CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 30, 16 November 1888, Page 27

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From rur own Correspondent.) Jupiter Pluvius and the power which poets name "Old Boreas," took a terrible levenge upon holiday makers in Christchurch last week. Showers and east winds nearly took all the pleasure out of oi.r great cai nival time. On Cup day the morning was beautiful, bright and sunny, and at twelve o'clock thousands of people thronged the nilway station waiting to bo taken out to the racecourse. Carnage after carriage was added to etie long train and still people were unable to obtain beats. At last everyone was got on ooard, and the tiain, tie longest, some people said, which ever left tha Chiistchu'-cli station, crept on iS way and deposite 1 its giy, eager freight of human beings at the entiance to the Riccarton couisa. By various other means numbers ci people arrived at the same destination, some in traps, others in cab^, trams and busses. About one o'clock the eouree wore its u?ual spnop-meeting appearance. OuiMdc of the lawn there was the usual crowd and tbe usual number of itinerant .show?. There was the long line of carnages aud private tiaps, with the laces of the many coloured paiaso's of their fair occupants ftuiteiing in the breize. Iv the saddling paddock "spoits" aid other intei'e&ted perrons thronged, ia order to get a last look at the favourite or the horse which cirned their money, in order t ) discover if he was as " tit " as wuen he took bis last gallop upon the tan. iiuund the to alisator, people pushed and jostled each other to cet putting thiiir pounns upon the machine. A study of that eiowd arcuud the totulwit. r revealed tl.o fact thit tha g^tnb ing maida is v^ry wide spiead mdeed. Toere you see all sorts aud on-

ditiona of men flattering their notes in their hands as they push their way up to the temple of fortune. If these people had been asked, a week before, for a guinea towards a charitable institution, they would, at least the majority of them, have pulled very loug faces, and have talked about " bad times." On Cup Day there was no y fhought of bad times. Everybody had money, and everyone wanted to speculate. They did speculate, and, in most cases, left the course wiser and sadder men. On the lawn the scene was very animated. Encouraged by the warmth of the morning, the majority of the ladiea appeared ia dresses which were not much protection against the cold, sharp, wind which, about two o'clock, began to find its way into every corner of the grandstand, and caused a shiver to run through the frames of the gaily-dressed ladies. For a time many of them struggled against the cold and did not put on their wraps, then vanity gave place to a desire for comfort, und a number of the prettiest dresses became hidden from view, beneath long cloaks, shawls, and jackets. Still, though the bleak wind blew its very coldest, a small minority ct young ladies held out heroically against covering np their attractive dresses, and all the afternoon walked about the lawn in thin white garments, though they must have been actually fr zen to the bone. The fortitude which these young ladies displayed in braving the cold and in risking attacks of icflamation of the lungs, was, I thought, a very good example of the extent to which people, especially ladies, are the slaves of vanity. Sunning across the lawn in the direction of the Telegraph Office, or standing with their glasses raised to their eyea, as they scanned the horses in the distance , were to be seen the well-known forms and faces of the small army of pressmen, who are almost as much part and parcel of a race meeting as the horses themselves. Though the day was particularly raw, and the chill wind made people's teeth chatter, ths sky was bright and blue, and the snowy peaks of the distant Alps, glittering through a blue misty veil, were as lovely as ever. As one stood upon the lawn at Riccartcn, and looked at the wide-stretching fields, as level a 9 a table, on every side, at the rich, bright, thick green grass, dark hedges, and trees, and comfortable homes, which everywhere met the view, the thought came into one's mind that this is a very beautiful country indeed. One felt especially inclined to echo the words of an enthusiastic Canterbury man in the train, who, after gazing out ever the sunny plains, drew in his breath and declared emphatically, "It takes a lot to lick this place." So it does. In regard to its fine pastoral land it takes a lot to " lick " Canterbury. Another conclusion which one could not refrain from drawing after a close observation of the assemblage upon the course was that, though there are caees of industrial wealth amongst us, thisis, after all, only a struggling community. Amongst the crowd upon, the course there j were men whose names would stand good for a great many thousands. Still there W-is no evidence of widespread wealth or luxury. The great mass of the people, even of those who were upon the lawn and grandstand, were poor people dependent upon their work for their livelihood. Such being the case one could not help thinking what a terrible evil is the wild gambling spirit which has taken possession of people. How much loss it must entail, and what an incalculable amount of misery it must cause. It is doubtful if, in a community like this, gambling is not a far worse evil than drunkenness. It is more general and it is quite as demoralising. It undermines the honesty of men and sooner or later works the ruin of those who are devoted to it. Young men with very limited incomes go to the racecourse, and with the wild fever of specula'ion in their veins, spend every pound that th^y can beg, borrow or sometimes steal upon the totahsator. Then they are financially crippled and involved for the rest of the year, men with families do the same. They pinch and screw at home and everywherj else, in order to have money to spend upon the totalisator. There is no doubt gambling is a curse which bungs more nrsery ia its train than almost any other modern vice. It is especially disastrous in young countries, in which people have to live upon the f ruit 3of their labour, under such circumstances the waste of money upon gambling means a serious curtailm nt of the necessaries of life. Instead of being encouraged by law, the strongest efforts of the Legislature should be directed towards its suppression. After Cup day was over, the weather became hopelessly b r oken. On Derby day rain fell h'avily during the afternoon. It rjsurned again on Thursday and continued all day. People hope i against hope, that there would surely be an improvement on Show day. But no 1 on Show day things wee but ht'le better. The day was showery and the east wind was in a most cutting mood. Still, adverse as were the atmospheric eonditionp, great numbers of people visited the grounds. Some persons regard n as almost a sacred duty to go to the Show. They have done so fv r years, and noc to do so once in their lives would almost bode as ill to them as what Miss Von Finkelstein says the Bilence of the mill-3tones does in a Paleatioe house.

The Fire Brigade's great display of fireworks in Lancaster Paik had to be postponed on account uf the rain. So, altogether, it must be admitted that our much-vaunted Canteibury climatd has not behaved at all prettily before st infers this year.

However, the rain which haa wrought such hfivoc with the pleasure of visitors to the cuy, haa been a very welcome gu;st to the tanners. It has benefited the crops to rhe value of many thousands of peunds. It was just the ritjht sort of rain for the farmers. It was of that sot t and gentle kind which talis lightly udoii the ground, and at once sinks into it. So, in regard to the unexpected quota of mois'u~e which his this week bcsu aeiministeif.d to us, ths old ada<je about one man's meat being another man's poi-on, was amply lllustiated. The pieaburt-seekeis and shopkeepers were ia dei-pair, but the farmers are ia the seventh heaven of duhgnt.

After all bis protestati nstotne contrary, Mr. Arthur Tow^ey is going A> desert us. I thought that ha intended something of the sort when he went on his trip to Melbourne. There must be enough of our musicians, journalists, amateur singers, etc., in Melbourne now, to form a little colony of iheir own. Perhaps some day they vsill be all glad to return to the ship which may not be so near foundering as these runaways thmk; Mr, Towsey's projected de-

partura is very generally regretted. He was a good organiser, aad Christchurch musical societies will miss him very much.

When mentioning the races I forgot to say that the lucky owner of Manton, Mr. P. Butler, was au Irishman. I was exceedingly pleased to see the green and white pass the winning post first aad congratulate Mr. Butler upon his luck.

Mr. O'Shannessy, the secretary of the Hibernian Society courteously showed me over the Society's new hall on Saturday. Tha building is a most substantial one, and the excellence of the work pat into it reflects very great credit upon the conscientiousness of of the architect, Mr. Whitelaw, and upon the contractors, Messrs, Petrie and Co. The hall is very lofty, well ventilated and commodious. It is capable of seating comfortably between three and four hundred people. The walls and ceiling are plastered and whitewashed. A very handsome dado of kauri runs right round the ball. This dado is quite a feature in the interior of the building, and was, I believe, a new idea on the part of the architect. It is not in the usual Btyla, tbat of narrow, upwright boards. The dado is made of wide, thick boards, which run in a line with the floor. These boards are bordered above and below and divided into pannels by thick, massive mouldings of the same wood. Tbe whole effeot is very fine. The hall is lit with sixteen gas jets under enamelled sunlights. At the back of the hall there is a comfortable, spacious room, in which the members of the Society will hold their meetings. Inside the front door there ia a nicely-contrived porch ia which, on the occasion of entertainments, ticket holders and doorkeepers can sit. The external appearance of the hall id in keeping with the internal, and gives the idea of substantialness and good workmanship. Concrete steps lead up to the door, which is strong and massive, and is designed in square raised pannele. The thick cornices over the door and windows give the front of the building quite an ornamental appearance. Altogether the Christchurofc branch of the H.A.C.B. Society may well be proud of themselvea ; 'riß the possessors of this very handsome structure, which is one of the nicest social halls in Christchurch, and is, if I mistake not, the first hall built exclusively by the Hibernian Society in New Zealand. The Hibernians will hold their first meeting there nexfc weak, but the toranl opening will not take place for some weeks. Indesd I think it is almost a pity to not defer the opening until St. Patrick's Day, The feast of Ireland's national saint would be a very appropriate day upon which to open the Hibernian Hall. At all events, upon whatever day it is opened, I hope to see upon the occasion a large and representative gathering of Irish people within its walls. The Rev. Father Laverty ia, I believe, to go to Ahaura or Greymouth, lam not sure which. During his brief stay in Cnristchurch he became quite a favourite with those with whom he came in contact. I am sure that he will ba warmly welcomed on the Coast. Somehow when looking at Father Laverty on the altar on Sunday last the thought came very strongly home to me of how much thosa young'ptiests sacrifice iv leaving the lanl they so dearly love, their home and frieads to come out here. We are apt, I am afraid, to lake all this sacrifice too much as a matter of course, and sometimes fail to appreciate it as it deserves. We are prone to forget that the priest has natural affections, and must, even though sustained by especial sanctity, severely feel the wrench of breaking off all old tits ani of going lorth in the world to walk alone. Wa logy sight of the f ict that beneath the cassock there is a human heart wmcb, in a new land aad among strangirs, must feel home-sick, and louelv, and must sometimes crave for sympathy.

Friends of the Tablet iv Chnstchurch — of wheh, I am glad to say, there are a great many — are delighted to find that the courageoua little journalistic charapiou of Catholicity and Iri9h Nationalism iv New Zealand is m the prosperous condition which the publication of its last balance-sheet shows it to be. Apropos of the influence of the Tablet and Bishop Morau, I notice i iv the leading Danediii daily paper a long accouat, the other day, of Father Burke'o lecture. Before Bishop Moran and the Tablet educated public opinion, a line of a report upoa such a matter, or upon anything Catbolic, would not have been admitted into a secul ir paper in Dunedin. Now things ar«s very much alterel, but Irish people and Catholics in this Colony should never ing it to whom this alteration is due. fne ovation which Gladstone, the great representative of Home Rule in England, has been receiving duriug his tour in the Black CoHntry should sho* us in New Zialaod how widespreading must be the sympathy with Home Rule. The example ot such a man should give courage to us in New Zealand. At the close of this century, there is no doubt but that hu name will sand out among those of his contemporaries as the greatest htalesmin which this century has produced in England. Sine y. where he leads, profesFe 1 sympathisers with tha movement in New Zealand nejd not fear to openly follow. Those noble words of Gladstone s, that '• the residue of his life is the property of Ireland," will doubtless become his torical, aid will echo through the centuries to come.

Tne Literary Society is, I believe, at sixes and sevens. The " new departure " does no t appe ir to have been an unqualified success.

The Govenor's banquet on Saturday night was a very successful aff tir. 1 was told that undoubtedly the best spe schea of the evening were maie by Irishmen — the Governor, and ex-judge Gresson. Sir William was in splendid form, and surpassed himself in lauding up this '• fine country. '

On Sunday at eleven o'clock Mass Father Laverty preached He took as his text the second pirt of versa 19, chapt-r 2 of Jeramias, an i there from preached a very flushed sermon, indeed, upon thj evil of mortal sin, Judging by Sunday's seimon Father Laverty gives undoubted promise that m the future he will uphold the honour of his country as being the natural hjrne of oratory. On Sunday there was a leceptiou of ihe Children of Mary. His Lordship Dr. Grimes is at home at preaenc. Mr. Lonargan is still absent and is very much missed. The hote.B in town h^ve been crowded this week. At the Queen's there were " shake downs" upoa every available space upon the floors. I am not sure tbat there were not hammocks swung from theceiliugs. The visitors are clearing away and the city is resuming its normal state.