TIMARU.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 44, 7 August 1891, Page 13

T I M A R U.

(From an Occasional Correspondent.)

August 1,1891. Friday the 24th July being Father Foley's feast-day, tbe children of tbe girls pariah school under the tuition of tbe Sacred Heart, and the boys who as yet are under charge of Miss Kenny, Miss Harney, and Mr McMooagle vied with ench other in wholesome rivalry as to which school would do their kini pastor the most honour, and I fear the girls who are adepts at this cjuld give a few points an! still have the advantage. However, such things as these are pleasant to record. At about 11 o'clock the Bey. Father Foley entered the school, and the boys received him with a hearty burst of applause. It was really a pleasant sight to see those children so neat anl clean, joyful, yet orderly and respectful. After the applause had subsided, Master Nicholas McGuiness stood up and said : " Rev. Father, we have iovitad you here to-day, that we might have the pleasure of expressing our joy and thankfulness to Almighty God for having spared you to us for another year. I have much pleasure in calling upon Master Felix McGowan to read to you the address which will express oar sentiments better than I can." Master Felix McGowan then came forward and read tbe address as follows :— " Bey. Father, — We your loviog children desire to wish you every joy and happiness on this the anniversary of your feast, and to give expression to our gratitude for the many favours you have bestowed upon us. You have always pleaded our cause, and watched over our interests with affectionate zial. Yon have ever borne our shortcomings witb patient forbearance, and encouraged us not only in oar duties but also in our amusements. To use a quotation from one of onr school books you •• hfcve tried each art, reproved each dull delay, allured to brighter and led the way." May you be long spared in health and strength to watch over ua, and to use this little token of oar affection which we beg yon to honour us by accepting. And when it shall please God to call you may you hear those comforting words pronounced, "Well done tbou good and faithful ser rant, enter into the joy of tby Lord," which is tbe prayer of your affectionate.

children. Master H. Gardner, ou behalf of his school mates, presented tbe Rev Father with a silver plated egg-stand and a froit dish, while Masteis D. Shea and P. Mahouey presented two handsome salts sets in silver plated dishes. Master Mahoney recited •• The stainless tie " and the Hey Father then addressed the children. Daring the course of his remirks be spoke of the importance of a Catholic education, showing them the advantages they had ovei children not so favoured and how that parents of other denominations admitted that nnless denominational education was established the morals of their children would be very low. He urged the children to further advancement in piety and good conduct, telling them that It pleased him very much to Accept their gift not for its intrinsic value but as • token of their respect and love for him as their spiritual father, their priest, and requested them to pray for him that he might be enabled to carry out his duties to God and to them. The boys then asked if they might be granted a holiday, but as it was not long since school had been resumed after the midwinter recess, the Bey. Father made a compromise that they should have an extra long time at the football which satisfied them very much , and having given vent to their joy with applause, they adjourned to the play ground were they soon were interested in Rugby at woica they are fast players if not scientific. Thos** deserving of mention are Felix McGowan (the captain), H. Gardner, Arthur Neall, Frank Wilson, James and Peter Gaffney, N. McGuinnes j , Ralph Home, Geoff ry Kenning, James Kane. In tbe afternoon I understand the Rev. Father was entertained at the girls' school, when the f blowing programme was gone through. Overture, " Home Sweet Home," by Miss N. Fitzgerald ; chorus, " Happy Feast Day," in which all the pupils joined, after which Miss M. Sullivan read the aidress. A short drama was then gone through in which Miss 29 McDonali, Healy, Bissel, Hall and Wade took the principal parts. Miss Mary McDonald then presented tbe rev. guest with a bouquet of flowers. The principal feature of the presentation was a beautiful oil painting of St. Aloysius. It is needless to comment npon the study, as the fame of the nuns of the Sacred Heart is already wall known and anything executed by them is a sufficient guarantee. Tbe Rev. Father addressed the children and briefly pointed out to t^ern the duties of their state. A chorus in which all the children joined reflected great credit npon their teachers the good nuns. The children were allowed extra play and it is needless to say they enjoyed themselves thoroughly. On Tuesday, the 28th, the St Aloysian Catholic Union held the usual weekly meeting and there was a good attendance. There are 66 members on the roll and over 60 put in an appeara-ie. After having enjoyed themselves at games and other amusements, the warden, Mr Junes Collins, rat g the bsll as a reminder that the programme was about to be gone thiougb. The first feature of the evening was the Rev Father Pertuis's lesßons to the Aloysians upou ejaculatory phrases by means of an electric battery. And from observation I cmld judge 'hat th->y were becomiTg proficient in the art cf exclamations. One gentleman espe.-iilly could say with great vehemence of expression Oi— Father — 'hat'l do. Some of the smaller members were very succ ssful in speaking with effect, Ah — Stop. A very amusing feature was the dropping of one of the conductors into a bucket of water an 1 a persiu having sixpence from 'he bo'tom. But the battery not being sufficiently strong, or the supply of sixpences being limited also, this amusing feature would hiva beei too expensive, as the one who recovered the coin had the privilege of pocketing it. The next feature of the evening was the singing. Mr Wally sang in goxl time and tune " Welcome p>or Paddy hoau." Mr Cairns gave the comic pong, "Ballyhooley." Mr J. P. Cororan with grea* power of delivery recited, "Bernardo del Corpio." This gentleman gave a good interpretation of the piece, and ia tne possesor of a good deep voice, capable of any infection. Mr T. Kenny sang and acted the " Sang on the bridge," and rendered the diffeient characters with good effect, being loudly applauded. Mr Fred Niall was a success with the comic song " X llaloe." Mr Stapleton made a good attempt at the piece " Mary, Q jeen of Scots." 1 understand tbe gentleman has not much time to study, aid consequently his conception of the piece was not equd to ais ability. A. Dobbs was happy in the Bong " There** a light in the window." Charles Neall suited tbe comic soDg " Paddy McCarthy." This gentleman having made bis fiist anpearance before the Alo^sian Union was encored and gave the touchiug little song " Be kind to my mother when lam gone." Tbis brought the evening to a cose and the members dispersed to their 1 omes hightly pleased with the powers of theAlojsians to entertain and amuse. The Rev Father Foley presided during the evening and energetically assisted to make the evening, like tbe Society, a success. The rev gentleman is puffering from a cold still, but be does not allow euch things to stand in the way when the interests of bis flock are in ques'ion. His watchword seems to De, " Ready, aye ready."