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New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 430, 8 July 1881, Page 13

The collectors for the Cathedral Building Fund held a meeting on Tuesday evening last in one of the halls of the Christian Brothers* schools. The Rev. Father Walsh, Administrator, was present, and spoke on the importance of the work in which they were engaged. He congratulated them, and with good reason, upon their zealous and successful efforts during the past twelve months. Much yet, he said, had to be done before they could expect to reap the fruits of their labours, and he took occasion to remind them of what he considered to be only the natural outcome of gratitude for the past, and respect for the absent, that they should, if possible, redouble their efforts in a cause which they all knew to be so dear to the heart of their much loved and venerable bishop, now away in Europe. All the collectors were loud in their praises of the cheerful and generous manner in which the contributions were given by the subscribers. They had no doubt but there were many persons besides those already on the lists who would become subscribers if only asked. At the request of the collectors, we believe the Rev. Father Walsh intends, as soon as pos* iible, to call on those members of the congregation who are not subscribers at present with a view of inviting them to join in the grand and noble woik of building God's house. It is to be hoped that all without exception, for all are interested, will cheerfully accede to the rev. gentleman's request. Thn following are the gentlemen who bare kindly undertaken to collect : — Rev. Wm, Newport, Messrs. P. Fitzpatrick, D. McGirr, C. McAllister, W. Hall, Edward Carroll, D. W. Woods, R. A. Dunne. T. B. Conway, J. Daly, J. Brennan, J. Griffin, N. Smith, M. Connellan, John Gollar, Wm. Cunningham, John Murray, John Dillon. An entertainment to be given by the Catholic Societies of the city will take place on ntx\. Wednesday evening, the 13th instant,

under the patronage of the Rer. Father Walsh, Administrator of the Diocese. It will be given in the Temperance Hall. The first portion of the evening's programme will consist of vocal and instrumental music, for which the following ladies and gentlemen Lave kindly tendered their assistance : — Mrs. Angus, Miss Hill, Miss Carroll ; Messrs. A. H. Norman, T. Deehan, J. C. Norman, A. Corrigan ; the pupils of St. Joseph's Schools, and pupils of the Christian Biotheis' Schools. The second part will include scenes from Ist and 4th acts of " The Merchant of Venice," and for which the Christian Brothers' pupils, who will represent all the characters, have received great praise from the Dunedin Press. The entertainment will conclude with " Bob Sawyer's Dinner Party," an adaptation from Charles Dickens' " Pickwick," in which the characters will be taken by some of our Catholic young men. As there will be a late train to Port Chalmers on that evening, we expect to see a large number of people from there. We have no doubt that the entertainment will be an enjoyable one, and the fact that the committee have made the admission to all parts of the hall one shilling only should ensure a large attendance. The following extract from the Dumfriesshire and Gallon-ay Herald, April 26th, 1881, will interest our readers. It relates to the college of the Marist Brothers in Dumfries :—": — " We notice with pleasure that at the recent Medical Preliminary Examination in the University, Edinburgh, Mr. L. G. Wynn, student of St. Joseph's College, gained the following highly creditable notes in the different subjects of the examination : — English (including history and geography), pass ; French, pass ; Latin, pass with credit ; Mathematics, pass with credit ; Mechanics, pass with credit ; Natural Philsophy, pass with credit ; Arithmetic, pass with distinction." Letters received in Dunedin by the San Francisco mail from His Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese, report the Bishop to have arrived in America in good health after an agreeable voyage. His Lordship was on the eve of leaving for New York. The troubles between the French and the Arabs of Tunis have broken out afresh. There is some likelihood of a holy war being proclaimed by the Mahommedans, and French ships of war are bombarding the port of Sfax. The House of Lords already manifests a disposition to oppose the passage of the Irish Land Bill in their chamber. The Duke of Argyle has made a hot attack upon the report of the Land Commismission. How far the country will submit to the impediment of the anachronistic and anomalous House remains to be seen. We are glad to learn that the Catholic schools at Onebunga still maintain their high standing place. The annual examination, held as usual this year, under the presidoncy of the Very Rev. Father Fynes, V.G., Bhowed the admirable nature of the education imparted there. The untiring supervision of the Rev. Father Paul is well rewarded in the effects made evident of the labours of tbe good Sisters of Mercy, and of those of the teacher of the boys' school, Mr. Honan. The President of the United States has been shot by a man named Gintean, and who is said to have been for some time insane. The bullet passed through the Presidents liver and lodged in the abdomen where so far it remains. Although some unfavourable symptoms have been reported of, the safferer appears not unlikely to recover. We had heard previously that he was a man of an unusually sound constitution. The Rev. Father Chervier announces that the Church of the Reparation at Lincoln is not yet free from debt. He will gladly receive contributions from all those who are desirous of aiding, co far as it is possible for them, in the good work of clearing the sacred building trorn the burden still connected with it. WE shall publish in our next issue the list of the Dunedin subscriptions in aid of the Irish National Land League. There are a few lists not yet sent in, but which we hope to receive in time so that we may publish all together. IN Victoria Mr. Berry's proposal for a dissolution having been refused by the Governor, the Ministry have resigned. The formation of a new cabinet has been entrusted to Sir Bryan O'Loghlen. The Financial Statement was made by the Hon. Major Atkinson, Colonial Treasurer, on Tuesday evening. The revenue of the year amounted to £3,123,961, or 114,039 less than the estimate. The Bail ways fell short of the estimate by £111,377 ; the Telegraphs by £12,662 ; and the Property Tax by £80,283. On the other hand the land sales produced a balance of £32,373 over the estimated revenue. The net public debt of the colony is £28,040,170, the annual charges on which are about £1,543,000. The sum available for new services in the public works department is only £274,861, but should a certain line of policy in relation to land purchases be carried out, the sum may be increased to £1,072,576. The estimated revenue for next year is £3,297,650, against an expenditure of £3,276,198, which will leave a surplus of £21,452.