CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 30, 15 November 1889, Page 18

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

ONE can now very frequently hear Irishmen ask one another in Chnstcnurch, " What kiud of a reception are we going 'o give the Irish delegates?" That such a query should pass around pretty freely is evidence, at all events, that men's minds are aleit on the eubjecr. We can calculate with a surety that such an interest once awakened will grow aud spread. The accounts that will reach us of each step nt the delt gates' tour will be so many stimulants to develop this interest into tbe enthusiasm with which it iscenain they will bs greeted. One cannot conceive of its being otherwise, of our being an exception amidst the Irish race all the wor.d over— a collection of curiosities who had lost «H heart. Events will prove such not to be the case ; that the sentiment is .is genuine in this dis nc a 9 in any part of New Zealand, There might nave to be confused this difference, that there are not the bamo faci.ities for giving practical txprehbion to our feelings which, exist in irnny other oi our laige town". Auckland, tor instance, wiih us £600 wab magnificent. It perhaps shows the advantage ot having a few men such as ex-Cabuiet Ministers, who are in themselves pil ars of strength to st?tporr a movemeat, to popularise it amongst all creeds ; to belpit to withetau^ irv»ssaul s ol the many little raving prejudices that on such occisacr cvro' forth from the old citade ot Oraogeism. However, if we do not fo-rppp those advantages, we can look upon ourselves as forming t>ait «.± the masses of Australasia, whom only, jJr. Dnlon says be came to address. If, uiider those circumstances?, we do the be^t we can — and angels could do no more— we shall be fulfilling the responsibilities of all Irishmen, and at the same time exercising the giand privilege that belongs to no class or station— the privle^e to eiroll in the ranks, and according to our ttrength, shove the movement ahead. That we have not the resources of Auckland is no reason wny we should fear a contrast, and neglect tho^e we have Mr. Parnell T/ould never have been the Parnell that we know if he shr.ink from the leadership of the Irish people bdeauso he could not re isonably feel at tbe outset that he had the varied gifts and qjalifu-a ions of ttie great liberator, 0 Council. All Christctmrch can aim at is developing well the lenourcss it has. It must be and that the gentlemen who form the unned committee of Onnstchurcn and distrctH are woiking wt.li in this direction, aud I have no doubt success will crown their efforts. Oa the other haud, it might be said that those frequent queries are the expression of so many doubting miuds as to the strength of the display of patriotism which is to hail tbe arrival ol the lii&h Members. It may mean anxiety which is commendable ; but it is difficult to sea why such a large body of men, let me add women also, as our two Christchurch parishes are composed of, should so doubt themselves— their ability to act as becomes th , occasion ; that they should forget for an inßtant that all power lies within themselves independent of all outside aid, I mean the aid of other nationalities ; but that aid is bound to come too, for there is sure to turn up a goodly number oi liberal, fearless men who will swell the ranks. If a difficulty does he in the w«y of the committee, it is tbis : to make a large number of the people sufficiently alive to the importance of the occasion ; to arouse them from the lethargy of yeais, a lethargy which, if they did not fall into they would have been more than buman. And again there are our young colonials, the sons of Irish patents, while admitting that many ot them are equal, perhaps surpass in intelligence and zeal, on the point, numbers of them born in tne old land, yei. we cannot close our eyes | to the fact that there are around us large numbers who know not at all what such a mission as tbe one in question means, and worse still, have never been taught to care. Piobably we might be told that to raite such a question is an intrusion upon their rignts and liberties, and that we have no right to exact of them to go through a schooling in Irißh nationality, liven were we to allow those of them that claim it, such an exemption, on no possible plea oneirtb could we forgive those who reared them fur wilfully allowing their minds to take such a twist. Inure lsnotau Irish immigrant woo has not had itamongac the last paiting advices horn h.h priebt, to \ reserve his love for the old land at all ba/iard^. Duimg tneir whole Ims at home the viul importance of this way being continually pointed oat to them by the ablest and the best of their pieUtes and preachers. They were told that patrio'ism and reh^iun, so closely connected in lieland, for centuries could not be separated without a danger to both. Hence they could see tao Church recognising the obligation in a Dr. Cabili who was as great a patriot as he was a priest, in an Archbishop

McHale who even seemed greater than he, and in a Father Tom Burke, who if there were a difference, might, be said to have outshone them both ; the other members need not be mentioned. We gather from this the lesaoa th<tt if the obligation to preserve the sacred trust, love of fatherland, were placed upon as, the means of strengthening ir, of keeping it vigorous were daily placed wiihin our reach. Transplanted t > this colony we carried with ns the obligation but unfortunately not th« means to successfully fu fil it, and the atmosphere of Christchurch in particular, may be said to be deadly to those aspirations. Now to all who may ftel interested in preset /m^ from deciy the fiditions and tbe national instincr.s of Irishmen out here, there is obviously only one remedy — the assisting the circulation of Iriih national literature ; the pretching, a« it were, to every household the crying necessity of kuving within its walls a periodical or a newspaper whose warming Irish influence will daily counteract tbcchilliog teadeocy of th^ prejudices and characteristics of the community amongst whom they live. At present, what a yavning g*p remains to be filled up I Wnat a large percentage of our people never rest their eyes npon the page of any publication which can be looked upon as the outgrowth of Irish sentiment, or even of a marked tendency in that direction I None c-»n deny that this is important at the present, and not less so to the descendants of Irish colonists. It is a matter worth seeing to by all who can help to rectify it. It is the abs'nce oE such literature aruong-<t the people that will make more difficult the work of organisation by the Curistcburch commitiee to prepare for the reception of the lush delegates.

Cbrißtchurch, during the carnival week, waß, as usual, thronged with visitors. The Agucultural Sbow drew even Urger numbers than in previous years. The weather was all that could bave been de&ired.

His Lordship Dr. Grimes has returned from his visit down south. It is to be regretted that bis sUy waa prolonged t irough illness, but we hope it is only of a very temporary nature. On next Sunday the interesting ceremony of blessing the Grotto of the Blessed Virgin on tbe gr >unds of Si. Mary's will take place at i hree o'clock. A Urge number of tne parishiouers are expected to attend.