AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 20 January 1893, Page 18

AUCKLAND.

(From our own Correspondent.) January 12, 1893. On last Sunday, January 8, the Right Rev Dr Luck made his annual visitation to the Cathedral, and after the 11 o'clock Mass, which was celebrated by the Rev Father Hackelt, adm., His Lordship laid before the people a printed balance-Bheet showing the receipts and expenditure at St Patrick'^ Cathedral from Oct 1, 1890 to Dec 31, 1892. The total indebtedness of the Cathedral parish to date was £3,086 17s 5d which included the Cathedral building fund ; organ fund ; Marist Brother^ school fund ; and in the order named these funds decreased as follows : £478, £134, £168, 5* lid. Total decrease, £791 8a 7d. The Bishop donated to the Cathedral, from funds collected in Europe, £500, and likewise to the Manst'o school £200. Included in the debit balance is St Patrick's presbytery building fund, £1650. Two-thirds of the Propagation money is devoted to the Maori Mission, and one-tbird to the general administration of the diocese. All this is proof that St Patrick's parish has not sunk into the " Slough of Dos, ond " theoe lust two years, but has been up and doing, and the two good aod zealous priests, Rev Fathers Hackett, adm., and Doyle am to be highly congratulated thereon.

In the evening at Vespers His Lordship administered the holy Sacrament of Confirmation to a number of adults, and to a large number of boys and girls, the latter, (preponderating) were dressed in white, each bearing a candle, and walked in procession, in charge of some members of the Guard of Honour society, from the Sisters of Mercy's school to the Cathedral. The boys mustered at the presbytery in charge of the Marist Brothers. Each boy wore a sash and they fell into line behind the girls, and thus entered the Cathedral, which was already thronged to its utmost capacity, a large number being uoable to gain admittance. Mies Kale Sheehan acted as sponsor for the girls and Mr Jrmes Mulligan for the boys. Before administering the holy Sacrament th« Bishop impressed upon those about to receive it the great part which would now be expected of them in the ranks of the Church militant. The holy office which he was now about to perform would strengthen and confirm them in their holy faith, in the practice of which was to be had the only true happiness in this world. At the conclusion of the ceremony Benediction was given, all the boys, with lighted caniles, kneeling inside the altar rails, and the girls likewise kneeling outside the rails, altogether making an edifying and imposing spectacle. Thas ended an eventful day in the history of St Patrick'?. The Right Rev Dr Murray, Bishop of Maitland N.S.W., is expected here on January 20. A general meeting of the clergy of the diocese is convened for the 19th inst., in order to consider the best means to be adopted to further the claims of the Catholics in reference to educational matters. Rev Fathers Rogers and Finn, of Maitland, arrived here last week, and celebrated Masses at the Cathedral ou the feast of the Kpiphany. They subsequently proceeded to Te Aroha in order to benefit by the hot Bprings there. It was quite a treat to witness the large number of man-o-wars-men from the Katoomba, who attended Mass on the feast of the Epiphany. How thankful these men ought to be to have for their commander such a good and pious Catholic as Captain Bickf ord C. M.G. Our good Bishop does not spare himself in the execution of his duties. On last Sunday week he attended the 11 o'clock Mass and Vespers and preached on each occasion. The discourse in the evening was a scholarly and highly instructive one. Reference was made to Constantine, and the effect his conversion about the year 312 to Christianity had upon civilisation in the east. How the Churcb encircled within her fold the Goths, Visigoths and also proud and barbarous Rome. His Lordship dwelt particularly upon the degrading and humiliating position occupied by the weaker sex anterior to the Church's influence, and to the Church were they indebted for their proud position to-day. Concluding, the Bishop exhorted his people to be true and loyal to our holy Cburch which was in as great danger to-day"as in the days of Constantine. The good work performed by his Lordship last Sunday I have already referred to at length. For the holidays the weather was execrable, and the raio. hteraly came down in torrents on the last day, Januaay 3. Yet it is recorded that there was a great attendance at the racea at which the mud and slush were often knee deep, and in which a considerable portion of the fair sex waded throughout the afternoon. Look at that, and look at this. If that rain was to have fallen upon Sunday, these Spartanlike people would have considered the church, at from five to two furlongs, althogether too far from their homes. The Bum of £23,124 was, during the three days racing, passed through the totalisator for which pnvelege (?) the race club charged the public and extracted from the foregoing amount, no less than £2,300 odd, which means that for every £1 invest«d 2s 3£d odd were nobbled up by the Sbylocks with whom the Government divided the spoil. Verily, wise men made the laws, but fools made them do so, and if the former delay longer their intervention. New Zealand will smash Booth's record of the " submerged tenth." A supplementary sum will be forwarded by the next outward 'Frisco mail to Mr John Dillon for the evicted tenants which will raise the amount to o»er £40 from Auckland. When lately in the West of Ireland Mr John Dillon was waited upon by a relative of Mr J. D. Connolly's, who stated that his (Mr Connolly's) parents, who lived in thj vicinity, wished to know whether, in travelling through New Zealand, he had seen their son. Mr Dillon was well able to answer that, as the American Consul was one of the first to greet him on touching the shores of Maoriland, and was his constant companion while in Auckland. Writing to him here, Mr Connolly's sister said that Mr Dillon's message afforded the old people unbounded ioy and happiness. One of the local editors possesses one perennial thesis when dealing with America and her people, and that is the abuse and consequent deterioratiou of the soil of the country. Like Paganini, he is tuneful upon one string. With us the old year died hard, and the new oni commenced badly. Suicides, accidents on terra Jinna anJ the briny, selfinliicted injuries of the moat horrible kind, terminating with a di» tressiny, though accidental, case of poisoning, of which a great deal 8 yet likely to be heard. The record is truly appalling and would have afforded an abundant harvest tor the London Pciuiy Horrible or the New York Police Gazette.

There passed through from Australia, en route to America by the last outward mail boat, Mariposa, a distinguished Irish lady whose husband and brother played a conspicuous part in the exciting times of '48— viz., Mrs John Martin, widow of tbe treason-felon, John Martin, and sister to that fearless, outspoken, and genuine Irishman, John Mitchel. Through the kind intimation of a relative, a resident here, I was enabled to enjoy a half-hour's chat with Mrs Martin prior to her departure. Entering the social hall of the ocean liner, my friend pointed out to me the object of my visit. What a flood of thoughts, ■cenes, and incidents, and, 1 might add, emotions, were mine as I approached this representative of a family who dared, and suffered, and lost so much because they loved old Ireland, not too wisely, but too well. If I were to commit them to paper I would exceed my ultima Thute, and only to recapitula»e ona more ill-advised, though highly excusable, attempt to overthrow an insolent, corrupt, truculent and sanguinary obligarcby. Other times and men, and more Christian and potent methods, are about to consummate this. 1848 and its exciting events, and more particularly the parts played therein by Jobn Mitchel and John MartiD, were eagerly, though hurriedly, talked over. In Australia Mrs Martin visited many of the places frequented by the exiles of '48, and fervidly described them, and here one of the local Irishmen told tbe lady that he was in Australia at that period, and described minutely Smith O'Brien, Meagher, O'Doherty, McManus, Mitcbel, and Martin, and so faithful was his description of the two latter that tears filled the eyes of the visitor. Handing me a splendid double-cased gold watch, she said, " That was my husband's, and was one of seven lmde and presented in Duhlin to the Younj Ireland party," Speaking on contemporary matters, Mrs Martin deplored the split at Home, and said she felt convinced that external pressure was necessary to unite them once again. " What is your opinion of the Dublin Castle explosion ?" I said. With all the animation of a Mitchel, she said, "Ah, 'tis the old game they are at. No Nationalist or Home Buler did that." Oa landing in America Mrs Martin will proceed to the " ranche " of Mr William Dillon (brother of John Dillon), Colorado, where she is to stay a few monthsi then passing over to Ireland. "All ashore I" now sounded, and we all took leave of her, and bidding her to be sure and remember us all to John Dillon. The last person to leave the ship was the American Consul, Mr J. D. Connolly, who had ODly the moment before arrived, and whose time in tbe interim was occupied in transacting bis official duties with the captain and purser. Tne gaDgway was about to be cut adrift when I acquainted the Consul of Mrs Martin's presence, and pointed her out. He immediately re-bjarded the vessel «nd c >nversed for a time with the visitor — and here were her Majesty's mails detained while it lasted I A small band then ga'hared at tbe end of the quay to see the last of our visitor, hate and handkerchiefs were waved and acknowledged from the deck of the Mariposa as she comtne ced her voyage to the Golden Gate.