Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 11 May 1911, Page 866

Notes

■ ▼ The Fashions : A Protest Emma Carleton, in the Independent, thus voices what is—in these days of Merry Widow hats, hobble skirts, and harem skirts —the sensible woman’s very natural protest: The styles are too much with us; late and soon, Gazing and choosing we lay waste our powers; Shop windows show us little that is ours — For we have frittered taste away—a useless boon; Freak hats that tower upward to the moon — High heels that tilt us forward at all hours Queer frocks that flash us past, like crazy flowers —- In these —in all things—we are out of tune. It wears us out. Great Pan, I’d 'rather be A dowdy peasant weeding in the corn — A Dryad, draped in mosses from a tree A gypsy, garbed in gaudy rags forlorn— A mermaid, flaunting fishnet in the sea —• Than hark Dame Fashion blow her foolish horn !

The Camorra

The trial of the Camorrists still figures prominently in our cables; and according to one Press Association message c a priest of Sangennareillo - is alleged to have ‘ led the raids in lay attire.’ • As to that, the following note from the Boston Pilot throws some light on the situation; — A Boston paper, speaking of the Camorra trial in Italy, asserted: ‘‘The defendants arc members of the Catholic faith,” and they attended Mass, and asked for Holy. Communion. If they did so, it only proves that they are not Camorrists, for that society is a secret society of such nature that one becomes excommunicated from the very fact of membership in it. Such people cannot receive the Sacraments, and therefore the slurs of the secular papers in this matter are the result of their ignorance. Besides, the whole proceedings of the trial are to prove that these men are Camorrists; hence they are not so prove] yet. It is certainly rather rash in any paper to condemn an accused man before the court has so decided. If these men are Camorrists, they are not Catholics. If they are Camorrists they cannot enter into communication with the Church except by a well-attested aburjuration of the society.’ The full facts regarding the; alleged participation of priests will doubtless come to hand in due time. In the meantime, the following information regarding the history and objects of this remarkable society will be found interesting. We take the particulars from an article in the Sydney Catholic Press. ‘The Camorra of Naples and the Mafia of Sicily, and then their overgrown child, the Black Hand, are all most powerful and dangerous secret organisations. The Camorra is a wonderfully organised politico-criminal society dominating a large area of Central Italy; the Mafia is a freemasonry, loosely organised except in its lower strata which rivals the Camorra, and it dominates Sicily and influences all Italy; the Black Hand is a freemasonry between hundreds of separate gangs.’ * ‘ The Camorra is very different from and a much more despicable thing than the Mafia. Its name is derived from the Neapolitan dialect word camuriari, wh»£h means “clever stealing.” As an institution ,'t is. perhaps, one hundred years older than the Mafia, and it has earned Naples the name of the City of. Thieves. Its organisation is complete, its discipline of the severest, and its processes of the cleverest. The powerful chief, Enrico Alfano, went to New York some time ago with a court of 15 men to organise the Camorra affiliations of the Black Hand into a compact society, but he was caught by chance in a raid, was such an insignificant little man that he was held merely on the charge of carrying concealed weapons, and it was only when his real standing was discovered that ho was turned over to the Italian Government. The life of the Camorra is largely blackmail and robbery, and it only enters into politics to secure immunity from molestation. It has robbed Naples till the city became actually bankrupt some time since, Every workman in Naples pays bis pizzo to the Camorra. If the stores, hotels, theatres, etc., do not contribute the Camorrosti go around, start rows, cause police raids, and ruin business. They call this process of collection “making noise.” It is estimated that the trial in connection with the Camorra crimes will last a year.