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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 27, 22 April 1892, Page 17

The Hon Dr Grace's suggestions as to improvements desirable mi the Duuedin School of Medicine have given rise to a good deal of discussion. At the recent opening of the session of the Otago University, reference was made to the matter by some of the speakers, whw seemed to admit the justice of Dr Grace's comments. On this occ'asior Dr Brown alluded also to the cramming system of the day as ex " cising a deleterious influence on the training of pupils. But thi f*' a universal difficulty which it will be hard to overcome. It g ,emß, emß invidious to reflect adversely on any proposal made for an exfr .nsiou of charity, but still there are two sides to the question mooted by the Chancellor as to whether it would uot be desirable to tr rO w the Dunedin Hospital open to the country in general at the c^ penße o£ the citizens-the funds to be principally supplied by tb c appointment of an Hospital Sonday. Charity is a sentiment to be encouraged by all legiiiraate means, but even in this, there are cert am limits to be observed which it would not be beneficial to crons^resa So far again, as improving the medical school by such, means? is concerned' the matter touches on an increase of a system of which we have already too mach, that is the system of paying by pnblic t^ &lioa fur tne education of young people whose parents- We ver y well able them selves to bear the expense. None but the sons of comparatively wealthy people are entered here as medical Btudents. Every remark made, however, with respect to Dr Grace's criticism has not been favourable, but the Doctor, we doubt not, ia well able to sustain his position.

** Th 5? h . , ay °i . eorge Grey> which occurred ° n Th««day, the 24th met, has beea throughout the Colony an occasion of rejoicing and felicitation. Sir George's career certainly contains many records on which he may look back with a pardonable pride! and on which tis friends anl admirers, of whom there are so marw may well congratulate him. We hope there are still birthdays to come for him on which such honourable and kindly eympathies marbe renewed. * * "*"*

Here is a paragraph aptly illustrating what we have said else where about the writings of M. Benaa and other m.schief makers of the period :-" Youthful criminals in France are decidedly^ de slecle There is at tms moment, says the SUndard, a lad not vet 20 years of age awaiting, in the prison of St Nazaire, the day on which, at dawn he will be led out to the place of execution to expiate a double murder, two helpless old womtn having been his victims. It is difficult

to apeak of a boy under 20 m a hardened criminal, and yet no other term can appropriately be applied to this murderer's attitude. He is perfectly aware that, within a very short lapse of time, the sentence of death passed on him will be carried out ; bat, with surprising cynicism, he diverts himself by writing jesting letters to M. Deibler, the public executioner. la one of these epistles he dwells in a bantering spirit upon the coming execution, which will spare him the necessity of earning his living in the future ; and he sends friendly joking messages to the headsman's assistants. He vaiies his amusements in the letter-writing line by composing his own epitaph in verse, setting forth his crime, his expiation of it, and drawing his own moral from it, for the benefit of passers-by — imaginary ones, since the epitaph will certainly not figure on his gravestone. In a word, in his bearing and conduct the condemned lad has a painful moral resemblance to other criminals of the period in France of bis age, who appear incapable of such feelings as remorse and repentance." How admirably secularism brings out the old ape— that is supposing the old ape to have been the evil beast some scientists of the day would have him — in support of their megrims.

We see from the Soutliern Echo, a paper published at Bournemouth, that Mr Frederick Fulton is pursuing the " Escaped Nun " in England. Oui bono 1 No one believes what she says ; but there is always a section of Evangelicalism that needs aucb pabulum. Poor " Biddy " may as well play the part of tbeir ante damnie as anyone else. She may as well continue to play it until, poor wretch, she sends for the priest and tries, as others of h«r kind have done, to cheat tbe devil after all. When she goes, someone else will be there to take up the tale that those, who demand it of her, have placed in her mouth. We are used to Biddy now, and we have no objection to see her, as a veteran, earn her very last farthing unimpeded. She will want every penny she can collect, poor body, to leave for Masses for her unfortunate old soul. Let her spoil the Egyptians for the purpose, then, to her heart's content. Mr Fulton may as well let her alone.

The ceremonies of Holy Week were carried out as usual in St Joseph's cathedral, Dunedin. The clergy present at the office of Tenebrae were the Very Bey Fathers Mackay and O'Leary, and the Bey Fathers Lynch, Adm,, O'Neill (Milton), O'Donnell (Milton), O'Donnell (Port Chalmers), Murphy and O'Neill. The blessing of the holy oils took place on tbe morning of Holy Thursday, when the Bishop acted as celebrant of the Mass. Tbe sepulchre had been adorned with great taste by the Dominican nuns, and the watch throughout the day was maintained by the women and girls of tbe confraternities attached to tbe church, their place being taken at night by the men of the confraternity of tbe Holy Family. The Mass ef the Presanctified on Good Friday was celebrated by tbe Very Bey Father O'Leary, the Very Rev Father Mackay, and the Bey Fathers O'Neill (Milton), and Lyncb, Adm., chanting the Passion, the Bey Fathers Murphy and J. J. O'Donnell were respectively deacon and subdeacon and the Bey Father O'Donnell (Port Chalmers) Master of ceremonies, In tbe absence of tbe Bishop, who was prevented by illness f rem being present, Father Lynrh preached. On Holy Saturday Father O'Neill of Milton acted as celebrant. High Mass in presence of tbe Bishop was celebrated at 11 a.m. on Easter Sunday with Father Lynch as celebrant and Fathers O'Neill and Murphy as deacon and subdeacon. Tbe high altar and sanctuary had been richly and beautifully adorned by the Dominican nuns in honour of the festival, Weber's Mags in G was sung by the choir in creditable style, Misses Morrison and Murphy taking the chief soprano parts, Mr Edward Dunne tbe principal tenor and Mr W. Woods the bass — Mr A. Vallis played the organ. A sermon on the feast of the day was preached by tbe Bishop. Throughout the week the cere* monies were numerously attended, and the number of communicants on Sunday was very great. Tbe weather all along was wretched and made attendance at church 8 work of some difficulty.