NELSON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 260, 26 April 1878, Page 9

NELSON.

Vibitobs to Nelson, who attend the Catholic Church, are greatly astonished to observe that quite one-third of the seats arc reserved till the bell rings for service, when they are still more astonished to see the procession of convent children who march in and are literally packed into these seats, and are followed by 14 (fourteen) Sisters of the Order of Sisters of the Mission, whose convent adjoins the church property, and the extent of their buildings and grounds is the admiration of all visitors. The buildings stand on about six acres of land, most of it enclosed by a seven feet high, close-boarded fence. You enter at a small lodge, containing two parlours and a room for the portress. Once inside you have before you two large buildings used as common schools and dormitories. These schools are crowded with day scholars, and are attended to by four Sisters, with several assistants. At the present they receive Government aid, which will, I believe, be discontinued in June. Passing by these schools you come to the High School, which was. formerly a gentleman's residenceit is fitted up with every comfort — reception rooms, bathrooms, study and bed rooms. Tn this building the young ladies, both boarders and day scholars, receive an excellent education, including Latin, French, German, Italian, music, painting, drawing, and fancy work of every description. This part of the establishment is presided over by three Sisters. There is also a select school, which is, in fact, a junior branch of the High School, and presided over by two of the Sisters. Leaving this building and passing through "the grounds, which are tastefully laid out, including orchards and vinerys^you pass by a little oratory of the B. Virgin, at the end of a long walk, arched over with vines, and arrive at the infant school, attended to by two Novices. The building is quite inadequate for the accommodation of the number of applicants ; and beyond this again is the Catholic Female Orphanage, where .some few Government and several other orphans are boarded and lodged, a good many entirely at the expense of the good Sisters. A stranger is quite surprised at the extent of the grounds and number of buildings, but he would be still more so if he was a witness of the self-denying spirit which actuates these good Nuns in keeping the most inconvenient building for themselves, whore they- have scarcely room to move. They have a pretty little chapel (private) in their own building ; but, it being too small, they expect to build one shortly in the Gothic style. They also intend to add another wing to tho High School, so as to give them a finer school room, with additional class rooms anil dormitories. I have written this short account to you that your readers, who may visit Nelson, may not forget to call at the Convent, for it will repay the trouble by the pleasnre it gives in seeing the progress of Catholicity. — ViATon.