CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 43, 31 July 1891, Page 25

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

THBBE is very little that is new in the methods of mankind. When any reform was demanded by tbe progressive portion of the BrMsfr public in dayß goue by, it was retarded and obstructed in every conceivable way by th s Tory fac ion, who, instead of opposiog it in a straightforward manner, need to excite the fear of their supporters by some false cry, such as tbe Church was in danger, The tactics employed by the opponents of the Private Schools Bill act in a similar manner ; they will not say that tbey refuse to pass such « measure because they are prejudiced tnd illiberal, bat that tbey fear tbe secular system may be endangered. We have been accustomed to this in the past, but we expected a more honest or at least a more original objection from the present Minister for Education, whose utterances on other subjects ara at least new if not very wise. The division on the Private Schools Bill did not Bhow that tbe Catholics of Canterbury were alive to their own interests at the last election, those who supported it were not at all in proportion to tbe importance of the Catholic vote in this province. Take Cbristchurch, for instance —they cannot return any member by themselves, but they can ass. si in pntting in or keeping oat wbomsover they choose. Had it not been for the Catholic vote and the indefatigable way in which Mr. Perceval - worked to keep it solid in favour of the so-called Liberal trio, the Hon. the Minister for Education would never very likely have the d.stinguished honor of uttering witty epigrams from the much-coveted Treasury benches. Instead of being one of tbe best known men in New Zealand to-day, he would be the hard-worked, unknown occupant of the editorial chair in the Jsyttelton Times office, whose abilities would be concealed from the public by the anonymity of the mysterious we. The Catholic bere, and all through tbe province, belong in a great measure to tbe industrial class, and it unfortunately happened on last December we were passing through a crisis which to a certain extent threw into the shade the question of education. Capital bad triumphed, and was inclined to be a bit domineering ; labour was crushed, disorganised, and disheartened. The ballot box was tbe refuge that remained for the wage-earner to retrieve partially his disasters. We cannot blame him very much if he made tbe right of existence bis primary object of faith, and that of education a secondary one. Whether it was right or wrong he did so, and hence we see to-day many members of our Parliament coolly voting against justice to a section of tbe community to whom tbey owe their present distinguished position. The industrial classes in this district are the essence of Liberalism so locg as they get everything they require for themselves, but when it comeß to a question of recognising tbe right of Cathclics to get State aid for their schools, then a howl of bigotry and intolerance is raised, which shows us that what we bad previously mistaken for Liberalism was nothing but pure undiluted selfishness The Lyttelton Times, of which the Minister for Education is tbe nominal, or at least was the active editor, thinks that " it bodes il' for the secular system of education if the Cataolics resolve to support only one party. So long as they fight their battle independently, without making use of one party against another, there is no fear that the Private Schools Bill will be carried. But shjuld they ever take a decided position in the raDks of one party, their numbers aod energy might force that party to recognise that claim." The Prohibitionist, the organ of the temperance folks in Sydenham, is a model paper as far as tbe business part of it is concerned, for it is delivered free to every household in the borough, so that the übiquitous mean man need not borrow it of his neighbour, and after having scanned i'a contents from the title paga to the printer's name return it with a " 'tisn't worth reading " kind of air. It has been, however, getting into hot water with Bishop Julius an 1 the Church News over prohibition. It says that the Bishop, " never loses an opportunity, whether lecturing or preaching, of soeering at the Prohibition cause." It fur hermore adds, " th-it these little saeers are a perpetual irritant to theeiitor, whose fingers are itching to b.at the Bishop." Now this is too bad from a temperance writer, wh j ought to be a model of forbearance and Belf-restraint. Whether the editor means that he is anxious to enter on a literary or physical contest I know not. but if it should be the latter, I cannot help admiring his pluck, for Bishop Julius is no cornstalk, and his prowess, as an exponent of muscular Christianity, preceded him to trus colony. There are those who3e gco 1 deeds ara rarely ever known to the world, or whose acts are so uagrudgirgly performed without expectation of recognition that the public very often fail to appreciate the sacrifices made. How very few of m, perhap?, value at its true worth that bsflutiful mnsic which wo lisle i to Sunday after Sunlay, or the amount of lime anl patience necessary for its perfect rendering. It is with much pleasure that I no'e, the high state of proficiency which tbe pro-Cathedral choir is attaining under tbe able conductorBbip of Mr Funston, assisted by the. talented organist, Miss Funston. On several occasions lately they have given some difficult Masses in a very creditable manner, and on last Sunday, at Vespers, they sang a

very beautiful " Magnificat" and" Balve Bagina," the sjlo part of the latter being taken b/ Miss Bryant with much success The announcement by cablegram of the death of Sir Frederick Weld, at the early age of sixty-fouy, will recvll to tbe minds of some of the older Catholics of Canterbury many reminißceocji of the early days of the Churcb in this Province. In those days he was plain Mr Weld, although there coarsed throngh bis reins some of the bluest of the bine blood ol Catholic England. He owned a stati >n at Leitbfield, in North Canterbury, but still he was a regular attendant at the humble church iv Barbadoes street, where now stands the proCathedral. What a ooatrast b tweju the Church in this P.-ovince tbea and now. It was only in after years, when ha had won his spurs in the political field, and after ha had successfully taught the weak-kneed colonists the sturdy and manly d:>ctrine of self-reliance that be was koightjd. He wa* amin of fine physiqie, polished tad courteoui to a high degree, yet witbal as hurnb c, unpretentious and accessible as the poorest citizjn. What meaner of mn ha was can be very fairly judged from a couple of portraits of him in the mnieum, and which are, I have been reliably informed, very good likenesses of him, when he undertook, at the invitation of th« Imperial authorities, the direction of public affaire iv this colony. It was held as a sacred opinion amongst our forefathers that the 'iiroof of the pudding was in the eating, but any Third Standard boy Anowa now-a-days that to be a fallacy, and that the proof is in the \f ter results. Two pillars of our Education Board were investigating a few days ago some misunderstanding that arose between the master of a local school and some of the parents of the children. According to the papers it was pretty close on midnight when the enquiry closed, but the lateness of the hour did not prevent a crowd from collecting, in order, I presume, to testify to those conscript fathers of tbe Education Board their appreciation of secularism. The crowd accompanied the commissioners to their hotel, groaning and shonting during the time, and otherwise miaba having themselves as badly as if they hvi been trained up under the dwarfing influence of de« nominationalism. Bat the commissioners, being unused to tbe bumpkins' method of demonstrating their joy, and being modest men to boot, remonstrated with their admirers, bat the latter abated not one jot of their hilarity. In the exuberance of their delight the guard of honour began to throw stones about in a promiscuous way and in as irreverent a manner as if they had been brought up in schools where religion was taught. One of the commissioners re* monstrated, but without avail, and it was not until the sacred majesty of the law, in the person of a muscular " bobby," was appealed to that the enthusiastic gathering ceased from demonstrating to those gentlemen to what perfection respect and reverence for age and authority have been carried in our public schools. lhe Very Rev. Father Cummiags conducted a retreat at Mount Magdala during the past week, and on Thursday evening last, at his invitation Mr Saager, nftfsted by Miss Seagor, gave an exhibition of his skill as nn adept at slight of hand and necromancy to the penittnts, who were highly pleased by the efforts of tbe performer. The '• Black Swans" gave a very successful performance in the Halswell public school on Friday evening, in aid of the fund for repairing and pain.ing the Catholic Church in the district. There was a crowded house, and the various items were very well received, the majority of them being encored. From a letter which arrived during the weak by the San Francisco mail, from His Lordship Dr Grimes, it appears that he is at present, or at least when writing the letter, was in Louisiana, having arrived in New York from Europe on Whit Monday. During his stay in the latter city, he was toe gui3t of the Most Rev. Dr. Corrigan, Archbishop of New York. It is uncertain as yet wheher His LDrdship will cjme by the August or September mail steamer, but he will immediately notify the Very Jiev, Administrator on his arrival at Auckland. At the 11 o'clock Mass on Sunday, the Bey Father Aubrey read a portion of the Encyclical letter of His Holiness on the labour question. The remainder is to be read on next and the following Sundays' until finished. Before commencing tbe reading of it, the preacher explained the difference bet wee. i mch a document and an ex cathedra definition on faith and moru.s. The latter should be implicitly obeyed as coming from tbe infallible head of the Church; the former should be respected, and tbe opinions therein contained treated with all due deference as coming from His Holiness, who has special facilities for forming an unbiassed opinion on this moment jus question. After Vespers on Sunday, a meeting was held in the proCathedral to form a committee in order to arraoge for the due reception of His Lordship tbe Bishop. The Very Rev Father Cummings presided, and Mr E. O'Connor was appointed secretary on the motion of Mr Pender. A numerous and representative committee of gentlemen from the varioue districts of the parish was appointed. It was also arrauged that congratulatory addressee by the Hibernian Literary, and other societies should be prep ire i. Toe meeting terminated by the rev. chairman thanking the ladies and gentlemen present for their attendance and for the great aod general interest displayed in the matter.