ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 24, 1 April 1892, Page 21

ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN CHRISTCHURCH.

The members of 8t Patrick's branch of the H.A.C.B.S. celebrated St Patrick's Day by a banquet. Over 200 sat down to table, aad a very pleasing prospect was the large number of ladies present. The chair was occupied by the President CBro Nelscn), who was supported by Bros O'Oonnell and SelUrs (P.D. Presidents), Cartin (P. 8.). B. P. Lonargan (Trusted, and O'Shaughnessy (secretary). Bro Raidy (P.P.) occupied the vice ohair. After ample iastice had been done to the good things provided, the president announced that before proceeding wLh the to*et Hat they had a pleating little ceremony to perform, viz, the unveiling of the emblem of the Society. Twelve months that evening, Bro Percival (now Agent General), in addressing the members and friends of the Bociaty, remarked the absence of anything in the hall representative of the Society, aud suggested that something should be done. The words had hardly fallen from him when Bro Rogers, jun ., look the matter up, and that night his noble efforts were to ba crowned. The work was artistically done, and would reflect great credit on the artist, He would now call on Bro O'Connell (one of the first presidents of the branch to unveil the emblem. Bro O'Oonnell, in a few well-chosen wordi, unveiled the emblem, described its different characteristics. The surprise was so great to all present, that it was tome seconds before they could fully realise i«a beauties, when it was greeted with an outburst of applause, and musical honours — " St Patrick's Day." The chairman now proposed " The Pope," " the Queen, and Royal Family," which were duly honoured. 11 The Land of our Adoption." Bro O'Connor said, though he had consented to propose thiß toast, he would prefer substituting " The land we live in." As an Irishman he still ciuog to his native land and his love for the same was as green as the day be left it. For that reason he considered it a misnomer to call this the land of our adoption. New Zealand, he considered, had a great future before it. and when you looked round you and saw the happy and well kept people it could not be denied that we were a very prosperous people. The yield in wheat, oats, potatoes and other kind of cereals could not be excelled in any other part of the wond, and the climate was second to none. But there was one thing that marred the content of the Catholics of the Colony, and that was the matter of education. We are being unjustly treated in that respect. If he were allowed he would propose a resolution protesting against that injustice, as he considered it most unfair that we should have to bear the burden of educating other people's children, and at the same time to have to put oar handß in our pockets and support our own. We are told that we can send our children to the Government schools. Yes, that may be bo ; but then we believe in religious as well as secular education, and onr conscience will not allow us to do it. lie was pleased to notice that the Anglicans were now taking active measures to have this ungodly system of education altered, and it they would, then, the matter would be virtually settled, aa the Aaglicana in themselves were more than half the population of New Zetland. In conclusion he proposed "The land we live in,' which was duly drunk with musical honours. Mr W. Hoban, in responding to the said aa a c )lonial, he was proud of his country. As a rich and fertile country it could not be excelled. Its wonders of hot water springs and streams of cold water running side by side was the theme of admiration of everyone that witnessed them. Its mineral and other wealth was unbounded, and its climatic influences were co great that no wonder when men left its shores for fatherland that they returned. That reminded him of the good old song — " Home, sweet home, there is no place like home," fend the suitableness of the toast '• The land of our adoption. 1 ' Bro B. P. Lonargan, proposing tha toast of the day we celebrate, said :— Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen — I regret that owing to the unavoidable absence of Rev Father O'Donnell I have been called upon at so short a notice to propose the toast of the evening. In his hands ample justice would have been done to it. Yon will therefore excuse me if, at the last moment, I fail to satisfy you in all you wieb to have said on it. However, there aie f eeliogs which, with the rapidity of the lightning-flash, are called forth at the mention of the day consecrated as the anniversary for honouring the memory of the patron saint of Ireland. These same feelings to-night swell the breasts of every gathering of Irishmen met for the same purpose all the world W over. Turn to what land you will ; look throughout the length and breadth of that great continent of America, look even at the backwoods of Canada, or at Africa or India, or the great extent of our own Australasia and you wiU find that the magic of the name. , St Patrick's Day collects the children of the sea-divided Gael to express in joyous festivity their sentiments on the many happy memories connected with the dear old land. How fitting then that we, of Chtistchurch, should be no exception to the rule. As the Irishman's faith is so closely allied with his nationality, all of us will doubtless miss faces from the board which we should love to honour amongst ue. Though the absence to-night is one of our misfortunes, let us trust that at the recurring festival we shall secure their presence to

assist to make more complete the celebration of this glorious anniversary to which the Irish race through ages of unexampled persecution has faithfully clang. Mr Mahalm, in responding, said : — Mr Lonargan, in proposing this toast, made happy reference to the many endearing sentiments which the name of this day we celebrate brines to the mind of Irishmen all the world over, and commented on the proud fact that throughout the wide extent of Australasia gatherings similar to this are being: held to-night to do honour to this great day, and keep alive the glorious memories connected with it. Considering the circumstances surrounding life in these new countries so far removed from the horn : of our race, all wishing to keep alive its best traditions must earnestly wiah that the custom shall never ctase, nor the spirit which animates us here to-night flag. How many incidents came almost daily under the notice of most of as which should teach the necessity for this periodical amassing of our people, for thos* re* unions which keep the spirit of Irish nationality from being chilled and from growing apathetic by those old forces which are not yet played out nor spent. I refer to those forces of calumny and misrepresentation which have followed us down through the whole dark long line of 700 year's history, since the day when Henry 11., the murderer of two Archbishops and saints, said that he came on a special mission from Borne to teach the Irish people how to live in peace and order. It is those forces which have to be fought against, for they work silently but effectually in any community where the barriers to their progress are weak. Let me give .you two incidents which will illustrate what I mean. A short time since, in the hands of a Ohristchurch student, I came across a book called a " Universal History," which, on the title page, Baid it was " designed " for families and "schools." It contained about 200 chapters, and oat of that gave one brief one to Ireland. I suspect you will say " quite enough too," when I give you a sentence or two from it. It opens thus : '• The history of Ireland, or " Green Erin " as it is called, is full of very interesting matter, and I am sorry I can only bestow on it one chapter." " The first inhabitants of Ireland were hard-fisted Kelts, who fought with clubs, and seemed to love fighting better than feasting." After a dozen lines about the Christian missionary which it called Patrick, it said, " When he was gone the people told wonderful stories about him, and finally they considered him more holy than other men and called him a saint. To this day they consider 8t Patrick as in Heaven watching over the interests of Ireland. They pray to him and do him honour. They set apart one day in the year forgoing to church and breaking each others heads with clubs." After some spicy anecdotes it wound up with glowing lines on the conquest. It breathes a reference to Ireland's being ill-governed, bat that King James I. did something about improving the condition of the people, " but neither he nor any subsequent king has been able to get St Patrick out of their heads." Then in all solemnity it tells as that St Patrick was a Roman Catholic, and most of the people of Ireland are Catholics to this day. Ladies and gentlemen, we have heard of a bird's-eye-view of Irish hiitory ; to designate this would be difficult ; it is, at all events, the low view of some crawling creature akin to the snakes that St Patrick banished. The other incident I give you is the outcome of the work of such writers, but it is none the less instructive for us. Io a Ohristchurch morning paper, about a couple of months ago, I saw a paragraph announcing that a play had been acted under the auspices of a severely select set of Christian young men. The paper said—" If this be a faithful representation of Irish court procedure, that piocedure differs considerably from what wo are accustomed to here. Counsel turn their backe on judge, and jury ; cross-examination is conducted on somewhat curious lines* The judge allows counsel to abuse the laws he sits to administer, and it is not contrary to rule for persons in the body of the court to speak to jurym<m." lam not especially concerned about defending the Irish judicial dignity, but it does strike one as strange that neither the Welsh, nor the Scotch nor the English courts are selected for the lofty burlesque of these especially designated young Christians. The answer is evident ; the old spirit of viewing all I things Irish has not yet died out amongat our neighbours, and these incidents I bave given are straws which show how the wind blows in Cbristcburcb ; and God alone knowi how many live out their lives getting their spirit gradually crushed within them by the daily influence of that prejudice. It is to counteract that, to cheer and animate and revive old spirits that these gatherings are useful — lo maka as recollect what we are and whence we sprung— to turn our minds back on the chequered roll of history and to recollect that for 700 years our people have struggled on steadily for a principle, and when we notice to-day the patronising aira of a people who in the past were benefitted by our superiority — our superior customs, laws, and manners — we can recollect that when our neighbours were not out of the jungle of barbarism— we had laws and government superior to any 1 country of Western Europe outside the very heart of the Roman Empire. We had, in fact, a system of land laws which modern thinkers are striving to-day to obtain for the benefit of mankind , The right of each to the soil was duly recognised by all. St Patrick found amongst us no class distinctions. The head of the sept or clan was allied by birth to his humblest follower. The chief who on bia

horse proudly led to battle was allied by blood to the humblest gallowglasa who fought in the ranks. W6 knew nothing of feudalism— we had no such slavery. But curaed Norman feudalism changed all this. That system flourished in England where there was the great feudal lord and his dependent vassal. What history has brighter pages than the 300 years which followed the landing of St Patrick? Then again the 800 years of struggle against the incursions of the Danes — 300 years of warfaie with the bravest people of Europe produced their demoralising effect on the country and its institutions, and allowed Henry 11. and his successors to impose upon us those Norman customs which England herself to Lhisvery day is struggling to get rid of. Thirty years Wars of the Boses so demoralised the English people as to have made them fit for weak submission to the tyranny of Henry VIII. and the new doctrines which his immediate follower! imposed on them. Woat then if 300 years produced those dissensions amongst the chiefs of the people. It is not to be wondered at and no cause of shame. But their national characteristics their spirit and lore for freedom never left them— and as we look along the blood reddened vista of years we can see them clinging to that hope — the accomplishment of which we here to-night believe is not tar in the distance, that of national freedom. There have been periods when black despair seemed to have settled on the people — when after some flickering success apathy more profound seemed to have reigned— but when the leaders had spent their human energy and had gone down to the grave apparently withont hope a new generation took up the cause and carried it further along. It was so after Orattan, it wa3 so after O'Connell, it was so after Butt, and will be bo after Parnell. These are memories which, floating across the mind at a gathering like this make glow afresh any smouldering embers of Irish nationality, and give a significance to the sentiment " The day we celebrate." The " Hibernian Society " was proposed by Mr Kennedy. He ■aid he did not know much about the Society, as he was not a member, but at the same time he was aware that it had done an immense amount of good, and that it was a wise precaution taken by persons who belonged to it to secure themselves against sickness and death. Their Benevolent Fund, too, was a great boon to distressed brothers. He had no doubt the gentleman who was to respond would be able to throwjmore light on its advantagestban he could, and he would content himself by asking them to drink to the Society ia a bumper. The toast was drunk with musical honours. Bro Sellars (D.P.P.), in responding, said : — Oa behalf of the officers and members of the Society I thank you very ni'ich for the very kind way in which you have toasted tbe Society, and thank the proposer for the very kind words and good wishes he expressed towards it. The thought that pervaded my mind in listening to the advantages that sucb a society aa ours give, so eloquently pourtrayed by our friend Mr Kennedy, i* that more of our young men and others do not join theSicijty. Tha promoters of our Society, feeling the want of such an nntitutijn as ours that wou'd enhance mutual good to all, by enabling I'iem lo assist each other in tbe hour of need and adversity oy the relief of sickness, in'erment of the dead, care of the widow, and protection of the orphans of deceased members, seek to render these wants by this organisation so aa to afford each member an opportunity, by tbe payment of & small weekly sum, to have an allowance during sickness and a decent intermeit when dead, Tiie care of the widow and orphan is a noble aspiration, and well worthy the consideration of every sensible imn. To prove that these noble aspirations have been fully realised, I propose to lay before you the amount of money expended in sick allowauce and medical attendance and medicine by this branch from its inception (1873; up to the end of last year. Before doing thu, however, I propose to refer to the constitution of the society. The parent, known as the executive of the Socie:y, U located in Melbourne, aud has branches in all the principal town of Australia and New Zealand. A person jjiaiag any particular branch, as a matter of fict, becomss a member of tbe Society, andby providing himself with aclearanc: card, will be recognised as a brother ia any of the other br inches. Tha laws provide for the establishment of districts, as by this means it has been proved that the Society can be worked more satisfictorily and economically than would be tha case if worked aa a whole and from one centre. We have one district for New Zealand, and, with one exception, the wbole of the branches belong to it. It is located ia Auckland, ani has an executive of four officers, Tha branches pay their funeral money into the district, aad have the right of representation at the annual and half-annual meetings of the district. The total number of members in the Society is 10,421, and it has a funeral fuad of £16,586 ; sick fund of £38 000 ; incidental fuad of £5,500 j benevolent fund of £973 ; o her funds £876, making a total to the credit of tbe Society of the handsome amount of £61,935. The composition of the Society is Irish, and properly co, see'ng that they predominate. Whilst this is co, it must be understood that the Society is open to all nationalities, As a matter of fact, we have in our ranks members of different nations, and while in Auckland, representing the branch, I had the pleasure of shaking hands with a Maori brother. He was proud of the fact, and during a conversation, exclaimed — " The Hibernian, all the same aa Irishman ; Maori likes kumara (potato) ;

Irishman likes spuds." The aims and objects of the society are so good and laudable that it has always been a mystery to me that more of oar people have not embraced its advantages. As an instance, for the payment of the small sum of one shilling weekly, in case of sickness, a member would receive 20s per week for 26 weeks ; lll5 1 for 13 weeks, and 10a per week for a farther 13 weeks, and medical attendance and medicine. And in case cf death £20 for a membar, and £10 for a members' wife. At one time in the early stages of tbe Society it was looked on as a secret society, and th« members wareall looked on as Fenians. I think that idea is exploded, as by registration and taking up our proper position with kindred societies it ia almost generally admitted that we are purely a friendly benefit society. Consequently weak-kneed Irishmen and others need have no fear, by joining the Society, that they will suffer ' in a worldly point of view. We find that scenes of disorder take | place in assemblies of high repute, such as the Anglican Synod, Houses of Parliament, and that the legislators of that most polished nation — France— disagree, and go so far as to smite each other in their anger. Yet we very rarely hear of those places stigmatised as not fit for decent people to belong to. Members of our society sometimes, in their zeal, get heated— hence the society is condemned. From what I know of other societies the discussion that take place in ours is mere child's play to what transpires at their meetings ; still you don't hear them condemned. The reason to my mind is that other societies are cosmopolitan in their constitution, while we can compare ourselves to a large family— having one common bond in religious and national feelings — hence anything that transpires out of tbe common must go through the family circle, and in its transit is considerably magnified. My advice to non-members is to receive such statements with the proverbial grain of salt, join the society, and satisfy themselves as to the falsity of such statements. As promised, I will now give the amounts expended for sick allowance, medical attendance and medicine, together with the amounts to the credit of tbe Branch at the present time. Amount expended : —Sick allowance, £1139 11s 2d ; medical attendance, £1638 11s 6d funeralage, £160 ; benevolence, £139 6s 6d. Total, £3077 9» 2d. Amount in hand :— Sick fund, £790 10s ssd ; funeral fund £429 10a 6d ; benevolence, £10 4s 6d. Total, £1230 4s ll£d. The total amount paid ioto the branch since its formation (including management expenses) is £5307. The benevolent fund was only instituted in 1884, and has disbursed since then the sum of £139 6a 6d. The membership cf this branch is about 100. I think it will be admitted from the above facts that the society has done a ceitain amount of good, and, instead of being repulsed and hampered in almost every place it exists, it ought, on the contrary, to receive the moral support of the clergy and laymen of the Church. Take the Ghristchurch branch as an instance: In the short time it has been in existance, it has expended in sick pay, etc, over £3000. Surely by the expenditure of this sum, it must be admitted that the Church has been relieved of a good deal of responsibility. Of my own knowledge I can honestly assert, if it hadn't been for the Society, a large number of distressed cases would have had to be met by the clergy. Consequently I consider the membsraof the Society have every reason to congratulate tnemaelves for the good they hwedone, and ba an incentive to continue in their good work. In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to thank you most heartily for the manner in which you received tbe toa9t of the society. " The clergy," proposed by Brother Lonargau in well-chosen language ; " Kindred Societies," proposed by Brother W. O'Shaughnessy, and responded to by Bros J. Clark (P.f.Gr. of the Oddfellows), and O'Connor (President of the Druids), and the •' Caairmin," brought a most enjoyable evening to a conclusion. Mrs J. P. Kelly, Miss Bryant, Mr Hoban, and others contributed songs during the evening.