NORTH CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 50, 5 April 1889, Page 5

NORTH CANTERBURY.

(From an occasional Correspondent.) The harvest in North Canterbury is over, and the threshing is in full ■wing. There are several threshing machines at present in the locality, vieintr with each otaer to see which will do the most work. Whatever direction you turn they are to be beard bnzzing away from daylight to dark, and very often at night, if it happens to be a moonlight one. The yield of tbe different crops is very good, fully up to expectation, and with the present rnltng prices the farmers arc jubilant. Whereever a farmer is to be met he seems as light-hearted as a boy of twenty summers ; bis countenance is beaming all over with smiles. A very-much -needed fall of rain came on Saturday. It was a bleMing. We were thinking that there was do water in the cloads, or, if so, we were not destined for it. It must be over three months since any rain fell bere. The paddocks wee quite brown, everything parched up, and catt'e and sheep were in want of feed. But at last the lookfd-for rain has come, and not before it waß needed. This is a beautiful country and climate were it not for nor '-westers. At interval! we get them three aod four deep in succession, and they seem to dry up everything completely, crops and grass commence to wither, and then the shower of rain is much needed.

The meeting held at Cbristchurcb for the purpose of sympathising with Mr. Parnell and his colleagues, etc , 1 am told, was a great success. The worthy Mayor of that renowned city, lam Bure, must feel himself a great deal more insignificant than he was since he declined to preside at the meeting, and since that valuable advice of his to Irishmen was so completely ignored. It is just like Irishmen'd stupidity that they would not feel grateful and be thankful for such mercies, however small. The Irish of Chrisichurch are, indeed, very fortunate to have such an able functionary as their woithy Mayor to see to their welfare and to give healthy advice when needed. On that account they should keep their mouths shut and sit on their haunches, more especially when some of the noblest of their race are so hounded and persecuted. I verily say that there is not another country in the universe tbat would stand such persecution. Long, long ere this there would be open rebellion. When I say that Christchurch is renowned I mean that it is renowned for its bigotry and intolerance, predominating in a certain class and supported by a certain journal. When first the Parnell letters appeared, this very journal did not forget to have them printed in supplement form and spread broadcast. It did not even give Parnell's denial to the signature in this form. " Ob, no," that wonld not suit its purpose, Not very long since also a local appeared in this same journal stating taat Egan was appointed American Minister at Mexico, and at the same time it reminded us that this was the same Egan that had to fly from Dublin to avoid prosecution in connection with the funds (f the Land League. Is it not surprising in a democratic country like Nejv Zealand that a journal will descend to such scurrilous statements? Or does the editor of the taid journal think that the majority and more liberal minded persons of this beautiful country have any minds of their own? I can assure him tney have, and the sooner he and his class understand that they have the better it will be for both parties. The end of masters and slaves is approaching fast. hven in this, our adopted country there are a number of persons whose ideas arc that a certain class of their fellow creatures were created to suit their convenieDce and purpose, acd that they have no ught to think for themselves. It is astonishing where sjme persons gee 'heir ideas from. I happened to be travelling by rail some short time ago, and my attention was drawn to a conversation carnei on by three men in the carriage. No. 1 said that if the twentieth par t-tha f appears in the cablegrams about Parnell be true, it was shocking- No. '2 said tbat if Parnell and Biggar were hung at t he start, it would be a good thing for the English Government. No. 3 said tuat Gladstone should be bung with them. 1 happen to know taese men, who rank among the raiddleclass, and where they got their ideas from I cannot say. The very men that Gladstone and Parnell are trying to elevate would unhesitatingly hand them over to the hangman. In this case a line from Bobby Burns' poetry may be aptly quoted : " Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn." I see my friends of North Canterbury are for making a start in giving peennary aid to Mr. Parnell and his colleagues. It has been proposed and enthusiastically carried at the last meeting of the Land Leapue held at Rangiora. I might state that £50 was sent home by the North Canterbury Land Leaguers tjwards the Land League fund some short time ago. This branch was established last St. Patrick's day twelve months under the presidency of Father O'Connor. I know very well the Irishmen of this locality are a generous sympathetic clase, and will magnanimously a'sist in aiding Mr. Parnell and his colleagues in provijr to their enemies that their cnaracters are stainless, and that the monsters are those who accused them of that awful and horrible crime. lam ceitain that there are a good many persoDS in Canterbury who would feel elated if the crime imputed to Mr. Parnell and his colleagues, whether true or fals j , could be sheathed home to them. Tbat is easily perceived by the foul and scurrilous corresprndeoce tbat has waged in a ceitain Canterbury journal since the Christchurch meeting. But, thanks to the Tablet and the impartial and liberal-minded Lyttelton Times, the oppontnts of the Liberals at Home have something to cogitate over. Are not such journals h blessing to the ruajoritj, and should they not be supported by every libera' -minded person, aud 1 have not the slightest doubt they will.

Some changes have occurred recently among our priests here. The parochial district known as Rangiora, which was a large one. has been divided, Father Browne, late cf Timaru, taking charge of the northern part, Father O'Connor at Racgiora, Kaiapoi, Cowburn, and Oxford. At one time Father O'Connor ministered to ihe spiutual wants of all the Catholic congregations in North Canterbury. Home time ago our worthy Bisbop sent him Father Lougbnan to assist, both residing at Rangiora. Even then Father O'Connor had to do all the outside work, as Father Loughnan was not accustomed to horse?. His Lordship, always having an eye to our spiritual welfare, to facilitate matters the more, thought it more prudent to divide the parish, Father Browne having charge of Brackenbridge, riowarden, and Wai&u, Father O'Connor doing without a curate, and Father Loughnan going to Lyttelton. Father O'Connor is a great favourite among all cUsses of the community, and his northern congregations were sorry when losing him. I have made the acquaintance of Father Browne, who seems a very nice gentleman, and, like his predecessor, the regular soggarth aroon. It now only remains with his parishioners to try aud make him comfortable. Being a new parish, everything has to be provided. A residence must be had for him, besides other necessaries, and the sooner the better. As Dr. Grimes has been so kind and good as to honour ttiem Dy sending ihem a resident priest to administer to their spiritual comfort, the least tbat can be done by the parishioners is to minister a little to his temporal comfort. lam sure their doing so will be very pleasing to his Lordship. Before concluding I take the liberty on behalf of the northern Catholics of this diocese to thank his Lordship for the honour conferred in sending a resident priest.