CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 49, 6 April 1894, Page 27

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent. 1 )

On Eas'er Monday a howling nor-wester raged over our city evidently a hint for the cit, Ee ns to betake themselves a re* miles out of town whpre th, weather was far more moderate, which a con6 l derable number did, all outgoing trams and other conveyances be.ng fillei in every direction. In the evening there were attrac none in every shape and form to bring the people into town. The Hibernian Society celebrated the four hundredth anniversary of the feast of St Patrick. I rather agree with a remark made by a speaker on that occasion, that it is much better to defer the celebra tion of St Patrick's day till Easter Monday, when ihe feast can be celebrated with joyous festivity, instead of encroaching on the holy season of Lent. I think the local branch of the H.A.0.8.5. could with very little expense, make a decided improvement to their ball in the way of accommodation^ in the cloak room. I noticed on Monday night there were about tea hooks on which to hang about one hundred hats, as the hooks refused to bold ten hat« apiece and a man cannot always put his tile in his pocket. There was an indiscriminate pile in the corner, from which, first come first served was the rule on leaving the hall. I feel slightly aggrieved on this point as I myself had the good fortune to part with a new hat and receive in its stead one very rouch its Benior. lam still anxiously watching for « the hat that never returned."— decent news from Sydney tells us that thirty compositors from one establishment have* received a month's notice owing to the introduction of type-aetting machinery but the latest idea in labour-saving inventions is the lamp lighting machine for street lamps worked on the eight-day-clock principle, and yet we are told that machinery is a benefit to mankind. If some of those ingenious individuals will invent some new employment for those thrown out of work by machinery, then I will agree with the above argument Dot not before. The Catholic Literary Society held their usual weekly meeting on Tuesday, 27th ult A paper was re.d by Mr E. M. CUrr, en itled

" Women," in which the writer deals very severely with the female sex of the present day, and avows that women are, and ever will be, an enigms, unfathomable by every man. The paper was subjected to some vaned criticism by the members present, after which tha meeting closed in the usual way. Tbe annual meeting of the North Canterbury Bjard of Education was held on Friday evening last. The retiring president delivered an address on education. He admitted that tbe education or smattering of letters administered in the public schools did not prevent the pupils from becoming larrikins. This admission w*s hardly necessary. We are only too well aware of tie painful fact. But, be explained, they refrained from giving religious instruction in the "chools in order to allow Roman Catholics to send their children to partake of the untold benefits to be found in the State schools, and be made larrikins of, lor the most part, without respect for either the law of God or m in. Truly the generosity and unselfishness of the Education Board are boundless. The president also admits that to give a grant in aid of Catholic schools would meaa the immediate collaDse of the present system. From this we may infer the only way the public schools can keep pace with Catholic schools is by imposing, as they do, a very heavy handicap upon us— another proof of their generosity. In connection with the above meeting, a report of the travelling expenses charged by members of the Board was laid on the table, which shows how a considerable amouatof the money wrung from as in taxes is expended. One member costs us £257 15s f r attending 264 meetings ; seven members cost almost £1 per meeting for three years ; for three months of the present year six members hate cost tbe sum of £53 12s sd. Certainly we have the finest education system ia tbe world. Oue of tbe members dropped a remark some time ago that it was a kind of a hobby of his to be on education boards and such like. No wonder I But I think the working man should have a any in the matter Boroetimes. Considerable excitement was displayed in Lyttelton on Tuesday last, when a telegram was received, announcing the success of the Lyttelton crew in the championship regatta at Pictoo, tbe race being one of the finest ever seen in the Colony. This is the second year the same crew have taken the champion fours, and they well

deserved the enthusiastic reception which they received on their retara home on Thursday. The latest move in the way of amusements is the Sunday concerto, which have just been inaugurated here, and have the effect of materially lessening the congregation! in some churches. Evidently tbe stage has a far greater effect than the pulpit on the minds of our jouog colonials. The new school at St Mary* is growing up rapidly, and the faithful are exhorted to make a email sacrifice and not allow it to stand in debt. As the coming winter is expected to be a severe one, energetic steps are being taken to re-organise the society of 8t Vincent de Paul in 8t Mary's parish, in orier to relieve the distress which usually accompanies the severe weither. The Association of the Apostleehip of Prayer has received an impetus from the Redemptorlst Fathers at St Mary's. At the close of the mission there some hundreds were enrolled. Friday beiQg the first Friday of the month the monthly meetings will be commenced oq that day. Father Burke and Father Siangan left for Sydney on Wednesday last amid one of the heaviest downpours of rain that has been experienced here for many years. The streets were submerged in many places and the wa»er flowed into shops and dwelling houses. Father Plunkett and Father Shearman opau a mission wtGeraldine this week, and will return here and probably remain a few days prior to their departure for Sydney. A wedding look place at the pro-Oathedrai on Thursday, 29th, the contracting parties being Mr W. Hoban, a well-known and popnlar barrister of this city, and Mrs Kerr of the Chatham Islands. Tie ceremony was performed by Very Rev Father Cumminge, V.G.