Colonial Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 49, 29 March 1889, Page 2

Colonial Notes.

The topic of the moment is the arrival of the Irish National delegates, Sir Thomas Esmonde and Mr. John Deasy, M.P.'s. They came from the Cape by the Arawa, which brought them to Hobart. Their plan of campaign so far determined is, first, a tour through the Australian colonies ; then a visit to Tasmania, after which they, in some four or five months, will come on to New Zealand, returning to Ireland by San Francisco and the United States. Their opening, however, is deferred until the arrival of Mr. John Dillon, whom they expect to join theaa at the beginning of April. Sir Thomas Esmonde has not yet left Tasmania, but Mr. Deasey has gone on a private visit to Sydney. He has there been accorded a cordial reception, being received first by the Mayor at the Town Hall, and Jafterwards entertained by some of tbe principal Irishmen of the city at the Boyal Hotel. It was expected that he would attend the celebration of St. Patrick's Day »t Xo f any. where his presence was considered likely to prove an additional attraction. The work of Catholic charity in Sydney has suffered a severe lo«s by the death of Lady Jenmngs, wife of Sir Patrick Jennings, whicn occurrci on Friday, March 1. The deceased lady, who was the daughter of the late Mr. Shamghan, a pioneer squatter of the Wnnmera district, Victoria, was born at Geelong in 1847. She was of a retiring disposition, but constantly took an active part in rJigious and charitable undertakings, in which her place will be difficult to fill. At the iuueral ceremonies, which were performed in St. Mary's cathedral on Monday, March 4, besides tbe presence of his Eminence Cardinal Moran and the Most Rev. Dr. Lanigan, Bishop of Goulonrn, there was a very large attendance of the clergy. Tbe High Mass of Requiem was celebrated by the Franciscan Fathers, a member of whose congregation Lady Jennings had been, and the last absolution was pronounce I by the Carlmal. — 1f, 1. P. At the annual building fund meeting held at St. Mary's cathedral on Monday evening, March 11, his Eminence announced that it was intended to honour the memory of the late Venerable Archpriest Therry by the erection of an altar in the cathedral to St. Patrick and the Irish sniuts, and with whicn his name would be specially associated. His Eminence, also, in connection with_ the completion of a recent contract, mentioned that the debt incurred, in a reliance oq Provilence alone, had besn discharged by a legacy of £7000 left by the late Dean Leonard. The Cardinal added that it was intended to erect a magnificent oriel windowin the cathedral as a memorial to the lamented Mr. Dalley. The sum, he said, already expended on the cathedral works amounted to £222,701 11s Id. The Cardinal, in conclusion, referred to an idea prevalent some years ago, that in undertaking to erect such a building excessive ambition Vas shown, pointing out how a complete justification was now found, in the existing glory of the Australian Church. St. Mary's, he Paul, was the mother church of all Australia, and, as such, it had claims not only on the Catholics of tbe colony, but of all the colon.es .—ln heconding a vote of thanks to the Cardinil Mr. F. B. Freehill said that his Eminence had in an e3pecial manner won tbe affection and admiration of the Irish race at home and in the colonies by his brave and noble declaration of the justice of Ireland's demand for self-government at an hour of peril and danger. The vote was carried by acclamation. Sir Henry Parkes is once more at the head of affairs in New South Wales, the short-lived Dibb-i Cabinet having been oveithrown by an amendment to the Address in Reply. S.r Henry's strong card is still no-Popery, as was shown in the r-cent elections, where the question c-f protection was with some ingenuity so confounded. Sir Henry, however, remains consistent with the part taken by him when some 21 years ago he invoked trom the " va^ty deep " of his own intereste i imagination, the Kiama ghost to intensify and perpetuate the bitter feeling so unjustly aroused by C-'Fariell's mad attempt on the life of the Duke of Edinburgh. It is a sad spectacle presented by a great country like New South Wa'cs thu its public affairs are so repeatedly and so loDg committed 10 the bands ot a man who combines the character of charlatan, with that of bigot.

Another no-Popery cry made use of in the recent elections, and also employed to the prejudice of protection, was that one especially adopted from the circumstances of the period, but which also bids fair to become time-honoured— namely, that of the education system in danger. Wherever this ciy is raised, it works the required point well, and is inevitably successful. It is not only in New South Wales, moreover, that interested men, charlatans or bigots, or all combined, have this great lever at hand by which to move and control the public mind according to their desires. Tbe cry is now intercolonial, and of common use everywhere. A mischievous and demoralising system thus becomes the means by which colonists are befooled and injured in all the regards of life. But who can deny that they are justly punished for wilfully placing themselves in the power of designing men 1 Every day bringß them nearer to a repentance that must prove too late. A presentation has been made to the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney as an expression of admiration for the high qualities shown by his Eminence in the administration of his duties, by the Catholic Young Men's Social Club. The presentation consisted of ao address and a handsome chalice contained, together with other vessels of the altar, in a case particularly constructed for travelling purposes. The value of the gift, which was obtained from Paris, was about £100.— The presentation took place on the termination of a learned and eloquent lecture delivered to the Club by his Eminence on Julian the Apoßtate. A son of Charles Dickens who emigrated when a lad, and a letter to whom from hiß father has been published and read evertwhere, now represents Wilcannia ia the Parliament of New South Wales. What Mr. Dickens's legislative career is to be remains among the secrets of the future, but he has made rather a pugnacious beginning in a somewhat aggressive defence of a charge brought against him of being a fool — as implied in an assertion that it was his name that had insured the success of his candidature. He says he is proud of his name,— as well he may be ; that there cannot bo two Dickenses in one generation, and that he will prove himself no fool. But does Mr. Dickens really belong to the same generation as his father, and is it not as well for a man occasionally to prove himself wise by reticence and self-contol. The sisters of Charity have added another to their many claims on the gratitude of the people of New South Wales by opening an hospital for consumptive patients at Parramatta. This is a great work of charity which it would ba hard to appreciate at too high a value.