MONSTER CATHOLIC PICNIC AT THE LOWER HDTT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 36, 5 January 1894, Page 15

MONSTER CATHOLIC PICNIC AT THE LOWER HDTT.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

This annual picnic which takes place every Boxing day, and has always been attended with the greatest possible success 1 , but never more so, than on last Tuesday the 26th December. The weather was all that could be desired, and some four thousand people from Wellington and all parts flocked to the grounds belonging to the Very Re? Father Lane, which are extensive and beautifully laid out in large fields amidst clumps of trees, dotted here and there through the grounds, and beautiful flowing streams. The ten o'clock train brought about one thousand children from Wellington. On the arrival of the train at the Hutt the children formed themselves into procession with banners and flags, and, headed by St Mary's Fife and Drum Band, marched to the grounds where the sports were to take place amidst songs and cheers. The children appeared to very great advantage, and looked the picture of happiness and delight in anticipation of what wbb in store for them during the day. The procession of the children was one of the prettiest sights ever seen in the Hutt, and one that will be long remembered. His Grace Archbishop Redwood was present, and was received with great applause, enthusiasm welcoming his Grace home, and congratulations and complimentß of the season on all sides. The Archbishop looks splendid, and seems to be in excellent health and spiritß after his trip to America. There were also present the Very Rev Father Devoy, V.G., Very Rev Dr Watters, Rector St Patrick's College ; Very Bey Father Dawson, Adm., Rev Father Mahoney, Rev Father Power, Very Rev Father Louie, Procurator St Patrick's College, Very Rev Father Lane, and Rev Father Donnelly, Sir Patrick Buckley, DrCahill, Dr Scanlon, Captain Collins and family, Martin Kennedy. E f q., and family, and a very large number of notable personages, too numerous to mention. In sll there could not have been far short of four thousand persons present. It was one of the most enjoyable picnics ever given in the Hutt district. Everyone seemed to thoroughly eDjoy themselvep. There were all sorts of amusements—merry-go-rounds, swings, shooting gallery, jumping, running, rounders, crcquet, singing, dancing, jigp, reels, and hornpipes, and a spleDdid band that discoureed 6»eet music at intervals all day long. The refreshment stalls groaned under heavy-9tocked tables of all sorts of eatables, diinkablee, frui', icc-creamß, jelliep, meats, and refreshments of all sorts and sizes. Great credit is due to the siallholderp, helps, and gatekeepers and ticket-takers, for their civility and ability in discbhrging their several duties bo well. The Managing Committee are to be congratulated on the succpfs of the whole undertaking, which w<nt off without a hitch, and one of the greatrst treats that ever look place in the Hutt. It is an old saying that whatever the Catholic people undertake as a body under the guidance of their priests is ture to be done well ; and the Very Rev Father Devoy and Very Bey Father Lane are to be congratulated ard thanked for the success of the picnic, and the grand day's outing, which will not be soon forgotten. A lUissa cantata wbb sung in St Joseph's, Upper Hutt, on Christmas Day at half-past eight, and at the Lower Hutt in St Peter's and Paul's at half-past eleven, by the Rev Father Donnelly, and sermons at e*ch Mbbs by Father Donnelly on the importance of the festival. In each church there are moat efficient and well-trained choirs under able organists— namely, Miss Cudby (Lower Hutt) and Mr Golder (Upper Hutt). Large numbers approached the altar for Holy Communion on Christmas morning at St Joseph's Church at Upper Hott and at St Peter's and Paul's at Lower Hutf, which are already finished and furnished with exquisite taste and convenience. The altais were adorned with beautiful flowers and ferns, and which reflects great credit on thoße who arranged the decorations. Boh of these churches have large plots of land attached to them, and are beautifully laid out and well kept. The Very Rev Father Lane, the rector of the Hutt, officiated at Johcstonville and at Pahautanui on Christmas Day, and preached a most eloquent sermon at each Muss on the gospel of tbe day. Nearly all present approached the sacraments at the latter two places.

The Rev Father Donnelly had been preparing a number of children for some time for their first communiDn at the Upper Hutt, and on Christmas morning they received the Holy Communion for the first time. The girls and boys, being atliied in dresses for the occasion, looked remarkably well. Th«y a*ng suitabla hymns for their first Communion in a most edifying and devotional manner, which reflects great credit on their teachers. The children had a good knowledge of their ca echism and Christian nqctrine in general* Fathar Donnelly gave a moat explicit instruction on the real presence, which the congregation listened to with marked attention ; and he congratulated the children on their efficiency, good conduct, and marked devotion. St. Joseph's beautiful church waa dressed in its very best, and looked the picture of devotion and care.

The yacht in which Mr and Mrs Vaaderbilt are shortly about to cross the Atlantic, with a view to spending a year or two in European waters, is (says the St James's Gazette) probably the most magnificent vessel ever owned by a private individual. la the matter of fittings and decorations no Royal or Imperial craft can compare with it. The length is about 300 ft, the tonnage 2,400, and the horsepower 4,500. The drawing-room occupies the whole breadth of the ship, and is pannelled in white and gold in the Louis KIT. style, the furniture, most of it old, being upholstered in red velvet. There is a library of even larger dimensions, lined with polished walnut, and having a fireplace with a richly-carved mantelpiece. Mrs Vanderbilt's bedroom is adorned with white lacquered paoels set in frames of gold and ivory, and the curtains and coverings are of Louiß XIV. old rose silk. Her sitting-room is furnished with mahogany of (he best old English make, with green velvet hangings Two or three other apartmentp, decorated in the Empire fashion in two shades of blue, open out of the larger rooms ; and there is a bath, all the Appoint* ments of which are of silver-plated metal. In fact, every bit of metal work, even to the hinges of *he doors on the lower deck, in either of silver or silver-plate. Mr Vanderbilt has his own suite of cabins fitted with even g'eater splendour and luxury than those of his wife, and in his bedrorm, where solid marble has been freely used, are found all sorts of automatic and electrical appliances to save trouble and increase comfort. The carpets throughout have cost on an average three guineas a yard. The yacht was built at Biikenhead, and has cost considerably over £100,000. ■uiaThe criminal and judicial statistics of Ireland show (tays the Irish Weekly), accordii g to Dr Giicnsh-iw, that both absolutely and ii proportion to the estimated pnpu'atior, the more Rerious offences during 1892 are much be ow the average fur the ten years 1885-91, and are less numerous thm in Bny of the c years. The only class of offences which h«ve increased ar<> those under the head of " Drunkenness and drunk and <li(-ordrrly." The proportion of crimes to the population in the var om provinces is, strangely enough, greater in the richer ami less in the poorer provinces. In weilth p-r h ad the provinces sUnd in the following order :— L'inster is tin- rict.e-t, then Munster, th^n U ster, and Oonr.aught is the poores". In ciiminahtv the ori er is precisely t.h« same. Ther.' ate 710 erimt-a p^r 10,000 in Leinster ; 515 per 10 000 Munser; 372 per 10 000 in Umer; and 312 jx r 10,000 in C nnanght, owing, as Ur Grimst aw alieeep, to the grratrr c.iminahtyof town population. There is consul* lably m ire crime in proportion to population in Belfast than m Clare, a fact v»h eh might bi brought to the notice of Mr Aido d Foisttr. Some figures which bnvo b Q en lat Iv published in the Dibre Emcth, a Jewish month'y perio !ica', will perve to illus r .te now rar the legil profession is, in Borne parts of Germany at leas', monopolised by members of the Jt-wi.-b faith Tey will also he pto exp ai l the bitterness of the ann-Semeiic agita ion thit has bet n growing in that countiy for several years pat-t. According m the Dibre Emeth there were practising at Berlin in the cimraenc ni"nt ot i his year, in the Court of Appei 1 , 54 advocates, ot whom 18 wire Cbrutiane and 36 Jews ; in the fi si iin-trict court, 146 Christians and 321 Jews ; in the second <Uj rict c >urt, 12 (Jhrs'itins and 17 Jews. At the seme time, of 130 notaries there wero 76 Christians aud 54 of the Jewish persuasion. So that of ato al ot 687 advocate?, w licitors and notariep, there we.re on y 252 Chi iguana against 4:55 Jews. In otber professions a like disproportion betwetn Jews aud Cuistiana prevails, wnich is all the more remarkable wb; n it is remembered that the Jewish community in Germany is relatively veiy small,

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