COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 24 April 1919, Page 30

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

NEW SOUTH WALES. Under the auspices of the Catholic Federation, addresses were given in the Sydney Domain on a recent Sunday in the presence of 600 persons. Father J. M. Cusack (Adm., St. Francis’ Church, Albion Street) took as his subject ‘'Marriage Laws” ; and Father P. J. Tfghe, S.J., spoke on “Education.” The news of the departure from Australia of the Rev. Dr. Kaldewey came as a surprise to his many friends in Sydney (says the Cathc/ir, /‘rest.s). After filling an. engagement of a term of five years at St. Patrick’s College, Manly, where he had charge of the teaching of Dogmatic Theology, in response to a cable from Rome he sailed by the Kammara Maru on Saturday, March 29. With a broad outlook on life, Professor Kaldewey proposes to make a prolonged tour of the Orient, visiting the Philippines, China, Japan, and the Hawaiian Islands en route. He will also visit America and Ireland, and hopes to return to Italy with an up-to-date knowledge of men and things acquired by personal touch with many lands and many peoples. Prior to leaving, Dr. Kaldewey was feted by some of his numerous friends among the clergy and laity. On Thursday, March 27, his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney entertained a goodly company at St. Patrick’s College, Manly, to bid Dr. Kaldewey bon voyage. Father George Bvrne, S.J., and the Hon. John Meagher, K.C.S.G., M.L.C.’, who are leaving for Europe at an early date, were also guests. The toast of the distinguished guests was proposed by his Grace the Archbishop in a happy speech, which evoked the heartiest enthusiasm and applause. VICTORIA. In opening a fete in St. Ambrose's School grounds, Brunswick, on Saturday, March 29, in aid of the Christian Brothers’ jubilee appeal, Archbishop Mannix made further reference to the Exhibition influenza hospital. The work in the school is, of course, the ordinary work of the Christian Brothers (said the Archbishop). But recently I was agreeably surprised to find that the Brothers were as versatile as the nuns, and that they volunteered to nurse the victims of the influenza outbreak. They came to me quite spontaneously, and offered their services to assist the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Charity at the Exhibition Hospital. It never occurred to me to . ask the Brothers to undertake the nursing of the sick ! Of course, we expect women, or nuns at all events, to undertake all sorts of work, but I never should have thought of asking the Brothers to enter the Exhibition Hospital, if they had not themselves come forward. We all know what came of that offer from the nuns and the Christian Brothers and -The Jesuit Brothers. I do not mean to dwell upon it. I do not so much blame those fanatics who objected to the Sisters and Brothers going to the hospital ; I blame the Government of Victoria. And I hope that the people of Victoria will remember the Exhibition scandal for the present Government of Victoria when the day of reckoning comes. The Sisters and Brothers, though they had been bitterly attacked and maligned for the past four years especially, were prepared to risk their health and their lives at the Exhibition Hospital, and

that without fee or reward; i they were prepared to try to do for all-comers what they did so successfully for the little orphan boys at South Melbourne, when there was not one death among the hundreds of boys attacked ; but no, the Victorian Government could not, or would not, have their services at the Exhibition. Every day our wonder grows as to the cause of their exclusion. Apparently things were not working, and are not working, very smoothly in that .place. If half what is now said publicly be true, there were very good reasons why some * people might think it undesirable to have the real condition of ■ things explored by Mother 'Rectress of St. Vincent’s. The Age and the Argus —and both of them helped to create all the trouble—now come out with reports of a most damaging character as to the present state of the Exhibition. The Age recently declared' that the charges levelled against the Exhibition Hospital pointed to a condition of things amounting to a public scandal! The Argus reports that some of ■ the attendants are charged, among other things, with being uncouth men, •and with swearing and drunkenness, and these are the people who could not be disturbed in order to allow the Sisters and the Brothers to tend the sick ? Some of the charges were so gross as to be unfit for publication in the columns of the Age ! The people of Victoria are certainly entitled to an inquiry. If it is held the writer of the letter which I hold in my hand could give some startling information apparently. She has been lying ill in the'Exhibition Hospital for over a week with her temperature at 103, and her verdict is that the place is “not fit for beasts,” and that she has had ‘‘a dog's life there.” The letter was not written to me, non was it intended for use or publication. It is all the more valuable, therefore, as a witness against the Exhibition Hospital. If an inquiry be not held, I, for one, think that we are quite justified in having our own views about the Exhibition Hospital, and they will not be very favorable to the Hospital or to the Government, which is responsible for the disgraceful state of things revealed. y The Richmond City Council has thanked the F.C.J. nuns for their great services in nursing influenza patients in that city. The letter sent by the council speaks for itself, and is as under: City of Richmond, Town Hall, March 19, 1919. The Rev. Mother, F.C.J. Convent, Vaucluse, Richmond. Rev. Mother, —At a meeting of the Richmond City Council held on Monday, 10th inst., a resolution was unanimously passed that a letter of thanks under the Corporate Seal be forwarded to you for the services rendered by the nuns in acting as nurses at the Richmond Council’s Emergency Hospital. The offer had been gladly accepted at a previous meeting of the council. I he offer was made at a time when trained nurses for hospitals were few, and when the general public viewed with fear the occurrence of pneumonic influenza. The nuns rendered very valuable service to the residents of this city, and the council desires, therefore, to express on behalf of the ratepayers its appreciation and gratitude. In witness whereof the common seal of the Mayor, councillors, and citizens is affixed hereto in the presence of H. J. Barcelo, Mayor. H. Nxchol, Councillor. C. C. Blazey, Town Clerk.