NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 215, 8 June 1877, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

On Sunday last, during the 11 o'clock Mass at St. Joseph's Church, Dunedin, his Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese read the Pope's Allocution, delivered to the Cardinals assembled in consistory on March 12ch. His Lordship exhorted the congregation to pray earnestly for the Holy Father, the more especially as the present occasion was that of his Golden Jubilee. It did not require any

assumption of prophetical powers or nagacity to foretell that a crisis was now rapidly approaching. The war commenced in Europewould spread to a general conflagration, and the outcome would be that the Roman question, as well as the Eastern, would be settled. In the evening, after Vespers, the Bishop again alluded to the subject. It was not usual when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed— as was then the case, it being the Sunday within the octave of the Festival o£ Corpus Christi — that an address should be delivered, and he would only speak for the purpose of recommending the cause of the Church, and of the Holy Father, to the prayers of the congregation. So far as it was permitted to be proud, they might be proud of Buch a Pope, and should thank God for having given him to the Church. Tour-BASS in the Taieri district are to be abolished. The payment of tolls ceases to-morrow. The county rate is also in abeyance. A fiee occurred in the stables of Mr. Fitzgerald, of Maclaggauetreet, Dunedin, on Sunday evening last. The gentleman in question was returning with his wife from church, when the latter called his attention to a light in the stable, which proved, unfortunately, to proceed from the flames which speedily broke out. Some considerable delay took place in the working of the engines, and the consequence was, that the building, together with five horsesj was burned— four of the animals being the property of Mr. Fitzgerald, and the other belonging to ahawker named William Ettrick The stables were insured for ,£300 ; but one pair of the horses burned alone were estimated at that value, and altogether the total loss over the amount covered by insurance is reckoned at J5700. An attempt was made last week, by a, man lodging at the Commercial Hotel, Port Chalmers, to rob a drawer in which money was kept, belonging to Mr. M'Guire, the proprietor. Fortunately the would-be thief was discovered in the act, and secured before he bad time to escape from the scene of action. Sir Charles Gavan Duffy has been appointed Speaker of the Victorian Parliament. It is well that, though tardily, the eminent services and distinguished talents of out able fellow-countryman bave at length been recognized by his advancement to a position which it is suitable that he should fill, and to which he is calculated to prove an ornament. We trust that a long career, in so honourable a place, lies before him. A movemknt is on foot to promote the construction of a railway which would bring Dunedin into direct communication with the interior. The route proposed is by the Taieri river, or by North Taieri. Such a step would be of inestimable benefit to this city, and it is to be hoped that it will be carried out. We understand that the meeting of Parliament has been fixed upon for 19th July next. _ . Our valuable exchange, the Boston JPilot, appears m improved form, owing to a set of new type. The Pilot bears with justice a high-class reputation; indeed, we know of ro Catholic paper which contains more information, or literary matter of greater Ability. Its editor is Mr. John Boyle O'lteilly, a prose writer of much power, and for whose compositions in verse we anxiously look, finding in them invariably fine thoughts and musical expression. Am« named Wiseman died on Sunday morning last from the consequences of an accident that he met with in removing a truck containing stones on the Port Chalmers Kailway Pier the evening preceding In some way or other he got jammed between one of the stones and a pilehead, and injured his back, as it proved, fatally. That the " Flowers of the Free Lands" has met with appreciation outside the colony of New Zealand is testified to by the following extract from the Melbourne Argus .—Mr. Thomas Bracken, of Dune(Un, has published a volume of poems, entitled " Flowers of the Free Lands," which he dedicates \o Mr. Marcus Clarke. Mr. Bracken is a fluent and facile writer, ivho says that " poetry has been a kind preceptress to him since his boyhood," and that he has "poured forth his freshest emotions in song because he found it the most congenial way of expressing what he felt." His subjects are various, and so is his metre. With a good ear for verse and a copious diction, he writes pleasantly on familiar themes; and he lins no hiyhev ambition, he tells us, than "to hang a modest offeriiv on the golden harp of the south, beneath the sweet wreaths of Kendall, the evergreen garlands of Gordon, the tropical roses of Stephens, and the Maori chaplets of Domett." Mk G. "W. Driscoli, has purchased the tailoring business lately conducted by Mr G. Davidson, in the Arcade Under its new management the establishment -will be found to sustain the excellent reputation it has long enjoyed. Messrs. Mills, Pick, and Co., with most praiseworthy enterprise have offered a bonus for a Garden Calendar, to be incorporated the excellent Almanac annually issued by them. We observe that Mr. Vause has commenced business as a diesinker and embosser in the Arcade. Persons having medals, metal plates, or such like articles to be engraved, will find their orders punctually attended to. I here nre now on -view at the City Council Ch>imb*r 8 , Dunedin, the designs of the Municip.il Buildings to be erected i<> th- Octagon. The mineral waters of the Rotorua District lime been anulyse i by the Government Analyst, by whom it has been found that there is extieme difference ii the nature of the springs The nativ.s in t^e neighbourhood of T.iurangi Isuys the Bay of Plenty Times) show t-igns of being an iudusinous and thrifty peop c, in si it.- of i h. ir occasional indulgence in a. few d.«ys' vi»it to the hotels, when anything very interesting happens to disturb tbe usual calm te-i.>r of then- lives. Ai Maiapihi v large crop of wheat and maize w.is grown this year, the latter Wing of an exceptionally five quality, and similar crops- weie also pioduced at Manpatapu and other settlements. There wns a v. ry large attendance at the Dunedin Caiholic You»g Men's So.ieto's mee'i>>g held on Wednesday evening 1 st. The VicePresident (i lie Rev. Father Growler) occupied the eh .ir. The debate that was to have t»ken place was postponed till next Friday week, owire to an unfoieseen inadvertence. The usual proceedings were

enlivened by a dramntic scene that was enter, d into with great spirit " by a few of the members. We are requested to draw the notice of member* to the fact that the meetiug-night has been altered from Wednesday to Friday. The Russians seem to be making far better progress in Asia Minor than they are in Europe, where their advance is still impeded by the Danube. Peace rumours have, within the last week or two, been circulated; but fact would appear to contradict them, as the reinforcement of the German army in Alsace and Lorraine looks anything but well for the Pacific prospect. Ths Wanganui Weekly Herald of the 26th ult. has the following : — The children of the Roman Catholic school gave an entertainment last night in their school-room. A great many of the children's parents and other visitors were in attendance, who expressed themselves highly gratified with the admirable manner in which the recitations and songs were conducted, some choruses giving especial satisfaction. The meeting was under the patronage of the Bight Rev. Dr. Redwood, who, at the close of the proceedings, addressed the children, expressing his pleasure at the performance, and his thanks for the entertainment that had been afforded him. His Lordship gave the children some kind and practical advice in a manner that the youngest amongst them might understand, urging upon them the necessity of study, and the great advantages to be derived from, application and attention to their work, at a time of age when it should prove a pleasure to them, concluding by congratulating the schoolmaster and mistress on the satisfactory manner in which the evening's entertainment had been carried outThe compromise in the affair of the Dunedin dock is likely to fall through, as the compensation demanded by Mr. Proudfoot amounts to somewhere about .£B,OOO. At a meeting of the Waste Lands Board held on Wednesday last, it was resolved that Run No. 17, in the Oamaru District, held by the Hon. Robert Campbell, should not again be leased for depasturing purposes, and that 9,000 acres from Run No. 28 should be reserved for sale. The proclamation of three new Hundreds was also resolved upon, viz., Warepa, Spylaw, and Waihemo, the whole containing 33,575 acres. A most successful concert, in aid of its library fund, was given by the Anglican Glee Club, on Wednesday evening last. The Club gives fair promise of carrying out ably its object, which is the cultivation of vocal and instrumental music. An important meeting in connection with the Local Option Bill was held in the Temperance Hall, Dunedin, on Wednesday evening last. As the matter is fully cousidered in our leading article, there is no need for us to remark farther on it.