Palmerston North

New Zealand Tablet, 10 September 1908, Page 14

Palmerston North

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

August 30.

At the last meeting of the local branch of the H.A.C.B. Society on August 18, at which there was a very large attendance, including the Rev. Fathers Costello and O'Beirne, the occasion was taken advantage of to present the Rev. Father Costello with a large photograph of the members in full regalia, which was taken at the recent half-yearly breakfast. The photograph, which was handsomely framed, was presented by the . president, Bro. C. McGrath, who in an appropriate speech thanked Father Costello on behalf of the members for his kindness to the society on all occasions.

The half-yearly meeting of the Catholic Club took place on Wednesday evening, August 26. The president,-" Mr. M. J. Kennedy, was in the chair, and there were also present the Rev. Father O'Beirne and twenty members. The election of officers for the next six months resulted as follows : — Patron, Rev. Father Costello ; spiritual director, Rev. Father O'Beirne ; president, Mr. M. J. Kennedy (re-elected); vice-president, Mr. Loughnan ; hon. vice-presidents, Dr. O'Brien, 'Messrs. W." Deyine, F. Herring, R. Mulrooney, J. Huriey, J. Coyle ; secretary^ Mr. Westmoreland (re-elected) ; • trustee,- Mr. Loughnan ; auditor, Mr. Ellis (re- elected) ; press correspondent, Mr: Scanlan ; committee, Rev. Father O'Beirne, Messrs. McLaughlin, 'O'Reilly, Scanlon, Jackson,. Dickson, McGrath, 'and Scott.- The debate for the evening then took place. The subject" chosen was, 'Is the reading of fiction an advantage or disadvantage? ' ' The affirmative side "was taken . by Mr. Loughnan (leader), Messrs. McLaughlin and Amodeo, and the • negative by Mr. Scanlan (leader), and Messrs. M. J. Kennedy and" the Revr Father O'Beirne. . The debate was very interesting, the various speakers acquitting themselves in a very creditable manner. But the .♦feature of. the evening was the speech .by Mr. Loughnan, leader of the affirmative. . By -the unanimous vote of the audience the verdict was given in favor of the affirmative ''side.