DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 12 September 1918, Page 19

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

/ (From our own correspondent.) September 5. A meeting of the Diocesan Executive of the Catholic Federation was held on Monday evening last. There were present Father Cahill (president), Dr, Maskell, Messrs. Armstrong, Burns, Fitzgerald, Gill, Molloy, and Temm. The delegates to" the Dominion Council submitted a detailed report of the proceedings of the recent meeting at Wellington. A large amount of routine" business was dealt with. The meeting voted an honorarium to the hon. secretarv ("Mr. J. T. Fitz-

gerald) for the valuable services rendered by him during the past year. ■ In order tarevive an interest in Irish national music, it was decided at a recent, meeting of St. Benedict's Catholic Club to secure the best talent available in the Dominion for an Irish concert to be held in the Auckland Town Hall on October 2. The programme will be representative of the best in Irish music. Mrs. Mary McGahan, of Tuakau, recently received news to the effect that her son, Sergeant James McGahan, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry displayed in a recent engagement. - Sergeant McGahan is attached to the Signalling Corps. Two other sons of Mrs. McGahan (Private Thomas Bernard McGahan, who is mentioned in Tablet "Roll of Honor" this week, and Carl McGahan) have made the Supreme Sacrifice. A plain and fancy dress social was held" in St. Benedict's Hall on last Thursday evening under the auspices of St. Benedict's Social Club. There was a very large attendance; 260 were present in fancy costumes. Uncle Sam had more than one representative, while pierrots, follies, fairies, sailors, jockeys, Belgians, Red Indians, etc., were at every turn. The winning costumes were —For lady's most original dress, Miss Taylor, as Golliwog; best-dressed lady, Miss Osbora, as Australia : gentleman's most original costume, Mr. Mackaden, '-Grumpy" ; best-dressed gentleman, Mr. Browne, Uncle Sam. The hall was tastefully decorated with flags and foliage for the occasion, by the committee, while the corridor was lined with nikau palms. The supper, to which 460 sat down, was under the management of Mrs. Tonks, Mrs. Ha'nfling, and the Misses Lillis, McCabe, Williams, N. Ryan, Holts, Woods, and Messrs. T. M.< Lillis, A. Williams, G. Fitzpatrick, P. J. Lillis, and W. Bird. Music was supplied, by Lillis' Orchestra. A large and representative gathering of St. Patrick's parishioners was held in the Convent School, Hobson St., on last Wednesday evening. Father Brennan, AdriT. presided, and there were also present Fathers Buckley, Murphy, Kelly, and Curley. - The chairman, in very appropriate terms, made a" presentation of a purse of sovereigns to Father O'Malley upon his severance from the parish, in which he had labored altogether for five years. He said Father O'Malley was leaving them to assume charge of the newly-formed parish of NorthcoteTakapuna, and his departure would be deeply regretted. Messrs. W. Kane and James Grace, on behalf of St. Patrick's Church Committee, endorsed the remarks of the chairman. Fathers Buckley, Murphy, and Kelly also spoke in eulogistic terms of their colleague. Father O'Malley in felicitous terms responded. Though absent from them he would cherish, he said, fond memories of St. Patrick's, its priests and people, whom he hoped to often meet, and so renew old acquaintances. He heartily thanked them for their generous tribute to himself, manifested in so practical a manner. A musical programme followed, in which Misses V. Woodley and Smith contributed vocal numbers, assisted artistically on the violin by Miss McCarthy. In conclusion "God Save Ireland" was sung, the whole assemblage heartily joining.