NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 154, 14 April 1876, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Tm grand concert m ai d of the Christian Brothers' School Fund is fixed for Friday evening next, 21st April, instead of Easter Monday as formerly announced. We hope the change will be for the better, as a really excellent programme has been drawn up and one that cannot fail to please the most fastidious. In addition to the ladies and gentlemen from Lawrence, the following Dunedin amateurs will assist : Mrs. Bartlett, the Misses Hesford and Hill and Messrs. Coates, White, and Ibbotson. Mrs, Woods will preside at the piano ; and the Committee have with commendable forethought secured the services of Messrs. T. White and C Sykes to assist Mrs. Woods during the evening. The tickets are being rapidly disposed of, and we shall indeed be disappointed if the Temperance Hall is not crowded from floor to ceiling on Friday evening next One of Brimsmead's Iron 3rand Pianos has been provided for the entertainment.

An entertainment in aid of the Port Chalmers Church will be given in the Forrester's Hall on Thursday next. Several favorite amateurs have promised their services, including Mr. and Mrs J J. Woods, from Lawrence. The success of former entertainments in aid of the same object is sufficient to guarantee a large attendance on this occasion.

We are requested by the Committee of the Christian Brothers* School Fund Bazaar to acknowledge with thanks, on their behalf the kind offer of Messrs. Lane and Campbell, to supply the refreshment stall with mineral waters to the amount of .£lO.

St. Patrick's Day, 1876, will long be remembered by the Catholics of Wanganui, as it was the day fixed to open a branch of the H.A.C.B.S. At six o'clock the Presiding Officers, President J Coogan, Vice-President, G-. Atkinson, of the Wellington Branch delegated by thr Executive Directory to inaugurate the Society, took their seats. The business oi' the meeting was then ope, ed by the Presiding Officer with the usual prayer, after which the Candidatesnumbering about thirty-five— were initiated ; and ihe following-gentle-men were elected as officers: — President, Bro. J. M. Purcell ;° VicePresident, Bro. P. Gaughren; Secretary, Bro. J. Bates j the Rev. Father Kirk kindly consented to act as Treasurer and Chaplain' Warden, Bro. C. O. Leary ; Guardian, Bro. A. Leydon. The following gentlemen were elected as tru-tees :— Bros. Hartnett, Ready, and Conuell. Ihe President and Vice-President then returned thanks for the high and responsible position in winch they had been pLieed. A vote of thanks was accorded the Wellington Branch for their diligence in obtaining the necessary dispensation from Melbourne. Tl c Delegates, in a few well chosen -words, thanked the officers and members for their hospitality, etc., and hoped the new branch of H.A.C.8.^., which had been so successfully started, would prosper The Ange'lus ■was then said by the newly-elected President, and the meeting closed. We have been favored by Mr. Braithwaite with a pamphlet entitled ' Our Land Laws ; What should be their Basis ?' by Chas. W. Purnell. This short treatise contains a vast amount of useful information ; and the fact that a second edition has been called for, proves that it has met -with, due appreciation. The catalogue of publications supplied by Messrs. Reith and. Wilkie, is in itself a work of art, and the engravings which it contains, as specimens of those to be found in the various volumes named, are well worthy of attention. The establishment in question, by the class of works it furnishes, bears testimony to the intellectual status of Dunedin, and speaks highly of the literary requirements of its inhabitants.

A meeting of gentlemen interested in the Christian Brothers' School Fund Bazaar was held in the vestry-room, attached to St. Joseph's Church, on Monday evening last. The Rev. Father Crowley occupied the chair, and several matters of importance were definitely arranged. Amongst the principal of these was the appointment of door-keepers, for which the following gentlemen were selected : — Messrs Deehan, Murray, E. Carroll, Connor, Burke, Connellan, Meenan, Perrin, Harris, Woods, Buubury, Toal, O'Donnell and Brennan. Mr. John Carroll and Mr. Francis Meenan were elected treasurers, to act separately in the evening or afternoon, as they should arrange between them. It was resolved that no one should be admitted into the hall free, where the bazaar was beinw held,

without a ticket or a pass signed by the Lady Superior, who should have full power to exercise discretion in the matter ; that on no pretence should malt or spirituous liquors be introduced, and that any attempt at dancing should at once be put a stop to. It was finally resolved, on the motion of Mr. John Carroll, seconded by Mr. Burke, that the present meeting should be formed into a committee, for the purpose of assisting the ladies to carry through the work of the Bazaar ; and that as many of the members, as possibly could do so, should at all times attend in the University Hall during the holding of the sales. Several minor matters were also discussed and provided for, which, however, it is not necessary to specify. Simonshn's English Opera Company completed their season of 25 nights on Saturday last. During their performance here they gained for themselves a brilliant reputation, and established themselves as popular favorites. The " Hermit's Bell/ with which they concluded their engagement, was one of the most successful pieces represented by them, and, owing to their efforts, has made a most favorable impression on the public of Dunedin. On Tuesday last, another shock of earthquake was felt'generally throughout the South Island. At Oamaru, it is said to have been the most violen' that has as yet occurred. It was plainly perceptible in Dunedin, but, strange to say, seems not to have been here accompanied by the rumbling noise usual under the circumstances. The 'Mount Ida Chronicle' says it is rather surprising that no effort has been ma le to develop the reefs known to exist at the Serpentine. For a long time ifc has been known that the Serpentine district is covered with indications of substantial reefs. Yet nothing whatever has been done. The Serpentine reefs stand in the same position that the Macetown reefs stuck at for so long. Their apparent inaccessibility is also against them. Some of our practical men, of adventurous spirit, might well spend some of their spare time this dry weather in visiting the localities Mr. John Cogan has sent us in a few specimens he obtained which are full of gold, not mere specks, but of a rough nature. These can be seen at our office by any interested. We learn from the ' Watatip Mail' that complaints are rife about the scarcity of employment for labor. The "swagsman" is again becoming " an institution," and is often met with by travellers. Had the lands been freely and genuinely opened this state of things might not have again sprung into existence. The ' Lyttleton Times' says the Canterbury Marble Company, anticipating the assistance of the Government and Road Board of the District, have decidt d upon starting to make the road to their quarries. The Company have already arranged for work by securing plant, Jsc, and only wait the completion of the road to enable them to commence active operations. From an architectural point of view, this stone will be v valuable addition to our building materials, as it will form a splendid relief, and set off the white stone now so extensively used in our buildings. Professor Bickerton has analysed the mnrble, and given the following report upon it : — Report on the analysis of a sample of marble received from the Canterbury Marble Company. "On analysis, the above Bample of marble was found to contain 98.53 per cent of carbonate of lime, with an insoluble residue, consisting of ' silica, alumina, and manganese, the coloring matter being due to the latter constituent. The above is a very fine sample of marble, the refuse from which will make excellent lime:" Signed, A. W. Bickerton, F C.S., &c, Ac. In a community like ours, where particular party interests frequently tend to mar the harmony which should guide our conduct towards each other as citizens and colonists, it is always a pleasing duty to draw attention to those friendly exhibitions of good fellowship which are occasionally noticeable in our midst, and more especially so when these spring from a feeling of genuine regard. In saying this much we are only expressing in very feeble terms indeed the general response which has been made by the Typographical Association in paying a tribute to the many sterling good qualities which have characterised their late secretary, Mr. John Dungan, who has resigned that position in consequence of having accepted an appointment in connection with the new evening journal at Oamaru. On Tuesday evening the Association, through their President (Mr. H. M. Cole), waited on Mr. Dungan, at the ' Guardian' Office, and presented him, in the presence of the companionship, with a very handsome and massive silver inkstand, suitably inscribed, in token of his past services ; Mr. Cole, in a few well-chosen remarks, wishing the recipient and bis family every success in his new sphere of action. — Mr. Dungan responded in feeling terms, and trusted the Association with which he had so long and intimately been connected, would continue as prosperous and useful as it had hitherto been. — The health of Mr. Dungan was drunk with all the honors, and several toasts followed which were suitably responded to. — ' Guardian.'