WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 19, 24 February 1893, Page 18

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) February 18, 1893. Thb Provincial Chapter of the Society of Mary have been sitting hew during the week engaged in business in connection with the order. The following are the members of the chapter:— The Very Rev Father Leterrier (provincial), Very Rev Dr Pestre, Very Rev Father Goutenoire, Very Rev Father Le Menant des Chesnais, Very Bey Dr Watters. Very Rev Father Cummings, V.G , and Very Rev Father Devoy, V.G. A meeting of former members of the Sacred Heart Society was held in the Marist Brothers' schoolroom on Thursday night for the purpose of resuscitating the Society, which has been in state of collapse for some time. There was a large attendance and a good deal of enthmiaßm was shown, so that I evpect that as soon as the preliminaries are arranged, it will engage in active work This is Certainly very desireable, for there are none of tho cities of New Zealand where the necessity for such an institution more exists. There are scores of young fellows in Government employment, who are residing in hotels or lodgings, and have no place to go to, especially in the winter eveningß. These, or at least many of them, would be only too glad of some meeting place where they could become acquainted with their fellow Catholics. It is evident that a large number of Catholic young men too, because of the society in which they find themselves, become lukewarm and indifferent in the practices of their faitb, and in the performance of their religious duties. A society such as this will have the effect of making them, should they join it, more robust Catholics than they have been, and also help to enlighten their minds and broaden their views on matters social and political. I wish the now society every success, and only hope they will not become a namby-pamby mutual admiration institution, afraid either to introduce new blood, or let their existence be known to the outside world. The following officers were elected for the next term, the meetings are to be held weekly :— President, Mr Henry, Vice-president, Mr D. Burke; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr W. Naughton, (re-elected) ; Director, Rev Brother Mark ; Committee, Messrs J. Sheridan, D. Ryan, and Kearny, Two very distinguished men have been getting themselves into trouble during the week because of alleged breaches of privilege. Viscount Wolmer committed the offence on Thursday in the House of Commons, and on the same day, in the Presbyterian Assembly ■itting here at the Antipodes, the Rev. C. S. Og? interrupted another member who was commencing a speech on the everlasting liquor traffic business. Mr Og? interjected " fanatical persons," and on being called upon to withdraw, declined to do so,— the Moderator thereupon declaring him guilty of disrespect, which so incensed the

rev. gentleman that he left the church. Most people will agree with the offender that there is more humbug talked ia connection with temperance nowadays than ever there was before, and that if the temperance opinions were stripped of the fanaticism and hypocrisy which surround them, there would be only a small percentage of genuineness left. The rather Bhort announcement made hat Sjnday morning at the Masses sufficed to draw a very large congregation to St. Joseph's Church, Buckle street, to hear the Very Rev Father Oummings preach at Yespera. Tbose who were present wert certainly not disappointed, for the preacher delivered a most eloquent and impressive discourse on Faitb. I do not know whether it may be of much interest to many of your readers to know that the geoeral assembly of the Presbyterian Church is being held here at present. The Presbyterians, during the course of their sederuntt, manage to keep themselves before the public through the newspapers, although I am somewhat doubtful if the readers of the papers reciprocate the compliment by taking much interest in the proceedings of that reverend body. The questions discussed by the assembly are not of absorbing interest, and I would not likely notice the business were it not that they discussed for the greater part of a sitting the subject of " Bible Reading in Schools." Some of my readers might say that this was an annual affair and that each sitting saw this white elephant trotted out, and trotted oack again for another year after the members had tbeir say. Oa tha last occasion a committee was set np to report on education, but after a twelve months spent on considering the matter, they said that they had nothing to report except to approve of the recommendation of a former assembly, that some definite stepa be taken towards getting the Bible read in the public schools. At the conclusion of the reading of the report the assembly were evidently in a quandary, as none of the members seemed anxious to move one way or the other. At last an Auckland member said his brethren up north were desirous of some sort of religious education for the youth of the Colony, but were afraid to interfere lest the present system might fall to pieces. Rather a brittle sort of toy after all its so-oalled popularity. A youthful member then moved to the effect that Bible-reading in the public schools should be made a test question at the next election, and pointed out that in Invercargill they were able to devote ten minutes in each day to this important matter. Self-aactincing southerners, who were ready to spend the one hundred and forty-fourth part of each day in the acquirement of Christian knowledge. Then a Ohristchurch divine said it was highly inexpedient to open up the question of religious teaching, as the Anglican Church could (not bo depended on to assist, and such a change would eventually lead to the introductioa of denominational schools, which would tend considerably to the expansion of the Catholic Church here, as it had, and was doing in England and Scotland. The present series of school books were the very best of their kind from a religious point of view, and contained as much Christianity a3 they could expect from the Government. He movel that the committee be thanked for their diligence (?). I presume this was spoken sarcastic, for they admitted they bad done nothing. Three or four other members expressed their views on tha subject, but these were somewhat mixed, as whilst they were nil anxious tj see Bible-reading introduced,jthey ware not prepared to move lest it might endanger the educational system. In fact it was the system first and the Bible afterwards. A Walliugtoi member scouted the idea of binding down Members of Parliament to support the introduction of the Bible into the public schools. It was highly immoral. His hearers were in doubt as to whether it was the " binding dowu " or the Bible that was immoral. I hopo it won't give rise to a heresy hunt. It was not proper, he continued for coteries of clergymen to impose immoralities on Parliamentary candidates. There now, who would have thought it? Clergymen corrupting the morality of our Members. What do you scoffers say to that ? Who is there amongst the cynics, or amongst our Parliamentary representatives that can utter aught against their virtue after that. A virtue which is so transcendantly sublime as to be in danger of contamination by intercourse with even the reverend members of the assembly. The conclusion of opinion amongst the members was, that the exolusion of th« Bible from the schools of tha Colony was a calamity, but they were prepared to euffar this calamity rather than, as they elegantly expressed it, the Anglican or Roman Churches should have any advantages. Is there not an old proverb somewhere, about a certain canine animal that could not masticate the contents of a manger, but at the same time would not permit the modest cow to do s> ? A wealthy squatter from Hawke'a Bay district is thirsting for the introduction into the Colony of sjrne of the glorious institutions of Great Britain, and, like the ambitious baby in ['ear's advertisement, will not be easy till he gets them. He hai been lately elected a member of the Wellington Benevolent Trustees, wnere he imagines he has a special mission. At the last meeting he gave notice that tbose of the necessitous who appealed for chariUble aid, should bj divided into five classes, to wit:— The deserving poor, the poor abandoned by their natural protectors, lb -e idle poor, the drunken.

poor, and the dissolute poor ; the three latter classes to bs relieved by the police in future. At the conclusioa of the list, the chairman (the Bey H. Van Staveren) remarked that one class was omitted — the poor fools. I wonder if the genial chairman had any person in particular in his mind's ey« when he made the remark. After a most successful ran of seven days the Zealandia bar tar and fair was brought to a close on Monday night last by a grand social, which was very well attended. The little fairy spirits who contributed bo much to the enjoyment of the visitors during the week, performed again on Monday, and at the conclusion of the Maypole dance, Mies Ellen Kennedy, the May Queen, on behalf of her subjecti, presented their indefatigable instructor, Mr R. P. Johnson, with a commemorative medal, suitably engraved, and also a handsomely framed photographic group of the little dancers. Mr Johnson suitably replied, and in the course of hit remarks s,iid he undertook the tuition ot the children with some hesitation, but he was glad to say that he was never better pleased with any class, for they had shewn themselves more than diligent, apt, and obedient. One of the reasons that induced him to take up the instruction of the class wps his aympathy with the Catholics of the Colony in their sacrifices on behalf of education— sacrifices which exacted the admiration of their bitterest opponents. The total amount taken during the time the Fair was open, amounted to £703. the probable expenses being about £150— this h exclusive of the proceeds of the art union. Taking everything into consideration the result has been highly satisfactory, and the Vtry Bey Father Devoy and the Bey Father Goggan, together with the bazaar committee, not forgetting the ladies, on whom the principal work fell, are to be congratulated on so successful a termination to their labours.