WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 20 January 1893, Page 27

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) January 14. The children at St John's Orphanage were afforded a most enjoyable treat on last Saturday afternoon, when, through the kindness of several friends — who are always foremost in good works in connection with the parish — a monster Christmas treat was provided, and the inmates of the institution — to the number of 70 or more— received several useful presents. They were also treated to a plentiful supply of Christmas cheer, which the children, it is almost unnecessary to add, did full justice to. The tree was presided over by the Sisters of Mercy, assisted by Mies Iggleeden, Miss MacManaway, Miss Sheridan, and Mies McClean, the Very Rev Father Dawson, Rev Father Power, and Messrs Davis and Palmer. The distribution took place in the presence of a lorge number of visitors, who were much impressed with the happy, contented look of the children, and the evident pleasure with which they entered in the treat arranged for them. The following ladies and gentlemen handed in the amounts standing after their names, as being collected or contributed by ttem : — Mrs Crombie, 10a ; Miss McOleaD, 14a ; Mr Davis, £4 13s ; Mr Palmer, £4 13s ; Mr O'Brien, £1 ; Mr Duignan £1. Contributions were also sent by the following : — A Friend, £1 ; Miss Riaton and Mrs Collins, 5s each ; Mrs Crombie, 5a ; presents and toys were sent by Messrs S&rgood, Ron and Ewingr, the D.1.C., Messrs Nathan and Co., Mrs Sharpe, the Wellington Biscuit Factory, Mr Thornton, Hume and Son, and Mrs Lougblin. At the eleven o'clock Mass on Sunday last, at St Mary of the Angels, the Rev Father Goggan stated that the late picnic at the Hutt was a decided success from every point of view. After paying all expenses in connection therewith, there would be a surplus of £60, which would be distributed equally between the three parishes — Te Aro, Tborndon, and the Lower Hutt. Considering the many counter attractions that were on Boxing Day, and also the not very tempting state of the weather, the result has been beyond the expectations of the most sanguine of the promoters. Inspector Pender, who was the recipient last week of a subs'antial testimonial, amounting to upwards of £300, from the people of Canterbury, where he has been stationed in various centres during the last 30 years, arrived here with his family on Wednesday alternoon, and took over the command of the police next day Jrom Inspector Thomson. Mr Pender'd career as a public officer in the service of the Queen has been of a lengthy and varied description, dating to a couple of years previous to the Crimean war, where he served with distinction under Lord Raglan, and afterwards coming to Victoria in the height of the gold fever, when bushranging was in full swing in that country, he saw some stirring times. After a few years' residence at the other side he came over to Canterbury, having received an appointment from the old provincial council to super*

intend the organisation of the police force. Since that time Mr Pender has been scarcely out of the Colony, and therefore migbt be said to be thoroughly conversant with every corner and person in the province. Mifs Pender baa been a prominent member of the proCathedral choir, Christchutcb, lor the last ten years or so, wbere ber sweet well cultivated voice waß listened to with great pleasure by the congregation, by whom her singing was always much admired. Miss L. Pender was, I believe, a member of the choir of 8t Mary's Manchester street, so that what will be the loss of both these places of worship will be tfae gain of one of the churches in Wellington, where 1 hope very soon to have the pleasure of bearing one or other of those young ladies rendering some part of those beautiful masses, which are masterpieces ot the greatest musical geniuses that the world has eversjen. The tenders for the erection of the new Citholic schools, which are to be erected on Daniel street, Newtown, will be called for in a few dayg, the plans and specifications being in course of preparation. Mr Mahony — the well-known architect— has been entrusted by the Rev Father Devoy and the school cjmmutes with the carrying out of the work. The members of the New Zjaland Educational Institute have been holding their annual meeting here during the past week. The president delivered the usual address which contained a good deal that was sen able and reasonable and some that was not. If we are to jadge of the average teacher's life from the picture of it drawn by the chairman and others, we must conclude that the policeman has not a monopoly of an unhappy lot. The chairman in his address is reported to have said that he would very much like to see in the large towns, special schools for neglected children, as there were obvious reasons for keeping these out of the public schools. So do many very well-to-do papas and mamas also think so, as they would if they only had their way, keep out every boy and girl who bad on a tattered coat or a mended boot, They look upon education as being specially designed for their own children, the others to go without. Why not adopt the plan which prevails in Germany, where in every district there is a number of free schools, and a number where fees are charged. The well-to-do man, if he is not as mean hb his typ« in New Zealand, and wishes to have them educated at the cost of somebody else, sends hij children to the school where fees are charged, and tbuß avoids the risks his little ones run by having them with Tom, Jack and Harry. Another feature of the addrcs was the pessimistic picture the writer drew of the average teac lei'd position— bad pay, little chance of promoiion, rowirg with commiitees — drawbacks which tend towards weeding out men altogether from the profe K sion, and supplying their places with women. Notwithstanding tha^ the writer was a moet gallant man, and undoubtedly a supporter of woman's rightF, still there was an air of sadness in his remarks wbu h led ODe to believe that he was a slight bit jealous of the encroachments of the fair sex. At a recent meeting of the Benevolent Society, attention was drawn to the absence of any office or institution to which immigrants couli apply for information, or which took sach persons oa hand after their arrival, and not nid allow them to drift in the ranks of the unemployed, or worse s ill, become pauperised by becoming recipients of charitable aid. This is certainly a matter which m'gut engage the attention of oar legislators during the next sitting of Parliament. A case in point was brought under the notice of the Society. An English farmer findin? affairs not prospering with him at Home, determined to try bis fortune in New Zealand. Having disposed of his penates, he managed to get as much as would bring him and his wife and children to New Zaalacd, where he found, to bin cost, that every aveuue of employment was crowded, and hia small stock of cash beirg exhausted, he had to apply to the cold, hard dispenser of chari'y — tbe State — for relief, !n order to keep bis little onts from 6tarviog. Eventu-illy a member of tbe Benevu ent Society offered him a job at £1 per week on a sUtion, nnd out of this he bad to kiep his family of nine in the town, pay rent, an>l feed them. Thi3 is oue of the evils of our economic sys'em in this Colony, that very often the man who works on a farm or station has to maintain a home in some town instead of having his family iesiding in some part of '.he dutrict where he is employed. The runholders do not encourage settlement in the country districts, so that their married workers, in trying to support two bomes as it were, are always living from harjd to mouth. The village se't'.ement, whereby families would be lecated in districts where work would be available, would, if carried out to its ultimate end, remedy this. Tbe towns Buffer from this state of things, because when the men are out of work the f smiy living in town have to fall back on tbe local charitable institutions for aid. Why not, introduce a somewhat similar system to that which prevails in Ireland, whereby the local authorities can build cottages for labourers in districts where labour is scarce, or compel landholders farming a certain quantity of land and of a stated value, to build workmen's cottages, with a few acne of land attached in proportion to tbe area of their holdings. The suggestion of a member of the Benevolent Trustees here that the business uhould be conducted in committee ib well worth the

attention of the members of that body. Barely it is bad enough for a person to be in snch a sad plight as to have to seek the aid of State charity, bat to hare to retail their sorrowful tale before half-a-dozen members, a couple of officials, and two or three reporters, is a task which a sensitive nnn or woman would certainly shrink from. Poverty is no crime ; but to the unfortunate person who ia placed in the unenviable position of having to ask assistance, there it a stigma of pauperism about the act which makes it repulsive enough without running the ordeal of having hie troub'es retailed to the world by the newspapers. It is not a very pleasant thing to know that crime and pauperism are on ihe iacr«ase in the city of Wellington. My authority for the former unpleasant-statement is the Court returns, and for the latter the various private ani public bodies engaged in administering relief to tbe necessitous. This, tx), in face of the fact that business is on a very s)und basn, and trade moderately brUk, Of course several causes might be advanced to account for the increase of the criminal class amongst us. This is a central port, where the scum of not alone New Zealand, but of the other colonies, pass through when, things becoming too hot in other parts, they are obliged to be on the move. It is also alleged that our police are somewhat remiss in keeping a eharp eye on these undesirable colonists, and tbe magistrates here being noted for their leniency, they make this a stalking ground. Some people say that the extra number of convictions recorded hero during the past twelve months is owing to the increased vigilance on the part of the police. These opinions may be tbe correct ones, bat mine is that it is dua to the fact that there are numbers of the rising population educated up to a certain standard, and that they look upon any kind of manual labour as being derogatory to their dignity, and as a natural consequence they live on their parents as long as they can, and when this mode of livelihood ceases they depend on their wits, which ends by their being criminals. This might be an erroneous view, but I am not alone in the opinions I hold. The half-yearly meeting of the Hibernian Society took place on Wednesday evening last, and was well attended. Several matters of immediate interest to ths Branch were discussed and attended to. The balance-sheet in connection with the late social was presented by the secretary and adopted. The receipts for the evening amounted to over £25. The election of officers for the next term resulted as follows :— President, Bro G-. Bradley ; vice-president, Bro B. Beady ; secretary, Bro W. J. Grant (re-elected) ; treasurer, Bro M. Boban (re-elected) ; warden, Bro P. D. Hoskins ; guardian, Bro D. Hickey ; sick visitors, Bros T. P, Redmond, K. O'Leary, P. Shannon, and P. M'Mahon ; auditors, Bros J, Kelly and F. J. Lessington ; medical attendant, Dr Cahill. Bro J, Stratford was appointed sob-marshal nt the Friendly Societies' Demonstration. Inspector Hickeon and his family passed through here on Wednesday for the north. He was accompanied by his eon, Mr Hickson. Junr., of the Resident Magistrates Court here, who has been away on sick have for some time. I regret to say that he is not sufficiently restored to heallh as yet to justify hia undertaking the duties of big office. Consequently, his leave has been extended, and it is hoped tbe mikl climate of the north will have the desired effect, so that his m my frienls in Wellington will have the pleasure soon of seeing him back once more at his post with renewed health and vigour.