CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 24 January 1918, Page 28

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

- 0 DUNEDIN DIOCESAN COUNCIL. - ,; J The '-. half-yearly meeting of,-the : Dunedin Diocesan Council- of the Catholic Federation was held in St. Joseph's Hall on Friday, January 18. The president (Very Rev. j Father Coffey, Adm.) presided, Mies . Fred Kennedy (diocesan sec.) and Mr. T. v J. Hussey (diocesan 'treasurer) and the following delegates representing parish '] committees were •'', present St. "Joseph's Cathedral, Mr. J. Hally. (an apology being received for the absence of Mrs. Duffy); Oamaru, Rev. Father O'Connell; Lawrence, Rev. Father Lynch; Roxburgh, Rev. Father D. O'Neill; Milton, Mr. ; W. Kirby; Gore, Very Rev. Father O'Donnell; Invej-cargill, Very Rev. Dean Burke; Queenstown, Rev. Father Corcoran. An apology was received for the absence of Mr. A. J. Miscall, South Dunedin. Reports from 13 branches werehanded in, and the returns disclosed the pleasing fact that the membership had been maintained in most instances, while in some a decided increase was registered. The financial statement was read, showing £6O remitted from branches towards Catholic Field Service fund. Dues to the central executive at Wellington accounted for a handsome sum, a larsje amount was invested in N.Z. war bonds, • and a credit balance of £4B 18s lid was carried forward.

The diocesan council executive reported as follows: Education.—The fight against Government injustice in this all important matter is being continued with undiminished vigor. Our schools, thanks to the devotion and self-sacrificing efforts of our great teaching Orders, and others, •:are all becoming more efficient. The success of the Catholic students in the annual examinations (notwithstanding the disabilities under which they labor) is proof that the Catholic system is decidedly effective. Others, who for over 40 years have been sneering at Catholic educational efforts, are mow imitating them, with the result that private schools are being established all over the Dominion. Our supine Government will shortly- awake to the fact th«’ private schools have come to stay, and that the fetish of Sir R. Stout and successive Ministers of Education — the free, secular, and compulsory system-—will receive many a rude shock in the near future if it is not placed in the position of giving the children of all citizens, without exception, an equitable share of the millions spent upon ' education in this Dominion without exacting penalties from some -because ,of their religious beliefs and scruples. fr-r In speaking to the report and financial statement, which were adopted, , the Very Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., animadverted on the Government scheme for boarding out orphan and indigent children. He gave special instances which had come under his notice, and mentioned that the representatives of the other Church organisations were not enamored of the new scheme either. The Very Rev. Father expressed his pleasure at the recorded successes of Catholic pupils in the public examinations for matriculation, solicitor’s general •knowledge, medical preliminary and national scholarships, and highly complimented all the teachers concerned.

New Zealand Catholic Federation. Scholarships.— The sum of £ls was voted. to provide three scholarships of £5 each, open to Catholic children attending Catholic schools in the Dunedin diocese. Competition to take place during 1918, and the conditions and all details of the scheme (which will be announced later) were left in the hands of Very- Rev. Father Coffey, Rev. Father Morkane, and Rev. Brother Bowler.