COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 25 April 1918, Page 37

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

Mr * NEW SOUTH/WALES; ■ ■ . . - - His Grace,.the Archbishop of Brisbane and the Very Rev. Father McKenna (Rector of St.Leo’s College 7 within the Brisbane-University), passed through Sydney on their way from Melbourne to Brisbane. Archbishop Duhig says that the scenes in Melbourne on the occasion of the opening of the Newman College baffle description. Recently the Rev. Mother of the Convent of Mercy, Gunnedah, accompanied by two Sisters, visited Armidale for the purpose of inspecting the site of the new orphanage, which will soon be taken charge of by the Sisters of this Order. The Rev. Mother expressed delight at the site chosen, both from an aesthetic and utilitarian point of view. His Lordship Dr. O’Connor, Bishop of Armidale, this year made a special effort to celebrate Holy Week and Easter in a manner in keeping with this soulstirring crisis in the world’s history, and worthy of the beautiful Cathedral over which he presides. With this object in view, his Lordship summoned to the Cathedral city, priests stationed in distant parts of the diocese. Sister Mary Stephanie, a member of the Dominican Order, who had been seriously ill for about a week, consequent on an -attack of paralysis, which occurred on Sunday, March 17, died on March 22 at the Dominican Convent, West Maitland, in the 26th year of her religious profession, aged 49 years. She was a daughter of the late Mr. P. Kennedy, of Newcastle, and niece of Mr. M. Kennedy, late of Maitland.— R.I.P. / When Captain Carmichael, M.L.A., paid his recent visit to the other Commonwealth States, in order to devise plans for making the recruiting campaign more efficient, he visited certain leaders of opinion in the metropolitan centres. Among these was the Archbishop of Melbourne. Captain Carmichael expressed himself as highly pleased with his interview with Archbishop Mannix. The Archbishop agreed that there would be no difficulty in stimulating recruiting, if its direction were placed in the hands of decent men who had not forfeited the goodwill of any section of the people. The Prime Minister shows his appreciation of that opinion by appointing Mr. Orchard, M.H.R., as a special Cabinet Minister, in charge of recruiting. It will be remembered that Mr. Orchard is the man. who, in seeking to gain a little notoriety, made an egregious ass of himself at an informal dinner in Dublin last August twelve months, given by the Irish members to the Australian Parliamentary party which visited the Old Country at our expense. In the presence of a representative of the British Government, the SolicitorGeneral, Mr. Orchard, ostentatiously . stalked out of the room, because the toast of the King was not proposed, though there were no toasts on the card. Imperial politicians were amazed at the boorish outrage to the canons of hospitality and custom, and it was merely through pity, and in compliment to his companions, that someone explained the circumstances to Mr. Orchard, and induced him to come lamely back to his dinner. Mr. P. McMahon-Glynn, a member of the Hughes Ministry, was present at this incident, and should have impressed on his colleagues the unfitness of Orchard to be a Cabinet Minister. This is the man whom Hughes and his extraordinary Cabinet, in their efforts to unite the people and win the war, puts in the position of Minister in Charge of Recruiting!/

VICTORIA. An indignation meeting to protest against the attacks’ on Archbishop Mannix, and in the second place to protest against the interference with the liberty of speech and freedom of action of Australian citizens, was held at the Exhibition Building on Tuesday evening, April 2. The attendance was-estimated at nearly

20,000. Addresses were delivered from three platforms, and 7 resolutions in 'accordance with the objects of the meeting were enthusiastically carried. ; Speaking at the - Ballarat ■ annual- Communion breakfast; Dr. Mannix had : the following to say of Australian Catholic -faith: His Grace, 1 ; who was received with loud applause said he yielded to no man in love and admiration for the Irish people at home, ‘but after coming to Australia he was bound to say -he had found the Catholic faith as deeply ; rooted in the minds and hearts of the people, as it was in Ireland. . They might perhaps have here more careless people. The number of those who strayed away more or less from the Church was perhaps larger in Australia than in Ireland! The atmosphere of the place accounted for that much, but they had here in Australia, looking at the best of their people, as sound and strong Catholics as ever in old Ireland. When he came to Ballarat he got ;a warm and enthusiastic reception, and he was consoled and proud to find that though a great deal of water had run under the bridges since, he had not yet worn out his welcome.

QUEENSLAND.

The Rev. Fathers Taylor and Herring, S.M., were recently giving missions at Kabra and Gracemere, the services. being well attended. During this month the Mount Morgan people are to be privileged with a mission, given by the Marist Fathers'. The mission will last for a week in the Red Hill church, commencing on the 7th inst., and for a fortnight in the Sasred Heart Church, commencing on the 14th inst. The Rev. Fathers Taylor and Goggin, Missionary Fathers of the Society of Mary, New Zealand, are conducting missions in the diocese of Rockhampton. The missions in St. Joseph’s Cathedral will be commenced on May 1, and will continue for the greater part of the month. A good deal of excitement was lately caused at St. Stephen Cathedral by an untoward incident at the side altar. The altar drapery caught alight from one of the candles. Police Sergeant J. Henry promptly made a dash to prevent the flames from spreading. He succeeded in his purpose. In connection with the recent Eisteddfod at Bundaberg the Church Choir Competition, 20 to’ 25 voices (first prize, £lO, with King and King’s Challenge (first prize, £lO, with King and King’s Challenge Cup, to be won twice by the same choir, also a silver-mounted baton; second prize, £5), “How Lovely Are the Messengers, from “St. Paul,” was won by St. Mary’s Catholic Church Choir (Bundaberg), 84 points. There never was any doubt in the minds of Laborites that the Premier, the Hon. T. .J. Ryan, would have behind him once more a Labor bunch from' the Central District, and the return of all the representatives from Central Queensland in the Labor , interests, with larger majorities in almost every case can, in no small. measure, be attributed:* to the personality of. the Premier, and his bold policy of development, as exemplified bv legislation, and as promised in the future. Mr. Ryan ' was so confident of victory in the Central Division that he did not even visit his own constituency, and addressed the electors in this part of the State only once, desiring to leave to the good judgment' of the people the work of the. Labor Party in its first term of office, in spite of untold difficulties.