Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 29 July 1915, Page 24

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OP WELLINGTON i (Prom our own correspondent.) July 24. The Rev. Father Travers arrived from . Tasmania last week for the purpose of taking up work in the Wellington archdiocese. The Rev. Father Bartley, S.M., M.A., of St. Patrick's College, has been appointed assistant at Nelson in succession to the Rev. Father Finnerty, S.M., transferred to St. Anne's, Wellington South. Much sympathy is felt for Mrs. Oscar Johnson, of St. Joseph's parish, in the death of her son, a bright young man of 22 years of age, who was killed at Eltham as the result of a railway shunting accident. The interment took place at Wellington.—R.l.P. Advices received from his Grace Archbishop O'Shea, who is now in America, are to the effect that after leaving Rarotonga a concert was held on board the Marama in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. His Grace presided, and made a patriotic speech. The concert was highly successful, and the collection amounted to about £3O. .- The Fifth Regiment Band, under the conductorship of Mr. McCormish, very kindly visited the- Home of Compassion, Island Bay, and treated the inmates and Sisters to an excellent musical programme. . The Rev.

Sister Clavier showed the visitors over the home, which, now contains over; 120 children, varying in rage from a few days' old. - : The bandsmen were much impressed by all they saw. •• - I very much regret to chronicle the death, of Mr. W. E. Keefe, of the Accountants' branch of the G.P.0., and for many years superintendent of the Wellington Telephone Exchange. The deceased was a staunch Catholic, and a member of the congregation -of the Sacred "Heart parish for over 49 years. He was born' in Ireland, and came out with his parents to New 'Zealand when a child. -Mr. Keefe was only 50 years 'of age and next year would have completed his 40th • year as an officer of the Post and Telegraph Department, entitling him to retire on pension. The Very Rev. Dean Regnault and- the Rev. Father Smyth attended him during his last illness, and he died fortified by all the rites of the Church. He leaves a widow but no family, and to her is extended the sympathy of a large circle of friends. —R.I.P. Last Tuesday the literary and debating branch of the Catholic Club held its usual weekly meeting at St. Patrick's Hall, when Mr. L. T. Reichel presided over a fair attendance of members. The programme for the evening was a debate, ' Was excessive wealth more harmful than excessive poverty?' The branch is to be congratulated on having such an able and energetic chairman as Mr. L. T. Reichel, whose ability and wide experience eminently fit,, him for the position. The executive of the club held its usual weekly meeting on Friday last, when Mr. R. Grant presided over a good attendance of members. It was decided to have a suitable memorial erected to the memory of the late Rev. Father Venning. At the club's request, Mr. L .T. Reichel has kindly consented to give a lecture on his travels. During the time that all the forces were concentrated at Trentham no less than 700 Catholics were in camp, and whilst the hall is large and commodious, it was taxed to its utmost in accommodating the number of soldiers wishing to hear Mass on Sundays. Rev. Father Daly, chaplain at the camp, is most popular with the men, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, and he makes It a point to at all times do what is possible for their comfort. The cost of the hall came to £3OO, but half of the'amount has not yet been subscribed, and it is to be regretted that Catholics should be so apathetic in assisting this good and patriotic work. During the week the Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., AHm., treasurer of the fund, received the following donations from the parish committees of the Catholic Federation:—Wairoa, £2 2s 6d.; Dannevirke, £1 ; Napier, £lO 15s; also £2O from the Auckland Diocesan Council, and £5 from Mr. E. Sullivan, Pahiatua. The- quarterly meeting of the Wellington Catholic Education Board was held in St. Patrick's Hall last Wednesday evening. Mr. J. J. L. Burke (vice-chair-man), in the absence of his Grace'Archbishop O'rShea, presided. There were also present the Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., Adm., and the Rev'. Father O'Connor, Messrs B. Doherty, T. O'Brien, P. D. Hoskins, J. Stratford, J. D. McPhee, L. Blake, and T. J. Davis. Rev. Father Hurley reported that as a result of the combined schools' social the board benefited to the extend of over £l5O, and Mr. Hoskins reported that the St. Patrick's Day celebration committee had paid over £l4O during the year-to the fund. Accounts totalling £lßo,were passed for payment. It was decided to meet again on the first Wednesday in August to receive the third annual report and .balance sheet. Mr. Burke, on behalf of the trustees, reported that since the last meeting . the sum of £350 had been lent on freehold mortgage, at 6 : per .cent, interest... This made a total of. £SOO now -loaned.on. good substantial security, whilst a sum .of £50,0 was earning ,3J per cent, interest in the Post Office Savings Bank. The present board and committees, . according to rule, retire and fresh committees will be electedh-by the contributors in each parish, and from these committees the new board will be elected. Steps have been taken. to register the board under the ' Reli-

gious. Charitable, and Educational Trusts Act,’ 1908.’ This enables the board to lend out its funds in the name of the board instead of in the names of the trustees.