ROMAN CATHOLIC FEDERATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2849, 14 August 1916, Page 3

ROMAN CATHOLIC FEDERATION

St. Patrick's Hall was crowded yesterday afternoon, when a conference of all parish committees in the City and suburbs was held to consider the best means of furthering the objects of the Federation, and to consider suggestions for the proposed campaign to increase the membership throughout the Archdiocese. Mr. J. Duggan, vicepresident of tho Diocesan Council, took the chair, and briefly stated the purpose for which tho Diocesan Council had convened the conference. The hon. secretary to the council (Mr. W. F, Johnson), at the ■ request of the meeting, submitted the figures dealing with the Ikiucation Department's report, which were placed before the recent meeting of the Diocesan Council, showing that in recent years the cost of education had enormously increased, and it was a question whether the value of the education had been commensurate . with the increase in the cost. The cost per scholar in the primary schools, according to' the latest returns, was £6 18s. 2d., including expenditure on new buildings, and it fell especially hard on Roman Catholics, who had not only had to pay their proportion of this amount, but had to maintain their own schools as well. The expenditure per head of population, for the year, ended March 31 was 295. 3d., as against 275. lid, for the previous year, while the cost in 1908-09 was only 14s. 3d. Mr. Duggan. gave an account of the activities of tho Federation in Australia, and spoke interestingly of his recent visit-to the < Federations in New South Wales and Victoria. He wsb much impressed with the businesslike methods of tho Victorian Federation especially, and gave much useful information as to the means adopted'to perfect the organisation of the Catholics in those States. Mr. Duggan submitted for inspection specimens of the leaflets, etc., issued in Australia, and it was decided to make uso of such as were suitable for New Zealand.

Resolutions were passed approving of quarterly general meetings of branches, and conveying tho thanks of thb conference to the' Archbishops and the clergy for the interest and assistance given to the Diocesan Council. Parish committees were recommended to encourage the younger members to come forward as speakers at their own and neighbouring committees, and in that way it is hoped to train a corps of speakers prepared to take the platform on Federation matters whenever tho opportunity offers. An interesting discussion was contributed to by the Kev. Father Kimbell, S.M., and Messrs. Sievers, Walsh, Alexander, and others.