AUCKLAND CONVENT FIRE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2257, 31 March 1921, Page 3

AUCKLAND CONVENT FIRE

It was stated at a meeting held on the ground formerly occupied by the'St. Joseph’s Convent, which was destroyed by fire at Auckland early on Good Friday morning, that scarcely three minutes after the sisters had made their escape the floor of their room fell in. At the conclusion of the meeting the rebuilding fund was advanced to £3,554, one lady giving £SOO and another £2OO. Bishop Cleary followed up a series of facts regarding the fire, and drew the conclusion that it. was an incendiary one. Mr J. ,J. O’Brien said the meeting was representative not only of Roman Catholics, but also of a considerable body of open-minded nonCatholigs, who sympathised with th* sisters in their misfortune. Mr George Foster spoke as a non-Cath-nlio, and undertook to attend to the tarnishing of the new Convent when built. In a statement to the Press subsequently. Bishop Cleary said it is a significant circumstance that tiiis incendiary fire at Grey Lynn occurred the night after a meeting which was a small part of a campaign against convents. It is not improbable that the destruction of (be Grey Lynn convent was accomplished by some one with an illbalanced mind that was inflamed by the agencies that he had already mentioned. It is not unlikely that the person who perpetrated that outrage may, after a while, seek to com pa (5s the destruction of the other convents in and about the city; and, as they arc mostly of wood, and occupied by many sisters and boarders, there may ensue serious loss of life as well as loss of property. “In view of all the circumstances of the case. I have felt it my duty to direct the attention of the Minister of Justice to the dangers arising from these intlammatory attacks upon the consecrated flower and glory of our Catholic womanhood, and requesting adequate police protection. In the meantime a large reward is being offered for evidence leading to the conviction of the offender, and arrangements are in hand to provide guards at night for the various convents.”