Colonial Soles.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 12, 18 July 1890, Page 3

Colonial Notes.

A VERT enjoyable concert was given in St. Mary's Hall, Howick, last evening (says the Auckland Evening Star of July 3), Monsignor McDonald presiding. The pupils of the school, under the careful training of Miss Mulkere, teacher, contributed many of tbe programme items in a highly creditable manner. Miss Finlay and Mr. Hogan were in excellent voice, and their singing was really a very great treat. The concert having concluded, light refreshments were handed round, and the after music obligingly and pleasingly supplied by Mr. J. Brady, whilst Mr. O'Halloran made a capital M.C. Tbe hall was decorated with evergreens, etc., which gave it a bright and very cheerful appearance. The following was the programme : — Chorus, " Oh, steer my bark to Erin's Isle," by the pupils of the school ; " The well of St. Keyne," Miss Brady ; recitation, " Toll for the brave," Ned Lord ; soDg, " Erin, the tear and smile in thine eye," Miss Cairney ; recitation, " Twinkling stars," Miss Brady ; Bong, " When other lips," Mr. Hogan. Interval of five minutes. Chorus, " Let Erin remember," by the pupils cf tbe Bchool ; " Happy moments," Miss Finlay ; song, " Little ShamrockJ" Mr. Hogan ; recitation, " Young and thoughtless,' 1 Miss Lord ; " The harp that once," Miss Brady ; song, Mr. Kilkenny ; recitation. " Sailor boy's dream," MiBS Brady ; chorus, " The Minstrel Boy," by the pupils of the school .

A return of the number of private schools in New Zealand in December, 1889, and of the number of pupils attending them, which has been laid on the table of the House of Representatives, testifies also to the exodus that has taken place. The total number of children so given was 13,458, Bhowing a decrease on the previous year of 395. The particulars as to Catholic schools were as follows :—: — In Auckland province there are 26 schools, with 1673 scholars ; in Wellington province, 11 schools, with 1300 scholars ; in Canterbury, 16 schools, with 1981 scholars ; and in Otago, 16 schools, with ]61G scholars. — The total number of Catholic schools was 95, and that of Catholic Bcholars 9024 — a decrease being shown on the previous year of 322. Whatever may be the case with regard to the schools of other denominations, those of the Catholic body certainly owe their diminished attendance to departures from the Colony. However, as Sir Harry Atkinson says, it is only a matter of the emigration of children — wandering about to improve their minds 1 Something may be gained, perhaps, in the fact that enlarged room is to be found in the schoolrooms. This would be the case at least were the school buildings those whose enlargement or repairs needs the reimposition of the primage duty. — We do not, meantime, answer for the perfect correctness of the returns given. Where a matter of the kind is voluntary, some allowance is usually to be made.

Some of our leading citizens last week sent a spirited protest to the city representatives as to tfce manner in which things at Wellington were proceeding. They expressed, for example, " their alarm and disgust " at the "pro onged and useless wrangling of the present section." Quite as apiriied a reply, it is rumoured, has been received from at le»st two of the members addressed, calling in question the intelligence of the gentlemen protesting. And, in iact, there would seem to be some doubt on the subject. Do not our intelligent citizens understand the usual course of things — the meeting of Parliament ; the regular vote of no-coDfidence ; the vehement Attack on the policy of the Government, or, ia a word in which it may all be summed up,the inevitable fight for office? And, if successful, what then? Why, than we have another Government preparing matter for another fight of the same kind, and so on ad libitum. — ■ " Prolonged and useless wrangling " is pretty nearly all that ever comes of it, and intelligent men might be expected to accept that aa the duly established rule. The task, nevertheless, for intelligence to perform would be, not that of suggesting an impossible reform of the irreformable, but that of bringing about a new state of things from the very beginning. Let them seek for honest and able men to represent them and give the axe-grinders a wide berth.

We are glad to see that the North Canterbury Education Board has had the decency to reject the motion as to the conveyance by railway of denominational pupils, proposed by Mr. Meredith. It is not to the credit of the Board, however, that such a motion found a

seconder and a supporter. Messrs. Meredith, Anaon, and Ruddenklau voted for it. Mr. Meredith also marie a characteristic explanation on the occasion. He explained that he was not opposed to denominational education as such. He was oaly opposed to its getting State aid, as he asserted it had been a failure. But really unblushing stupidity such as this pleads in excuse of the man who exhibits it. Again, we ask, what is it that distinguishes the descendants of the primeval jack-ass ?

A correspondent of the Launceaton Examiner of May 29, writes as follows :—": — " Saturday last was the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Father Hogan in Westbury, and the third anniversary of the arrival of the Sisters of St. Josephs. Father Hcgan, as he was styled in the days of yore, has seen Westbury in many visions, and could, there is no doubt, afford most interesting information about our own town and district. Some interesting matter in reference to tho Venerable Archdeacon is found in the May issue of the Catholic Standard. He has obtained a high reputation throughout the colony, and is respected by all denominations. With the exception of an occassional visit to other districts, and an 18 months' visit to the old country (Ireland) he has been completely and continuously engaged in ministering in this and adjacent districts. The large church, erected a few years back, would amply serve as a Cathedral, being a massive edifice, and substantially built, and it will continue for tome generations to come to be looked upon as one of the leading churches of the island. The Archdeacon has laboured assiduously, and in the truth has '■ made hay while the sun shone." The large church just mentioned, the very neat and exceedingly pretty erounds attached thereto, together with the Archdeacon's residence, form one of the prettiest establishments in tbe North, and wouH make an interesting; subject for an artist. Considering the many difficulties that the Archdeacon has overcome, and the great difference in tho times then and now, w.iat the Father Hogan of 1850 has done, no pen such as mine could do justice to, and how more fittingly could the 40th anniversary bj celebrated than on Saturday last, when most becoming and fitting ceremonies in the ad vancement of religion took place, viz., the profession of a nun and reception of a sister. The ceremonies began at 3 p.m., and lasted over an hour and a half. The church was nicely tilled by members of all denominations. The ceremonies took place within the sanctuary, and were performed by theVen. Archdeacon Hogan, who acted on behalf of the Archbishop of Hobart, who boing busily engaged down South, and taking in consideration the services of the Archdeacon, extended the high privilege to him, and it is needless to remark that the ceremonies wete duly performed by the Archdeacon. When the Archdeacon first came to Westbury his ideas of development did not reach the zenith they have since obtained, and it must decidedly have been gratifying to turn on Saturday to perform these ceremonies. Miss O'Bnen performed at ihe organ ia her usual effective manner. The ceremdny of the reception of the novice, Sister Mary Bridget of the Sacred Heart, was held first. . . . The second ceremony was the profession of Sister Mary Vincent of the Holy Trinity, according to the Institute of St. Joseph's. . . . Special mention must be made of the beautiful wreath of white rosea worn by the sister at the commencement of the ceremony. A visit to the Convent afterwards displaced a handsome three- tiered cake, richly iced and ornamented. The decorations in the room were extremely pretty and unique, the green foliage showing out in, great relief. The Archdeacen cut the cake and made some very pleasant and complimentary remarks, wishing the Convent every success, referring to other professions he had assisted in, and to days of yore with kind memories. The ceremonies created a deep interest in thecommunity, and it was the first occasion such were performed in Westbury, and I may say, in any country township in Tasmania." The Sister Mary Vincent, we may add, is sister of our esteemed fellow colonist Messrs Patrick Bowler, of Waitara, Taranaki, and John Bowler of Wanganui. The lady has also several other relations in New Zealand.

The Greymouth correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes as follows under date July 7 : — The public hall was literally packed the other evening to listen to a concert given by the Roman Catholic Church choir, with all the available musical talent in town to assist. The object was to reduce the debt on the Roman Catholic Debating Society's hall. During the evening the Rev. Father Briand presented Mr. Guthrie, engine driver, who is promoted to Cnnstchurch, with a handsome gold Albert chain and locket, as a slight token of the esteem the Roman Catholic choir nold him in. His services have always been available when assistance was wanted in the choir. Mr,

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Guthiie suitably responded. The Roman Catholic brass band was also in attendance, and added greatly to the evening's enjoyment.

The daily papers this week (says the Sydney Freeman's Journal of June 28) have published a return, eviden'ly supplied to them officially, comments included, which, we are informed, was prepared under instructions from Mr. Carruthers in reply to Judge Forbes' statement from the bench last week that many of the youthful criminals brought before him had doubtless been educated in the public schools. Of course this return proves to the satisfaction of Mr. Carruthers, at least, that they were nearly all educated in Catholic and Church of England schools. But how were these returns made out 1 — prepared is the official word, and a very good word it is for the purpose. From the records of tbe Catholic and Church of England schools ? Hardly, we should say, for although the conductors of thes a schools migbt have no objection to have their records inspected, it is quite certain that they were not approached for the purpose of the present returns. Wheie, then, did these returns come from ? Not from any entries in the records of the Education Department, for the schools referred to are not recognised by the Public Instruction Act. The Minister could only " prepare " them by interviewing tbe criminals themselves, and a nice kind of official return he has got from the months of these innocents. Their statements that some of them were ex-Vernon boys have been positively denied by Captain Neitenstein, of the Veroon, so that these fellows are convicted liars as well as convicted thieves and burglars. And it is from this source that Mr. Carruthers's returns must have been " prepared " in vindication of the character of the public schools.

On Sunday, June 22, the new church of the Franciscan Fathers at Paddington, Sydney, waa opened by the Cardinal Archbishop. The Bishop of Armidale and the Auxiliary-Bishop of Sydney, wth a large number of the clergy, were also present. The church is built in the Italian Gothic style, and a novel feature in Australia is shown by its main front, which is faced with marble of different colours and Venetian glass mosaic. Some fine stained glass memorial windows have also been placed in the building. The dedication sermon was preached by the Most Bey. Dr. Higgins.

Dr. Neild, (writes " Tapley " in the Melbourne Advocate of July 6) has again set a few of the Melbourne people thinking. And certainly not without giving them something to think about. He tells us he has held pos' m-ortems on 500 murdered babies, and that for these 500 slaughtered innocents, there are 1500 murderesses walking about undiscovered. When I read this sickening revelation of Melbourne's hidden crimes, there occurred to my mind at once that argument of Mr. Benj. Howe's, about the idiocy of attempting to guage the moral condition of a people from the police court records. We know that it used to be a favourite custom in the Press to prove Catholics the most criminal people in the community, merely because a certain rowdy section of them most often came under the ken of the policeman. Mr. Hoare effectually laid that logic to rest in all the higher controversial circles by showiug that mere police court chronicles barely touched the fringe of the real social immorality — that the unrecorded moral offences are a hundred to one of those recorded. And here comes in this frightful evidence of Dr. Neild, with ite list of 500 unchromcled murders and 1500 unconvicted murderesses to justify Mr. Hoare's argument. And long before Mr. Ho ire adduced that argument you, Mr. Editor, advanced it in your columns.

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul at Goulburn N.S.W , waß opened, in its fully completed form, on (Sunday, June 29, the festival of the Apostles. The dedication ceremonies were carntd out with great splendour and solemnity and in the presence of a large assemblage of prelates and priests, and of the Catholic laity. Besides the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney, there were present the Archbishops of Adelaide and Melbourne, and the Bishops of Goulburn, Maitland. Armidale, Sandhurst, Bathurst, Wilcannia, Grafton, and the Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney. The opening sermon was preached by his Eminence Cardinal Moran. The collection mad i on the occasion amounted te over £2000.

At a dinner given at Goulburn in connection with the op r ning of the cathedral, the Bishop of Witcannia spoke as follows :— " There was one thing remarkable about the building, and perhaps they might not have observed it. It was well known that Bishop Lanigan was a type at the same time of Ireland and Australia, and of him it c^uld be said, as they all well knew, that he was faithful to the old land and true to this land of his adoption. lhe feature thit he would direct their attention to was perhaps unique. When tbe Bishop was setting about building tbe cathedral nothing would do him but to get green stone for his material. Ihis species of stone, it seemed, had in other buildings turned into black; but the Goulbuin stone in the cathedral becume greener and greener every day. Tbe circumstance. to which he alluded was after all perfectly in keeping with the Bishop of Goulburn's patriotic characteristics, for it could be truthfully said of him that his affection for the old land became more intense every year."

A new retreat of the Passionist Fathers has also been opened at Gonlburn, the Cardinal-Archbishop and the prelates present at the opening of the cathedral taking part in the ceremonies. — " His Lordship the Bishop of Maitland (sayß the Sydney Freeman's Journal}, preaching at the opening of the Cathedral on Sunday evening, in reviewing the progress of the diocese, made a special allusion to the Passicnists. The devoted sons of M. Paul of tbe Cross— the latest accession to tbe ranks of the diocesan clergy — had established thempelves just outside the city, and, while congratulating bis Lordship Dr. Lacigan on having secured the services of these worthy men, the Bishop of Maitland said he thought he should also congratulate the Fathers themselves, and, ahove all, he should congratulate in the eincerest manner not only the people of Goulburn, but the people of

the whole diocese." — " From Borne," adds oar contemporary, "we learn, under date May 15, that after the General Chapter, which ia held every six years, the newly-elected General of the Passionist Order and the Capitular Fathers were honoured with a long audience with the Holy Father, who spoke for half-rn-hour. Hi 9 Holiness alluded to the spread of the Congregati >n of St. Paul of the Cross, acd sent a special blessing to the Australian branch of the Order.