NASEBY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 53, 2 May 1874, Page 10

NASEBY.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Tablet. Sib. — T have carefully looked over several numbers of your piper and failed to observe any mention of this district. Jud«in<» from what I have seen, during my short visit, T am i mpres«ed with the idea, that this district seems to h-we been left .>ut. i n the old ; either through tho anathy of vonr correspondent, " if suoh a personage' exists," or probably, the circumstance of other mor« remote districts or provinces beinsr of greater moment. I will, however, with your permission, endeavour to supply that -want which, T must say, is keenly felt by many of your supporter? here, by brief! y exnre^in? rh« opinion* of a comparative stranzer in this flourishing mining centre. As a Cntholic my first obj»nt. on arrival, was to ascertain the state of Church and school affairs. With respect to the former lam pleased to have to announce, that, nothwith^anding the mmv obstacles thrown in the way of the much and deservedly respected pastor of this district, he has now in course of completion a very neat and substantial church building, which, I am informed, is to be used for «ehool purposes. The ■Rev. Father Eoyer is so well known th"oiiq;lv>ut New Zealand ns a most exemplary priest, and for bis unremiltin? zpal in Hie cause of Catholic education, steady and unflinching; toil, in the pursuit ofhis holy mission, that T cannot add to his well earned laurels. I am »lad to say that his efforts, especially in the cau«e of education, lirs been so far crowned with success. The newly appointed teacher. Mr Spronle, arrived here lnst week and has already opened the school with an attendance of 40 pupils. This gentleman's deservedly high reputation as a most successful teacher is a sufficient guarantee that the Nnseby Catholic School will, under Mr Sproule's able management, be second to none in the Colony. T must certainly compliment the Hey. Father 7?oyer and his School Committee upon their judicious selection.

| On Sunday lost thn holy sacrifice of the Macs was offered up in the new church. I was hiehly delighted with the appearanoe of thia buildinff, though unfinished. The Rev. Father Eoyer with his usual fervour, delivered a most judiciously selected discourse, upon tho duties of parents respecting the education' of their children. The sound and purely original, and I must add. high minded views propounded, were unanswerable. The rev. gentleman's well-known high scholastic attainmerts are prominently elucidated when addressing his people The subject of Catholic education is one in which be particularly excels ; his philosophical deductions are peculiarly hapny and evidently seem the unalloyed emanations of one who has the spiritual and temporal welfare of his flock at heart. What most forcibly struck me dining his discourse was the simple manner in which he placed the subject before his attentive auditors ; he spoke feelingly to the heart and notwithstanding his foreign accent, his everyword fell upon the ear wi'h a mo«t pleasing effect. The sinking of the children (Q-reeor-ian chant) at Vespers was very creditable to their teacher, their simple and very sweet voices conveyed the purest harmony to the soul. The children are all very young, but spem to have received very careful training. The Catholic body here hfive taxed themselves beyond their means, and judging from what I have already seen, they are most willing to contribute and give their mite cheerfully ; yet this I am in dread will not be sufficient without external aid. It, is the unanimous design of the Catholics here, that their much-esteemed pastor would visit Dunedin and obtain the sanction of our worthy bishop to collect funds in other districts, so us to enable the p stor and people to complete the noble Christian work which they have so creditably begun I feel quite satisfied that it only requires to le known that Father Roypr solicits aid to ca-ry on his arduous mission work His many friends throughout the Colony, would I am sure be only too glad to rally round him. I have great hopes in the future prospects of this district, not only in a monetary, but a religious and educational point of view. I shall be happy to soe in future issues of the Tablet a small space devouted to the highly deserving Catholics of Nasebv. The fact of havinrr secured the services of a gentleman of education as teacher suggests to me the advisability of soliciting his services as correspondent for your paper. * In conclusion I einnot expre« the joy it afforded me to eec Catholicity flourishing so illustriously in the promi«in<> district of IWby. I pray most fervently that Almighty God will long spare thoir evangelical pastors to direct and assist them in their spiritual and temporal requirements. I »tn, Yours &c , „ Catholic us. Niscby, April 27th, 1871