OPENING OF A CHURCH IN TARANAKI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 249, 8 February 1878, Page 15

OPENING OF A CHURCH IN TARANAKI.

{From a Correspondent.) After twelve years absence fi>om Taranaki I pay it a visit during my Christmas holidays and find that many improvements have taken place during my absence. I stroll round and learn that all this has taken place in a very short time, for it^was only within the last few years that the people seemed to have awakened and -joined in the inarch of progress. The good old fashioned style of not moving mieht have remained much longer in existence, but for the rude interrup tions of a few troublesome men with go-a-head ideas who were never easy unless, like John Brown's spirit, they were always "marching on. The town has been placed in telegraph communication with the rest of the colony, and a few miles of railway to a small villaee on the banks of the Waitara has been opened. A branch from this line runs up to a prosperous settlement called Inglewood, a town on the intended main trunk line to Wellington. I stopped at Inelewood * a few days and could not but observe that life in the bush promoted a buoyant feeling of good, robust, health and energy While stavine here I had the pleasure of being present at the opening of "a Roman Catholic chapel in this rising little township. Other "denominations had already erected neat little edifices, and the Catholics were only biding their time to follow suit. Their numbers having increased steps were at once taken by Mr. Stagpoole and others to collect subscriptions for the purpose, and now a neat little chapel stands as a monument of their unflagging zeal and energy. It is about f-0 xl 6 with 12 feet wall plates, lighted by six Gothic windows 6x2 and will comfortably seat about 100 persons. On the morning of the 14th mst., 50 persons arrived by train from New Plymouth to be present at the ceremony, including the choir of the New Plymouth Church At 11 o clock the chapel was duly opened, Father Pertuis of Patea' celebrated High Mass, assisted by Father Lampilla, of New Plymouth' The choir, under the able leadership of Mr. William Francis, sang Mozart s Seventh Mass very nicely and in good time, but there was not sufficient strength to do it real credit as I have heard it performed not only in a Cathedral city, but in New Plymouth itself some twelve years back when the choir was much stronger. The performance of Mr. Francis on the harmonium was really a display of masterly execution. At the close of the Mass, Father Pertuis delivered a short address suitable to the occasion. After a walk around the township we all met again in the recreation ground at 3 o'clock, where we partook of an excellent tea which had been provided for the occasion by Mr. John Stagpoole. The visitors returned to New Plymouth by evening train highly delighted with their trip. While on the subject of churches, I might refer to that of New Plymouth. Some thirteen years ago, when the troops were stationed here a piece of ground was obtained in the town and a building was erected (by voluntary subscription) to be temporarily used °as a church, till a sum ujiit f ani accumulated to permit of a lareer edifice being built. I see now that another building has been erected though I am sorry to say much architectural praise cannot be awarded to it, and the former building has been converted into what it was orieinally intended for, the residence of the priest. It must be borne in mind that the Catholics of New Plymouth clo not form a very wSlthy pa^t of the community, but they are of a liberal nature wherever their faith is concerned and are not without a school for the education of their children Few places in New Zealand compare with IWaki for rural beauty, pleasing repose of aspect, and all the requisites for the surroundings of an agricultural country, the only drawback against her future progress being the want of a harbour, which would" have been supplied long ago, had it not been for the blind opposition of a few old fashioned residents who have a great prejudice against anything new or the introduction into the place of new blood New Plymouth. ' T rr 24th January, 1878. * a '