Father Hays.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8086, 8 September 1905, Page 5

Father Hays.

(Per Press Association.)

V. GEEYTOWN K,;Sept. 7. J Father.Hays addressed a representative demonstration in the Palace Hall last evening/the Mayor of Greytown presiding. • . • . Mr Heagerty, representing the Boinan Catholic Church, proposed a motion expressing the unbounded gratification of the Anglican, Eoman Catholic, and Protestant people throughout New Zealand at .the _ magnificent.: success of Father Hays' temperance work,' and high appreciation of the fact that 25,863 people had become his disciples, pledged by practice of temperance, thrift, and industry to become more practical Christians and more patriotic citizens. ■

The Eev. Mr Smith, on behalf of the Church of England, and the Eev. James Brown, for all the Protestant Churches, seconded arid supported the resolution.

Father Hays expressed his gratitude for the magnificent reception and unbounded kindness received throughout the colouy. The most valuable and unique part of his work in New Zealand was, he said, the bringing of all creeds together on a common platform against a national evil—drunkenness— thereby destroying narrow-minded religious bigotry, and bringing men to a fuller recognition of the brotherhood of man.

The Very Eev. Father Hays arrived in Wellington last night, and is the guest of Dr and Mrs Mac kin. His visit to the city on this occasion is of a purely private nature, and he will not again speak publicly in New Zealand. He is suffering sererely from cold and trouble in both lungs, and the precarious state of his health may compel him to prolong his stay at some of our resorts, although his passage is booked by the Moeraki on 16th for Sydney, on his way back to Melbourne.