CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 43, 15 February 1889, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.) As I anticipated in my last letter, Dr. Grimes has not had very long to wait to find out exactly what the "old English sense of justice "is worth Before the words had well passed bis lips, I felt pretty sure that the experience which has come would come. All the slumbering bigotry and intolerance which arc so deeply rooted in the English mind, notwithstanding the boasted love of fair play, is coming to the surface now. That the Catholics of Christchurch should have had the audacity to get up a bazaar on such a large scale as the Festival appears (o have set bigotry rampant in the city. The success which attended the labours of the committee upon the opening night appears to have caused no end of jealousy. Jealousy and bigotry combined have made a big effort to kill the Festival. That the combination has not been successful lam glad to say. The committee, with an amount of courage which does them infinite credit, secured the services of the Swiss Singers for the week, and each night the concerts have drawn large audienceß, and good business has been dono at the stalls. Not content with writing letters in the papers, and in various other ways trying to stir up ill-feeling against the Festival, these splenc ie bigots resorted to the contemptible ccpe licnt of getting a number of tractle.s printed and distributed about the city. These leaflets purpoited to give a list of Catholic societies their objects, and tho oaths taken by their members. Among thtse "Catholic societies" was mentioned every revolutionary society which had ever existed in Ireland. It is needless to say that the oaths, etc., weie rarely imaginary. At all events, even supposing they were real, they had nothing whatever to do with tne Catholic Church, which has always condemned Becret societies. From the manner in which a certain society is lauded up in this tractlet, and from the fact that there was a special meeting, " upon important business" a few nig its agj of the Loyal Orauge Lodge, I fancy that it is not difficult to gue-*s whence this last ami meanest effort to damage the Bhakesperia i Festival em-mited. The committee had iucurred heavy liabilities in getting up the bazaar in a novel style and on a magnificent scale. Hence, no doubt, it was deemed that it would be a fine thing if the whole affair could be made to " freeze " sufficiently to leave the committee in for expenses as well as to disappoint the nuns. Thank« however, to the enterprise of the manager and the committee, these benevolont designs have been completely frustrated. Tne Swiss Singers drew larga crowds, and the crowds once in the hall spent money, so that the Festival has been a pronounced success. It has been not only, asuccess from a pecuniary point but in other ways. It has raised the Catholics even in their own estimation. They know now that when they do make a combined effort they can achieve a success which not only equals but far eclipses any similar attemp on the part of th-ir neighbours. It has also taught outsiders to understand that tne Catholics of Christchurch are not a mere insignificant handful of people, without organising capacity and incapable of resource. In addition to these coasiderations, it is whispered that during the Festival several of our young people have "met their fates," as the novelists say, and on dit that the nightly proces-sions at the rink will soon be paraphrased by an a, most equally lengthy procession to the " Hymenal altar," to again quote from fiction. Therefore, taking all these things into consideration, I think that the Festival committee are to be congratulated upon having accomplished a vast amount of good outside of lessening tbe debt upon the convent. I fancy one reason why the Festival has produced such a crop of bigotry in Christchurch is that certain of the Anglican clergymen •

have been writhing under the lately expressed opinion at Home that colonial Anglican clergy were only a lot of milksops who were incapable of obstructing the Cburch of Rome in her triumphant march of progress in the colonies. They felt that on the occasion of the Festival, which was a piece of assertiveness on the part of the " Church of Rome," that something ought to ba done to put a spoke in her wheel. " Something " has bten done, but the effect produced will not be sufficient, 1 fear, to reverse the judgment passed upon their colonial rev. brethren by their Lordships at Home. The Festival people, in engaging the Swiss Singers for the week, have given the public of Canstchurch an opportunity of enjoyiag very cheaply oue of the most charming musical entertainments which has been given here for a number of years. The strange instruments upon which they play ; the quaint, picturesque costumes which they wear ; tbe inteiesting appearance of the Seebold family ; and the excellence of their musical attainments, all combine to produoe an impression upon their patrons which I have seldom seen equalled. The audiences at the Rink have been most enthusiastic, and night after night the singers have been enthusiastically applauded. The national songs, in which the j ode 1 ling is introduced, have been greatlj appreciated. There is something so indescribably startling about the jodelling that an odd sensation is produced. The company play upon a great many instruments. Madame Seebold is an accomplished performer upon the harp. Her husband, Professor Seebold, playi the cello-zither, which is aa instrument of his own inrention. It is made like tbe violincello, but is fingered like the cither. The Misses Seebold play the zither, the xilophone, the mandoline, and other instruments. The mandoline gives forth beneath their touch very soft, sweet strains. The xilophone is a most peculiar instrument. It is made of pieces of wood, and is played upon with little sticks, which the young ladies manipulate with wondenul lightness and rapidity. The glockenspiel is another of their instruments, and has tbe sound of very sweet bells. It is made of ste^l. Tbe descriptive pieces were exquisite parformances. In the last part of the •' Guotne *' March" youould distinctly near tha dyingaway patter of the ft at of the retreating dwarf a. Of t&esa descriptive pieced, I liked " The Forge in the Forest " best. This composition represents a smithy in the forest. By the wonierfm pjwer of music, the various scenas intervening between night and the hoar at which the smiths begin to work, and tha ring of the anvil is heard, were given with marvellous fidelity. Somehow tha imitation of the rhythmical sounds iv the forge, brought vividly to my mind Georpe Eliot's beautiful poem, and one could realise how the sjq of Lamoch waß inspired to invent the first musical instrument, by listening to the sound of his brother's anvil. Tne various instrument on the stage, and the strains evoked from toem, some soft as " whispering raindrops," others like the roll of thHnder, caused one to understand what must have been the wonder of Jubal, when he return c d from exile, at all that had grown out of his invention. While "The Forge in the Forest " is being played, itis not tha Swiss Singers which one sees, but the whole " Legend of Jubal." Madame Seeb >ld, besides playing the harp, ia an excellent vocalist. Her voice is powerful. She singa " Uomu back to Erin," admirably. Another l*dy of tha company sings with muca verve and dash, but her vuce la a little shrill. The genius of tne Beeoold family ia Mr. Adam Seebold who plays thirteen instruments. He plays tbe maadohna in a m>auer which would make an Italian lover die with en/y. lie is au tqually successful performer upon the drum, the zitner, the ocirino, tbe guiiar, the glockenspiel, and various other instruments. He ia a good siugar, and in addition to all his musical accomplishments, tie is a very handsome man. If tho musical talent of ins brother is not quite so versitile as his, the two of them are nearly as well off in regard to good I oks. Indeed in this respect nature has been no niggard to eny of the family, winch comprises six brotners, three sisters, aud Madame Seebold, the wife of the eldest brother, As the six. seebold biothers sUud upon the stage, they are as flue-looking a lot of young mea as one could ste. The three sisters are prcuy, graceful, shy-lookiug girls, who lojk very charming in their Swiss dresa, particularly ia that of the seventeenth century, which they sometimes wear instead of the modern Tyrole3e costume. The Singers appear in Dunedin. in a week or so, and lovers of quaint and delightful music should not fail to hear them, Now, turning from gay to grave, I have a piece of news to give to the readers of the Tablet which will cause to them, I feel assured, prorouad regret. This regret, however, will net be unmixed with pleasure when they know the whole circumstances to which I allude. In a word, then, Father Kick ham is going away. He is leaving New Zealand for the purpose of joining the Jesuits. His friends will rejoice that he baa received a. call to join an association which comprises the ablest and best-tried men in the Church. Still, mixed with the feeling of satisfaction which must rise in the heart of a Catholic at seeing a priest advance in spirituality, there will be much natural regret on the part of Irish Catholics in New Zealand at losing a pneit so well and widely loved as Father Kickham. There is in the Colony no better specimen of the thorough, frank, manly, high-spirited and high principled Irish priest than he whom we are about to lose. Asa go-xi priest and an ardent patriot, he is as profoundly respec cd as he is deeply loved. The departure of Father Kickham is a loss to the lush cause, in New Zealand. Ha has been an outspoken friend of his country. As I have said, the pleasure of his friends at his promotion will be real, but their sorrow at bidding him farewell will be very real too Genuine prayers will go with him from all who have known him that God will bless and prosper him in the life before him. I believe Father Kickham will leave in about six weeks or two months. Tbe Right Rev. Dr. Luck, of Auckland, is oa a visit to Christchurch at present. His Lordship patroaised the Festival on Wednesday night, and expressed himself as much pleas id with all he saw there. Dr. Luck remains in Cliristchurch till Tuesday next. Prior Bergh, the Provincial of tho Benedictine Order, also arrived from the north last week. The Prior left for Europe by tne Tainui, Father Donnelly, of Oamaru, was in Christchurch last week,

At Sband'a Track and Leeiton collections are being made for the Parnell Defence Fund. There ia to be a baoquet and ball on Ht. Patrick's night it Lyttleton. The evidence of the informer Lecaron before the Commission goes to prove that the statements so often made by the Nationalists that it was the agents of England, and not tbe agents of the Land League, who inspired crime and outrages in Ireland was perfectly true. Like hii miserable prototype, Armstrong, who betrayed John and Henry Shearea nearly a hundred years ago, tbis most mean and contemptible of the Timst" witne«sea has confessed that he himself organised the rebellion in Manitoba. Ha was a spy and informer then as now, and was no doubt in the pay of the Government at the time tbat he wormed himself into the confidence of the American Brotherhood for tbe purpose of inciting them to crime and betraying them. Nationalists may well wish the Times joy of such a witness. Major Lecaron 's evidence will datnaga the casa of the Times as much as its worst enemy could wish it to be damaged. A.s tbe enquiry drags its slow length along it become* clearer every day that tbe enquiry will be a complete vindication of Parnell and of '.he National League. Sir Robert Stout in a letter to theiLyt'e'Uo Times, the other day, plaintively stid that be would leave some matter which was in dispute between himself and tbe Press for the future hist )rian to decide. Sir Robert's bump of self-esteem is as big as ever. Imagine the " future historian " buidening his pages with the small newspaper squabbles of Sir Robert Stout. History is a pretty big thing, but Ido not think tbat it ia big enough for Sir Robert's petty controversies to find a place in it. He had better thrash out his own quarrels now than leave it to the " future historian "to do. Tbe " future historian " may be otherwise engaged. The extension of tbe Brother's school is progressing and will be completed in March. Dr. Luck visited the Magdalen Asylum and was greatly pleased with the institution. Reports in Saturday night's papers show that the " Loyal " Orange Lodges of Canterbury are up in anna. They have put on all their war-paint to tbe laßt spoonful, and very ridiculous and un-Christian spectacles they have made of themselves. It is somewhat ludicrous to hear a society ranting about brotherly love, and at the same time giving evidence which no one can doubt, tbat they are the most rancorous organisation ia existence. As they profess to study tbe Bcripiures so ctosely, itn a pity that ihey do not derive a little of the largeness of heart there prescribed for Christians from their study. Tb«y are going to move heaven and earth in Canterbury to pull the " Church of Home " about the ears of the Pope. Catholics hear their ravings and laugh at them.