WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VIII, Issue 416, 1 April 1881, Page 16

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) Mvech 28, 1881. Last Monday evening a meeting was held in the Brothers' Schools, Boulcott street, for the purpose of making arrangements to receive the Bishop on his return. There was a large attendance. The Hon. Dr. Grace presided, and, after some desultory suggestions and questions, it -was resolved, on the motion of Rev. Father Kerrigan, seconded "by Mr. Eedmond, to present His Lordship with an. address and testimonial, and that a committee to collect subscriptions he formed consisting of Messrs. Shendon, O'Brien, Redmond, A. McDonald, O'Meara, Dunne, Mahoney, R. Duignan, J. Madden, M. Bohan, E. McDonald, Davis, Scanlon, W. Healey, Dooley, A. Burns and F. T. O'Neill. It was decided to receive the Bishop in the Cathedral, and there, in the presence and on behalf of the parishoners, present tie testimonial. On the motion of Eev. F. McNamara, seconded by Mr. Sheridan, it was resolved that Hon. W. W. Johnston be treasurer of the testimonial and reception fond. Mr. Sheridan proposed, and Mr. Coogan seconded and it was resolved, that Messrs. Hon. W. W. Johnston, Hon. Dr. Grace, A. McDonald, Cimino, B. McDonald and Putnam be deputation to receive Dr. Bed wood on arrival and conduct him to the Cathedral. The following gentlemen were appointed a committee to draft an address :— Hon. W. W. Johnston, Hon. Dr. Grace, Messrs. E. McDonald and O'Meara. Subscription lists were then opened and over £80 subscribed in the room. Mr. Sheridan, who was hon. sec. of the meeting, is also secretary to the various committees. A fifteen days' mission was commenced here yesterday, at eleven o'clock Mass, by the Rev. Father Lemcnant Des Chesnais. The Cathedral, which was full at Mass, was crowded at Vespers, numbers of people having to stand all the time, nearly two hours and a half. The long-continued drought has nearly deprived us of drinking water. There are now but some one or two and twenty feet in the reservoir, where this time twelvemonths there was a depth of fortynine feet. Such water as we have, too, is discoloured and uninviting to both sight and taste and positively dangerous to drink unless well filtered or boiled. Unless we have rain soon we shall be very badly off. Already the supply has been cut off from lifts, stables, &c. The Corporation have at length agreed to sell the Queen's Wharf to the Harbour Board for £64,000. As it cost hat £39,000, they are realising a fair profit. The Asylum inquiry is concluded. The revelations were most extraordinary, and widened the interest in the case from Wellington to the whole colony.