FATHER LARKINS DEPOSED. I GREAT DEMONSTRATIONS AT CHRIST. CHURCH AND HOKITIKA. THE FENIAN MOVEMENT ON THE WEST COAST.

Daily Southern Cross, 11 April 1868, Page 3

FATHER LARKINS DEPOSED. I GREAT DEMONSTRATIONS AT CHRIST. CHURCH AND HOKITIKA.

THE FENIAN MOVEMENT ON THE WEST COAST.

Hokitika., March 29. Sinod the arrest of Father Larkins, Father i MoTaggart preached at Stafford Town to-day (3aS turday, the 29th), and at the close of the service ' asked the people if they were willing that he should ■ minuter to them for the future. Ab they required time for the consideration of this ! proposal, he left ts preach at Waimea, three miles . distant, they promising to give him an answer on i his return. The Stafford Town Roman .Catholics thereupon < held a meeting, and it was ultimately resolved to accept no other priest except Father Larkins, unless he ! he advised them to do so. A deputy was then sent down to see Father , Larkins at Hokitik*, but before an interview was permitted to take place by the authorities Father . Iressaut was sent for to ascertain whether he had , recaiyed the necessary authority from the Bishop of Wellington to depose Father Larkins. It was found ' that he had the necessary power, but had not, up to that moment, thought it necessary to exercise it. It was ultimately agreed to depose Father Larkins, and to publish the facb of his deposition. The deputation was then sent for, and the impolicy urged of adopting any hostile demonstration on behalf of Larkins, as he had been deposed, and the Bishop strongly condemned his proceedings. Father Iressaut also stated to the deputation that Larkins was perfectly willing to submit to the orders of the Bishop. Ultimately the members of the deputation were allowed to see Larkins, and found him to be all submission to his ecclesiastical superior, Larkins, it is said, being on the submissive tack, has almost induced Father Iresiaut to send a telegram to Bishop Viard, asking him to recall the sentence of deposition. Larkins pressed Father Iressaut to do this— strongly, yet with much abasement — urtgiog that it would be well to recall the sentence, as such a step would calm the excitement of the Koman Catholic population, and, promising, if it were taken, that he would leave the West Coast altogether with the least possible delay.

March 29, midnight. father Iressaut has finally decided that he will not send the telegram to Bishop Yiard which larkina requests. A petition, however, is being got up in Stafford Town, to be forwarded to Bishop Viard, praying him to recall the sentence of suspension against Larkins. The town has been perfectly quiet throughout the day, and no illegal ace or breach of the peace has been committed, except that a stone was thrown through the window of Mr. Button's house. The Editor of the Wellington Independent adds in a foot-note, " We understand that Bishop Viard baa no intention of recalling the sentence deposing Father Larkins."

April 1. Here everything is now quiet. # Special constables and the volunteers are on duty night and day, but no ' further disturbances have taken place. April 1, 5 p.m. Larkins, Manning, Melody, Clarke, Barrett, Harman, and Harron were before the Resident Magis- I trate all day. Several witnesses were examined, and the case was adjourned till next day. The town is guarded by an army of special constables, and the prisoners were escorted through double ranks to and from the lock-up. The evidence against the prisoners will ensure committal. There are great crowds in town sporting the green ribbon. So far all is peaceful. None but special constables were admitted into the Court. The nomination for a member to serve for the Westland Boroughs in the House of Representatives took place to*day. Mr. Bright had previously declined to stand, and a requisition was got up to Mr. Shaw, Messrs. Shaw and Harrison were nominated, the show of hands being in favour of the former. A poll will take place on Friday. Only a few electors were present, all the town being on duty, and the weather wretched. The Westport Evening Star, April 1, says : — "The following report of a meeting of the Celtic Committee, held at addisons Flat yesterday evening, has been handed to us by Mr. Duffy, Secretary to the Committee : — The Celtic Committee met at the Hoyal Hotel, Mr. Clune in the cha r. Present : Dr. Doniv«n ; Messrs. O'Connell, Dillon, Broderick, Gallagher, and Duffy. Dr. Donivan proposed, and Mr. O'Connell seconded, thn following resolution, which was unanimously carried : — ' That in the opinion of this meeting, if the Government does authorise the removing of the cross from the Hokitika Cemetery, that we, the Celtic race of &ddison's flat, do take it at tantamount to throwing down the gauntlet of defiance ; and we, on the other hand, do hereby guarantee to accept that same acknowledgment; of defiance, and maintain to the best of our ability that same cross in its original position.' A second resolution, to the effect — ' That the business of the meeting should be forwarded to the looal paper for publication,' was also agreed to.' ' The Wellington Independent says : — "By telegrams received from Hokitika we learn that Father Larkins was, on April 1, examined at the Resident Magistrate's Court, and that the investigation was conducted without any disturbance."

Cheistohuroh, March 30. An open-air meeting was held in Latimer Square to-day, at which the greatest enthusiasm was manifested by the multitude which attended, no less than 5,000 persons being present. The following resolution was passed by acclamation :—": — " That thii meeting cordially approves of the action taken by the General Government for the preservation of the peace of the colony, and desires to record its high appreciation of the spirited manner in which the loyal inhabitants of Westtand have supported the authority of the law." The following verse, which was added to the National Anthem, was sung with enthusiasm by all present :— God save thy naval son, On whom foul wrong was done ; God shield his bead. O Lord, defend his life From traitor's ball or knife, Or in our country** ikife, God save Alfred. Welungton, Mtrch 31. The Evening Post of the 30oh instant says :—": — " On Friday last constable Butler, of the Wairarapa, apprehended a man on the charge of robbery. The prisoner happened to be the only passenger by the opposition coach yesterday. Immediately on his arrival he commenced his work by taking money from the till of the Volunteer Hotel. The landlord, missing his money, gave immediate iaformation, and in a very short time afterwards he was in custody. On being searched the money was found on him, as well as a large pointed knife. He was then locked up, although he protested that he was a Fenian, and had the greatest contempt for the law." The Independent gives the name of the prisoner as James Stewart, alias Evers, and states that he haa been sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment.