THE MARIST BROS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1917, Page 3

THE MARIST BROS.

QUESTION OF MILITARY SERVICE. At crowded meetings of members of the Roman Catholic Church in the. Ashburton district-, bold at Ashburton after the masses on Sunday, a number of resolutions were passed in respect to the question of the exemption from military service of the Marist Brothers.

The first resolution was to the effect that as a. number of priests in tho Dominion was less than sufficient for the requirements of the Catholic population it must he regarded ns a hardship to have any of them conscripted for military service, though the Catholics wore ready to undergo such hardship as might he necessary ;to provide their duo quota of chaplains for the men going on active service. ✓

A second resolution was in favour of appealing to the Government to exempt from military services the students of the two seminaries of the TTol.v C mss at Mosgiel and St. Mary's at Oreenmeadows who had entered on their final phases of preparation for tho priesthood. A third resolution was that the continued existence of the Catholic schools in the larger centres depended on the exemption of the teaching brothers, as did also the maintenance of the members of the clergy.

Tt was decided to send copies of the resolutions to the Prime Minister and his several colleagues, also to the member for tbe Selwyn electorate. The fourth resolution stated. “That in view of recent happenings we cannot consistently respect the good offices of the honourable member for Ashburton.”