway concessions are granted to children enabling them to travel free to Catholic schools—e.g., insufficiency of distance from home to school, passing another Catholic school en route, issuing certificates from nonregistered schools, etc. By means of personal intervention the executive has been able to secure in the majority of cases an adjustment of the difficulty, and it is satisfactory to be able to record that an amendment of the regulations has been secured providing that children up to ten years of age may travel free if the distance from home to school exceeds two miles, instead of three miles as formerly. A Serious Mistake. A case which may be typical has recently been investigated wherein a child was committed to a Catholic Orphanage, but was taken by the authorities to a Government Receiving Home. After three months the Superior of the orphanage, discovering that the child committed to her care had not been sent, communicated with the head office, and subsequent inquiry revealed the whereabouts of the infant. After a personal interview with the Assistant Director of Education, when the facts were made clear the child was

promptly given into the care of, the orphanage. In reply to a detailed letter of complaint the Minister has promised that greater care will be exercised in future, and directions have been issued by him to those responsible for the occurrence that will prevent a similar happening. Westminster Federation and N.Z. Relief Funds. The work undertaken by the Westminster Federation at the instance of the N.Z. Federation, in respect to the distribution of goods and money contributed by the people of New Zealand for the relief of distress caused solely by the war, continues to be carried on through the special sub-committee. A report received'recently announced the receipt of further supplies of clothing and money from the High Commissioner for the Dominion. Careful account is kept of all cases dealt with, and Mr. Mara, the on. lay secretary for the Westminster Federation, states that many grateful letters have been received from the recipients of relief. Obnoxious Play. At the instance of the Auckland Diocesan Council inquiry has been made as to the possibility of preventing the production in the Dominion of a certain play dealing with a matter which is considered unfit for public presentation. It has been ascertained that though the play is evil in tone and repugnant to cleanminded people its production cannot be prevented, owing to the fact that no words of an actually obscene or indecent nature are used. Auckland Gaol. At the request of the ecclesiastical authorities your executive arranged, after a personal application to the Justice Department, for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in Auckland Gaol on a week day at regular intervals. Religion of Prisoners! The Wellington Diocesan Council brought under notice the matter of the religion of persons charged with police offences being stated upon the charge sheets, and desired amendment. Full inquiry was made, and a special report submitted to your executive, showing that, within the knowledge of police officers, incorrect information on this point was frequently given by persons charged. The information was required only for statistical purposes, and was of no utility in regard to the administration of justice. Representations have therefore been made to Dr. McNab, Minister of Justice, urging that the column setting out religious belief may be eliminated from the charge sheet. Offences Against Children. Bv direction of the council the Minister of Justice was communicated with, and advised of the resolution adopted by the council in respect to the publication of details as to sexual offences, and the punishment of such offences against children. Dr. McNab replied that the recommendations of the council will receive the consideration of the Government. Kitchener Scholarships. Immediately upon the intention of the Government being announced the question of the Kitchener Scholarships (the establishment of which is due to the generosity of the Hon. Colonel Heaton Rhodes) being available for tenure at Catholic secondary schools engaged the attention of the executive. Letters were written to every member of the National Government, setting out the position of Catholics in the matter. The usual stereotyped replies were received. Later it was announced in the press that it was proposed that the scholarships should be tenable only at English or Australian Naval Colleges, and that only students who had attained a matriculation standard should be eligible to compete for them, thus practically debarring any but the sons of well-to-do parents from participation. Further letters were addressed to all the members of the Cabinet, protesting against this, and replies received. It is certain from his letter that the donor desired that all sons of fallen soldiers should be entitled to compete. However, the executive's protest has evidently been of service, as the conditions for the proposed scholarships have been referred back for re-consideration, the Minister of Education's reply indicating that so far no definite decision had been arrived at-

National Service League. In October last the operations of an organisation known as 'The National Service League' came under the notice of the executive. The League, whose objects are alleged to be solely of a patriotic nature, aims at interesting- the children in its work, and with that idea has an organiser visiting the schools, both public and privatethroughout the Dominion, addressing the scholars. The profits from membership fees, badges, etc., were, it was found, to be devoted to the Salvation Army Orphanage for children of fallen soldiers. As the Army institutions are distinctly anti-Catholic, and no priest or visitor of our faith is permitted to visit inmates of the Homes under their control, so that the children of Catholic soldiers could not possibly benefit by the scheme, it was deemed .advisable to issue a warning, by means of the N.Z. Tablet, and letters to all parish priests, against encouraging Catholics to contribute to the funds of the League. Film Censorship. The Government censor appointed as a result of the efforts of the Federation began work in September last, and has already condemned a great number of pictures submitted for censorship, while others have been considerably amended. It was necessary for a while to be fairly lenient to the owners of films already in the Dominion, in order that undue loss should not be sustained by them. The period of leniency, however, has now passed, and a much stricter censorship will, it is officially stated, be maintained in future. It is generally agreed that legislation is badly needed to deal with the grossly offensive posters and advertisements of cinema films frequently displayed. In the present state of the law the police cannot take action to suppress such advertisements. Amendment of the law is also necessary in order to give power of appeal from the decision of the censor in cases where it is found that films passed by him are offensive to public taste. In a recent case a film was passed for exhibition which, though not of an indecent nature, was grossly offensive to Catholics, giving a false idea of the religious life. As the censor had given a permit for exhibition no action could be taken for its withdrawal. At present, proprietors of films have means of appeal against the decision of the censor, but the general public has no redress. Field Service Fund. The New Zealand Catholic Field Service Fund has been duly registered under the War Funds Act, and a monthly statement of funds received and disbursed is submitted to the Government. It is a matter for congratulation that, as will be seen from the treasurer's statement, the sum of over £IOOO has been subscribed to the fund. In addition to providing the various troopships leaving the Dominion with stationery and articles of piety, such as rosaries, hymn-cards, etc., funds have been placed at the disposal of the chaplains thereon, while each of the chaplains of the hospital ships has received a liberal grant. A substantialamount has been forwarded to the senior Catholic chaplain to the N.Z. Forces for the use of the chaplains under him for the benefit of N.Z. soldiers. A grant has also been made to the N.Z. chaplain in Egypt. & In New Zealand, through the generosity of the Christchurch diocese, and at the request of Bishop Brodie, the sum of £l5O has been placed at the disposal of ChaplainCaptain Moloney for the renovation of 'Trentham Church-Hall. By a recent decision of the Federation of Patriotic War Relief Societies the executive has been advised that the High Commissioner has been placed in control of ample funds which are at the disposal of our chaplains in Europe on application being made to him. Conclusion. In conclusion, the best thanks of the Dominion Executive are tendered to the officers of the diocesan councils, who by their attention to duty and enthusiasm in carrying out their work have advanced the cause of Federation in their respective dioceses. If the same devotion to duty and enthusiasm is displayed during the ensuing half-year the Federation will occupy a very proud position when the year','? work comes to be rs» viewed*