WINTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 397, 19 November 1880, Page 15

WINTON.

An event, which I am sure will be read with interest by the Catholics of New Zealand, took place in the above township on the 9th of November, viz., the laying of the foundation of one of those many edifices that are being reared at the present time to the greater glory of God.

Our worthy priest announced some time previously that his Lordship the Bishop was about to lay the foundation stone of our new church on the above date. Great, I must say, were the preparations which the poor Catholics of this place were making for the reception of his Lordship, and if anything was wanting in Riving his Lordship the necessary reception it was not the fault of the people here.

The committee, thinking the departure of the train from Invercargill too early, instructed their secretary to communicate with Mr. Arthur, District Trafic Manager, and request him to lay on a special train at a sui table hour, but this right was refused them, although offering the fall amount required for such a train. The Rev. T. Kehoe then hired a carriage, in which his Lordship drove to Winton, where he arrived about 11.30 a.m. Soon after his arrival he proceeded to the site on which the new church is to be erected, outside of which was constructed a beautiful arch, where he received the following address :—: — To the Most Rev. Dr. Moran, Bishop of Dunedin. My Lord, — We, the Catholics of this portion of your diocese, cordially welcome your Lordship to our midst, and embrace this opportunity of returning our sincere and heartfelt thanks for the many benefits bestowed upon us, through your Lordship, by our good God. We have reason to be thankful, my Lord, when by the nature of worldly circumstances we were compelled to leave our fatherland and seek homes for ourselves and our families in strange lands, to have settled down in a diocese presided over by one whose zealiusnesp, in our spiritual welfare and the cause of Christianity ia general is acknowledged, not only by the Catholic population, but by those who differ from us in religion. We assure your Lordship that, though many of u°. have been precluded from those consolations which our holy religion bestows upon those who are blessed with frequent visits from its ministers, we still firmly adhere to that undying faith transmitted to us from our forefathers, and for which they suffered so much, or as might be more appropriately expressed in the words of the poet : " Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son." We should be wanting in gratitude towards our benefactors were we to omit mentioning the names of those good priests whom your Lordship sent from time to time to administer those sacred rites of our holy Church, by which the Almighty God confers those graces necessary for a Christian life, particularly the Rev. Father Higgins, whose eloquence and superior judgment in spiritual comforts were the means of keeping many of us in the paths of virtue, and our present beloved and respected Father Kehoe, whose zeal in the work of Christ is instrumental in having holy religion so forward in this portion of your Lordship's diocese. The little church, the foundation stone of which your Lordship is about to lay, will supply a want long felt by the Catholics of this district ; and while assuring your Lordship that we are not overburthened with the good things of this earth, still, we shall persevere in the construction of our little church, and pledge ourselves to do the utmost in our power to have it free from debt when finished. Trusting that the almighty God will strengthen your Lordship -with those graces necessary for the performance of your sacred duties, and spare you long to administer them, and beseeching your Lordship's blessing, we subsciibe ourselves your Lordships most obedient servants, Thos. Ho ran, Hon. Sec. Wai. Buxlee, P. MCLOUGHLIN, 0. McLoUGHLIN, H. MVLHOLLAND, P. KERR. M. Hirhon, M. Butler, M. McCbae, — (Members of Committee). His Lordship said he would first proceed to lay the foundation stone, and would then reply to the address and say a few words to the people on this great work they were goiug to perform. His Lordship then proceeded to lay the foundation stone, and consecrate the ground on which the Church is to be erected, particularly that part where the altar is to be placed, and then addressed the people present. [The address was given in our last issue.] Subscriptions were then given. The following are the names of those who subscribed, with amount : — Bishop Moran, J£s ; Itcv. Father Kehoe, £3 35.; Rev. Father Higgins, £3 ; Wm. Butler, £2 ; T. Horau, £2 ; M. Heshon, .4:2 ; J. B. Ford, £5 ; A. Ross, £2 ; M. M'Rae. £1 ; Mr. P. Kerr, £1 ; J. Kilpatrick, £3 ; Mr. M. Martin, 10s.; J. M'Loughlin, £1 ; Mr. T. Cosgrove, £1 ; P. Flanagan, £1 ; P. Ryan, 55.; A. Mulholland, 10s.; P. Carroll, 55.; Mr. Jenkins, 55.; E. Neil, 55.; — Reilly, 75.; M. Small, 55.; 55.; D.Jenkins, 10s.; — M'Xamara, 10s.; D. Jenkins, iss. ; M. Hegarty. 55.; Child (Hishon), 25.; Mrs. Hodgkinson, 75.; Child, 2s. Gd.; Mrs. Carroll, 25.; J. Connor. 55.; M. DoDoghuc, 35.; J. Deegati, 10s.; Mr. Hughes, £1 ; Mr. P. M'Loughlin, 10s.; J. Shand, £1.; Wm. Taylor, £1. His Lordship and Fathers Higgins and Kehoe, and F. W. B unveil, Esq., architect, returned to the Railway Hotel to partake of luncheon, provided for them by the committee.

A wedding which was to have taken place at Cannon-slreet Baptist (Jbapel, Accrington, was interfered with in a rather singular manner. The intended bride was Miss Emma, daughter of Mr. Alderman Entwistle, of Milnshaw House, Accrington, and she was to be married to Mr. J. B. Bardslcy, of the same town. The party, with a large number of sight-eers," assembled at the chapel, and the officiating minister, the Rev. C. Williams, was about to commence the ceremony when it was discovered that the required notice had not expired. The party, therefore, had to return home, but thirty or forty guests sat down to the " wedding breakfast."