TRANSPLANTED IRISH INSTITUTIONS - University of Canterbury

New Zealand also had its own institutionalized form of sectarianism.
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The Catholic
hierarchy had a separatist policy which resulted in Catholic schools, a Catholic benefit
society (the H.A.C.B.S.), and the Church also claimed the concept of 'Irish' for themselves.
Catholic sectarianism upset the Protestants, particularly those in the L.O.I., who believed that
the Catholics were trying to control New Zealand society.
The Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics who arrived in New Zealand in the late
1800s brought with them the religious rivalry and nationalist aspirations which were the
cause of sectarian tension in Ireland. The two different communities transplanted this
sectarianism through a number of ways, but this thesis has dealt with the transplanted
institutions, the L.O.I. and the H.A.C.B.S. which were a focal point for Irish Protestant and
Irish Catholic identity, particularly between 1877 and 1910. Moores explained that
These 'years saw tbe dawning of the age of the lodge, an age which continued until the 1920's.
The lack of social facilities and of cultural and sporting amenities, the drabness of provincial life,
poor communications and the isolation of many communities, contributed to the popularity of the
lodge in this era. The lodge provided fellowship and debate, and, in its atmosphere of secrecy and
its elaborate ritual, some of the colour and formality lacking in an essentially frontier society. It
was not merely the Orange Institution that nourished in the half-century. Lodges of many orders­
Masonic, Rechabite, Temperance, Oddfellow, Buffalo- appeared in town and country in bewildering
numbers. Most of the leading political and business figures of the day were keen members of at
least one order .. . 5
The membership of the L.O.I. and the H.A.C.B.S. was never numerically strong.·
In 1905 each institution had approximately 2500- 3000 members. This membership was
not static as there were always new members joining and members leaving (which could
include ones who were expelled). These institutions also had an extended community.
When the L.O.I. celebrated with banquets, parades or soirees, supporters, sympathizers and
other family members attended. Even though they were not members, they shared similar
beliefs and were involved in the activities.
The H.A.C.B.S. was integrated into the wider Catholic community which gave the
society added strength and stability even though their membership was small. This was
shown in the St Patrick's parades where they would march with Catholic school children. 6
SOp. cit., Moores, p. 23.
6In 1880, 150 Hibernians marched with 2000 Catholic school children. See chapter 4.