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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 15, 27 January 1893, Page 18

The Very Bey Father Maher, 0.M., concludes to-morrow (Thursday) morning a retreat given by him to the Dominican nuns at Invercargill. Afterwards he leaves by train, to open in the evening at Dnnedin a retraat for the clergy of the diocese. The schools conducted by the Dominican nuns in the Diocese of Dunedin, with the exception of that at Queenßtown, re-open on Monday next the 30th met. The school at Queenstown will re-open on Wednesday February Ist. On Sunday February sth, the Feast of 6t Agatha, the Bishop will bless the school which the nuns will open next day, for the first time, at Lawrence. The schools conducted by the Sisters of our Lady of Missions at the Monastery of the Sacred Heart, Christchurch, will re-open on Monday next the 30th mat. It is requested that pupilß will be punctual in their attendance. All particulars connected with the Bohools may be obtained on application to the Bey Mother Prioress. T»E Christian Brothers' schools, St Joseph's, Dunedin, will reopen on Monday next, the 30th inst. Parents from the country desirous of placing their sons under the care of the Brothers can have them accommodated in decent boarding houses in the city. We noticed by the Melbourne papers that twelve pupils from the Christian Brothers' schoo\ Melbourne, presented themselves for the recent University Matriculation examinations and all passed. There Is nothing to binder our New Zealand boys from attaining the same high degree of literary excellence if their parents will but give them a sufficient time under the care of the Brother?. Success in one place ia the best presage of success in another, provided parents will afford their children the same facilities. We may add that the results of the recent Intermediate examinations in Ireland in which 54 percent of the successful competitors were boys from the Christian Brothers' schools, have finally confirmed the reputation of the Brothers as being in the very front rank of Catholic teachers. The Bey Father Laverty, we understand, is about to undertake the erection of a new presbytery at Hawarden. The building is much needed, as that in which the priest is now lodged is in a most dilapidated condition. The rev gentleman has taken steps preparatory to holding an art-union to aid in obtaining the necessary funds, and those who give him their assistance in bringing the work to a •uccestful termination will deserve the reward of a charitable action.

We would remind oar Dunedin readers of the oratorio to be performed, in aid of Miss Keating, on the CaledoDian Grounds on Saturday next, the 28th inst. Tbeir patronagt oannot be more kindly or charitably bestowed than on the object of this performance. The tynod of Dunedin began in St Joseph's Cathedral on Wednesday laat. The Bishop waatbe celebrant of the Mats. He was assisted by the Very Rev Father Mackay, Oamarn. After Mass the Bishop addressed the clergy present and pointed out to them some subjects for discussion. A second session was held at 3 p.m., which, we believe, was the last of the synod. The clergy present were : — Very Rev Fathers Mackty, M. Walsh, J. Sheehao, Revs W. Newport, W. Burke, M. Keenao, N. Vereker, P. Lynch, P. O'Neill. P. O'Donnell, J. O'Donnell, P. Murphy, W. McMullan, J. Ryan, E. Donnelly, Q. Hunt, J. UofEey, P. O'Dea. Unexpected sick calls, we understand, prevented the other priests from attending. Mb St Geobge Mivabt asserts, in the Nineteenth Century for December, that there is happiness in bell. The substance of bis argument is that the horrors threatened are symbolical only. " The loss of heaven," he explains, " is &a infinite loss, and therefore no symbols can represent it adequately." The writer's conclusion is the following :— " Hell in its widest sense — namely, as including all those blameless souls who do not enjoy that (the Beatific) Vision — must be considered as, for them, an abode of happiness transcending all our most vivid anticipations, so that man's natural capacity for happiness is there gratified to the very utmost ; nor is it even possible for the Catholic theologian of the most severe and rigid school to deny that, thus considered, there is, and there will for all eternity be a real and true happiness in hell." — Meantime, for most of us, at least in apprehension, it will perhaps be safer, as the old proverb has it, to dine with the devil we know than to dine with the devil we don't know. A perfectly enjoyable hell may seem admirably Jin de tiecle, but there is little to admonish the sinner in such an end. In more respects than thip, however, Mr St George Mivart is a most accommodating Catholic, albeit, as we have no doubt, a very good one. The release of the'so-called dynamiter, Egan, which took place a few days ago, has given the Unionists an excuse for swearing. There is, however, little doubt that Egan was completely guiltless of the crime of which he was accused, and which was never proved against him. He was, indeed, convicted of by-gone Fenianism, but the sole grounds on which he was charged with criminal intent relative to dynamite were that Daly lodged in his bouse and that a bottle of nitro-glycerioe, which Daly declared he had placed there without Egan's knowledge, was found in his garden. On this charge Egan had been in prison since 1884. Tbe Government, in releasing .him, deserve credit only for a tardy act of justice. It is infamous for the Unionists to try to make capital out of tbe matter. But let us hop?, as we believe, that their unscrupulous violence betrays the weakness of their position. We have possibly not as yet heard an end of tbe state of things in Egypt. France and Russia seem inclined to make use of it for picking a quarrel wi'h England, and the Khedive shows some signs of a desire to play into their hands. Possibly neither of the aggressive Powers will be conciliated by tbe news, if it be true, as stated, that Ronmania is about to joia the Triple Alliance. This would be a consequence of an Anglo-German marriage, for that of tbe daughter of tbe Duke of Edinburgh must be bo regarded, that Russia, at least, could hardly see with satisfaction. This attempt of the Khedive, therefore, to set himself free from English control may, perhaps, prove a beginning of troubles. We record with regret the death of Mr Henry Driver, which occurred at bis residence, Maori Hill, Dunedin, on Monday morning. Mr Driver, who was a native of the United States, was American Consul at this port. He was well known in connection with public life, in which, for many years, he had taken a creditable part. The deceased has left a widow and a grown-up family, and is also mourned by many friends. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Glasgow arrived in Dunedin by a special train from Waimate on Monday evening. An address of congratulation on his appointment, and of welcome to this city, was presentel to his Excellency on behalf of the citizens, by the Major and the city councillors. The condition of labour in many places continues far from tranquil. Riots, in which tbe unemployed took a leading place and in which an attack upon the bakeries seems to show that hunger had a part, are, for instance, reported from Amsterdam. From Wales comes a report of a threatened strike of 90 000 miners, owing to a reduction in wages,— and from New South Wales impending trouble is announced, arising from the decision of colliery directors in England, who are dissatisfied because no dividend is payable — that their mine is to be worked by free labour. All this, following the serious

■take* that have occurred during the last twelve months— in Averica, Australia, France, and Germany— sptaks of anything rather than a settled or promising condition of things. Indeed an amendment on the Address-in-Reply, which, it is said, Mr James Lowther propose! to move next we»k, when the Imperial Parliament meets, of itself speaks badly for the prospects of the working classes both on the Continent and in the United Kingdom. The influx of destitute aliens, to prevent which by legislation, is Mr Lowther'a object, is sadly significant as to the situation both at home and abroad. A great deal, in short, has been and is still being said, but so far very little has been done. That remedy which the Pope, nearly two years ago, declared must be quickly found for the misery and wretchedness of the very poor still remains to be sought for.

The Railway Commissioners, who have done much to distinguish themselves in the character of the Jack-in-office, have played another characteristic prank by refusing free passes to the members of the Central Otago Railway League who propose to visit Hyde next week— accompanying the local Members of Parliament in the interests of the prolongation of the line, the design being to send the Members up to the Session fully instructed, as eye witnesses, in all that is involved in the completion of the railway. Considering the motley band revealed by the official returns as having obtained free passes on the railways of the Colony during the year, and who seemed to have no claim whatever to any thing of the kind, the conduct of the Commissioners seems most extraordinary.

A CABLEGRAM, under date Paris, January 22, runs as follows :— 14 The Chamber of Deputies has restored the bishops' stipends to the original figure." Is this an exemplification of the old saying that when things come to the worst they must end ? It would eeem as if an open shaming in the Bight of the world had done the Chamber of Deputies some good.

The Glare magistrates, as the cable informs us, are calling out for more police— of course they are, A desperate attempt must needs be made to blacken the administration of Mr Morley in Ireland. But let us not forget how completely the addresses of the judges at the winter assizes have given the lie to the assertion that crime was on the increase. The report alluded to is one of those characterised the other day by Mr Morley speaking at Newcastle, and the cable agency again prove their claim to rank with the worst of the sources of false news justly Btigmatised by him.

Measures have been taken, we learn, to make the concert tendered as a benefit to Mrs Angus on the eve of her depanure from Danedin most attractive, and worthy of the musical reputation of the lady to whom it is offered. A crowded house may be certainly reckoned on, Mrs Angus having done so much to deserve the gratitude of the people of this city.

" Thomas Callan, the Irish-American dynamiter, sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment in 1888, has been released."— Wa have no recollection of this case. The so-called dtnamite prisoners were last year, according to a Parliamentary return, 16, of whom 12 had been convicted in 18&3, two in 1884, and two in 1885. AH were under sentence for life, except James Egan, whose term was 20 years. Not one of these men, moreover, had been convicted of dynamite offences. All had been prosecuted for treason-felony.

The Khedive evidently means mischief. The outlook, as we write, seems very black. The state of thiDgs in Egypt is but the straw that shows how the wind is blowing, for without encouragement from without it could hardly have occurred, and certainly could not be maintained. Mr Gladstone's Government, however, stand firm, and are strengthening the English forces in the country. The issue will possibly be an open declaration of annexation, and, not quite impossibly, a war to make it good. The matter, as we ba?e said before, is of the utmost iatereßt for these colonies, involving as it does English interests in India, which are of vital importance to us.