CATHOLIC FEDERATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 21, 20 October 1919, Page 3

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

MEETING OF DOMINION COUNCIL. The Dominion Council of the New Zealand Catholic federation held its anmial meeting in tho Head Office, Wellington, last week. A satisfactory report of membership and progress generally was received. It showed that tho branches (established in every parish in the Dominion) wore taking an active part in the' social work of the Church. A considerable number of scholarships had been established, and arrangements mado for examinations. This practical work of assisting in secondary education had, it was stated, appealed most convincingly to tho general body of members. The report of the Dominion Executive disclosed a j largo amount of work attended to. Tho Field Se.rvico Fund had continued its useful ojwrations on behalf of soldiers in hospitals and sanatoria, and the several chaplains to --these institutions had expressed tfratitado' for tho assistance given. Referring ito the need for Catholics to fulfil their duties as citizens, to ensure that their names are placed upon the electoral rolls, and to exerciso tho franchise in tho intcrwts of. good government, the renort said: "While it is strewed at all times that the federation is not a political parte organisation, it has to be remembered that important matters affecting the Catholic body as a whole are brought before Parliament from timo to time, notably in reeard to education, and'it is of the utmost importance that our peof>lo should return to Parliament men who will recognise the Tights of minoritii's, and the principles of justice and fair-play." A remit was unanimously adopted calline upon the Government to provide a stricter censorship of picture films and advertisements, etc., in connection therewith. it being recognisied that manv of the films now shown arc not desirable. A remit from a Diocesan Council, suggesting that any balance remaining in the Field Service Fund after the military hospitals cense operations should bo divided, pro rata of contributions, amongst tho four Diocesan Councils for tho purpose of 'provid'ng scholarships for the dependants of soldiers (the nrovisjon of scholarships from such fnids beimr permitted by the Government! was not agreed to. in view of tho fact that assistance will lie required by the chaplains for the benefit of invalid soldiers for some considerable time to come. The Dominion Executive was empowered to arrange for special committees to be set no in the centres to deal with the question of assisting boys leaving school in matters of education and employment. , An invitation was received from the Australian Catholic Federation to send a representative to attend the forthcoming .Australasian Trisli Race Conference. It. was rssolved that tho Rev. Father .T. O'Connell represent, the federation at the Conference. The executive was directed to endeavour to make more arrangements for the welfan/ of indigent and orphan children likelv to become a charge on the State. The present board-ing-out system was considered most unsatisfactory. The Rnv. Father ,T. O'Connell was elected president of the federation for the ensuing year.