CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1913, Page 36

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

WELLINGTON. (From our own correspondent.) • The Dominion* Executive met last Wednesday evening, Mr. George Girling-Butcher presiding. His Grace the Coadjutor-Archbisnop was also present. The secretary reported that there were only four parishes in. the Wellington Archdiocese in which the Federation had not been formed. It is pleasing to be able to record that there are not now many parishes in which there is not a branch. In connection with the financial position of the Federation it is found that the branches are rather' dilatory in forwardihg contributions. So far the Dominion Executive has only received dues from Wellington and Napier, although it has incurred heavy printing bills in connection with the inauguration of the organisation. The Minister for Immigration has notified the ; secretary that he will issue the necessary instructions to his officers to allow a representative of the St. Vincent de Paul Society or of the Federation, to go aboard immigrant vessels, with the Health and Immigration officers at the four chief ports of arrival, and he will also undertake to have notified the arrival of each vessel and the time the tender will leave the wharf to meet it in the stream to the representative duly appointed to represent Catholics. The officers of the Thorndon branch of the Federation are as follow:—President, Rev. Father Hickson, S.M., Adm; vice-presidents, Messrs J. W. Callaghan and F. Reeves; secretary, Mr. J. P. McKeowen; treasurer, Mr. R. Sievers; delegates to the Diocesan Council, Messrs. Geo. Girling-Butcher and J. W. Callaghan.

WANGANUI. (From an occasional correspondent.) The first meeting of the committee of the recently formed branch of the Catholic Federation was held in St. Joseph’s Hall on Wednesday, May 14. The Very Rev. Dean Holley presided, and there was a good attendance. Correspondence was read from the secretary of the provisional Dominion Executive. There was a long discussion on the propriety of the resolution of the Executive with reference to the election of Members of Parliament and of members of municipal bodies to any executive position in the deration, and it was resolved that the delegates to the Diocesan Council be instructed to move in the matter of obtaining an alteration of the rule in the direction of making it less sweeping. The matter of providing a tent for use of Catholic Territorials in camp was also discussed, and a remit on the subject was prepared. The election of the delegates to the Diocesan Council resulted in the Very Rev. Dean Holley and Mr. E. J. L. Whiting being chosen. Over three hundred members have already been enrolled in the parish, and a systematic canvass is being contemplated.