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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 33, 3 June 1892, Page 18

The raffles left over from the late Gipsyg'Encampment at the Garrison Hall, Duuedin, and the supplementary art-union, were drawn in St Joseph's Hall on Tuesday evening. The principal winners were Mr Sloane, Mr E. McEewen, Mrs Lawrence, and Miss Kate Woods, who woo, respectively the large picture of St Patrick, the handsome chair, the crazy quilt, and the doll'a bedstead.

Reheabsals are taking place of a concert to be given in aid of the building fund of the Dominican convent schools, at the Princess Theatre, Dunedio, on Friday the 24th inst. We understand that promise is made of a brilliant success, so far as the performance is concerned — and no doubt the importance and popularity of the object to be served will also do their part in securing a numerous attendance.

The cooking, domestic economy, and civil service classes held at the Dominican Convent, Dunedin, every Saturday, are doing good work. Their benefit to the rising generation of the city cannot fail ere long to be generally recognised. The hours appointed are notified by us elsewhere.

On the 20th of April, the Catholic Church at Hawthorn, near Melbourne, was the scene of a quiet but very pretty wedding, Mr Bart Ryan and Miss Katie Walshe (both formerly of the West Coast, N,Z.) being united in the bonds of holy matrimony. Tbe bride, who looked her best, was attired in a rich white merveilleux, artistically made in the most approved fashion of the day. Her wreath and veil were extremely rich. She also wore two gold bar broaches, one set with diamonds, the other with a large turquoise in the centre, and a gold bracelet with a cluster oE diimonds, the gift of the bridegroom. The bridesmaids, the Misses M. and L. Ryan, wore creatn cashmere, trimmed with cream chiffon and jessamine, and made in the same style aa the bride's. They wore large hats, richly trimmed with cream nbbon and ostrich plumes. Miss M. Ryan also wore a vpry pretty bracelet, the gift of the bridegroom. Brothers of the bridegroom acted as best man and assistant. The happy couple left the church amidst showers of rice and hearty congratulations from their many, friends.

Mr James Dealy who is about to leave Dunedin for Wellington was met in the Criterion Hctel a few evenings ago by some friends, who took the opportunity of expressing their good will towards him. Mr P. Cavolin, on behalf of the compiny, presented Mr Dealy with a gold ecarfpin, set in rubies, and a silver-mounted pipe, as a slight token of esteem. A further presentation was made of a silver-mounted matchbox by a very old fiiend. Mr Dealy acknowledged the presentations in appropriate terms.

The Rev Dr Egan, 0.5.8., left Dunedin on Monday for a visit to Qaeenstown. It is, however, expected that he will return to this city by the cml of the week, and that he will again give his valuable services in conducting St Joseph's choir on Sunday next, the Feast of Pentecoßt.

The honour of knighthood has been conferred by her Majesty the Queen on the Ron P. A. Buckley of Wellington. The honour has been well deserved and will be worn with credit both to the recipient himself and the country of his adoption. Nor mnat we leave the country of his birth out of the reckoning. Sir Patrick Buckley has always, been a Bterling Irishman, and it is most appropriate that Mb name should take a more exalted pace on the Hat of Ireland's eons by whose merits her fame ranks high throughout the Empire. As a member of the Bar Sir Patrick has long held a recognised place ; as an statesman he has done valuable swvice to the

Colony, and in this capacity we may believe, as we hope, a long career still lies before him. As a citizen he commands universal respect and regard, and in every walk of life deserves the highest esteem. It give 6us much happiness to congratulate him on the maik of appreciation hs has now received.

On Sunday tbe choir of St Joseph's Cathedral was again con. dncted by the Rev Dr Egan. Tbe lady members bad oa the occasion the valuable aid of Mrs P, J. Kelly of Cbrirtchurch, who, as Miss Wa'ker, was formerly one of their leading sopranos. The music performed was, in the forenoon, the " Kyrie " and "Gloria," from Mozart No. I, and the •' Credo," '• Sanetus," and " Agnus Dei," from Weber's Mass in " G." The solob were taken by Mrs Kelly aod Miss Mills (soprani), Miss Murphy (contralto), Messrs Eager and Dunne (tenor), and Cantwell and Woods (bass). At the Offertory, Mrs Kelly sang, with very charming effect, CherubiDi's " Aye Maria," and after the consecration a fine rendering was given by Dr Egan and Mr J, Knox, late cboir-maßter at St Benedict's, Auckland, of tbe '■ 0 Sacrum Convivium." In the evening Miss Rose Blaney sang, with her usual success, Luigi Luzzi's " Aye Maria." Dr Egan and Mr Knox repeated their fine duet.

We are not at all surprised to find that our contemporary the West Coast Times thinks we are speaking in a hyperbolical manner. There are positions which, if truly described, must seem exaggerated to people of guileless, innocent, and honest minds. Our contemporary is certainly a person of that kind and he cannot conceive such a state of things as that relating to the Catholics of the Colony and the secular schools. Bat onr contemporary is not only guileless, innocent, and honest : he is also able, and now that his attention has been called to the subject, he will master it and arrive at last at a perception of the truth. When he does that, we may rely on his honesty for it, he will speak quite as strongly in our behalf as we now speak ourselves. He will denounce the no-Poperyism of pipers like the Otago Daily Times and of young capitalists like Mr Allen or of anyone else in whom the plague-spnt may be manifested, and he will denounce it well and effectually. He will also effectually support the block vote. All this must be a necessary consequence of his indignant innocence, his enlightened honesty, and his sterling ability. But our contemporary, besides being guileless, innocent, honest, and able, is pleasant. He likes his little joke and is capable of makiDg it. That is a famous little joke he makes to the effect that a subscription now being raised in Hokitika to erect a house for the Marist Brothers, as well as donations for such purposes bestowed elsewhere by generous non-Catholics, invalidates the Tablet' 3 assertioa that Catholics provide at their own sole expense an excellent education for their ova children. (See our standing leader, a paragraph, we may add, quoted by almost all our Australian and American Catholic contemporaries.) Our readers will see the point of this little joke. To explain a joke is to spoil it, and to do that in this instance would be a thousand pities as well as an offence to the wit of our contemporary. Our contemporary, however, explains that for Catholics to adhere to tbe bock vote would be for them to disfranchise themselves. "la it wise to do so ?" he asks. Nay, it is not for us to define wisdom to a pundit of our contemporary's profundity. But if folly serves their purpose better ihaa wisdom — and the folly of the block vole must be very effectual — why should not Catholics we«r the cap and bells 1 The TABLET has used no hyperbole but has told plain truth. If it is too strong for guilelessaess, innocence, and honesty, as they exist at least amoDg journalists at Hokitika, we can not help that.

The Rev James Micgregor writes to (he Otago Daily Times, under date Columba Manse, Oamaru, May 27, apropos of tue letter of the Rev A. R. Fitchett, and supporting the claim for religious instruction in the Government schools. The rev correspondent admits the difficulty, but says it must be surmounted. He instances the case of Scotland, wnere, he says, the leading newspapers, pievious to the passing of the National Education Act, predicted ruin unle's religious instruction weie prohibited. •' Hj«p would grants to schools, say, of Roman Catholics having conscientious difficulty about using the national school," he writes, " ruin the national education ? (1) Only part of the cost of supporting the school would be m^t by the grant ; aod the expense and trouble tbu3 falling on ibope who receive it would prevent the existence — :>r continuance — of subsidised schools where not really needel. The number of them in New Zealand would thus be inconsiderable. (2) The grant would be conditional on the secular pmrt of the education being done to the satisfaction of national inspectors. Consequently, the children in these schools would be educated satisfactorily in the eecuW branches, as the children in our present schools are, (3) In tha barely conceivable caae of the national school not having a sufficiency of pupils because cf, say, a Roman Catholic school in the district, that district could be dealt with as districts are dealt with where there are too few children for a complete Bchool because of tie sparseness of population. And if one district should in this way be placed somewhat at a disadvantage, on the other hand the nation as a whole would have the incalculable

benefit of che permission of religious instruction in the national schools." "I think it of very great importance," concludes Mr Macgregor

"that this point shouldjbe considered by those who in good faith are desirous of tbe religious instruction, and will ba thankful if the present letter helps to draw their attention to the point."

Wa learn that the Very Rev Fa' her Vaughan, O.SS.R., will leave Waratab, N.S.W., shortly for a visit to Europe, returning towards the end of the year. Father Vaughan will be accompanied by the Very Rev Father Bennett, Provincial of the Order, and also by the Bey Father Mangau, with whom we in New Zealand are so well acquainted. We heartily wish tbe good Fathers a safe and prosperous voyage, but, above all, a speedy return. It would be unwelcome news to the Catholics in this Colony— and we may sifely Bay elsewhere— to hear that in future missions they were to miss Father Mangan.

A proposal made by the Anglican Bishop of Durham, and accepted by the men for a settlement of the coal-miners' strike would seem to show that tbe demand made by the strikers was not very extravagant. It would appear that 13£ per cent, bad been struck off the men's wages. The bishop's proposal was that 10 per cent, should go, but that the remaining 3^ should be referred to arbitration. The consent of the strikers certainly proves their moderation. It, however, remains for ua to leirn what the circumstances were that justified the proprietors in thair own eyes fcr such a sweeping reduction. The consequent stoppage of the iron-works in Yorkshire, at least, seems to point to the fact that there had beau no falling off in demand.

The following readjustment of portfolios has been finally agreed to by the Cabinet :— Hon J. Ballance— Premier, Colonial Treasurer, Commissioner of Customs, Commissioner of Stamps, Government Insurance,"and Public Trust offices. Sir P. Buckley — Colonial Secretary and Attorney-General. Hon R. J. Seddon— Public Works ( Mines, Defence and Marine. Hon W. P. Reeves— Education, Labour, Hospitals and Charitable Aid. Hon J. McKenzie — Land, Agriculture, and Native Land Purchase. Hoa A. J. Cadman — Native Affiirs and Justice, to which is now attached Native Lind Courts. He will also take charge of all legislation affecting the Native race. Hon J. G, \V ar( j — Postmaster-General. Hon J. Carroll — Member of the Executive representing tbe Native race,

AT the usual weekly practice of tte Dunedin Liedertafel, on Monday last, Mr W. J. Gantwell, the librarian of the Society, was presented by the members with a handsome marble clock on the occasion of his marriage. Mr W. F. Young mide the presentation, and, in dcing so, referred in eulogistic terms to Mr Cintwell's long and valuable services to the Society and to the esteem and regard in which he was held by all the members. The health of the newlymarried was then proposed by Mr Young and responded to with musical honours. Mr Cantwell in a neat speech feelingly and suitably responded.

At the conference of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association held in Obmtchurcb last week, a resolution was unanimously passed for teaching elementary agriculture and farm bookkeeping in the public schools. If all such resolutions passed in different quarters be carried into eff jet the notions of the children will become rather mixed. And what about the cost ? But that is cf no account so long as we produce prodigies of technicality and other fads. Let us|then make way for ths infant phenomenon — gruesome successor cf the enfant terrible.

" London, May 30.— The Belfast Telegraph publishes Ulster's plan of resistance, in the event of Home Rule being granted. Elections to the Dublin Parliament and all judicUl and magisterial appointments are to be ignored, and only the Queen's taxes will be paid, A special police is to be enrolled, and ihe customhouses in Belfast, Londonderry, Lime, and Newry are to be seized ; and while refraining from aggression, steady preparations are to be made for war." — Bosh !

The second reading of Mr Balfour's foolish Local Government Bill for Ireland has been carried by a majority of 92. The Irish Members seem to have been taken by surprise— holding the Bill, perhaps in too great contempt. In any case, 27 of them are said to have been absent from the House. There has been some talk as to a postponement of the dissolution owing to the Tory victory. It, however, does uot appear to be regarded as quite genuine, and the probabilities are that it will have no such effect.