"We, the clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin assembled in Synod, desire to put on record our appreciation of the ability and spirit with which the New Zealand Tablet is at present conducted. We hold that the New Zealand Tablet should be an open, honest teacher and guide in the matter of true Catholic doctrine and genuine Catholic opinion and sentiment. We are convinced of the necessity of openly declaring and boldly defending Catholic rights, especially in the matter of Catholic education — rights ignored hitherto by New Zealand Governments and political parties. We declare the policy of conciliation and timid ‘wait and see’ to be a helpless one, and, indeed, a hopeless one, where no sense of justice in regard to our rights shows itself in succeeding New Zealand Governments. Hence we approve of the strong, self-reliant, and self-determined attitude taken up by the present editor of the New Zealand Tablet — the effectiveness of his militant policy being evidenced by the attacks made upon him by editors and writers in papers showing almost daily unfriendliness to the Catholic Church and to Ireland"
Catlins road progress
It is a pleasure to the residents of the Upper Catlins district (writes a correspondent) to know that the Government is at last going to proceed with the completion of the Catlins Valley-Table Hill road. This road has been urgently required for a number of years, and since the railway was completed it has been more needed than ever, as it is the only road following the route of the railway, and yet, for want of a little more than a mile of formation to join the roads together, it has been impossible to get through. It is understood that a grant of £150 has been made towards this necessary work, and that the survey is being conducted expeditiously by the resident Public Works’ overseer, Mr C. Johnson, of Kahuika. The residents hope as soon as survey work is finished the department will at once put the work of making the road in hand
Infections reported
The Mt Ida Chronicle states that for many years the district has been immune from any infectious disease. During last week two cases have been reported — namely, one of scarlet fever at Cambrian and the other of typhoid fever at Wedderburn. — ODT, 22.1.1918.
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