Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 25 April 1918, Page 19

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.)

April 20. Writing to the secretary of the Catholic Knitting Guild (Miss Wheeler), the Rev. Father Cossins, an English priest attached to the New Zealand Division, thanks the members of the guild for their most welcome parcels of woollen • comforts for the boys at the front. He pays a tribute to the New Zealanders, and says that he has the greatest admiration for them, and that they are a fine, smart, clean-living lot of lads. Everybody admires the New Zealanders. He concludes by stating that after three years’ war service, his Bishop wants him to return to the diocese.

The Rev. Father Skinner also writes an appreciative letter to the same addressee, and states that he saw the 30th Reinforcements off to France, and that the 31sts and 32nds are busy training. Catholic parents and relatives of boys here, he adds, can rest assured-that no man will leave here unprepared for the fray' through any fault of his. -

■ '• - ■ ...L,. The * quarterly meeting of the Catholic Education Board took place} at . St. ; Patrick’s ; Hall on last Wednesday evening. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea presided, and there were also present the Rev. Fathers Mahony, Hurley, and Smyth, Messrs/ Burke, - Hoskins, Stratford, Giles, and McPhee. ‘The Boxing Day and St.} Patrick s Day’s efforts were announced as resulting |in the handsome sum of £450. (including assets), being added to the Boxing Day £l5O, and St: Patrick’s Day £3OO. - The date of the annual schools’ social was fixed for Wednesday, June 19. In addition to this the Thomas Moore anniversary celebration is to take place on Tuesday, May 28. Accounts totalling £IBO were passed for payment. The Catholic Knitting Guild will take charge of the Red Cross Shop, Lambton Quay, on the first Friday in May, and will be grateful to receive any goods or donations to enable them to stock the shop. These can be sent to the secretary (Miss Wheeler, Wellington College), or the ladies will be pleased to accept them at the shop on the Thursday prior to the date fixed. A meeting of the Maoriland Irish Society (Thomas Davis Branch) was held in the Trades Hall last week, when several new members were admitted. In reply to a letter enclosing "a copy of a resolution passed at the last meeting of the society, the Minister of Finance wrote asking for a fuller explanation of the resolution regarding the alleged insult to the Irish people contained in his War Loan poster. It was decided to leave the "question of replying in the hands of the executive. The following resolution was carried —-' That we, the Irishmen of Wellington, view with alarm the proposals of the Imperial Government to enforce conscription on the Irish nation; we consider the people have not yet had the opportunity of deciding' either by election or referendum the form of Govern-} ment they are prepared to accept; we regard the en- - forcement of such a law without their consent as con-. trary to the democratic principles for which we are given to understand the present • war is being waged; furthermore, we consider the suggested law detrimental to the best interests of our country, and likely to lead to most disastrous consequences if persisted in.”