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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 46, 14 March 1884, Page 15

Akd so those three American dynamiters have escaped to France, — let us hope they did not say & revoir in departing. Why, nevertheless, criminals should fly for refuge to the country where the police are the most sure and skilful in Europe, il is hard to say. — Why they are said to have done so no doubt someone or another could explain if it suited his purpose. The Moat Reverend Dr. Moran, accompanied by the Reverend Father Mackay, left Port Chalmers on Wednesday by the s.s. Rotomahana for Wellington, where his Lordship will take part in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of St. Patrick's College on Sunday. The Bishops of Wellington and Auckland will also be present. We learn that the true-hearted Irishmen of Christchurch have made arrangements to celebrate St. Patrick's day by holding a social gathering.— The movement originates as it is fitting with the local branch of the Irish National League, and we have no doubt but that they will carry it through with spirit and in a way highly creditable to their patriotism. The celebration of St. Patrick's day is a bond that binds Irishmen together all the world over, and yearly renews all that is beat in their memories of Fatherland — associating these, moreover, with the faith that is still dearer to them and more ennobling. The national festival of Ireland keeps no record of victories -over other peoples, no one is humiliated while Ireland rejoices, nor does it even include the recollections of deliverance from oppression, that might bring the blush of shame to the cheek of those descended from the oppressors. None of these things are implied in it. — " 'Tis not these my memory hallows ; Friend it is a sacred cause — 'Tis the bringing to a people Christian light and love and laws. Gentle Patrick, the Apostle, Brought no flaring battle brand ; In his heart of peace the gospel. And a shamrock in his hand." —It is thus the celebration of the day is explained in some verses we publish in another column (written by Mr. Patrick Sarsfield Cassidy, editor of the New York Democrat, and brother of the Eev. Father Cassidy of Napier), and Irishmen have cause to rejoice that the explanation so touchingly given is the true one. From the proper celebration of the day kept iv such a remembrance there is nothing but good to flow, and there may well be found in it the renewal of brotherly love, and all that ennobles human nature. We may confidently expect, then, to find that our friends at Christchurch, as elsewhere, have not failed to reap the harvest that the season places within their reach. The circumstances that made Mr. Reid, late Minister of Public Instruction for New South Wales, unpopular among Catholics, and to which we ryfer in our leader, were that, ir> July list, as we learned from oar contemporary, the Express, on the occurreuce of certain vacancies in the civil service, he issued an order that no one should be eligible for the appointments except those who should pass a competitive examination open only to boys who wera pupils' of a 4th or sth class in a Sydney or Suburban Public school-— thus closing the Government employment, so far as it lay in his power, against Oatholics. Afterwards, on theapplication of Dr. Lanigna, Bishop of

Goulbourne, to have his schools examined by the Government \ Inspectors a refusal was returned — with the threat added that, in case the'schools were used for treasonable purposes, the Government might, nevertheless, find it necessary to examine them. — A gross i injury, then, was followed up by a still grosser insult. Listen to this !— " Mr. John Redmond, M.P., has stated that any renewal by the Xand League of a policy of outrage,, will effectually alienate Australasian sympathy." This is about the" most egregious lie that the cable has yet transmitted to newspapers eager to propagate the like. Some people will, perhaps, choose to think that we refer to the alienation of Australasian sympathy only. But if they do — let them. We may reckon as a change for the better 'any departure fiom the dull, impassive attitude towards secularism that has so long prevailed. It is, therefore something to fin-i that in "Evangelical quarters an acknowledgment is made that Catholics have a right to insist upon the " necessity of a full and not a mutilated Christian education,' 1 The acknowledgment, nevertheless, seems hardl/ consistent with the solution suggested for the whole difficulty in a return to the old system of Bible-reading in the public schools — for this would simply imply that Catholics had a right to an unmutilated Protestant education, a denominational proposition than which nothing can be stronger. To pretend, moreover, that the Bible could be read in the schools without impressing upon them a denominational character is now more absurd than ever, for, not to speak of unrestricted Bible-reading's being a distinctive characteristic of the Protestant denominations, it is now necessary to choose the version of the Bible that shall be read, and in doing this denotninationalism must come fully into play. The new version, for example, is distinctly Socinian, and, if it were excluded, it would be to the prejudice of the sect in question, whereas, if it were selected that sect would find its peculiar tone in the entire schools. The choice of the particular version to be read, then, would involve no less a question than the divinity of Christ, and the schools must be Trinitarian or Unitarian according to the selection — in either case markedly denominational. An interesting instance of the Hon. John Bryce's method of conciliating the Natives is given by the Ohinemutu correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times. Mr, Bryce, it seems, is desirous that the Ngatiterorooterangi hapu should enjoy an unearned increment by giving land for a railway to be made from Auckland to Rotorua which would make the land retained by them more valuable. He is also anxious that they should allow somebody else to enjoy an increment more or less unearned by giving a grant of land to be sold by the railway company in the English market. The Natives, however, while they are willing to have the railway made, are anxious to partake in the profits of the land sold — permission to sell whicb, they consider, would be as much assistance as they could reasonably be expected to give in the matter. Mr. Bryce, meantime, is of a different opinion, and when a deputation of the leading chiefs waited on him the other day he bluntly informed them that had he known they had come with a proposal to sell the land, he would not have received them. He told them, moreover, that it was a preposterous action, concerning whose difficulties and dangers they could have no understanding whatever, and that that would be no kind of assistance to offer to a poor company in need of turning an honest penny. Mr. Bryce, says the correspondent, " jumped on his feet looking daggers" — but he evidently needs his white charger and a few rifles at Ms back to look anything to the purpose in the eyes of the Natives, for on this occasion they seem to have taken him very coolly, and their spokesman treated him to some very cutting sarcasm. " The offer made by the deputation," says the correspondent, "was a most desirable one, and which, all sensible men would have gladly aceppted, yet he refused to see it in the proper light. Such stubbornness and stupidity in a Minister of the Crown is indeed astonishing, and well may a late dignitary of the Native Lands Court" term him the ' beetle-browed brute Bryce 1 ." — An example of sweet alliteration, nevertheless, which can hardly be commended, or held up for universal imitation, It is very pleasing to be able to chronicle the success of St. Patrick's Brass Band, Dunedin. Notwithstanding the many obstacles to be overcome, the baud is making rapid progress, and now that the committee has had the good fortune to secure the services of Mr. D. Wishart as band-instructor, it only requires a little perseverance on the part of the members to make the undertaking a permanent institution in connection with the congregation. We see a concert will be given on St. Patrick's Day by the band, assisted by some lady and gentleman amateurs, and we anticipate a very pleaing programme. We need hardly remind our readers of the claims the band has to their patronage. The festival of the patron saint will be observed at St. Patrick's Church, South Dunetfin, on Monday next by the celebration of High Mass at 9.30., am. Masses will be celebrated as usual at St. Joseph's Chuicb, Dunedin, where also, on Wednesday, the Feast of the Patron f the Church will be observed as in preceding years.