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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 16, 7 August 1885, Page 16

A beception and profession of lay-sisters took place at th c Dominican Convent, Dunedin, on Tuesday, the Feast of St. Dominic. The ceremony, which was quite private, was performed in the temporary chapel of the convent, his Lordship the Bishop, assisted by the Bey. Father Purton, 0.5.8., officiating. The religious professed was the Sister Mary Martha (Miss Teresa King). Those received were the Misses Mary Anne King (in religion, Sister Mary Jane of Asa), and Bridget Diamond (in religion, Sister Mary Bridget). A full rehearsal was given on Saturday at the Dominican Convent, Dunedin, of |the music to be performed this evening at the concert in aid of the Cathedral Building Fund. We are, therefore, able to say that a very brilliant performance may be confidently expected. The pupils of the Convent School are thoroughly finished in their various parts, and the music whether vocal or instrumental to be rendered by them has been most tastefully selected. Mr. Leech's band, too, has made very creditable progress and reinforced as it is by several new and efficient members, its powers are exceptional. We would particularly recommend those who intend to be present at the concert to come in time for the first item on the programme, the anthem « All Hail Zealandia." The music, composed by Mr. Leech, is very fine, and strikingly original. Everyone should hear it. The current number of the Illustrated New Zealand Herald contains a melancholy picture of a Masonic " Lodge of Sorrow." It has also some very pretty view 8 of New Zealand sceneiy, and other interesting illustrations. The Saturday Review, of June 13, in an article beaded " The Conservatives and the Irish Difficulty," gives us the following soggestive passage :— " As regards the particular question of renewing the Crimes Act, it is, of course, true that a Conservative Government would not be technically or even morally bound by Lord Spencer's view of the situation. It would be their right, and indeed their duty to examine it for themselves, and to form, only after such examination held, their definite decision as to the course to be adopted. But Lord Spencer's own judgment on the situation could not fail to exert an almost irresistible influence upon their determination, the more especially as it is certainly founded on the reports and opinion of permanent officials, who will, of course, press the same considerations upon the new Viceroy and Chief Secretary as they did upon Lord Spencer and Mr. Campbell-Bannerman." The pre 8 8ure of the permanent officials on their superiors, then, is that by which Ireland is in truth governed. And from this it follows that Ireland is governed in accordance, not with the interests of the British Empire but with those of such men as, for example, Cornwall, French and Bolton. The publication of this fact alone should be sufficient to show that, even for the sake of. England herself, it is absolutely necessary that Dublin Castle should be done away with, and its very foundations passed under the ploughshare. The Saturday Beview has acknowledged a system of infamy that cries to Heaven for vengeance. A Ltjrgan paper records the death of Mrs. Arthur Donnelly, a lady much respected in the town and neighbourhood in question Her funeral was largely attended, and our contemporary mentions" as a proof of how popular the deceased bad been,' that the offertory made for Masses for the repose of her soul-a custom observed in the pansh-ampunted to £58 10s. The deceased lady was a relative of Mr. John Murray, of Dnnedin. The result of the motion for the appointment of the East and West Coast Railway Committee must be looked upon as most

disastrous. Not only has a work certain to promote the best interests of the whole Colony been indefinitely deferred, but just and reasonable cause of discontent has been given to several of the most important districts ia the country. There is no district now that will be justified in looking to the Assembly at -Wellington for the unbiassed promotion of its welfare, and the Colony generally may very well doubt the foresight and wisdom of its legislature. The question of the Afghan frontier still seems to continue rather threatening. It is ominous that M. de Giers, whose influence it is well known made for peace, has been given leave of absence, and intends to leave Russia for a time. By wjiich-we may probably understand that the Czar has tired of his more peaceful counsellors. ™. M ?'« M ' J# BNNIS has been a PP° infc ed organiatof St. Joseph's Church, Dunedin. r / corbespomdent of the Lyttelton, Tinuts, referring to a leader on the difficulty of providing for our boys published a day or two ago by our contemporary, speaks of the education system as giving a distaste for labour. « I am convinced, besides," he writes, « that by our specious system of education we ara imparting to our childreh an utter distaste for such employments. This is evidenced ia the fact that they are flocking in ever-increasing numbers from the country into our towns, instead of in the contrary direction. Even their very parents are in league to encourage this tendency, and that for educational reasons. They say, « Our Joe is too grand a scholar to take kindly to the plough, and we must try to make a gentleman of | him. 1 And so the fond parent brings all his influence to bear upon the merchant or tradesman with whom he deals to get him to receive Jce into his more genteel employment. This is, no doubt, a grave mistake on the part of Joe's father, but then it is done with so much simplicity, and with so pious an intention, that I cannot find it in my heart to reproach him for it." We find a more important statement of a similar kind made by the Minister for Lands at Sydney 11 We may go too far in our elementary system of education." He says « In ten years time we will have a tremendoas orop of drones in this country. The daughters of tradesmen will not now think of marking a man unless he will be able to keep them in an independent position, and young men will not care to till the soil. These young people do not care to begin where their parents left off. We have these caildren trying to pass the Civil Service Examinations vra have them trying to get into the public offices ; and unquestionably the country will become glutted by a lot of people who will be wholly unfit to take their part in the duties of life." Our contemporary the Sydney Freeman's Journal to whom we owe this extract points out that it will be finally necessary to supply the labour market from the Mongolian element, and that, in this way, the taint so much dreaded in these colonies and against which precautions have been taken -will be introduced and spread by the godless system. But we do not frequently see that even in this world impiety may meet with its reward ?