WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 48, 4 September 1891, Page 15

WELLINGTON.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

Wellington, August 28, 1891. There has lately been inaugurated among the Catholic bodj in this Vpty a society, having for it 8 object the improvement and elevation to a.higher sphere of thooght and action of the Catholic youth of the male Tan n tITx n S ° Ciety UkeS the P lace of the Liter «y B^iety and the Catholic Institnte, both of which declined for want of a conrauant meeting place. Th. newly-formed Aloyeian Society can congratulate themselves that they meet in the lately-opened St. , ° aU ~ a Bbort description of which I have seen in your column* The members me.t weekly for debates and monthly for social entertainments, when invitations are issued to the friends of members to attend and witness their declamatory and musical efforts. I attended the August « social "of th. Society. Several of the clergy were present-Father McNamara, S.M., V.G., Fathers Ginaty and Goggan, S.M., the Bey Father Devoy, S.M., P.P., and Father Power, of the Society. The programme submitted consisted of songs and recitations, which evoked much enthusiasm from admirers among the audience. Mr. J. Sh.ridan recited the "Three Students 01 Uaidelberg " in quite professional style, displaying much natural power, as well as careful traioing.-The Catholics of Te Aroare to be congratulated on the improvements which have been made in the tfoulcott strett church and vicinity. The old church has been thoroughly renovated, and looks quite fresh. A grand new presbytery graces the precincts, the old one being converted into St Patrick's jaall. The boundary wall has been renewed in concrete, Eurmounted by formidable iron railings. The approaches to the church and presbytery are carefully laid out, and the whole wears an air of marked improvement. The Opera House is engaged four nights next week for an operatic performance entitled " Bob Boy or Auld Lang Syne," half th 8 receipts to go to St. Joseph's Orphanage of this city. Mr MacDaff Boyd, the choir master of the Cathedral and a most accomplished violinist, is, to use a vulgar but expressive phrase, " running tha snow. The programme as published gives promise of a fine performance, and I have no doubt that the success attained will be commensurate with the merits of th« performers who give their services 'or this worthy object.— A reunion of the Catholics of Wellington flees place on the 3rd of September. &s the last was such a brilliant affair, the success of this is assured. There all classes meet in a friendly spirit, all on the same platform-the rich and poor— all meet to enjoy a few hours of social converse, the barriers which in everyday life divide the people being for the nonce removed and harmony pervading. This Parliament cannot be said to lag behind in the march of progress. The one-man one-vote Hill has given us a new motive power in the House which shows itself in advanced legislation— such w the " Extension of the Fxanchise to women," which has passed the the second reading in the House of Bepresentatives. Let us hope that should this Bill emerge frcm the dangers which will beset it in committee and in the Upper House, and eventually become law, the ladies who have such large part in shaping the lives of the men of the Colony may be as successful in the making of the laws, for no one can deny that they (the ladies) would exercise tremendous influence at the polls. The writer who pens political notes for the New Zealand Times has a happy knack of hitting off the peculiarities of the different Members of the Hohsb while speaking. A very instructive and amusing portion of the Times mußt be the political notes, to Members wbo fig Ur e therein ; for "nought is set down in malice," the writing being in conversational style, chatty, racy, and brimful of humour. That was a dramatic episode which occurred in the House on the eveniDg of Thursday, the 27th, when Mr Speaker read the resolut on conveying to Mr Bryce something very like the censure of the House. The chamber was full, the galleries were crowded, for the war had raged hotly in the arena of debate all day, and the echoes of tht fray had drawn a large audience. Mr Bryce, leader of the Opposition, rose in hie place and spoke with feeling amid the silence of the listening chamber. When he had finished he bowed to the Speaker and departed to consider his position. Everybody seems eorry for him, for his sin consisted in saying that the Premier 11 ought to be ashamed of himself." A most pleasant place in which to spend an hour for the visitor to Wellington is the House of Bepresentatives. The seating accommodation for the public is Clmost doubled, and at the evening sitting all Wellington and his may be seen in the galleries. Irishmen meetiDg each other now-a-days wear a sorrowful expression, their hopes, which were high, being somewhat dashed by ' lateevents. Homeßulewaswithinmeasureabledistance ; but, through internal divisions, the apple has all but turned to " Dead Sea fruit. 1 ' Mr Balfour has at last seen there was something in Irish discontent, and has endeavoured at the eleventh hour to wipe out his record! He it a brave man, the Irish Chief Secretary, whatever else is said

of him, and he collected a large sum of money and had the Land Purchase Bill passed— material aid like this ia worth a whole tea of ink and fine words.