Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 8, 4 March 1925, Page 43

Commonwealth Notes

fe&S , : NEW v SOUTH r WALES. • V 'On Friday lost (says the Freeman's Jour- .; nal for February 12), in celebration of .his 75th ; birthday, his Grace the Archbishop c.f Sydney, gave a luncheon at St. Mary's Cathedral : Presbytery, do which representatives of the "clergy and'laity were invited. His Lord- • ship the Bishop; of Bathurst proposed the " - health of the. Archbishop, and congratulated him on the happy occasion which was being - celebrated, and on his extraordinary vigor . and robust health. Speaking on behalf of the bishops of Now South Wales, Dr. O'Far- . rel,l assured his Grace of their ardent sym- / pathy with the project, so dear to his heart--"the'completion of St. Mary's Cathedra! and tol4 him that they would presently manifest .that sympathy in a practical manner. Mon.signor McDermott supported the toast on '.behalf of the priests and Sir Thomas Hughes on behalf of the. laity, the latter expressing the' love and appreciation his Grace had inspired' in the hearts of his people by his saintly leadership and soilless labors. The Archbishop, who made a. .happy reply, was ■;'in great spirits, and looked wonderfully well : and strong for n man of" his years. -; Over''" 100 persons attended a meeting on a recent Sunday morning, for lie purpose of making preliminary arrangements in connection with the opening of St. Michael's Cathedral, Wagga, following upon extensive additions and alterations. The contractors are now putting the finishing touches to the very beautiful interior, and everything will be' in readiness for the opening ceremony on "Sunday, March 22.. The Very Rev.. Father ; Ryan (Administrator of the Cathedral) stated at the, meeting that 17 archbishops and ■ bishops -from all parts of the Commonwealth 'v: would.".be in Wagga for the opening, and • about 50 or GO-priests,; and many other dis- • 'tinguish visitors. :f. 'Lordship Bishop O'Farrell, in the - course, .of. a scholarly address at the blessing / " and opening '."of/ additions to the convent •*. school at-CowraV(says the Cowra Free Press), :„'' referred to t the disabilities Catholics labored under witjf. regard to education, and said that " J all they wanted, was payment for -their teach- ■-■ ers, the same l as in -Pro! est ant England and • Presbyterian Scotland, lie said, thai in Fng- ' landjat one time, it was proposed to do away A with the payment of teachers and the Trades Unionists of 800,000 refused to allow it. The -Government'' refusing ,to subsidise their ••■■; schools,, he likened to an employer collect - a. certain levy for a picnic every yea.;- and ,' refusing to allow tho employees to participate in it. In Australia the Catholics were one in four of the population, and in Fng- • land, and Scotland, only one in ten or twelve. British Justice, was talked of, but there was ,: >.'nb: such thing' as Justice where their Cath- ' otic schools iveiia concerned ill Australia. k When their statesmen had the same public .spirit as they had .in England and Scotland, then, and hot till then, would they get Jus.'.f ice'.- AH they wanted was payment for the 7.. work the seen 1 r teachers did! Was that not just? Catholics wanted their children taught ' ';'"'. in a religions atmosphere and did not want . relicdnu treated, as. a good suit—something do :

put on on Sunday. Was there "any other denomination hall done or "would do what/the Catholics of Australia^ad for education? - \ '••. VICTORIA. Tin- Rev. Father Michael Watson, S.J., the well-known poet-priest and litterateur of St. Patrick's College, East Melbourne, celebrated his 80th birthday on Thursday (says the Italic Press for February 10). For over half a: century, Father Watson has been attached to tin* leaching staff of the college, and lie has also been a prolific writer. In 1887 he founded the 'Messeiuje'r nj the. Mac red Heart, which has one of I lie largest circulations of any religious magazine in Australasia, lie relinquished the editorship in 1018. Father ' Watson also founded the Madonna, in 1807, which he still edits. Other devotional work- from his facile pen include many volumes of poems of remarkable spirituality and religious fervor, including Christ, I In' WeM-Tletoved, and a choice collection of lyrics and .sonnets, entitled For Christ and His Kingdom, replete with gems of thought and poetical' inspiration of the highest ami holies:, order. One of Father Watson's poems, set to music, has been frequently sung by the famous Irish tenor,'John McCormack, who is also a native of Athlono (Ireland), the birthplace e.f Father Watson. For years it has been felt in Geolong that the establishment of a Domestic Arts School was a necessity, and such an institution has now boon opened by the'Sisters: of Mercy at Si. Agnes' Ladies 1 College, Myers Street. The first term began on Monday, February 0. Fully qualified teachers have been secured, and iris honed by the Sisters to provide the students with a training at least equal to the host obtaining in State schools of the same grade. The building is a handsome, airy one, with the ample ventilation thai is so essential for pupils remaining indoors, as it enables them to maintain a. bi'ight demeanor and careful attention. QUEENSLAND. A bronze statue of the late Hon. T. J. Ryan, a former Premier of Queensland, which is. to ha erected in Brisbane in a few mouths, has been completed by Sir Bertram Maehernial, the noted Australian sculptor, who is living in England. The. statin- liasffiveen •handed over to the A gen i-General for Queensland (Mr. .J. fluxham), who has been asked to ship the statue,as soon as possible. It is .expected that the statue will be in Brisbane in about i wo months' time. In forwarding a cheque for £25 to the honorary secretary of tho fund for the statue c.f the late Mr. T. J. Ryan, the hon. secretary of ' the Queensland Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' . Labor League (Mr. A. L. Once) wrote: "Your appeal for a. donation inwards the worthy object of providing a pedestal in free stone for tho statue of the late Mr. T. J. Ryan, was before the annual meeting of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers'; Labor League this week, and 1 am pleased to say that tlie j members were very enthusiastic about if. F herewith enclose cheque for .C2-">,

as ; the league's ; donation to the fund'; ai««l send hearty good wishes to your committee. in : their noble work.'' '.,'..,, " l ' . j '■> His Grace Dr. Duhig: ha«\a good word fer the Italian, immigrant.' "It is difficult, .to understand, except': on narrow'-, national grounds, the opposition that is being t-hoyn.' to Italian immigration to this eouatwi,"-- ne said at a recent gathering. "The L&lijanS are an industrious.people, and those of;[thepi who have come to this country have bten;sh object lesson to us in that respect. •'lThev do not bang .about the towns, but go -slibra to the land, and hey cause no - industrial troubles: because they, work in groups, t:».d oil the share system, and become themselves holders of farms before they arc manyHyears in the country. ! think it is a eabimny to .say thai they are. not law-abiding, and I was very pleased to read recently La ;' testimony of Northern police magistrates to their {.bod qualities as citizens." k .The Italian is essentially a, .family man, and a largo family nan. at that, lie loves his home and his children, and there is no reason why we should --nut hope thai those children ,v ; ii become as good Australians as the children of any jjother European, or even native-born, narents.---' If we do not allow into the country those that will fill up the vacant spaces, instead of crowding into the cities, then we.may expect trouble in the future, and trouble too,! from people who may Ik.' much more alien.-to ua than the Italian or the German. We; have from the Creator no right to hold* an empty country while there are people, who '.would become estimable citizens offering to-'enter it, abide by its laws, and help in developing it."' * 'II' •"'