Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, 28 August 1913, Page 15

Current Topics

The Federation and Politics As a pendant to our remarks of last week regarding press criticism of Father O’Reilly’s Bathurst speech on the subject of the Catholic Federation we may fittingly find room for a series of resolutions which were adopted by the Bathurst branch of the Federation at the first meeting subsequent to the occasion in question. The Hon. John Meagher, K.C.S.G., presided at the meeting; and the following resolutions were carried; . * (1) That the comments of the Sydney daily press on our inaugural meeting, and particularly on Father O’Reilly’s declaration of policy, makes it necessary for this meeting of Bathurst Catholics to express itself without the possibility; of further misunderstanding r * (2) That we protest once more that as an association we are non-political that we hope to include within our ranks men of all political parties and of none. ' , _ ‘ (3) That, however, we are determined to organise our full voting strength with a view to dealing with any man or party of men who refuse to us our full rights, of citizenship by penalising ourselves and our children for our religious beliefs. ‘ (4) That we are prepared to co-operate with any body in the State, irrespective of party or creed, which has for its object the advancement of the best interest of our common country. ‘ (5) That no outcry in the press shall be allowed to divert us from any programme or from any temporary coalition which shall give us hopes of terminating a situation that has become well-nigh intolerable. ‘ (6) That a copy of this resolution be sent to the provisional president of the Federation (Mr. Cleary) that his hands may be strengthened by the knowledge that the Catholics of Bathurst advocate an uncompror mising fighting platform.’ The above resolutions embody the gist of what Father O’Reilly probably meant in the utterance which has been so twisted by the Sydney press; and they are within both the letter and the spirit of the provisions in the Constitution bearing on the subject. Incidentally, Resolution 5 furnishes a striking commentary on the statement which is so industriously circulated in ‘ this country by the Bible in State Schools League to the effect that the Australian system in New South ■ Wales works absolutely without friction’ ! A Charitable Work in Danger It is a somewhat curious circumstance that both the great rescue institutions established in London to provide for homeless and destitute children find themselves at the present moment in serious financial difficulties. It is only a few months ago that we read an urgent appeal issued on behalf the Dr. Barnardo Homes in x which it was explained that the situation, was really critical, and that unless there was an immediate and substantial response it was a question whether the Homes would be able to go on. And now Father Bans has had . to follow with a similar emergency appeal, issued in accordance with a resolution passed at the statutory annual meeting of the Crusade of Rescue Society at which Father Bans submitted the facts of the case. The appeal is for an immediate sum of £10,000; and how urgent the situation is may be gathered from Father Bans’s statement. ‘ The moment , , has come,’ he writes, ‘ for the Crusade of Rescue to ; meet a strain which will determine once for all whether / it is to live or die. . . . The financial obligations have brought us to the breaking point. ... A final decision must be made by the Catholics of England whether this Crusade of Rescue shall go on, or go down. If it is to go down, it will be in unspeakable ignominy. In the words of the Cardinal it would be “disaster.’* Canon Douglas, who began the work, writes to say that it would merit the scourge of God to let it fail. Abandonment, says Father Lucas, S.J., would be ■'& deep' and lasting shame. If we are living

beyond our income, it is because the income does not meet the obligations imposed by the motto of the societynamely, that no Catholic child shall be refused for whom no other provision can be found. We have nailed that flag to the mast, and if we go down, dishonor will not be ours, but it will be the burning disgrace of the whole Catholic body of England. We have done our best. It is a matter of simple arithmetic that if we have a thousand children for whom we must provide by terms of our motto,..we- must receive a thousand times the cost of one. The cost of provisions has risen from 25 to 33 per cent. Add the cost of lighting, heating, schooling, clothing, medical attendance, expenses of administration, the upkeep of buildings, and the ultimate disposal of the children, whether by emigration or otherwise, and £l6 a head must be acknowledged to be a very economical expenditure.’ * • The facts regarding the present financial position are thus summarised. The year 1912 began with a deficit of £8306 11s lOd; that deficit was increased during the. year by £674 17s Id; the present ■ year, therefore, began with a deficit of £B9BI 8s lid. At the present time there is a further shortage of income of about £2OOO. The institution is living through the present months on the kindness of one friend who advanced a loan, without security, of £IOOO, to be repaid by weekly instalments of £IOO for 10 weeks, at the end of which time a further advance of £ISOO was kindly made, payable in a similar way. The need is, according to Father Bans, an immediate sum of £IO,OOO and an assurance of £16,000 a year. If, therefore, there are Catholics in New Zealand who have a little to spare for outside charities and who are interested—as every Catholic must be interestedin the rescue of the bodies and souls of these unfortunate little ones, they know where to send it. The Barnardo Homes have at the present moment collectors operating in New Zealand ; but Father Bans has no collectors here, relying, as he does, on the generosity of the friends of the children to send their gifts direct to him at 48 Compton street, near Russell square, London, W.C. In connection with the Barnardo —which at on© time made no secret of their desire to Protestantise every child which came their way— should be mentioned that there is now a mutual arrangement between these institutions and the Crusade of Rescue, whereby Father Bans sends all Protestant children who come to him to the Barnardo Homes and the authorities of the latter send all Catholic children to Father Bans. If, however, through shortage of the sinews of war, Father Bans is unable to make provision for the Catholic children so sent, this arrangement falls through, and such children will be retained at the Homes and will be brought up Protestants. The Crusade of Rescue has, however, come safely through similar trying times in the past —notably in 1907 —and we have no doubt it will survive the present critical ordeal.