Colonial Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 29, 17 April 1891, Page 2

Colonial Notes.

" The New Zealand Herald thinks that the Pope is anxious to obtain a greater hold over the Irish Nationalist party than he possesses at present. That is said to be his motive for desiring an interview with Aichbnhop Walsh, who has so prominently identified hims3lf with the extr< nip Irish section. The pronounced opposition of the Vatican to what is magniloquently described as the national aspirations of the Irish people, has undoubtedly greatly tended to weaken the power of Borne in Ireland, where the spectacle is of daily occurrence of priests openly disobeying the injunctions of the Popeiin regard to political matters. His Holiness, however, can only win back the Nationalists by siding with them, a contingency which is not likely to take place." Thought is essentially tree, and, therefore, let the New Zealand Herald think what nonsense it will, it only makes use of an indispu'ablerigh*. Archbishop Walsh, however, as on good authority we state elsewheie, went to Rome on the occasion alluded to, merely to fulfil a promise given by him to take pnrt in a religious ceremony, and with no political ends whatevtr. The Nuc Zealand Herald, besides thinks differently from Loid Sdisbury, who declared the other day that the situation in Ireland proved the Catholic Church to be omnipo'ent among the people.

The officers of St Patiick's College Football Club for the season ore as follows :— Patron, His Grace Atchbiehop Redwood ; President, the Hoc Dr M. P. Giace, M.L.C.; Vice-presidents, Very Rev Dr Watters and Dr. Cabill, Messrs. I. 8. Garvty, VV. C. Gasquoiue, and M. Kennedy, Captain, Mr. M. Hanniug ; Vice-captain, Mr. P. Fay ; Secretary and Jfeaeurc, Mr, F. R.v d . VLir-gctuuut O mnritt c nd Match Commit-

tee, Rev. Father Hickson, Messrs. Banning, Fay, Ryan, and Jones ; Delegates to the Bug by Union, Messrs W. G. Reid, M. Hodgins, and P. Gooney.

The Nero Zealand Herald also gives us an instance in which an ingenious " colonial lad " recently managed to work two ploughs, and himself kept both going at the same time :— " This," says our contemporary, whether in jest or earnest we caanot gather, " is one way of overcoming the labour difficulty. The device thus resorted to may be a hint to agricultural implement manufacturers to construct them so that they will be as nearly self-acting as possible." To swell the already far too numerous ranks of the unemployed seems, nevertheless, a strange method of arriving at a settlement. Bat then, of course, we mußt remember the old saying — " Doctors differ."

At & meeting of the unemployed, held in Dunedin on Friday, it was announced by Messrs. Hutchinson and Barnsbaw, M.B.R.'s, that work on the Catlin's River line would be given immediately to all who required it, The men were advised to form themselves into small gangs, appointing a representative for each gang to whom the money earned would be given for distribution. Mr. Earnshaw explained that the work would be given in small contracts at schedule rates, and that, therefore, each man could mike 8j or 10a a day. "That was more generous." he added, "than any Tory Government in the pBBt ever offered them." Some dissa isfaction, nevertheless, seemed to exist because work in town could not be provided.

Among the proposals for the settlement of the shearing trouble in Queensland is one for the formation of a Dew union on modified principles, in which the risk of strikes would be reduced to a minimum, and friendly relations with the squatters would be made a principal object. The feeling of the colony, meantime, does not appear to be unanimously against the proceedings of the unions as they now exist, A largely -a 'tended public meeting held at Gympie has, for example, passed the following resolutions :— " That, in the opinion of this meeting, the Government are gnilty of criminal neglect of duty in not compelling the pastoralists to an open conference ; and the meeting also censures th 3 Government for its arbitrary action in goading already excited men on to the verge of civil war." " That we express entire sympathy with the shearers in the present dispute, and pledge ourselves to render them all the moral and pecuniary support possible ; and we sincerely hope the present difficulty will be settled by constitutional means." — It would seem, theiefore, that in this case also there are two sides to the question.

The death of the Hon. John Macrossan, one of the representatives of Queensland at the Federal Convention of Sydney, which occurred on Monday, March 30. has occasioned much regret. Mr. Macrossan was a native of Donegal, and was ia the 59th year of his age. He was a man of s nking ability, as, indeed, bad been proved by his raising himself from the position of a working miner — in which the earlier part of his career, in Victoria first and afterwards in Queensland, had been passed, to an eminent place among the statesmen of the colonies. In referring, m the Convention, to his death, Sir Samuel Griffith, the Premier of Queensland, bore the highest testimony to his worth — in wnicb he was joined by Sir Patrick Jennings, who seconded the motion of regret. The obsequies took place in St. Mary's Cathedral, the Caidinal Archbishop presiding, and the remains were conveyed thence by rail to Queensland for interment in the neighbourhood of Brisbane. The deceased had been a sincere and devout Catholic, and had also been distinguished by his devotion to the cause of Ireland.

Mr. F, B. Freehill, president of the Irish National League of New South Wales (says the t-ydney Freeman's Journal of April 4), has received the following letter from Mr. Justin M'Oarthy, AI.P. :—: — •' House of Commons, London, February 20, 1891. My dear Sir, — The imprisonment of Messrs. O'Brien and Dillon has greatly affected the probability of raising funds in America, So urgent ia the need that the Irish party are willing to advance the whole political fund reserved to defray the expenses of the geaeral election for the purpose of saving the victims of landlordism from starvation. To this, however, Mr. Parnell has not agreed, and the only option left is to make what we hope and believe will be a last appeal to the generosity of Australia. Our distinguished colleague, Mr. T. D. Sulhvan, who has long btcn knowa as the editor of the Nation, has placed himself at the disposal of the party, and he will be assisted by Mr. J. R. Cox, M.P., whose i revious knowledge of our countrymen and friends in Australia, is well as theirs of him, it is hoped, will be of peculiar service to the mission. The party desires to be clearly understood that every penny of the proceeds of the mission eball be devoted to the sole purpose of providing shelter and food for tenants rendered homeless. We cherish the earnest hope that the response of Australia may be buch as will enable us to bridge over the now fast shortening period between thi9 and the general election. — Yours very sincerely (signed), Justia M'Cdrtby, T. Grattan Ksmonde, John Deacy, Arthur O'Connor, Donal Sullivan." The object of this appeal

was notified by cable some weeks back, and it will be fresh in our readers' recollection that a message was sent from the New South Wales Irish National League intimating tbat it was undesirable that any delegates should be sent out while the division in the Parliamentary Party at Home continued.

The Vary Rev. Vincent Grogan, the Pasaionist Father who received the renowned singer, Mr. Santley, into the Catholic Cburch, (Bays the Hobart Catholic Standard), has been in communication with the Rev. Father Hennebry, of St. Joseph's, a former clasa-fellow of his in Oarlow College, with regard to the conducting of a mission in Tasmania. With the cordial approval of Hia Grace the Archbishop it has been arranged that missions will be given by the Very Bey. Father in Hobart towards the close of the present month, to be followtd by the Retreat of the clergy of the diocese in May next. The annual Dioceßan Synod will probably be held about the same time.

The Catholics of Brisbane have improved th 6 hours of their Archbishop's absence in Europe by erecting, at a cost of over £5000, a handsome palace to receive his Grace on his return. The style is Romanesque and the building occupies an elevated site, commanding lline views of the city.