HIBERNIAN AUSTRALASIAN CATHOLIC BENEFIT SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 172, 14 July 1876, Page 10

HIBERNIAN AUSTRALASIAN CATHOLIC BENEFIT SOCIETY.

Certain letters have lately appeared in our columns relative to the action of the Directory of the H. A.C.B.S. in Melbourne. It appears, if we understand aright, that the New. Zealand branches of this Society were not represented by deputies at the late annual meeting held in the above-named city, and to

this one of our correspondents takes exception. From the report of the proceedings at this meeting it would seem, that deputies appointed by certificates, forwarded from New Zealand •and other places to the Executive Directory for this purpose, were, owing to certain objections made against them, not allowed to take their seats. But it also transpired that, in fact, gentlemen appointed in this manner would not have been legally qualified to sit, since, to do so, it would have been necessary for them to have been elected by district boards, of which, as yet, there are none existent in New Zealand. Now, it must be evident to all parties that it would be highly advisable, under any circumstances, that the various branches of the Society should be duly represented at the ' annual meeting ; hence, were it only to qualify representatives to be legally appointed, it would be most desirable that such boards as would enable this to be done should be at •once established. But it seems that there exists a still more pressing reason for taking this step, for in the protest of the officers and deputies of the Melbourne district the following •clause occurs : "Legally speaking, we claim to carry out the business of the Society solely under the provisions of the * Friendly Societies Statute' of the colony of "Victoria, without reference to any other colony." From this it would appear, that there exists an imperative necessity for the appointment of some local governing bodies, whose business . it would be to see that the {Society in JNew Zealand was conducted in accordance with the law of this colony, and which 'would be qual>fied to adjudicate in^raatters relating to the branches here only. We by no means counsel separation from the Victorian head. Thtre is " stiength in union," and we should be glad to see this Society become the bond which would unite the interests of the whole Cat'iolic aud Hibernian communities throughout the colonies. We believe that this would strongly conduce to the elevation of the whole in the social scale, while it would ensure on their part, an attention to the ordinances of the Church, which could not fail to obtain for them hlessiugs still more valuable. It would be the means of perpetuating amongst such of them as were the descendants of Irishmen so much of the nationality of their fathers, as would serve to make precious to them the recollections of all that these had borne for the faith, so that they vould be zealous in following the good example afforded them in accordance with the circumstances of their different position, while it would also serve to identify them more completely with the mighty nation that is springing up in these regions, as yet, and we trust destined to continue, uuimbittered by party animosities, or the recollection of persecution or injustice. With Melbourne rests the credit of having originated a Society so widely appreciated, and it is but right that the originator should sit in the piace of honor. Let Melbourne then continue to be the acknowledged head; j this may well be, and yet the branches may thrive none the ■ess. All the difficulties may be solved, and all the su 1 jfcts of •complaint rectified by the appointment of district boards, with •enlarged powers calculated to suit the circumstances of the <iifferent branches. Local interests would thus be secured against neglect or miscomprehension, and deputies legally appointed might tie sent to the annual meeting in Melbourne, so that the branches might have a voice in any matter that affected the Society as a whole. We write under the belief that such a plan would find favor with the Victorian authorities, and that, although they perhaps at first did not foresee the spread of the Society beyond their own Colony, yet that •bey view with pleasure the likelihood which exists of its •extension far and wide, and are ready to make all reasonable -concessions to such an end, for, although our Christchurcb correspondent takes exception to tlic action of the Executive Directory at the last four annual meetings 5 , we can not lose si»ht of the fact that the Hibernian Australian Catholics ot Victoria are ever foremost in the van of enterprise, enlightenment, and liberality.