CHRIST CHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 44, 19 August 1892, Page 29

CHRIST CHURCH.

(From our own Coirespondent.j Dukixg the past fortnight th 3 weather has greatly improved. Farmers in the mrthera districts are reported to be making good progress with ploughing for ypring sowing. Early sown grain has begun to grow vigorously. F.elds are verda-it in niaay places, and iaiaba aie teen in some pnrts. Ihurtday List, the day whereon the Grand National Steeplechase Meeting was beld, was observed us a public holiday iv this city and the town was crowded wich visitois. Ihe weaiher was splendid, and the attendance on tho Riccarton racacourse was large, probably the bust oa record, aod the maetit g is said to have been one of the most successful that h<ts ever taken place. Ahua won the Graud National amid excitement, and ween the weight was announced to be *' r.ght," the owner, the rider, and the horde were enthusiastically caceie i. Ihe Alhambra footba 1 club ( >f Dunedir; gained, on Saturday \a;t, an eisy victory over the Mernvale club. The former secured twelve poi,,ts, while tour oul7 were scored by the Utt.-r A great crowd of spectators aesLmb'ed in II gley Paik to witness the contest. An annuil rc-un'ou took place at the Cat iolic Literary Sjciety's rooms on Tueslay ev.-nmgl.io>. 1I' O L .rdsbip Dr Grimes, the liev Fathers CuioTQi.gs, V.G. ; Fol.-y, Aubioy, Mirnaie, vValsh, and Le Mennnt wtre [.rjstat. ilr U. Dobbin, president, pnsided, and

there was & large attendance of members and their friends, and ladies appeared especially in fall force. The ball was tastefully decorated with flags, and daring an interval in the entertainment refreshments were handed round. The programme, which was most attractive, consisted of music, song, and story, and Mr F Cooper's display of dissolving views with an oxygen ether light lantern was exceedingly interesting and well shown. Mrs Dobbin played most of the accompaniments, and the first magical item was a duet which the latter lady and Miss Cummings executed tastefully on the piano. Mrs Kelly was happy in the song, ■• The blind girl to her harp," The gas was then turned off to give Mr Cooper an opportunity to exhibit views illustrative of the poem, "The curfew most not toll to-night," which Father Bell recited in a clear and correct manner. Indeed, Father Bell, who had been favoured with very little time to prepare for the task, made the best of a defective and badly- written specimen of verse, but the subject of the poem was excellent, and the views of the old ball-ringer, the fortress, the heroine of the story, and others were attractive and well depicted on the screen. Miss Bryant sang with good taste, aad with a violincello accompaniment by Mr A. 0. Nottingham, in addition to one on the piano, " The children's home." Miss Cuming rendered admirably " The maid of the mill," and as an encore " The wearing of the green." Mrs Dobbin, on the piano, and Mr Nottingham, on the violincello, played in an excellent manner a duet, which consisted of selections from " Maritaoa," Miss Bryant appeared once more and sang with her usual success, " Remember me no more," and as an encore " The minstrel boy." The room was again darkened in order to heighten the effect of the next item, " Beautiful snow," which Mr C. Cuming recited with good taste. Previous to showing the views incidental to this exquisite poem, whose authorship is so much disputed, Mr Cooper threw on the screen a pretty domestic scene, and Miaa Bryant sang, meanwhile, at the back of the stags, " Home, sweet home." The recitation and display of views over, Mrs Kelly sang, with a piano and violincello accompaniment, O, loving heart, trust on," for which she received a well-merited encore, and complied by repeating the last Btanza of the song. Indeed, this item may be considered the musical and vocal gem of the evening. The singing of the National Anthem concluded a very pleasant entertainment. St Joseph's Church at Port Lyttelton, was, on Monday afternoon last, tht scene of a very pretty ceremony— the marriage of Mr John Haydon, of the Post Office, to Miss L. O'Brien, second daughter of Captain O'Brien, one of Ly ttelton's oldest residents. The Rev Father Purton officiated on the occasion, and the friends of the happy couple crowded the church to overflowing. Mr Haydon is very popnlar in Lyttelton, and a fair amount of banting was displayed on the occasion of his nuptials. The Leeston branch of the Hibernian Society held on Wednesday evening last a most successful and enjoyable social gathering in the Leeston Town Hall, which was handsomely decorated for the occasion. Refreshments of excellent quality were provided on a liberal scale. The attendance wai large and several members from this city and other parts were present. Vocal solos were sung by Mrs Kslly and Miss McKendry, Messrs Cooper, Brooks and Longstaff. Mr aad Mrs Kelly sung several duets, and dancing was kept np to a late hour to the music of Mr Rassiter's Quadrille Band. I hear that the Ray Father O'Donnell in -ends to enlarge hi 9 church at Darfield, ani that the 8.3 V Father Foley, who has been the guest of the Rev Father Cummings, V.G., for a short time, has gone to Timaru to bid adieu to his late parishioners, prior to taking charge of the parish of S hand's Track, to which be has been appointed parish priest. Father Foley 'a delicate health is said to be the cause of his removal to a parish where his duties will be somewhat lighter than they were at the late scene of his labours. The Rev Father Aubrey, who, I understand, is preparing to depart, succeeds the Rev Father Foley as parish priest of Timaru. Tbe Ray Father Laverty has visited the city during tbe weak, aad I am glad to say that he is now well able to dispense with the use of crutches. The Right Rev Father Guillman, S.M., military chaplain of Noumea, New Caledonia, and secretary to the Right Rev Monsignor Fraysee, Vicar Apostolic of New CMedonia, is now the guest at the Presbytery of his Lordship Dr Grimes. Father Guillmao, who arrived in New Zealand some months ago in tbe hope of renewing his health, will return next week to New Caledonia. HaydnYbeautifal mass in B flat was well executed at High Mass at the pro- Cathedral on Sunday last. The Rev Father Cummings, T.G., was celebrant. His Lordship Dr Grimes read from the pulpit the circular, which contains the sentiments which tbe Catholic bishops in New Zealand expressed at their recent meeting in Duneiin. His Lordship commented at some length on the various resolutions in the circular, and recommended them strongly to the earnest consideration of his flock and to Catholics generally. A very beautiful statue of the Blesstd Peter Chanel, proto-martyr of Oceania, was blessed and unveiled at St Mary's at Vespers on the same day. The statue, which is of terra cotta, and has recently arrived from France, is somewhat similar, but smaller in size, than the one placed in honour of the martyr in the pro- Cathedral. There was a large congregation on the occasion, and pontifical vespers were celebrated. The Rev Father Le

Menant was celebrant, and was assisted by the Rev Fathers Ginaty, Marnane and Guillman. As a panegyric had been quite recently preached on the martyr, his Lordship Dr Grimes, who was also present, delivered an eloquent discourse on the next day's festival— the assumption of the Blessed Virgin. There was a numerous choir, and many of the solos were well sung. A slight error, it appears, occurs in my brief notice of a panegyric, which the Rev Father Ginaty preached recently at St Mary's on 8t Mary Magdalen, who.it seems, was the sister of Lazarus and of Martha; The account given likewise of the Legend of Province does not quite correspond iv a few particulars with the version which the rev preacher gave.