REEFTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 12, 12 July 1889, Page 11

REEFTON.

( From our own Correspondent.) June 28tb, 1889. Ab the cablegrams persistently inform us, neither the Melbourne Age nor the Argus approve of the Irish delegates mission to the colonies, and these inspired founts of public information having struck the opening chords of hostile criticism, the key note is supplied to all the small fry newspapers of the colony whose editors have neither the acumen, the intuitiveness, nor the impartiality of judgment necessary to form an unbiassed opinion of their own. One of the Reefton journals must needs join in the monotonous cboru3 in a grandiloquent leading t»rticle, informing its readers that " We do not believe in John Dillon's mission." So far, so good. Every man is entitled to his own opinion, and to perfect freedom of speech in the expression of that opinion, always provided he confines himself within proper limits; therefore no one should be inclined to quairel with the writer of a leading article fur simply declaring thut be does not believe in so and so. The editor of a newspaper is but » unit after all, and a very insignificant unit in many cases, and what his particular form of beHet may be, or whether be ban any form of belief at all, is a matter of the most profound iodiffjrence to the world at large ; but when an editor forgets hiuase.f so far as to make a rash asseveration, a false, prejudiced, and prejudicial statement, then the public, or any section of the public that considers itself aggrieved thereby, has a porleit right to protest indignantly against the injustice. "We do not believe in John Dillon':* mission. He is engaged in stirring up old world enmities in a land where such things should be forgotten." Is it neceesaiy to refute the latter part of this assertion? Shall it not rather be passed over with a smile of ineffable contempt ? All the same, it is soul-wearying to tnink that Ireland's advocates should be condemned unheard, that attempts should be made to poison v c i's miuds against them before they have had a chance of stating their case in an honest and straightforward manner. Messrs. Dillon, Escoo ide, and Deasy have no desire to B'ir op grievances that should be forgotten. There is no stirring up required. To use an apt though somewhat ineligant simile, while tbe fire burns fiercely underneath the pot tbe contents of the pot will remain in a state of boiling effervescence. Ihe representatives of the Irish nation have come out to Australia and New Zealand to ask assistance of the colonies in extinguishing the fire, and removing the grievances, to plead the cause of their unfortunate cunirymea, in a calm, temperate, and yet forcible manner, to explain thoroughly the nefarious landlord nys'em ttiat haspioveJ so iuhious in the past, and to prove that Ireland has an undeuiable right to agitate by strictly constitutional meani for justice, freedom, and self-government.

I see by a late irilverton paper that the patriotic Irishmen of Broken Hill have marked their appreciition of Sir Thomas Esmonde by presenting him with " a neatly aLdappropii-itely wruten address, splendidly bound ("emerald green and tbe shamrock predominating) " News has at last been received from Father Rollaud, who itft Beefton a month ago en route for Wellington, chiefly oj business matters, but also to consult a skilled physician regarding his health. The Rev. Fatber Ginaty has just received a letter dated Auckland, containing the information that Father Rolland is at present located at the Hot Springs, under medical instructions to remain there for tome time. How we are going to manage without our parish piiest is at present a mystery.

Every Wednesday evening during the present month Benediction has been givea and devotions held in honour of the Sacred Heart. On Thursday evening, the Feast of Corpus Christi, Father Ginaty

jreached io a large congregation an eloquent sermon on the Bles«ftd Sacrament, taking for his text tha 16th verse, 4th cbapt.. of Bf. Luks tbe Evangelist : « A certain man made a great sapper, and invt ed many. During the week within the octave of Corpus Otiristi, M«w wis celebrated e*|ry morning at 9 o'clock instead of the usual tim*, half-past seven, for the greater convenience of those Catholic* wno, f >r sundry reasons, would have been unable to attend at the curlier hour. We have also had the special privilege of assisting at Benediction every evening. Last Sunday being the Octave of Trinity Sunday, the church was thronged at half-past eleven o'clock Mass, immediately after which Exposition of the Blesse I Sacrament took place. It was a solemn v im PP TT ™ 61Vfi "gbt-that crowd of motionless forms, all animated by the one holy impulse, the one intense feelingof deep and unquestioning faith. The coid rays of the winter sunlight darted in through the narrow Gothic windows, and hovered like an aureole above the bunt heads of the assembled worshippers, and lingered like a visible benediction over the little white-robed ac >lytes who knelt within the sanctuary, whi'e the soft strains of the"O Salutans" vibrated tnrough tbe sacred edifice, and seemed to blend into one earnest, wordless supphcaion fjr mercy and for grace. The Blf ssed Sacrament remained exposed for the adoration of the faithful from 1 o'clock until 6, and it was most edifying to witness the numbers who repaired to the church throughout the day. The object of the exposition, as Father Ginaty explained, was twofold— lst, to thank God for all the graces and f avouis bestowed on us ; and. secondly, to make reparation for the innumprable insults offered to Him by heretics who deny the real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament ; by careless Catholics who believe, but do not act up to their belief, and by commuDicants who desecrate the Blessed Eucharist by receiving unworthily. In spite of the natural lethargy of tbe inhabitants of these mountain regions, strenuous efforts are b ing made to ensure a decent share of representation for the district at the approaching Duned'n Exhibition. Mr. Hastings, secretary of the Exhibition has been round trying to stimulate the dormant energies of the Reefton public, and has so far succeeded that a preliminary step has been takea in the right d'rection. Enquiries are being made to ascertain how much space will be required for Inangahua exhibits. The area to be applied for will, of course, depend on the answers received from the companies. Meantime, an enthusiastic local committee has been formed, and tbe co-operation of all the mining companies solicited. So far the result is most satisfactory. The various directories seem fully alive to the necessity of advertising the natural resources of the field. The contributions will include specimen stone, pyrites, tailings, coal, timber and such like.

Owing, doubtless, to the expected advent of the Midland Railway, something like a land boom, has set in here within the last two months. Scarcely a week, I had almost said a day, passes without hearing of a sale being effected at what seems to unaccustomed ears quite a fancy price. For instance, 160 acres including sound dwelling house 5* miles from Reefton, £1800 ; 5 sections fronting Buller road, £250 ; 2 sections do, £100 ; 2 corner sections £250, and so on. The Buller road, which a short time ago was considered a quiet and retired suburb, is now fast assuming a most citylike appearance, and huvels that used to be an eyesore to pedestrians are being rapidly replaced by snue private residences, smart-looking shops, but among the numerous improvements that have taken place here lately the most prominent is the New Criterion Hotel, erected by Mr. J. Qnigley, at tbe corner of Buller road and Smith s-reet, on the sue of the old Kainbow Hotel, which was destroyed by fire some months ago. Tbe new building is now one of the best in town, having a handsome exterior, while the inside decorations are being executed in an equally finished manner. In aJdition to the rebuilding of his hotel Mr. Quigley has also a large public ball in course of erection. Tnis structure when completed will be a great boon to the public, and cannot fail to be remunerative to the proprietor.