CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 43, 31 July 1891, Page 27

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

THAT "all is quiet on the Potomac " is about all that can be said conotJning affairs in onr staid little city at present. This winter has brought more than ordinary wintry stagnation to all classes of business. The effects of the last bad season and of the strike at the beginning of the sammsr are being severely felt. When the farmers in Canterbury suffer, trade in Christen urch almost dies. However, people are looking hopefully forward for belter times whea the winter will be over, though, indeed, while the Colony continues to bacome daily more and more depopulated it is difficult to see how any great change in regard to existing depression cao take place. In same parts of the world all the social troubles arise from a supeiflaitv of population. In this Colony tbe'majorityof oar troubled, Bocial and financial, is due to a deficiency of population. In some of the big cities of the Old world, in dirty slums and stifling lanes, there are humm beings who never saw a green field or smelled fresh country air ia the whole course of their lives. There is no room for them in the country. They must herd in the towns. Here we hare miles and miles of magnificent unfilled land, which, properly utilised, would grow sheep aud wheat enough to feed the surplus population of Europe, and there are no people to pat a spade or a plough into it. The spire land is at this stfe "f the world. Tne natural heirs, accordiag to socialist. c ethics, to it are at the other. To get matters straight some kind of barter, with hamm beings and acres as the exchangeable commodities, should be arranged between the Old World the New. There is no use in our growing sleeps leep and wheat, tinning rabbits, and making Eaiapoi and Mosgiel suits, when we hive no one to eat the one species of goo is or to wear the other. Bat though the times are bad there has baen sufficient m^ney forthcoming to restore tha top of the Cathedral spire. The wosk is going on apace, and in a short time our great architectural glory will have assumed Its former graceful appearanca. While tbe men are at work, as they ascend and descend tbe long ladders which are suspended around the tower they seem to be about tbe siza of children The Theatre has been closed for months. There has been no drama' ic company here for a long time. Tbe visit of Madame Patey has been tbe only rift in our clou ly theatrical firmament for man) months. We shall toon forget what a drop scane is like. Among the names in the death list last w ek tnere id that . f Mr. Harold Hasea', a young gentleman who was well known in atuletic circles. He was employed in one of the bviks here, and was, I think, well known down south. He caught typhoid fever in Wellington, and returned home only to die. He expired on Saturday morniu^. In Mr. Hassal there has died a manly man aad a thorough gentlerna.i. If there are scattered anywhere thrja,hiat New Zeilaul just now a few millionaires who are anxious to leave several hu jdrjds of thousands of pounds to cbaritabe instituting, anl ara in seach of needy and deserving recipients upon wnotn to be3tow their bounty, I oan supply them with the necessary information Right here in Ohnstcharch, as a Yankee wool I say, is just ths place tj dispose of a couple of sackfula of soverie^ns. Tha main outlets for practical charity in Catholic religious matters just now are a c jllecion for ihi Brothers' house, an art-union for (he Brothers' house, and a b zaar for Bt. Mary's. All philanthropists who are interested in the proier housing of the poor, should forward at O'ic2 a handsome donation for the Brothers' h^os-. The Brothers are csrtaialy pojr, aud thiy have unquestionably been very bvily housed. The kind-hearted Oaris'ims who intend to forward their cheques for the Brothers' house, cannot do better than trump one good «ct with another and enclose a second donation for St. Mary's. Father Lemenant has had up-hill work in his new parish. It is a poor and scattered parish, and he bas many difficulties to contend with. Ladies in Canterbury or beyond it who have leisure to do either plain or fancy needle work, could not do better in their spare time than to utilise a portion of it in mak ng some email thing as a gift to this poor little h*rd-up church of Our Lady. On Sunday morning Father Maroane acknowledged the receipt of donations in money and work from various Convents. Am >ng these were mentioned parcels from the Djminicdt, nuns, Convents on the West Coast, the Barbadoes street nuns, and the nuns at Lyttelton. At eleven o'clock Mass at tha pro- Cathedral Father Aabrey announced that the Bishop wou'd shortly return to his diocese, and that it would be desirable to make him a presentation upon bis anival. He hoped tbat the \i >jetj ct would be taLen up warmly throughout the diocese. I testily echo Father Aubrey's wish. If the matter be taken up in tbe manner in which it deserves to be, a very substantial proof of bis people's affection shoald await tbe B shop upon his ''Jtarn. During his residence here, short though it wag, Bishop Gmaes made himself thoroughly loved bj his people, and most loved by those who knew him best. Ha is as cultured and as true-hearted a gentleman as any who ever wore tbe mitre, and has completely won, and well merits, tho esteem and affection of his flock. Any thing which can be done to mike him feel upon his ieturn tha 1 . he is heartily welcomed home again should nut be left undone. The

Bishop's health has bean completely restore), and it is anticipated thit he will arrire here io August or early in September. Mr John Joyce ia trying his best to increase the facilities for an tying the matrimonial knot. Most people who know much about the minor working* of society in onr little colony, will, I fancy, conclude ♦hat the matrimonial bond does not require to ba farther weakened.