COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 3 October 1918, Page 31

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

His Grace the Archbishop, of Melbourne, the Most Kev. Dr. Mannix, has happily recovered from the effects of . a severe-cold, which he contracted whilst attending the numerous functions in the city and suburbs. From September 5 till October 6 the Archbishop’s engagements number 25 ! CONSECRATION OF WILCANNIA—FORBES’S NEW BISHOP. The Right Rev. William Hayden was on Sunday, I September 8, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, consecrated Bishop of the new diocese of Wincannia-Forbes. As the proceedings were timed to commence at 10 o clock the prelates and priests had assembled in processional order somewhat earlier in the presbytery grounds, and punctually the imposing procession entered the eastern door of the Cathedral. Led by crossbearer and acolytes the prelates moved along the main aisle and up the broad sanctuary steps, followed by an army of priests and students from St. Patrick’s College, Manly. When his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate reached the sanctuary ho was escorted to a special throne on the Epistle side of the altar, where he was attended by the Right Rev. Mgr. .1. I’. Moyuagh, P.P., \ . 1., and the Right Rev. Mgr. Ormond. The Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev. Dr. •Kelly, was the consecrating prelate, and was attended at the throne by the cry Rev. Dean Killian, of Broken Hill, and the Very Rev. Dean Hughes, of Cobar. The •assisting prelates to his Grace the Archbishop were the Right Rev. Dr. O' Connor (Bishop of Armidale). attended by the Rev. Father T. Phelan, P.P., as chaplain, and the Right Rev. Dr. Carro l (Bishop of Insmore), with the Rev. Father R. Collender, P.P., as chaplain. The assistant priest at the Pontifical Mass was the Right Rev. Mgr. O’Haran, P.P., P.A., wit the Rev. Fathers J. 11. Morris and M. Hogan as chaplains. The deacon of the Mass was tin* Rev. Father J. J. O Driscoll, P.P., and the subdeacon the Rev. Father M. Sherin. The general master of ceremonies was the Rev. Father E. Brauer. assisted by the Rev. Father P. Crowley, of St. Mary’s Cathedral. In the afternoon his Grace the Archbishop entertained the new , Bishop, prelates, clergy, and many friends at a sumptuous banquet in the Chapter Hall. The Rev. Father O’Gorman and the Rev. Father 11. McGuire had arranged the details of the function, which was carried out with perfect satisfaction to the large gathering, comprising nearly 300 persons. His Excellency the Apostolic Delegate, who was enthusiastically greeted, said that that happy day reminded him of his landing in Sydney. Though it was 10 months ago the time seemed all too short so pleasant had been his stay. (Applause.) Though a happy guest, the festivities were for the new Bishop, to whom he offered sincere congratulations. It was the first occasion he had been present at the consecration of an Australian bishop. Personally he was overjoyed, inasmuch as he had been Rector of Propaganda, and although Dr. Hayden had not been his pupil, he could speak of him, along with Dr. Dwyer, of Wagga, as two old pupils of Propaganda. (Applause.) On the anniversary of the coronation of Benedict XV.. when sending a cable during the week he had asked for a special blessing for the new Bishop, and in the Holy Father’s name he would give it. (Applause.) His Grace Archbishop Kelly also offered his congratulations, and said that though he had not been able to be present at the obsequies of the late Dr» Dunne, he was there in spirit. It was not necessary to speak of the new Bishop, because they had appointed him as the right man in the right place, and he gave the toast of '‘Dr. Hayden, Bishop of Wilcannia.D orbes. The toast was enthusiastically honored.

Catholic Club, Hawthorn, on Sunday afternoon (September 8). His Grace replied in splendid fashion to the deputation from the Protestant Federation that waited on the Victorian Premier on the previous Friday. The gathering was kept in a vein of merriment as the Archbishop put the -Catholic crowd on the dissecting table and showed the hollowness and even the absurdity of some of their statements. His Grace remarkedthat the Premier evidently “took the measure” of the Protestant Federation. The Archbishop, after showing how the Education Act of 1872, which it was fondly hoped would work havoc with the Catholic schools, had really shown the superiority of‘ the Catholic schools by the test of University and other examinations, dealt with the charges made against convent laundries. He said in part: —The Sisters of the Good Shepherd had convents at Abbotsford, South Melbourne, and Oakleigh, and they did much in helping poor and friendless girls, who would get very little help if they had to look for it to people of the kidney or calibre of the Protestant Federation. These convents were getting free water for their laundry work, and if the Protestant Federation engaged in similar work he would be in favor of that body getting plenty of free Water. No institution in Melbourne was inspected more frequently than the Abbotsford Convent, and no notice was posted on its doors, “No admittance except on businses.” It was said that the convent laundries had captured 75 per cent, of the city’s entire laundry work; that the employees in these estab'ishments had to work long horns; and that large profits were made. One person on the deputation said that Abbotsford alone made £IOOO a year. If that were true, which it was not, he did not know that any other institution would invest so much capital as the Abbotsford nuns had done and be satisfied with £IOOO a year. The Premier was informed by the deputation that 3000 people were engaged in other laundries, in the city. In the Good Shepherd convents there were 400 people, but the Federation claimed that 75 per cent, of the laundry w one was done at these convents. The statement, of course, was absolutely ridiculous. The hours at Abbotsford and such places had to be arranged quite differently from the system obtaining in public laundries. At Abbotsford people were taken in who required protection, and utterly regardless of whether they were exprrt laundry workers or not. Some, perhaps, were slow in learning, and others, no doubt, ’ were not willing to learn, and it was quite evident the institution could not be put on the same footing as an ordinary laundry in Melbourne. Work at these institutions was very much on the go-as-you-please system. M ether the girls worked or not. they were not turned out, as they were taken in at the institutions for protection, It was stated by a member of the Protestant Federation that the convent laundries undercut private laundries. He held letters in his possession from public companies, regretting that they could not give their laundry work to Abbotsford any longer, as private laundries were prepared to do the work at lesser rates. A convent also took its washing away from Abbotsford because it could get it done cheaper elsewhere. The statement about the undercutting was altogether at, variance with' the facte. Abbotsford embraced the .laundry, orphanage, and schools, and the deficit on the whole institution last year was .£2727. The laundry side of the work alone showed a shortage of £B2B. Apart from that, a deficit of £6683 had been carried forward, yet the Protestant Federation asserted that huge profits were made at Abbotsford. Christian feeling was dead in the hearts of these people. (Prolonged applause.)