NAPIER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 52, 26 April 1895, Page 8

NAPIER.

(From an occasional Correspor dent.) We have not been troubled with any great political or other movement in this district of late, so I nonet confine myself to local matters this time. The weather is now broken in earnest, and since eleven o'clock on Sunday there is no scarcity of " liquid " in every part of the district. This morning (Wednesday) most alarming accounts •re to hand of swollen rivers, broken bridges, land slips, and lost sheep and cattle. The storm last year was confined principally to Hawke's Bay, but this time it seemed to include Wellington, Wairarapa, Palmerston, the Manawatu, and Hawke's Bay as far as Waipawa. The Gorge railway line is again blocked by no less than 5,000 yards of earth slips, and commucication with Wellington is not expected to be restored in leas than a fortnight. Another instalment of misfortune has befallen this district. This time it is in the firm of no less than eight Mormon mission-

aries " from Salt Lake City. Arriving by steamer at Napier they went to Danevirke, and from there dispersed over the bash district i A Napier evening paper says they are holding an .omul conference at Taboraite with tbeir c> mpaoioni, at which they have three meet, inga a day, and on last Sunday one was held for the Europeans that they might become acquainted with the doctrine. The same paper says their rules in "church" matters are very strict, and gives for raaßon that those who drink or gamble are summarily dismissed. This is the sort of doctrine we are treated to nowadays. What will the use cf « the Lord's day " be tnrned to at last, and what will the word "church," the bouse of the Lord, mean by-and-bye? Oh when will these divisions and sub-divisions, under the title of "denominations " and " sects," cease to do their fell work of the deril amongst poor fallen humanity f A queer piece of engineering was accomplished here a few days ago. Napier is supplied by artesian water, and of a very excellent quality. The borough council, considering the present supply insufficient, decided oa having another larger well su D k, but the place fixed upon was only three chains distance from the original principal source. Though the flow obtained was np to the mark yet you can imagine too disappointment when they saw the old source dried up, and the whole town left almost without water. The result of this, of which the consequence was pointed out to them in advance will likely be another bore at a greater distance, with more of the ratepayers' money foolishly spent. Easter has again come and gone. The services in the Catholic churches were, as usual, very solemn and touching. On Friday evening, the 6th of April (Feast of the " seven dolours "), the new Station! of the Cross were erected by Father Grogan in 8t Patrick's new church, in presence of a largs congregation, many of whom were non-Catholics. The Bey Father, before blessing the Crosses and erecting the Stations, explained their origin and meaning— with thtir practice and benefit in a very instructive and impressive discourse. In reference to Holy Thursday and Good Friday the Napier Ercninn News says :-•' In the Catholic Ohurch on Holy Thursday special services were celebrated, when the Blessed Bacrament was removed from the hi(?h alter to the altar of repose, the children of the various confraternities forming a procession, the ceremony being carried on with great devotion. Yesterday (Good Friday) the Mass of the Presanctified was celebrated in St Mar, 's, during which the Adoration of the Cross to> k place, the church being crowded. Last night the Stations of the Cross were gone through in 8t Patrick's, Father Grogan afterwards preaching a powerful sermon on the Passion of our Lord to another large congregation." On Good Friday afternoon. as well as Saturday, to a very late hour, the confessionals were

thronged— Father O'Shea hearing in St Patrick's and Father Grogtn in St Mary's. Ou Easter Monday there was Mass in both churches at seven o'clock, and how edifying to see so many approach the "sacred table." At 10.30 in St Patrick's there was High Macs, Father Grogan being the celebrant, and Father O'Shea preaching the sermon. There was again another large congregation present. The rev gentleman took for his text the words, "You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, He is risen, He is not herr," and in a very forcible and logical discourse explained the aubj ct of the fpast. Father O'Shea is one of the professors in ihe Meanee seminary, wbo, though only 25 years of age, givei promise to become a brilliant preacher. He does honour to St Patrick's College ac well ac to the Meanee seminary, and sets an example we hope to ccc many young New Zealandere follow. The choir was in excellent order for both morning and evening, and well deserved the compliment paid them by Father Grogan. Mrs St Glair, as n»nal, presided at the organ. The members of the choir had their annual pic-nic on Easter Monday, and chose Mr Bee's, of Pakowhai, for the place of rendea" vons, the very cradle of Catholicity on this coast. It was there that Father Lampilla, in 1850, first preached the truths of onr holy faith to the Maori race in Hawke's Bay, one year before Father Reigner : established the now flourishing station of Meanee. After a beautiful days' enjoyment they returned to Napier well pleased with their 11 onting " as well as with Mr Bee'B hospitality, I see in thiß morning's HawWs Bay Herald that the Education Board has once more shelved the request of the Catholic bishops, re the Government inspection of Catholic school*, because, they say, there was not full meeting of the Board's members. What the final decision may be is not easy to see. The Hun J. D. Ormond (chairman) and the Rev D. Sidey (secretary), would soon bring the matter to a conclusion, if they and their party were free. The party are not popular as formerly, and the Catholic vote ' r cu's both ways." Whilst it returned Mr Carnell, the present member, it shelved Mr Swan, Ormond's nominee, The dilenaun is still before them. Which horn are they to stick upon? It is a bard thing to recognise the Catholics in any way, yet in view of the coming elections «nd the interest of parties it may be better to make peace with them after all, as they are a most uncompromising lot. Such seems to me something like the logic of the Ormond-cum-Sidey party. We shall watch the result, which I hope will be favourable. The Evening News has got another new lease, at all events for the present. It ia now worked on co-operative principles and the old company is being " liquidated." Your friend the editor J. T. M. Hormßby, who of late seemed to have such a "dead-sat" upon Catholic doctrinep, is again gone in the Cbristchurch direction. This is a good thing if the paper is still destined to do some good in the future. It is indeed reported that the late evolutions of this political "turncoat" were a last effort not only against Catholics but to kill the paper itself. It is not unnatural for him to exhibit this antiCatholic animosity because it is reported here that some years ago when he used to try to act the part of the " shuttle-ccck " between Orangemen and Catholics ia this town, he once " let out " at one of his Orange rendezvous that his fath«r was the first to introduce the famous •■ Maria Monk " into the Australian colonies. At any rate he bad the satisfaction of receiving a hit of a "brushing down, " before he left, from Father Grogan, who very forcibly put before his people how far the doctrine of the Catholic Church, on the power and authority of Catholic b shops, differs from what they ha>i seen published of late in the paper in question, ho n Catholics take neither their faith nor the practices from such teachers. Further that he Father Grogan, and the Catholics generally had to refuse all support tv> any paper that opened its columns to puch doctnna. Ttns discourse had the desired effect. During the afternoon of the same Sunday, meetings were held in the office, feelings were expressed, hard words interchanged, the paper put on the 'stool of repentance," a new programme drawn up. Personalities wore to be avoided for the future, and the editor was to go south for fresh fields. The Hon Mr MKenzie, Minister for Lands, arrived here by express last evening in cjmpuny with Messrs Carnell and Halli M.H R.s, and put up at the Criterion. He is to be banqueted this evening by his countrymen, the Caledonians of Napier. To-morrow evening be is to speak at Hastings, no doubt in reply to Captain Ruesell. The Hawke's Bay Herald predicts a good and orderly audience. By the way, Mr Carnell has struck a favourable card this time in ob aining a Government grant of £400 for the Meanee River Board. It is an acknowledgement that the Government see the necessity of it. After the floods of last year settlers in that beautiful district were very despondent, and many spoke cf selling out, but who was to buy ? Now that they see there is some protection for them they will rtgain courage, atd Meanee will continue to be one of the most fertile districts in the Colony, whilst Mr Carnell maintains his respect with its people for next elections.