CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 454, 23 December 1881, Page 11

CHRISTCHURCH.

HBBOIC CONDUCT.

CECELTY TO ANIMALS.

ANNIVBRSART DAT.

(From our own correspondent.) December 19, 1381. Fbidat last; was the anniversay of the foundation of Canterbury, and was as usual kept as a general holiday. The customary excursions took place, such as the picnics to Sumner, and a voyage to Akaroa in the Penguin, always a popular way of enjoying this holiday, aa not only is Akaroa itself an extremely pretty place, but on these occasions it always girds itself up for unusual exertions and gives its visitors the varied charms of the Regatta, the Flower Show, and the Industrial exhibition to add to the pleasures of their voyage. Nearly 600 passengers thus spent their holiday, but their enjoyment of the voyage back to Lyttelton was keenly marred by a most unfortunate accident which occurred immediately after the vessel left the Akaroa wharf. One of the crew fell overboard, and although a buoy was thrown quite close to him, and three men jumped after him, all efforts to save him were fruitless, and he went down in sight of all on board. I cannot iefrain from mentioning the fact that although a boat was lowered, the rom-locJts could not be found, and if this be the manner in which things are habitually managed oa board tho Union Company's boats, it is hardly reassuring for the very numerous passengers who daily trust their lives and safety to the tender mercies of the Company. The popular sports in Hagley Park were he greatest of all the many attractions, the glorious weather contributing to the great success of the arrangements. About 10,000 persons, it is estimated, were on the grounds. In the evening the Fire Brigade and torchlight procession took place, as also a grand display of fireworks. The sad case of drowning just mentioned is not the only one which has recently taken place. Another happened a week ago, which has caused general regret and sympathy. A young man named Campbell walked his horse into the river Heathcote, and by some mischance fell in. Unfortunately he could not swim — why will people risk themselves in rivers without having learnt this most necessary art ?—? — and a cabman named Kerr, who was on the bank, jumped in, hoping to save him, but being himself only a poor swimmer, he was overpowered by Campbell's struggles. Another spectator named Smith risked his own life in unavailing efforts to save one or both, and himself bad a very narrow escape. Campbell has left a motheT (a widow with three childien), whose bread-winner he was, while the noble and unselfish Kerr leaves a widow, I fear without moans. Efforts are being made to get up a substantial collection for these poor sufferers, and the fact that Mr John Ollivier has (with others) consented to receive subscriptions, is almost a guarantee that the proceeds will be satisfactory. It is also hoped that the no less heroic man Smith, will be rewarded by the gift of the Royal Humane Society's medal ; though, for my part, I should like to see also a substantial acknowledgment of bis heroism, which stands out in strong and splendid constrast to the case of the " Fifty Curs," who recently allowed a little girl four years of age, to drown in two feet of water iv the Serpentine, London ; a cold-blooded act of barbarity which has been justly held up to the public execration of almost all the English and colonial newspapers. I could not help being more than disappointed that my appeal on the subject of cruelty to auimals awakened no response whatever from any of your readers. Scarcely a week passes without some painful example appearing in the papers. A few days ago a man was fined £3, and costs, for having ridden and severely beaten a horse suffering from incurable disease in the fore feet, and writhing as if in great pain. The magistrate said the case did not seem so extremely bad as some he had seen, as the owner had only recently bought the horse, and had had a particular kind of shoe made with the view of relieving ita feet, but he ordered the poor beast to ba I destroyed. The owner admitted that he had only given 15s for it, I thus corroborating my statement of the disgraceful way in which people commonly sell their poor worn-out drudges for a nominal sum. Is it their thoughtlessness, or is it the frightful craving for money which meets us at all points ? Since this occurrence " A Lawyer " has written a long and able letter to one of your contemporaries on the necessity of exciting " public opinion in favour of greater consideration for animals, and for horses in particular, than now existß." He tells a story — which would be amusing were it not so painfully suggestive of the utter want of humanity which prevails ,' — of having seen a young local preacher one Sunday evening j cantering for a considerable distance on a very lame pony with both | hind shoes off, and the front ones next door to it, on a very hard I road. The " lawyer " ventured to hint these facts to the reverend , rider, who, however, seemed too indifferent, and in too great a hurry ,to trouble himself about so trifling a matter. This pious young man arrived at his chapel, hitched up the pony to a fence while he " engaged " in prayer, which he had not finished at the end of two hours and a half, when our humane friend got tired of waiting for him, and having mercifully relieved the little beast by watering him at a neighbouring trough, he took his departure. He, however, intends to do a little more " practical piety " for a few Sunday evenings by looking out for similar cases, which he will bring before the public, and he justly censures the common practice of tying up horses "in the broiling sun on a hot Sunday morning against tha sunny side of a fence ; tormented by flies ; some of the horses driven in from a distance, sweating in their harness ; some with sore backs and shoulders, but none with a drop of water near them." He continues with a strong protest against the cruelty caused by clumsy and careless driving, and urges all owners to see their horses shod ; and his concluding remark is in deprecatioa of the use of that " instrument of torture " the bearing-rein, which is not only entirely useless, but also dangerous, an opinion which has for a long time been adopted by the best authorities at home. Your readers will, I feel \ sure, sincerely wish that the kindly efforts of this very practical and.

THE CONVENT SCHOOLS

benevolent " lawyer " will be crowned with ibe success they merit, and I venture, with much respect, to commend the whole subject to the favourable consideration, and active co-operation, of the Catholic Literary Society. The result of the examinations just held in the Convent schools— the Select School, St. Mary's, St. Joseph's, and the Angel Guardians', have been in every way most satisfactory. The Eev. Father Ginaty distributed the handsome prizes, the list of which is really quite formidable, and one is struck with the number and variety of the subjects in which the pupils receive instruction. So many young ladies distinguished themselves by obtaining a very large number of prizes that I hope I shall not be thought to make an invidious distinction by mentioning that the gold medal for exemplary conduct was gained by Miss Ellen Holley, who also secured prizes in drawing, French, ana fancy work, and a special one for excellence in illuminating, ornamental writing, recitation, grammar, ancient and modern history, geography, mapping, use of the globes, composition, astronomy, and botany. Miss Holley deserves the greatest credit for the very great assiduity and perseverance she must have displayed to achieve such praiseworthy results, but were 1 in her place, I should be above all most proud of the reward for exemplary conduct, and such would I hope be the feeling of most Catholics, however ridiculous an old-fashioned sentiment of this kind would appear in the eyes of the pupils of the State Schools. Another young lady, Miss Crone, carried off no less than 13 prizes. In company with some ladies, 1 paid a visit to a large schoolroom which really piesentcd almost the appearance of a well arrauged bazaar, containing as it did a large collection of useful |and ornamental articles, the work -of tbe young ladies during the past year. The exercise books containing specimens of composition, analysis, book-keeping, &c, were really meritorious. There were also water-colour paintings, crayon and chalk drawings, maps, illuminations, and a wealth of needlework of all |kinds, from artistic crewel work to plain useful garments for tbe little ones, and my fair friends expressed much admiration ' for the beautiful specimen of crewel work which gained the' first prize, also for some pretty brackets, mantelpiece borders, macrame lace, and— above all — some magnificent point lace, which must have taken months of patient and skilful labour. .There was a nice useful knitted quilt, and I was informed that tbe plain needlework in all classes was most creditable— some pocket-hand-kerchiefs being exquisitely embroidered in satin-stitch, and that the Berlin work, some with beads, some without, was well executed ; in fact, that the whole of the exhibits in needlework were of a superior character. Just one specimen of useful work I did not see, and that was darning. Does anyone know the miseries of a badly mended sock, to which the familiar and timehonovired penance of peas in one's boots, must be the veriest trifle ? If EO) I am sure, I shall meet with sympathy and approval when I venture to express the hope that the Sisters will see their way another yeaT to offer a prize for excellence in this much needed accomplishment, or if they would accept on« at the hands of an outsider, I shall have very, great pleasure in thug testifying to a "fellow-feeling fora ' fellow-creature." In connection with this very useful if homely art, I am glad to learn that the Sisters propose to open in the new convent a room to be used as a laundry, where ironing is to b« taught to their pupils, and that possibly other much needed lessons, such as instruction in cookery, may follow all in good time. The latter portion of a recent letter was so hurriedly written that in mentioning the Catholic Book Depot, I now see that I omitted what ought to have been said as toits first starting. This was undoubtedly originated by the painful reflections suggested to him by the circulation of so many bad and infidel books, for which there then existed scarcely any antidote. These same bad and mischievous books have occupied a good many of my thoughts lately, from the fact that several times recently when I have had occasion to go to a certain shop in this city for the purpose of buying the Field the Australasian and other papers not always procurable in tbe principal shops, on returning home I have found that a list of the most immoral and infidel works has been slipped inside the nowspapers. It seems of little avail to keep the most scrupulous watch over the contents of our booksellers shops when such tactics are resorted to, and the curiosity of thoughtless young folks thus excited, nay, perhaps the ruin of many a soul effected. I could wish that the police nad the ample powers they possess in England where such proceedings would not be tolerated ; perhaps this power may be available here, but if bo, I cannot think that it is ever exercised. People are not at liberty to kill their bodies, or more correctly, I should say that if they attempt suicide and fail, they undergo gome punishment at the hands of the law, such also ia the case with would-be-murderers ; but as for murderers and suicides of the soul, who cares to punish them ? I have just read some very admirable remarks from the pen of a distinguished vriter, so pertinent to my present subject that I feel sure you will have pleasure in allowing me to add them. " A fire has blazed throughout Europe for more than half a century ; and it threatens to set the whole world in flames before long. This fire arises in the minds and hearts of men ; it spreads by words ; it communicates itself to whole nations ; it burns at the foundation of States, and at the roots of social order ; it undermines thrones and altars, changes the earth into one immense volcano, and seems destined to destroy the universe at last in one universal conflagration. Is it from hell that the first spaiks of thi.t flame have come forth ? Yes ; most certainly. It wset on fire by hell. Have wicked men served as instruments to the powers of daikness, to diffuse and extend its ravages 1 Yes; most certainly. Have the seditions and tbe corrupting discourses of these men, their furious and hnpiovs declamations been, as it were, the torches and brands with which tbf-y have set all around them on fire 1 Yes ; the mix • verse is a witness of tbe fact ; and they boast of it themselves ; it is their tongue has tet the whole world in a bl&2e. Lingvo, ignis eat. If they had nothing eke to produce such disastrous efitcts except the tongue and voice wbiph they have received from Nature, the mischief

which they might cause would be very circumscribed, and of necessity limited to the narrow circle of hearers by whom they might be surrounded ; they require another tongue which is far more powerful— a tongue which npver tires— another voice much louder than their own— a voice which may be heard at the same time in every place — another mouth besides their own, which may be ever open to circu'ate and vomit afar off the burning and ever-succeeding waves of their calumnies and their blasphemy. This indefatigable tongue is their pen ; this voice, which is everywhere heard, issues from their books ; this mouth which continually vomits forth the fiery torrent with which it cover* the whole earth, is the press, which at the present day is so prolific, so criminal, so formidable to Governments, to religion and morality. In plain language, bad books and their pernicious circulation are the fire which has come forth from the abyss- the fire which has caused such frightful devastation and wrapped the two hemispheres in one destructive blnze. Bad books multiplied almost to infinity— translated into every language—circulated with unlimited population throughout every country— filling every lib ary— findiDg their way into every human habitation, from the rich man's palace and philosopher's closet, to the labourer's cottage, the tradesman's workshop, and the poor man's hut — corrupting every age, every sex, every condition, every people ; this is the world of iniquity of which the Aoostle sp-.-aks, and which it is impossible to mistake, lingua univer&itas iniquitatis. Bad books breathing revolution and war against the God of Heaven, and against all the lawful powers of the carth — disturbing the Church, the Sate, the private circle, and every other society of men— exciting and inflaming every violent and vindictive passion— provoking discord and wars, and the revolutions of empires ; this is ihe unquiet evil which spreads universal agitation and terror, and no longer leaves any spot undisturbed throughout the world. Behold all the guilt which we see around us, and which we cannot too earnestly deplore — crimes the mo3t unprecedented and enormous, becoming ordinary events which no longer occasion the least surprise — the most hotrible catastrophes exhibited as daily spectacles to a cold curiosity which has now ceased to be excited by such atrocities— the eternal foundations of social order overturned— injustice converted into right— and licentiousness styled law — all that generations have revered as sacred for the last six thousand years consigned to ridicule and contempt — the most monstrous paradoxes of libertinism and infidelity converted into maxims and doctrines — morality abandoned, faith almost extinguished, and the ties of humanity itself forgotten ; these are the fruits of bad books— the new poisoned branch which has sprung from the tree of knowledge, and which, as it were, produced the fruit of a second original sin, has once more perverted and degraded the human race. Lingua maeulat totum corpus. How deeply seated this wound ! how poisoned 1" Considering the short existence of St. Leo's High School, together with other circumstances, the principal is to be cordially congratulated on the gratifying results of the late examination, which showed marked progress. No particulars have reached me, but I believe the same remark is substantially correct with reference to the examination of the boy's parish school. The children of Papanui and Halswell will be examined during the course of the present week. The parish priest yesterday announced that the Sacrament of Confirmation, which was to have been administered on the first Sunday in the new year, has been unavoidably postponed until the second Sunday, Bth January. 1 1 regret to hear that the subscriptions towards the new convent come in but slowly. Apart from the satisfaction which must be generally felt by those who have lately visited the noble building now rapidly approaching completion, one cannot but feel the importance of a work like this in a great and powerful centre Buch as Christ church, the influence of which work must as it were radiate far and wide, without in the least detracting from the value oi other and similar foundations, such as the oue at Timaru Undoubtedly the times are hard, and money far from abundant, still I feel sure it is only necessary to state that should the convent be unfit for occupation when the middle of February comes, the Sisters will suff-T serious loss by being unable to receive a number of additional boarders already promised ; and C.itholica will eagerly come forward to avert the possibility of so unfortunate an event. The bazaar, it is understood, is hardly likely to be held bef ire April. Gigantic preparation* are going on for a m^gni^cant picnic and regular parish outing on Boxing Day, to be held on the Bacecourse, which has been kindly lent by the Jockey Club. All is under the supervision of Fathar O'Donnell. I say a regular parish . outing, since not only the children, but the parents are invited, not only to grace the festivities by the charms of their presence, but also to have the comfort of easing their anxious hearts by ocular demonstration that their hearts" treasures comi» to no harm. Every one in the parish will hope that wind and weather will be propitious on the eventful day.

VARIETIES.

Messrs. Smith and Smith, Octagon, Dunedin, have lately enlarged and improved their premises, in order to keep pace with the constant increase in their business as painters, and paperbangers, and in all the other branches of the trade in question. Their establishment will be found to perform all commissions entrusted to it with the utmost satisfaction to its patrons. The Port Chalmers Restaurant, Mount street, Port Chalmers, has been opened by Mrs. Coffey ,who is a lady in every way ca!culat< d to conduct a hotel and boarding- house with respectability and comfort. The house is i conveuient one, and offers excellent accommod ii 1 jn. Mrs. Coffey, it will be remembered, is the widow of Sergeant Coffey, whose sudden death occuned some little time ago at the Bluff — partly, as it is believed, in consequence of services required ol him at a coroner's inquest. The lady in question, then, has a double claim to patronage, arising both from her own qualifications and the sympathy due to the family of a public officer, who to a certain extent must be regarded as having fallen a victim to his duties.

DEATH. McCarthy. — On Sunday, the 18th inst., at Meadow Bank North Eaut Valley, Patrick, third son of Phillip McCarthy, aged 15, R.I. P.