Untitled

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 14, 27 July 1888, Page 18

* J^^™* 88 ™ 00 *^"^^ the interests of theart-union to be held in aid of the Dominican convent building fund, Dunedin Th« prize-list for this undertakes is one of the best and most attruc-' Uvethatwe have seen issued, and contains a large number of very beautiful works of art.-Among the principal is a picture of St. Patrick, worked by one of the nuns, and which, with its fine gilt frame, is valued at £60. The sum of £50 will actually be paid to any one who wins it, and desires to dispose of it on the spotSeveral pictures in oils and water-colours are also remarkably fine and with numerous other prizes of various kinds, make up a collec' turn not often to be equalled. The nuns request us to acknowledge the . receipt of blocks and remittances from Mra. Nesbitt, and Mr J . O Connell, Hampstead .

Thb Bbt. B. Ooffey of St. Mark's Anglican church, Wellington, as reported by the Post, complains that owing to the deterioration in morals among the young people, he has been oblige i to suspend a pariah society rather than bring children out at night to attend its edncatfs. And this occurs after some ten or eleven years of secular

JTwllamobb has crowned its reputation by the death of John MandeTille. It was while undergoing inprisonmeat there in the national came that he incurred the disease, from which his death is now reported: Mr. Balfour's policy, therefore, is justified by it 8 waits, and, so far as it has proved effective, the Secretary may be taken as a wise and enlightened Statesman. But, as for this victim of an infamous nndertaking, his name will go down to posterity among those of the multitude of noble men who have suffered death in the cause of their country, and a mote glorious record no man can oktam. It is a grim comment on the case that the g->ol doctor, under whose care the prisoner was, has committed suicide. It would be well, nevertheless, that a man should give proof of his repentance and remorse in some other way. But as for John Mandeville, whose name is now inscribed on the enduring monument of Ireland's martyred ions, we will honour his memory, and our prayers shall follow him hopefully into the presence of his God. May hi 9 soul rest in peace.

Thh cable reports as to Roman aff a irs are somewhat contrad ictory. We are told, for example, that Arcnbishop Walsh has issued a pastoral in which he assures the Irish people of the Pope's sympathy and •flection. But we are also told the Papal rescript has been read in the Irish churcheß, among the rest, rebuking the people for opposing the decision of the Pope. It will be safer for us, as usual, to reserve judgment nntil we receive trustworthy details, as we may be convinced everything will be done with a view to excite, if possible, a division between the Irish people and Rome.

The reported movement among the mayors of the Parisian municipalities—hardly, however, unless a very ' wonderful change has occurred, including that of the city itself, in favour of the monarchy, is one of the Btrangest that has occurred. But the whole mind of Franco seems strange and incomprehensible. In one way only, it appears to us, can it be accounted for. If the prophecy be accepted as true that in fidelity alone to her Catholic traditions could the country expect greatness or prosperity, it is easy to account for the ficklenest, confusion, and disquietude that are now the chief characteristics of the population.

Among the priests ordained by the moat Bey. Dr. Clery, Bishop of Kingston, Canada, at St. Patrick's College, Carlow, in June, w*s the Rev. Patrick O'Donnel, ordained for the diocese of Dunedin.— Father O'Donnel is expected to arrive in New Zealand next October.

What an exposure have we here of the reasonableness ofjjthose people who continue to cry out against the commission of crime in Ireland, as if it were exceptional in the United Kingdom, or evea in the world, and who find it an excuse for the continuation of oppresrion. In the evidence given before the select committee of the Houße of Lorda on the sweating system, a witness has declared that over one thousand children are murdered annually in London for the sake of the insurance on their lives. Let us not speak of Ireland, but in all the civilised world there is nothing like this. It can be compared only with what takes place in barbarous lands, among the Chinese, for example, where, however, the matter is rather less atrocious, as the object is to escape heavy expense, more than to make a positive gain. But how can a people having so great a sum of crime in its most abominable form, established systematically in the centre of their own civilization, dare to attack any other people because of their crime, particularly when it is much below the artrage, as in Ireland. Is it not evident that their doing so is a false and impudent attempt to Bustain an evil cauße ?

The blackguard Duke of Marlborough has been legally married in New York to a widow-woman possessed of a large fortune, his rightful wife, the divorced victim of his ruffianism, being still aliva The event has been considered of such importance that news of i has been posted up in the Houses of Parliament. After all we may accord 6Q,me degree of sympathy to the Revolution, which resulted m assigning in France to the classes to which the Duke of Marl borough belongs in Bogland, their proper place and stripping them of their Bpecial privilege of disgracing and degrading public lifeCurlyle's defiaition of the Revolution—" Truth clad in Hell-fire " is not, therefore, without some element of truth. But in old times men hid their shame, and when such marriages as this, recognised by the Protestant Church, occurred, they wore performed decently, and in private. To-day such oc3urrences are surrounded by open parade and pageantry, and people, otherwise respectable, even ladies of rank and distinction, countenance and take part in them.

Now that the victims of retrenchment (writes " Civis " in las* week's Witness), have had time to look their calamity squarely in the face and grow familiar with it, they begin to comfort themselves in the thought that it was inevitable. " You see, Maria," says Tite Barnacle, jun., moralising the situation to the partner of his joys and sorrows over their morning coffee and toast ; '« You see tbe country had to be saved somehow, and it couldn't be saved without that £60 from my screw. Bnloe et decomm cst, my dear, pr» patria mori, which is the Latin for « grin and bear it.' The tariff has gone np and our income has gone down, but what matter if only our sacred edaca tion system is safe I" There is irony, of course, in Barnacle's tone as he delivers himself of this public spirited sentiment ; his Mima notes the fact and understands it. She, poor little woman, is quite clear for her pnrt that she has no vocation for offering herself up as a martyr on the altar of the State,-but what is the good of quarrelling with the inevitable ? Perusing the bottom of her coffde cup to hide the moisture gathering in her eyes, Maria contents herself with inwardly wishing our eacred education system at the bottom of the sea. Barnacle in his heart of hearts, however he may make-believe, wishes it there too. Now, without exactly sharing these revolutionary' sentiments. I confess to a good deal of sympathy with them. How much does our sacred education system cost us ? Beckoning everything, perhaps about half a million a year, or, say, the interest on a twelve million loan. According to Sir Robert Scout and other professional friends of the people, the education vote is our glory • the bigness of the figures into which it runs is matter for exaltation.' For my own part I gravely doubt whether in return we get value for our money.

The production in Mr. O'Donnelfs libel action against the Times of letters asgerted by Mr. Parnell to ba forged, and no donbt truly so asserted, has given rise to a motion in Pirliatnent for the appointment of a commission to inquire into tbe matter. The plan of the Government, so far as we can make it out, seems to be to manage the commission, one of judges, in such a way as to protract the inquiry and to make capital by extendiug the evidence for the prosecution over a lengthened time, so that public opinion may be influenced adversely by it, and their own ends gained or furthered, before the caie for the defence comes on. This, as a matter of course, the Parnellites oppose. Mr. Parnell, however, is desirous of having a proper and fair inquiry carricj out, and is confident as to the results. But he has to deal with unscrupulous men, and must needs be extremely cautious.

The Times' Calcutta correspondent mentions m connection with a case of parricide, a crime very little known among the Hindoos, that complaints of the demoralising influence of a secular education are rife among the people in question. And yet we see this systemcondemned by the heathens themselves as demoralieing, enthusiastically upheld by people who pass for Christians.

It is announced that Mr. Parnell still courts inquiry— only stipulating for a non-political commission, and a reasonable limit of time. A Mr. Brett asserts that a certain ex-member of Parliament had offered, for £1,000, to furnish him with evidence inculpating Mr. Parnell in horrible outrages. Suspecting the genuineness of the evidence he refused. He now believes this forms the grounds of the forged letter, and the other publications of the Times on « Psrnellism and Crime." Very probably it. is so.

The members of tbe Dunedin Catholic Literary Society were glad to see the Rev. W. Burke in the chair at the last meeting. The buainesß consisted of a paper by Mr. J. Eager on " God's Acre " raadinga by Messrs. J. J. and B. Dunne, and tbe reading of part of " All's Well that Ends Well," by all the members of the Society. The Literary Society intends to give a concert at an early date, \n crder to raise sufficient funds to wipe off tbe baJance owing on the St. Leonard's church.

Thb Roman correspondent of the Liverpool Catholic Times, in writing of the Papal decree, says that no one is more dissatisfied with that document or with better reason than those who tried by fair means and foal to obtain it. He adds that it is hardly possible to Jdeecribe all these people hare done to deceive the authorities at Rome. " That Ireland," he says, " has not been placed under an interdtct, as the effect of their falsehoods, ought to be a clear indication to those malicious busy-bodies that the authorities here suspected them without any refutation of their tales." This is striking testimony as to the part taken by the London Tablet and the sanctimonious " doggery " of which it is the mouthpiece. The correspondent ia question also tells us that the conductors of the Tablet have received two admoni tions from Rome as to their method of conducting the paper. This, he repeats, is true, although they den., it. — But that is a matter of course. The so-called C .tholicwho parts with bis charity and humility has little regard for truth.

A PUBLIC meeting was held in Dunedin on Monday night, Mr. John Carroll in the chair, to advocate the construction of the Otago Central line by a syndicate. S r ttobert Stout, however, appeared upon the scene and marred the harmony of the situation by proposing an amendment to a contrary effect. Sir Robert, as usual, spoke in the interests of the men of tbe future, and with a view to make provision for a time when, evolution having progressed a further stage, and heredity being counteracted by something as yet unknown, a superior race, beloved beforehand by comparatively superior grandfathers, Bhall rejoice in the benefits arising from the nationalisation of the land. — What, nevertheless.seems requisite to less advanced mm ds is the immediate construction of the line, demanded both by the necessities of the people already settled in the districts concerned, and the interests of settlement and of the general welfare of the colony, Sir Robert was especially unhappy in his contemptuous references to some of our most respectable citizens, an 1 not over felicitous in his explanations as to that distinction without a difference — his support of the Midland railway as contrasted with his opposition to the Otago line. — We ourselves are thoroughly opposed to any monopoly of the land, and should deprecate anything approaching the abuse of land grants to syndicates, such, for example, as that which has occurred in America, but> as we have before remarked, there is no similarity between such cases and that of Central Otago. — It is evidently for the advantage of the country that this work should be undertaken without delay.

The latest items of especial interest, as bearing on the Irish cause, come to hand by the San Francisco mail as we go to Press, are as follows : — Captain Sinclair, a Glads, oni'e, has beateu the Tory candidate for Ayr, replacing a deceased Liberal Unionist. The rtsult of the election shows a gain by Mr. Gladstone in the constituency of 1238 votes. — The G >v-jrnment have been defeated in Parliament by a vote of censure on the administration of the Admiralty, carried by 113 to 91. The vote was moved by Mr. L.J.Jennings a Cjnservative Member, and suppjitjd by a combination of Gladstouites, Unionists, and 21 Tories, — A spicial raid has beeu made on the menibeiß of the League in Ireland, numbers of them being arrested on alleged secret information. — Mr. Parnell gave a dimer in London on June 13, in honour of his lately imprisaned colleagues. Mr. Dillon, who was present on the occasion, said that the Papal rescript was a fortunate tiling, showing as it did that while Irish Catholics were fa thf ul to their (Jhurch they wo.ild not take their politics from liome. — The Bibhop of Limeiick has issued a circular to his clergy commanding the enforce.nent of the Papal resciipt, and denouncing excommunication i-gaiust these who ret>ist. United Ireland threatens to have a pttuion sign<_d for presentation to the ecclesiastical authorities praying for the Bishop's removal from his See. — It is unanimously agreed that if an attempt be made to carry out the sentence ot bis. mouths" imprisonment on Mr. John Dillon, he can hardly survive it. His .state of heahh is visible to all who come in contact with him. He took an active pait iq ihu Ayr election.

The drawing of the Riverton Art-Union has been unavoidably postponed un ll .November 4. No doubt all those who are favourably disposed towards the undeitakicg will be glad of the opportunity thus given of advancing its inieitsts.

We have rece vt_d from the Secretary of the I.N.L. at Kumara the gum ot £66 lls 6 i for transmission to Dublin. \\ hile we congratulate the generous and patriotic poople or the diEtnc 1 ", however, we cannot agree with the Seoretaiy in reproaching, as he does in a letter published by us clsLwhoe, th.j people ot the West Coast generally fo r carekfisnesj in ihu matter. Our experience is that tbey have, on the contrary, been mofet constant and liberal in their conuibutions, and deserving of the higbest praise. Of tLeir own good will, moreover ye have no doubt ibey will continue their efforts until the cause is won. But the Secretary errs through praiseworthy motives that will ibe fully undeistood.

We have received another" brimstone "number of the Whitehall Revien',m whicti the aristocratic meanderings of the late egg-mercbant

are again replacad by a kind of vitriol inspired clucking on tbe part of the present more elevated editor, Bat Mr. Keith Angus had better beware. Let aim look to Tullamore, where scoundrelism has developed into suicide. He also may come to find that he has some remnants of a conscience and of a capability for remorse hidden away in tbe depths of his being, small and shallow as they are. Mr. Angus tells us, for example, he is tired of the " bog hut with the hole in the roof, and the pig playing with the potatoes." Perhaps his weariness arises in particular from early recollections of some Scotch bothy or London garret with its appropriate pastimes. Bat now by dint of " booing " Mr. Angus has risen a step above that, Long may he enjoy the favour he has earned so meritoriouily.