Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 10 June 1915, Page 55

Intercolonial

By the-mail boat ; Osfcerley on May 11 Rev. Father Packer, C.SS.R., arrived in this State (says the West Australian Record). He will be stationed for some time' at the Redemptorist Monastery, North Perth. lie is a • native of New Zealand, whence he proceeded to Ireland to study for the priesthood some years ago. A large meeting of the priests and Catholic laity - of the archdiocese of Perth met recently at the Parochial Hall, Victoria Square, when a most satisfactory statement of the financial position of the diocese during the previous year was presented. His Grace presided at the meeting. The condition of his Grace the Archbishop became so grave towards the end of last week (says the Adelaide Souther 11 Cross of May 21) that the CoadjutorArchbishop thought it desirable to postpone his visit to Clare and Blyth to administer Confirmation on Sunday last. His Grace's condition continued unchanged for several days, but before going to press we learned that he had had a good night, and was somewhat easier. The Right Rev. Mgr. Byrne, whose condition showed some improvement recently, also took a turn for the worse early in the week. Members of the executive of the Catholic College committee were summoned on Friday, May 14, by a special circular to consider 'important business ' which had suddenly arisen (says the Tribune). His Grace the Archbishop presided, and the Coadjutor-Archbishop was also present.. After some preliminary business had been., disposed of, his Grace the Coadjutor said:—A very generous benefactor, who does not belong to this State, and does not wish his name to have any prominence at . this stage, has veen visiting Melbourne, and looking over the University and our plot of ground at it. He was much interested in the enthusiasm with which this movement was taken up at our meeting on Pentecost Sunday last, and the upshot is that he has offered for the endowment of bursaries in the college the magnificent sum of ,£30,000, under certain conditions. As a phrasemaker, Dr. Mannix would have been famous had he been in politics instead of the Church. ' The Duffy-McNamara eviction resolution ' has already been referred to. It was specially appropriate as addressed to an audience almost entirely of Irish blood. A little earlier, referring to Federal politicians whe thought they were treading on neutral ground, his Grace said that the Catholics would give no quarter ' to those who were supplying munitions to the foe or trading with the enemy.' ' The time was never ripe for the Catholic question when it was brought forward, according to our opponents,' said the Coadjutor. 'As far as we can see,' continued Dr. Mannix, ' it was never likely to ripen. It is hard to ripen the Catholic question in the atmosphere of Victoria,' But the happiest phrase of all was the reference to the politicians. ' There are none so blind, it is said, as those who won't sec, and there are none so deaf as those who don't want to hear. The trumpet that will call the dead to judgment wouldn't wake the politician—-unless the trumpeter had his name on the electoral roll.'