ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

New Zealand Tablet, 5 December 1918, Page 84

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) November 23. The epidemic of influenza has claimed as victims quite a number of our Catholic people. St. Patrick’s College has accommodated a large number of patients, and good work was done at that institution by Father Gilbert, S.M., M.A., Hector, and the Sisters of Compassion. St. Anne’s Hall was offered as a convalescent home by the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, and was gladly accepted by the authorities. This institution is under the charge of Sister M. Aloysius, of the Sisters of Mercy, Newtown. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea has also offered that fine institution, the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Island Bay, to the authorities, and also the services of the devoted nuns of that convent. The Sisters of Compassion have been, and are, doing wonderful work. Not only are they nursing at St. Patrick’s College temporary hospital, but they are visiting the homes of the stricken, nursing, comforting, and consoling the afflicted. This is all in addition to the care of the inmates of the Home for Incurables and the Home of Compassion ; and as a result of the exertions of the devoted women a number of them have contracted the illness, and are at present laid aside awaiting recovery to again take up their work of charity. The Sisters of Mercy, Newtown, have also been busy visiting the sick and doing everything possible to assist those in distress. Fathers Kimbell, S.M., and Mark Devoy, S.M., of St. Anne’s, Newtown, are suffering from the prevailing epidemic. The Rev. Dr. Casey, S.M., of St. Mary’s, Greenmeadows, is assisting at Newtown in the meantime. • A meeting of the Catholic residents of Thorndon, convened by Father Smyth, S.M., Adm., was held on Sunday afternoon last to consider ways and means of providing help for the sufferers through the prevailing epidemic in the district. There was a numerous attendance. Some volunteered for service at St. Patrick’s College and the Normal School, and still other volunteers were instructed to report for duty at the headquarters, St. Andrew’s Schoolroom, Wellington Terrace. Arrangements were also made for visiting Catholic families in the district. The erection of the new girls’ school at Buckle Street is proceeding steadily. The foundation has been laid and the bricklayers are busily engaged erecting the walla. .

The Dominion Treasurer of the N.Z. Catholic Federation acknowledges the receipt of the following donations to the Catholic Field Service Fund: Amount previously acknowledged, £6935 16s 2d; St. Andrew's. £80; River ton, £2l 7s 6d; New Plymouth (per Very Rev. Dean McKenna), £100; Maoris of Jerusalem (per Father Ginisty), £5; New Plymouth, £5 4s; Petone, 2s 6d; St. Anne's, Wellington, £10; Reefton Jockey Club, £lO 10s; Catholic ladies, Eltham, £ll 2s; Waimate Plains Special Appeal Committee, Manaia, £100; J. J. O'Regan, Shannon, £8 9s 6d;—£3sl 15s 6d. Total, £7287 lis Bd. Less expenditure previously detailed, £4397 13s. Balance at credit, £2889 18s Bd.