NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 150, 17 March 1876, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

In accordance with the notice given in our last issue, a meeting was held in St. Joseph's Schoolroom, on Tuesday evening, the 14th inst., for the purpose of considering the steps, which it would be necessary to take, for the successful holding of a bazaar in aid of the Christian Brothers' School Fund. The attendance was by no means as large as it was hoped that it would have bsen, but it is reasonable to suppose that the deficiency of numbers may be accounted for in some other manner, than by attributing it to indifference as to the

°^33 e ct m view. It is admitted, on all hands, that the settlement of the Christian Brothers amongst us is most devoutly to be desired • their efforts in the cau«e of education have, in every part of the world, been crowned with the most striking success. A short time after their arrival in all cities, where their services have been secured, the aspect of the schools, and the general conduct of the children placed under their care have been universally acknowledged to have been, almost incredibly, changed for the better. The vital interests of every Catholic family in the town of Dunedin, perhaps we might say in the province of Otago, depend upon their settlement amongst us ; it would surely, therefore, be no more than becoming, if the whole Catholic community would energetically join in the attempt to accomplish their establishment in our midst, and would come forward generously and assume at least a portion of that burden, which has hitherto seemed to rest entirely upon the shoulders of his Lordship the Bishop, who personally is completely independent of the matter. The meeting has been adjourned to Tuesday evening next, the 21st inst., when, it is most earnestly requested, that nothing may prevent a full attendance as well of ladies as of gentlemen. The opening night of the Opera Season, under the able management of Mr Simonsen, took place on Saturday night, and seldom has there been such a "house" as assembled within the walls of the Queen's Theatre on the occasion. The piece selected was the opera bouffe of the Grand Duchess, but we are inclined to doubt that the choice was a judicious one. Although possessing some exquisite gems, most of the compositions of Offenbach have secured their popularity on account cj* the vein of humor by which they are pervaded, and which crops up ou every occasion. It is nacessary, therefore, that, to give a successful representation of such pieces as " The Grand Duchess," and " Genevieve de Brabant," those engaged should not rely solely upon their abilities as vocalists. This was made painfully evident on Saturday night. (j With the exception of "Say to him" and " Lo ! 'tis the Sabre," the music throughout the opera is light, airy, and of a vivacious comic nature, and, of course, requires that the manner in which it is rendered should be of a similar character. That the first representation was not all that could be required in this respect must be confessed, for many of the ludicrous scenes with which the opera aboxinds passed off with a tameness very foreign to the conception of the author. Of course allowance must be made for drawbacks ot a first night and the difficulties incidental thereto ; a plea for which there appears to be good grounds, inasmuch as the second presentation was a vast improvement on the first. There cannot be a doubt thai Mr Simonsen has spared neither effort or expense, and while the strength of the company far exceeds that of the Allen troupe, there is no comparison as to the manner in which the pieces are dressed and put upon the stage. Of course, of Madame Simonsen it will be almost superfluous to speak, and yet we are bound to say that the r&le of the Grand Duchess is not the one in which she will appear to the best advantage. Faultless as was her personation of the Wayward Sovereign, it will be found that in the tragic rather than bouffe opera will sha secure the greater triumphs. The magnificent solo, " Say to him," was given amid breathless silence, which burst forth into rapturous applause at its conclusion, and continued until Madame Simonsea responded to the encore. Indeed the manner in which this gem was rendered was a treat rarely enjoyed, and amply atoned for any defects of the other members of the company during the evening. Of Mr Morley, perhaps it would be more just to defer our criticism, as his first appearance was made under the disadvantage of a severe hoarseness which rendered it impossible he could be judged on his merits. Mr Steinback possesses a clear ringing tenor, and sang the comic solo, " This is what the people say " with effect, but marred the success of the character of Prince Paul by excessive timidity and nervousness. The General Boom of Mr Tomboldt cannot be deemed a success, for although the character was admirably dressed, it was far from the General Boom designed by Offenbach. Indeed in many of the scenes he was sadly deficient in the text, and at other times totally inaudible. We scarcely imagine it is policy to try and improve upon the author, and in future it would be well to speak the words allotted to the character, rather than indulge in questionable wit. We must conclude by stating that any shortcomings, which were apparent, should be attributed to the male portion of the company, for from the Prima Donna Assoluta down to the chorus singers, the ladies of the troupe were every thing that could be desired- The quartette by the maids of honour in the opening of the second act was greeted with deserved applause, and enjoyed with Madame Simonsen the honor of an encore.

The following passage occurs iv the Lenten Pastoral of the Bishop of Sandhurst: — "Every system of education not based upon religion and the acquisition of that knowledge necessary for eternal life must necessarily be, for Catholics, an evil of the greatest magnitude ; and such is the State education now prevalent in this colony, for whilst it unites, in the same school, pupils and teachers of every creed, or of no creed, it must necessarily promote, not only indifference in regard of a'l religion, but also that spirit of infidelity which denies the very existence of the Deity. Catholic children brought up in such schools betray the grossest ignorance of Catholic discipline. And we frequently see that in their after life they proclaim opinions at variance with Catholic doctrines, and manifest not only a want of respect for the ministers of religion, but even an utter dislikq) towards thn laws aud precepts of the Holy Catholic Church. Dearly beloved, you cannot, unless at the peril of your salvation, permit the Catholic children of the rising generation to be educated in schools where this godless system prevails. Wherefore, we most earnestly exhort you* to assist your pastors by your liberal donations in procuring for your children a Catholic education in your own schools, where they will obtain, not only that secular instruction required for their advancement iv this life, but, also, that moral and religious instruction necessary for the salvation of their immortal souls in the next. This is a duty that God demands of you, and for which you will have to render unto him a rigorous account at a future day. Give liberally out of the means that God has given you, and you shall receive, iv return, an ample reward from the Giver of all Good Gifts, always

bearing in mind that the goods of this world are not to be deemed as valuable as those precious eouls that have been redeemed by the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Imitate the example of your forefathers in Ireland, who hesitated not in their bitter hour of trial to submit to | the confiscation of their property, to imprisonment and exile, and i even death itself, rather than abandon their religion, or exposo their } little ones to the danger of losing that priceless treasure that they | received at the baptismal font. Yes, dearly beloved, let us cherish j the memory of Ireland by following her example, and then our pride j and glory will be that we shall be always faithful Catholics and i devoted children of Jesus Christ." The 'Grey River Argus' says that "a party of men Avho are working a claim down south, about two miles from the Francis Joseph I Glacier, Mount Cook, report that on the night of the 11th tilt., a ' sharp shock of earthquake occurred, and that the vibration dislodged j immense masses of ice from the glacier. The noise of the falling ice is described as having been as loud as thunder. | The attendance at Blondin's opening performances were not ' near so large as we expected, owing no doubt to the counter at- , tractions at the Queen's Theatre, and the circus, as well as to the early hour at which the performances were held. We are pleased to notice, that this state of things will be obviated for the future. The performance will commence this evening, and continue until further notice, p-t 8 o'clock ; and an entire change of programme ! will be substituted, including a grand pyrotechnioal display, under the management of Professor Ireland, of the Crystal Palace, London. We must congratulate the management on this step, as we believe it will be the means of enabling many, whose business compels them to be engaged during the day, to witness the performance. OrE Wanganui vigneron, says the 'Herald,' Mr. Andrew Tod, has been able to show a steady advance in the making of wine, , and is turning out this year hocks and champagnes which we venture to assert will compare favorably with the best Australian. The champagne is really excellent, and as there is no mistake about its ' being genuine, it is likely to grow in public favor. There is here the foundation of a great industry, and we need not say how anxiously we shall watch its increasing growth and development. The 'Weekly Times' says the greater portion of the harvest along the New River Flat and as far as the Waimatuku is carried, and some of the farmers have had large yields, especially in the low lying lands by the River. Eighty bushels of oats to the aci'e seems to be about the yield in some places. We have heard of ns large a 3 ield as a hundred bushels to the acre from one field in this neighborhood. Notwithstanding the proverbial dullness of business, says the ' 'Hokitika Leader,' is is an indisputable circumstance that house and land properties in town have advanced a considerable percentage within the past six montus. Two of the largest dwelling-houses in town have changed hands within the past few days at good prices, and one or two others, known to be in the market, are sought after by several applicants. The owner of two freehold sections within the ' town boundary has refused twenty-five per cent, advance oil the price obtainable by him twelve months ago. This augurs well. We learn, says the 'New Zealand Herald,' that at the native settlement at Kohimarama, over sixty natives are ill with low typhoid fever, and at least two-thirds of the population are affected by the malady.