CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 4, 25 May 1894, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

One of (he mojt successful concerts ever held in this city was the one given in »id of the Nurses' Home on Monday. 14th irißt. (treat credit ifi dne to Mr J V K^lly, win ajinagoH th» aflr>.'r, °.nd to t^» o»p<T who worked so ably and harmoniously with him. 'The thoroughfare outside the Tuam street Hall wan blocked for over half an hour before tht opening of the doors, and the crush which ensued made ticket. taking quite a lively occupation for a quarter of an hour. The programme wse an excpllent and varied one, consisting of some bountiful tableaux, which were shown with charming efftct by the aid of the limelight manipulated by Mr E. W. Seager. The tableaux were— ' The Palace Girden by moonlight," " Jacob's Ladder," •' The Gipsy Camp," and " The Children's Ward in the Hospital." Mrs Kelly and Miss Hay ward sang the duet, " Sainted Mother,'" from Miriuna. Mrs Kelly also sang " I dreamt that I dwelt." and Miss Hay ward sang Braga's "La Seremta." Mrs Edgar sang " Killarney bo fair." Miss Spenseley sang ' Scenes that are brightest" and "The Miller and the Maid," which were received with great applause. Mr W. B. Cadzow sang " Maid of Athene." Mr H. Weir sang " No, my courage," from Maritana ; Mr Woodhouse gave a capital rendering of " The Pilgrims," and also " The Garonne." Probably the best it6m of the evening was the ever-popular " Off to Philadelphia " by Mr A. Millar, who also sang " A hundred fathoms deep." Mr C. Edgar was encored for his two songp, " Daisy Bell " and "My old dutch." Mr Lithgow gave a beautiful exhibition of cornet-playing in Hartman's "Una." The Maypole dance by the Convent children waß Tery good, and reflects credit on their teachers. Mr Morgan gave Gobo'a " Spider dance," which wbb very amußing. Mr E. J. Painter played the violin olbligato to many of the songs during the evening, and Mr Bossiter's string band contributed several Belectiona. The piano accompaniments were played by Miss Funston, Mesdames Cadzow and Edgar. Altogether, the entertainment was exceedingly good, and being a Catholic movement, it speaks volumes for the Catholic community in this city.

At St Mary's, Manchester street, on Sunday, 20th, Rev Father Marnane spoke very strongly on the serious mistake made by many, Catholic people nowadays of being careless of what literature they allowed into their homes, and of taking notice and being guided by tha fals3 and poisonous news spreid abroad by the anti-Catholic Press of the Colony. The rev preacher s^id, and truly bo, that it was a shame and a disgrace to find that the only Catholic paper in the Colony should have to appeal tj the people for better suppoitthan it was receiving from them. He urged his hearers to subscribe to the New Zealand Tablet as an autidote against the many and slanderous attacks nude upon our holy religiou by the anti-Catholic papers of the Colony.

His Lordship the Bishop leaves for New Caledonia on Friday, 25th inst, and is expected to be away for a considerable time.

The usual weekly meeting of the Can'erbury Catholic Literary Society was held on Tuesday evening. Rev Father B)ll occupied the chair, andlthere was a fair attendance of members. Mr J J. Wilson read an interesting paper on "Old Age Pensions," advocating a progressive income tax ; the paper was very favourably commented on by the members. Mr E. M. Carr also re*d a paper on " Persons I have met," being a series of character sketches, treated in that writer's well known racy style, which caused much amusement to hiß hearers. This paper was also fairly criticised by the members ; the writer being style! a miniature Mark Twain. After a few remarks from the chairman the meeting closed in. the usual manner-

The Catholics of the Colony, do not as a rule expect much good treatment from the Press, but I think one of the most scurrilous attacks that I have nouced, appeared in the Chnstchurcb Press of Monday 14ih inst. It took the form of a leading article entitled "Gambling in God's name." Perhaps the wiser plan is to treat such articles with silent contempt, bat still I am inclined to adopt the less wise plan, and let our co-religionists know what encouragement we get here|from our dailies. This contemptib'e writer makes an attuckoa the late Carnival and speaks of the Tuam street hall as an " ecclesiastical gambling hell," and the lady assistants, he states, were rude and impudent, using their natural charms and graces as a means of extortion. Hb goes so far as to compare tbe carnival to the race course. Comparisons are odious ; certainly that one is, for I have seen, and koow of many instances where families have been reduced to pauperism by tbe race courst, but I defy anyone to show me one instance where a person has been woree off after spenting a few shillings at a bazaar, whether in raffles or otherwise. Hew strange it is that these raffl-s should have the consent of the proper legal authorities all along and now be found to be a a direct violation of the law. The writer goes on to say that he did not condemn the Carnival while it was being held, because it was for a good purpose, I think the good purpose referred to was waiting till the Press received its substantial cheque for advertising. That done they let loo6e. The Prest is evidently under tbe impression that it is a leader of the people, and that by publishing the article before would injure the financial aspect. of the carnival. Well, I admit the people are guided by the newspapers but certainly not by the Christchurch Press for the general remarks I hear from persons outside our creed are, that the article was an uncalled-for peice of scurrility and has considerably lowered tbe Prest in tbe estimation of its readers.