CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 14, 27 July 1888, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From cur own Correspondent.)

The contest for the Ashley seat promises to be a very unexciti*g event. Mr. John Ollivier, whom mo&t persons regarded as sure to be returned, lias ingloriously retired af.er delivering one addres* to the electors of Ashley. « Various reasons ate assigned for Mr. Ollivier's somewhat strange proceeding, but probably the reil one is that ho prefers to hold himself back for a city electorate. It is pretty generally cansiderei now that Lhiistchurch North will be open for a scramble in the course of % couple of months. Upon the withdrawal of Mr. Ollivier, Mr Alfred launders has come to the front. This gentleman, who has from time to time been rejected by half the constituencies of Canterbury, is renowned for his bigotry, for his lack of ability, and for his consuming and unavailing desire to add M.H.R. after his name. His colttical views, shoitly summed up, consist mainly in a fine old true blue hatred to Catholics and a firm determinaticn to give effect to these views snou ld he ever get the "opportunity. Tbat chance Ido nut think be will get by being elected for A3h!ey. His candidature I is likely to iesultm adding one more to his already long list of well deserved defeats. Mr. Maimadukc Dixoii. who does not ap .ear to possess any paiticular claim to the confidence of the Ashley people beyond thatuf b?ing a local m-.ii will probably be the future member. It mu^t be confessed that there i* a great deal of apathy displayed by leading men in all parts of th~ Colony in regard to political matters. In recent yeaia elections only bring out a very inierior lot of men. Political life appeals to have entirely lost its attraction for the best class of colonists. Hence it is, I suppose, that we are so poorly represented. It is alwajs an open question whether it would not be really more to the interest ot a new country to pay members a sufiicient sum to make it worth the while of able men to devote their time to the affairs ot the country. As it is, the whole management of the Colony is in the hands ot ,1 uuinbcr of political quacks, who know about as much of politics as a science as an Australian black does of the principles of sociology. The visit of the Native footballers has been the event of the week in athletic cire'ei. The fine stalwart appearance of the Maoris and half-castes has been much admired, The Christchurch team feel considerably humiliated at their defeat on Saturday. It is said that the Natives om their victory to the f.ict that muscle triumphed over science. Judging by the somewhat vigorous play indulged in by the Maoiis m Lancaster Park on Saturday, it must be confessed that their play has not, that •' repose" which stamps the caste of the hcicntiJic fo nballpr. They aro undeniably stroag, aod arc determinedly bent upon winning. Southern athletes will have to prepare for hard work 1L they nv-au to maintain the supremacy of white crrwt black between the goals. Father Ginaty, bettei than aay man "mail Denmark," understands the art of inducing, the public to part with their money. The " Mikado " is being actively rehearsed under the managemert of Mr. Towsey for the benefit of the Magdalen Asylum. The rehearsals are taid to be most successful. The principals are perfect in their parts, the chorus ia stroag a-id efficient, and the dresses are to be on a scale of great magnificence. Tne performances of the opera are to be given at the beginning of August when it is to bu hoped that the efforts of ihuse who are so generously giving their services for this most deserving of all char.ti"^ will bu i'c:wa.:ded with a guidon shower upon Mount Magdala. It has, 1 buheve, bce:j detimtcly arranyjd that the often-post-poned bazaar ia aid of the convent will really take place at the beginning of November: that is immediately tne fuana street hall becomes available upon the expiraiioj of ihe Sinking Company's lease. When the Nun's bazaar is over it will be necessary to initiate some movement for the purpose of giving the Brothers better house and school accommodation than they have at present,

As regards church accommodati m also we are very badly off The Barbadues street chuich is inich too small for present requirements besides being si uated in a very out-of tbe-way place. When it was built the old proverb in regaid to placing the church in the middle of the paiish was completely ignored. The city is laid out as a square, and instead of the church being in a central or prominent position it is in one coiner, at the junction of the East and West Belts. Ttm ii obviously a most inconvenient position. The old building would do very well as a secondary church, or for a school, but it is altogether unworthy of being the Cathedral church in a large pirish like Ohristchurch. A new church is an absolute necessity, &ud it is to be hoped that when a new one is built that it will not be erected upon the otd obscure site. One such mistake U quite enough in the history of a parish. J I mentioned in my last letter that we rarely have lectures, or entertainments of a gimilar intellectual kind, of au Irish or Catholic character in Chris'church. I believe tnere is to be a change in this respect. I have been told that Mr. Nolan, whose eloquence and patriotism I have frequently mentioned, in preparing a lecture upon Ireland at the time of the Uuion aad since." xYIr. Nolan has promised to deliver this lecture before the Catholic Literary Society at an early date. Mr. Nolan's knowledge of Irish matters, and the enthusiasm which he will bring to bear upon his subject are guarantees that he will give the Society a literary and bistoncal treat. Mr. Robert Loughnan, the well-known genial and able journalist, also promises to deliver a lecture upon an interesting subject immediately after the close of the Parliamentary session. This is certainly a start in the right direction, and gives promise of better thiuga in the future than we have had in the past. The Magdalen Asylum was opened on Sunday under the most auspicious circumstances. The day was gloriously fine, and before two o'clock an immense crowd of people thronged the lawn before ths Asylum, at the southern end of which was a long line of vehicles of every description. The appearance of the Lincoln road from town to the Asylum recalled reminiscenced of Cup or Derby Day. Numbers of pedestrians lined the footpaths, and the centre of the road was occupied with traps, drags, and horses. Shortly after two o'clock Dr. Grimes, accompanied by Fathers Ginaty.Kickham, Haibwachs, and Brehen, arrived at the Asylum. Immediately after a procession was formed, consisting of the clerical party, the nuns of the Good Shepherd, the penitents, and the people, and the ceremony of blessing the institution was proceeded with. This beirjg concluded, the Bishop addressed the assemblage from a platform which was erected at the back of the building. He took for his text the command laid by the Apostle upon the whole human race, that they should love one another. His Lordship preached an earnest, impresBive, and eloquent sermon upon the beauty of fraternal charity. He dwelt at length upon the absolute heroism of the nuns of the Good Shepherd, those noble-minded ladies who have abandoned home and friends in order to devote their lives to the reclamation of the most degraded of their sex. Nowhere, he held, outside the Catholic Cburcb, were such splendid examples of obedience to the apostolic command to be found, a3 these which were afforded by the lives and labours of the Nuns ot the Good Shepuerd. Dr. Grimes warmly eulogised Father Ginaty for having established such an institution, and concluded by urging upon all those present to give practical evidence of their sympathy, with the work tiiat was carried on within the walls, henceforward the sacred walls, of Mount Magdala Magdalen Asylum. Father Ginaty, whose appearance was tbe3ignal for considerable applause, made a neat and witty speech. He thanked the contractors and any one who had in any way assisted him in his great woik. He was especially eulogistic in regaid to the Press of the Colony. In every part of New Zealand, he stated, in which ne had travelled, the Press had given him most valuable assistance. He had received, in fact, from every one the ruo-t cordial approval of the work in which he was engaged. The large cheques of the wealthy and the humbler donations of the poor were always given to the Mount Mugdala Asylum, accompauied by the most hearty expiesfeiou of good-will and earnest prayers for success to the institution. Father Ginaty interspers-ed his address with a great many humorous asidts and bints to get out their purses. He succeeded in putting the crowd id a good temper and the collectors weat among the:n with very happy results. After Benediction in the Convent chapel the doors of the asylum ■were thrown open to the people, who at once, took advantage of the privilege afforded them, and proceeded to inspect the building. Expressions of satisfaction wtre beard upon all sides at the internal arrangements of the institution. As I have betore described the asylum in the Tabl 1 t it is unnecessary to do so now. Towards five o'clock the majority of the people took their departure for town, and no doubt left Mount Magdala very much amazed at the change which hid been wrought in the poor despised outcasts in converting them trom a life of crime and degradation to one ef peace and respectability. The appearance of the penitents on Sunday, as they passed round in the procession, clad in decent garments, aud hinging the Litany of the Blessed Virgin wa9 such as must have fjone far to convince the utilitarians, that the ruiormatiou ot the most hardened jbuman being is not an impossibility, In the evening after Vespers, Father Cummings preached a Bermon .appropriate to the occasion, upon the parable of the Good Shepheid seeking the cheep which had strayed from His fold. Ho drew a .powerful picture 'of the young girl kd away irom her early home, and betrajed by the falseness and ciuelty of man whom God had created to bo her guide aad her iprotector. He depicted the apony of the poor, let, sinful girl, as with all her earthly hopes blighted she'stood in the world alone. Sue coul 1 not go back to the old home of her innocent girlhood, the gulf ot sin yearned widely.between her and it. She dared not atUmpt to cioss that gulf. She knew if Bbc did that bhe would only do so to be scorned and rejected, and thrust forth again upon the world by the friends who once loved her, but with whom she could never more ■claim kindred. What remained for her then? Her only resource

was to sink, deeper ami deeper Into sin, or to cud her life in the dark, de p, silent river. She was abandoned by all. No, not by all. One friend remained to her. The loving shepherd sought her, and called her now in order to gather her once more into the fold. It was to save such poor sinners, and to give a chance of leading a better life, to rai-e them from sin, and despair, and moral death, be said, that the institution which had been opened th.tt day existed. He uiged upon every man present who wished to help to repair the wrong inflicted by the stronger portion of the human race upon the weaker, to assist the work carried on at Mount Magdala. Every woman who grievsd over the fall of members of her sex should also aid in this work. Some people might say that such an institution was premature. It was not premature. Beneath the golden crust of society there was corruption which threatened to decimate the human race. He instanced the immorality in cities like Sydney, and stated that he was shocked to find in a yonDg colony like this such a state of affairs as that indicated by a petition preseuted to Parliament a short time ago for the prevention of juvenile crime. At the conclusion of the ssrmcMi a collection was made in aid of the funds. Altogether the subscriptions for the day amounted to thref hundred pounds in cash, and a considerable sum in promises. Mr. O'Mally, of Darfield, generously gave fifty pounds towards the Asylum. The Bishop, after Benediction, in a few well-chosen, earnest words, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the congregation for having sc nobly seconded the efforts of Father Ginaiy ia forwarding this great work.