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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 34, 21 December 1883, Page 9

The affair of Canon Bernard, who fled from Belgium with the funds of the Diocese of Tonrnai, and came to America, needs some explanation. Mgr. Dumont, Aicbbishbp of Tonrnai, showed insubordination to the Holy See, and was deposed. Mgr. Dv RdUsstaux was appointed in bis place, and recognized, by the Belgian Government. Mgr. Dumont then claimed before the civil tribunals the palace and its content^, and certain funds alleged to be his private property. He obtained an order to have the. Diocesan offices and safes sealed. He found them empty — the new Bishop having directed Canon Bernard, the treasurer of the Diocese, to remove the funds to a^ safe place. The Canon took them to America. After some negotiation with a Tepresentative of Bishop Dumont, Canon Bernard gave him a large sum, claimed as the late Bishop's private property. Canon Bernard was extradited at Havana. He was kept in prison a year, and has just now been jeleased on the ground that he was actiug in good faith, and that what h« did in America is outside the the jurisdiction «f the Belgian courts. Canon. Bernard, while in America, had transmitted to Bishop Da Rousseaux the money necessary for the needs of the-Dioctse. The Procureur dv Boi hBB appealed against the judgment of the couit which gave Canon Bernard his liberty . — London Tablet. Why Mr. Gladstone should say Italy has no bymns, is arousing some gentle comments ou th : great Premier's poetic knowledge' of our country. Several Roman hymns are t> be had all over the Christian world just now. Dr. Passulenti, Chaplain to the Italians in London, writes to us : " Mr. Gladstone has no occasion to point out that the Italians have no hymns ; I have just sent to him a book with one hundred and fifty hymns in it, a more extraordinary work of love than Germany and England can give. I have thousands more to send if I choose, but those sung by the children at the school, Onslow street, Furrington road, and at the church, 1 Breams-buildings, Ohanctry lane, by my congregation, will be enough to show the Prime Minister that the Italians are born poets, and have no such spiritual w&ntß.~-Italim, Times.