Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 30, 12 August 1925, Page 47

Irish News

V a I BENEFIT SOCIETY PROTEST—REDEMPTORISTS IN MANILA TOURIST fl ; CONDITIONS— “BROADCASTING” PRIESTS AND PILGRIMS— DAY ftf, BY DAY—HELPING THE FARMERS. r

y f The Catholic Benefit Society of Ossory, of which Very Rev. Dean Barry, P.P., V.F., ' i - Ballyragget, ■ was re-elected chairman, has protested against the proposed unification of v. . insurance societies in the Saorstat, believing' It/ that it would be an infringement on the s\: liberties of insurance. [Hr. ■‘Wl “ * • • • Redemptorist missioners from Ireland who have been doing notable work giving missions during the last twelve years in the , Visayan provinces of Cebu, Leyte and Oriental Negros, have brightened the situation in Luzon recently by beginning missions in the Tagalog provinces there, says a dispatch from Manila. Two of the younger Fathers, * somewhat masters of the difficult dialect, have now covered three different towns. Six other Fathers, including four veterans from the Visayas, are studying the Tagalog dia-. lect, which is very different from the Visayan. The methods used resemble very much those of the mission bands in the United States. From two to four priests go to a parish for ■' a period 0 f from one to four weeks, saying Mass, giving sermons or instructions, hearing confessions, baptising, marrying, making a house-to-house canvass. In the course of ten years from 1914 to 1923, the Redempr ■■/ torist bands in the Visayas, operating from / Opon, Cebu, as central station, conducted a w total of 149 missions. At these 474,979 conr-* fessions were heard; Holy Communion given 1,236,106 times; 13,361 marriages were rectified, and 3344 converts made. * * * Contrary to reports to the effect that unfavorable conditions exist in Ireland, tourists may rest assured that conditions in that country are most favorable, and all alarm that has been caused by reports of famine and the breakdown of tourist travel and 1 i transportation and hotel accommodation has been proved to be entirely unnecessary and without foundation. Ireland is a beautiful country, and contains many historical and entrancing landmarks, which the tourist will- find most interesting. Hotel and travel accommodations, etc., are well nigh perfect for the tourist. v People, therefore, need not be misled by reports of dangers from stray bullets and the breakdown of public utilities or by reports of famine conditions, for these all, according to reports of officials, both of the country and of the steamship lines, are merev ly misleading and false reports. • * • The Government have authorised the Min/y istry for Posts and Telegraphs to 1 erect IV*-“broadcasting” stations in the Free State—"f a main station in Dublin, and a subsidiary '7 one in Cork; The erection of these stations H \ . will cost about £9OOO, while their upkeep will r* i f

involve an expenditure of roughly £20,000 per annum. Within three years, however, Mr. Walsh anticipates that the revenue from subscribers’ fees will make “broadcasting” a paying proposition, and, assuming that attractive programmes are provided, his estimate, no doubt, will be fulfilled. Though the establishment of a State-controlled “broadcasting” service may be criticised on many grounds, no alternative presents itself, except the maintenance of the wireless' status quo, which leaves us dependent on British and Continental stations. Therefore, Mr. Walsh’s scheme commends itself even to stern, critics of paternal Government. It may be mentioned that the Dublin “broadcasting” station will be opened, at latest, in January next. The station will be built; in the neighborhood of Terenure, some miles outside the city. * • / * On May 29 the Holy Father received in audience the priests of the Irish College, who are about to leave for home, and a group of fifty Irish pilgrims. Addressing them the Holy Father said it was a pleasure to see each new group of pilgrims who came to gain the great spiritual riches of the Holy Year. But it was particularly so to receive pilgrims from the Island of Saints. For himself personally he felt this in a very special way, for he had had frequent occasion to appreciate the great work done for Italy and for Europe by St, Columban and his fellowworkers in the Irish monasteries. The pilgrims made an offering of fifty pounds for Peter’s Pence. His Holiness warmly thanked them for this thoughtful and generous contribution towards the very considerable expenses of the Holy Year. A number of Irish pilgrims in Rome were also received at the Irish College on May 28. After tea and a stroll m the garden an informal concert was held in the reception hall of the college, concluding with the singing of “Rosg Catha na n-Oglach.” On behalf of the pilgrims warm appreciation was expressed of the Rector’s hospitality and of the kindness they had experienced from him during their stay in Rome. « « * The economic situation in the Northern capital is rapidly becoming desperate, as the two staple industries, shipbuilding and linen, are vanishing fast (says the Irish Catholic for June 6). To give an idea of the decay of the former, it is publicly stated that the number ( f workers formerly employed in the shipyards was 35,000 — the present time only 8000 find daily work there. Hoping for ' better times, these once well-paid employees were averse to emigration, and held on to their homes, through thick and thin. Now,: when they see no revival of trade, they would be glad to join the emigration quota, to the States, but there is no money to pay their way—-the decreased weekly wage being in-

sufficient for their support, they , have been compelled to sell the furniture of their homes w|| and do without their once 1 ; plentiful supply---SI of; clothing. So .eager is the quest' for em- ■ ployment that it is well-nigh impossible 1 to , obtain it in Belfast. Recently seven vacan- • • 1 cies for post of school attendance officers '"i'if were advertised in the local press, for which A 250 men applied, and amongst the applicants ' were numerous university graduates, as well as quondam magistrates. Then the linen trade never was so bad. Within the past few weeks no fewer than five big firms closed i down. These bring failure to a score more, whose gates are daily expected to shut for || good. So the lot of the rank and file is hard ' ■ enough. Within the past week the list of the 'oj Belfast unemployed has been increased by over 2000, and doubt is everywhere express- 1 ed of the ability of the “Bureau” to carry on. There is, then, no alternative for the ; ; toiler but emigration on a' wholesale scale to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This will require a Government grant on ai|i| large scale, and, of course, will entail a large depletion of the population of the city. Many ■ thoughtful people see in this debacle of a ■ proud, intolerant city a swift and just retribution for the awful persecution waged i| against a helpless and inoffensive minority. V I •. . •' . Irish priests have made a decisive intervention in the financial and economic situa- ■■■/ tion. The grave distress caused last winter by floods and fluke disease has left its mark on about a dozen counties —that is, half the area of Southern Ireland. Many farmers T : lost practically all their cattle and sheep, - . and this misfortune finds them without the money to restock their farms. The result . is that a prospect of utter bankruptcy in the ensuing year now confronts them. Foreseeing this position, the priests in the districts concerned began last January to col- -• lect details as to how their people stood. Recently they came forward with a formidable and very precise mass of evidence regarding the individuals whose animals had died and who would need facilities to restock , their lands. The disclosures made an impression on the public which was reflected in the Bail. fc There was no intention on the part of the priests to look for, a dole. They desired busi-ness-like assistance that would put their , flock on their feet again and prevent the $ coming winter from being even more ruinous . than the last. Their attitude has led the public authorities to make a proposal. A considerable sum is offered on a loan basis without interest for three years, the money to be employed in founding a credit society in every parish. A self-help method is con- 1 templated. The better-off residents of each parish will be asked to contribute deposits to a credit society to be formed locally by ; the farmers, and the amount thus subscribed will be subsidised by the public authorities out of the public grant. The depositors are to get 4 per.; cent. .interest, and the’ money / • obtained by the society is to be lent out at 5 per cent, to poor farmers who would be unable to get loans from the ordinary bank- *' ing houses. ' i"