Archbishop Mannix Replies to Critics

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 8, 22 February 1923, Page 23

Archbishop Mannix Replies to Critics

SYDNEY'S UNDESIRABLES. In the course of his address when blessing and laying the foundation stone of a new school for girls at South Melbourne, which will cost £6OOO, and be in charge of the Mercy Nuns (says the Freeman's Journal for February 8), Archbishop Mannix gave a trenchant reply to newspapers of the Argus brand, and a certain "Liberal Cawtholic," who, if wise, will think twice before running their heads against a rock that will crush them.

The Archbishop referred to a paragraph which had recently appeared in the Argus newspaper, headed "The Debacle of Mannixisiu." ft was taken from an English review, whose political extravagance and whose racial and religious rancor were notorious, and it was supposed to be written, and he was believed was written, by an Australian who, tortile benefit of Sydney, had gone to London. This was the same review probably the writer, anonymous in both cases, was the same also—which had published a libellous statement about him while he was in England. The libellous statement was reproduced in an English newspaper. ; He had instructed his solicitor to demand a public apology. The matter was shown to be such a gross libel that -the. paper promptly made the public apology shortly before he left England. (Applause.) The review, however, entered into a lengthy correspondence with the solicitor, which was not over at the time he left England. He was more anxious to get back to Melbourne than to go to law in London. (Laughter.) He had not given a thought to the matter since he saw the extract from this same disreputable -: review reproduced in the. kindred columns of the Argus. He might mention in that connection that, long after, his return to Australia, he learned ,by accident that the Argus also had reproduced the same libellous statement of this precious English review, on account of which a public apology, had been tendered to him in, England. As

the libel was forgotten here by the time he heard of it, ho took no action against the Argus.

He had no idea what “Mannixism” was. But, whatever it was, it had suffered a final disastrous and wellmerited defeat, it appeared—(laughter)—and, on the other hand, that lovely and beneficent thing that might be called “Argusism” had scored heavily and brilliantly in recent years. (Laughter.) For example, it had won hands down at the first conscription > issue (laughter) —it won even a more brilliant victory at the second conscription issue—(laughter)but, to pass over many intermediate triumphs, its latest victory, at the Federal elections, beat all previous records. (Laughter.) It was, just now, like a Ford mechanic, “trying to sort out and build up the battered fabric of its shattered political machine. (Laughter.) The task was not easy, for many of the parts were missing—(laughter)—and the motorman was sticking to his place at the wheel, though he was unable to drive. (Laughter.) The Arons had his best wishes for success, and his congratulations upon the brilliant series of victories which had attracted the notice of its worthy London contemporary.