FIRE-SWEPT PARISH, OHAKUNE

New Zealand Tablet, 3 October 1918, Page 35

FIRE-SWEPT PARISH, OHAKUNE

Our people, feeling the need of Catholic education for their children, determined to provide them with a Catholic school. This year a large and commodious school (where more than 80 Catholic children are now taught) was erected at a cost of £I6OO, and a convent was purchased at a cost of £l4oo is, a total of £3OOO. Our people have subscribed generously, but they are not rich in this world’s goods, and they could only reduce the debt by £BOO. £2200 still remains as a debt. Since the erection of school and convent the terrible bush fires of last March swept over the district, inflicting heavy loss on some of our people. Moreover, we have no church and no presbytery yet. We are badly off. Hence we appeal to the benevolent throughout the Dominion to help us to keep the Faith in this backblocks and fire-swept parish. We are running a bazaar on November 20 to relieve our debt. Donations in kind or money will be gratefully received and personally acknowledged. Address h ather Guinane, Ohakune.