COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 1 April 1920, Page 31

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

VICTORIA. By direction of his Grace Archbishop Mannix, collections were to be taken up in the Catholic churches throughout the archdiocese on Sunday, March 21, in aid of the starving children of Europe. The Federal authorities are not finding it as easy as they anticipated it would prove to deport the Rev. Father Charles Jerger, one of the priests who was interned in Australia during the war (says the Tribune). On Monday, February 23, Father C. Jerger and Dr. Max Herz were brought to Melbourne with a view to being spirited away from the land of their adoption. Father Jerger’s sister, Mrs. Ward, who is now in Melbourne, and other friends, went to work at once, and approached certain Federal members, including Messrs. Hugh' Mahon (whoso, disclosures in regard to the atrocious treatment of the interned priests in Australia have been read with such indignant interest), T. J. Ryan, and Frank Tudor, M.H.R.’s. It had been learned that it was. the intention of the Government to send Father Jerger to Java, and there leave him to whatever ‘fate might befall him. A strong protest against this iniquitous proposal was made to the Prime Minister, and Air. Ryan took the legal point that the Commonwealth had no power to deport Father Jerger, he having been naturalised in England long before the war. Mr. Ryan contended that this naturalisation held good throughout the Empire, and that there was no power to deport a naturalised British subject from Australia. It is also understood that the Dutch shipping company objected to being used by the Australian Government to secure the deportation of a priest against his will, and that it would not accept him as a passenger, unless he went voluntarily. The upshot was that Father Jerger and Dr. Herz were during last week sent back to Sydney by the Commonwealth authorities, who are apparently finding themselves in an awkward dilemma.

A crowded and 1 enthusiastic meeting of citizens was held in the Cathedral Hall on Friday night, March 12, to make arrangements for a presentation to his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix). Mr. John Wren was voted to the chair. In the course of a fine tribute to his Grace, the chairman said they had assembled to give a tangible proof of their veneration and esteem for one of the greatest men in the world today, his Grace Archbishop Mannix. (Cheers.) Dr Mannix in all his speeches had never said one word that could bear the interpretation of bigotry. His fault in the eyes of some people was that he consistently and persistently stood up for the freedom and the liberty of his native land — Ireland. He moved: “That this meeting pledges itself to raise the sum of £50,000, in order to present a cheque for that amount to Archbishop Mannix at the Exhibition Building on St. Patrick’s night.” It was desired that all donations should he by cheque, marked “Not negotiable,” and that no money would bo collected that night. The motion was carried by acclamation, and donations to the amount of £23,383 were promised at the gathering, including the following: —Mr. J. Wren, £5000; Mr. P. Cody, £5000; Count T. O’Loughlin, K.C.S.G., £5000; Countess O’Loughlin, £500; Messrs. J. J. Liston, R. Roberts, M. Healy, and 0. Frilay, £IOOO each; Dr. J. Murphy, £1000; Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Murphy, £IOOO. In acknowledging a vote of thanks, moved by Mr. Liston, the chairman said the meeting had established a record. The proceedings, which were characterised from start to finish by unprecedented enthusiasm, were finalised by a spirited singing of “God Save Ireland.” This remarkable proof of a people’s respect for one who has been the subject of vitriolic attacks from press, 'pulpit, and platform, has given a blow to the Victorian bigots from which'they will reel for some time to come (says the Freeman’ ,s Journal). Money, they say, speaks, and the princely gift to he made to his Grace on St. Patrick’s Day in the- presence of 50,000 people (a moderate estimate), at the Exhibition, will put the last nail in the coffin of the unholy alliance of Hughes-cum-sectarianism.

Speaking at the annual Communion breakfast of the H.A.0.8. Society in the Cathedral Hall on Sunday, March 14, Dr. Mannix said that he was leaving on a visit to

Rome and the Old Country on May 19, and as soon as his business . as done he would come back to Australia stated that 1 i Ship that sailed - . Archbishop Mannix further goalie h £so Outlie 118 fateful to his friends as if he had got tile £50,000 they proposed to give him • but he could not, consistently with the principles he held accent their marvellous generosity, and he would decline their gencrS s offer resolutely and absolutely When ho Serous bishop of Melbourne, he hopS'he wtld hot So a m Ins personal account. Archbishop Mannix ■ has sent the following letter to Mr. John Wren fchairmnu fu r.™ ssjb&SS you some notable service. What you did "* that re uder f an events, 1 have made it a rule for myself not S MIT"* 1 gif ‘ - *«■ P«-P« to-dTer” f -i i / . 0 j t rebind seven " years ago my friends ther-e faded to induce me to depart from that self-imposed rule 1 asTuiem h ! r "f therefore not misunderstand me when I ask then to extend to me the same consideration for , • Phonal wish which I claimed in Ireland, and to aban kind tb T purpose of lna ‘ dn S me a presentation of any kmd. I am more grateful than words can tell but ,t ask this nTr i,lg ungracious and- unresponsive I must ask th-s added favor of being allowed to have my own ™ n a matter on which my mind is quite made up. I trust BeHeve° U me 1 m‘v° Ce i Pt “v °°^ ey my he artfelt thanks.— Mannix.” ’ ' 1831 Mr ’ ren > Slnc erely yours, *D. NEW SOUTH WALES. A. gieat concourse of Irishmen nnr) Trldi a_._> t ck S Day celebrations. It was one of the biggest crowrD hmst BIOO’- the :ittemlanct ' be 7 .And \vhat a typically enthusiastic &lJc™thS > i{?s“i day the slightest, hitch occurred at any time durSc thi day to mar the pleasure and enjoyment of the Scfsion A 1 the arrangements worked with the precision ! Tn' led machinery, and the spirit which animated the great gathering was cheeriness and oplfmism foTlhe gr f* consummation of Ireland’s destiny. The f “ A FrtzgerLir r O.P°M.' V Tn t Yr! in 1 by Rev. Father? mgly able manner with’ 1 the”lrish 6 question?’.! lUThun’ db'l° ad f PP UUSe vhlch 80 frequently punctuated his splenaddiess amply proved the intense sympathy of everv "Zo Tirol’,,,T ft *** "^A&lors cause of Ireland. The celebrations wore favored- with mar. uhcont weather. The sky remained unclouded d unh£ the whole of the day, and a gentle sea breeze waftiim over , the grounds tempered the brilliant rays of the Tin” winch earlier in the day threatened to be rather unpleasantly warm. unQUEENSLAND. n,,,?' 1 ! 8 Grace the Archbishop of Brisbane (Most Rev Dr Du lug) presided recently at the meeting of the" Brisbane Musical Union. His Grace emphasised the desirability of popularising music. In Italy, he said, the best bands m the cities played in the gardens every afternoon. People could not patronise such performances without learning to love good music. One of the finest bands played -n the gardens at Rome, and the same thing happened at Milan. The Italians came to love good music because so much music was played in public. It was a strange thine that one seldom f or never heard of bequests in Australia for the study of music, yet there were many people in the Commonwealth who. were in a position to 'help the study of music more than they did. He thought that M music was played more in the open the effect would V to raise its standard, and consequently to improve the standard of public morality and clean living.' ' ’ ’i’