CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 15, 9 August 1895, Page 25

CHRISTCHURCH.

(_From our own Correspondent )

Foe the past two or three weeks the upper part of Mount Heibcrt, on the sou h side of Lyttelton haibour, has been dtnsely coated with snow. On Saturday last a party of eight gentlemen started for tbe top of the mountain. On reaching the snow, they fouud that it varied in depth from one to three feet. Trc surface w<ia fn.zoi over and afforded excellent walking, excep' wlure tho frozan crust was thin, and there the party sank up to their knefes. The nearer they got to tbe top, bowevci, the firmer iheenow became, while on tbe southern Blope, away from tbe sun, the Bncw was found to be frtz n into solid icicles. The pa ty were surprised to fi ,d such a qnmtiiy of snow so iocg after the last heavy fall. At the top of the inountain the uneven surface of reck or tussock was rounded into a white glistening dome. The eight wag simply magnificent, and the question on every tongue was : " How would a slide go 1 " A flax bush where a epring had washed away the enow was seen, and each one of the party cut off a doz nor more stalks. Tney were tied toge'her at the tops, and the owner, sitting on the leaves, essayed a slide on a short slope. The slippery leaveß of the flax glided over the smooth surface like a seel rummer, and the slider found that by jamming the heels down he could soon stop himself. This knowledge made the party boid. They obtained more flax and passed down a slope a quarter of a mile long, and ending in a Btnooth hollow. The speed was terrific, but tbe descent was nnde without a check or halt. The exeicise was very exhilirating, and the rapid rush down the slopes gave the rider a sensation like flying. Some idea may be gained of the slippery nature of the snow from the fact that any solid body, even a knife or stick, dropped at the top, would shoot away to the bottom. Other slopes wers p issed down, and finally tbe party arrived at tbe base of the hill. The whole'party, delighted with their trip, and satisfied that the experience had been one of the most thrilling

in their lives, returned ia tbe evening to Port Lyt'elton ia tbe Bteamer John Anderson. Persons who may wish to indulge in tobogganing on Mount Herbert, would find that a piece of tin or galvanised iron, say 4 feet by 18 inches, carled well up in front and with a email box to sit on, would make «n ideal toboggan or sledge. The snow-stoma, which happened during the early part of the past week, besides being the second in the season, was also one of the heaviest ever experienced in Cbristchurch. Reports from North and Bouth describe the w.atheras more severe than it has been in this city, and epeak of the great loss of Btock. At one station the ebeep Ere so tame that they court tbe presence of a r uman beiog, and wil] in their hunger eat his clothing if they get the opportunity. At the latter place hay is being carried out on pack-mules to the famishing Btock and everything is b:itjg done to keep them alive. On two Sunday evenings, at the pro-Cathedral, the Eight R<v Dr Grimes has delivered very able ani interesting 1 ctures on a eubj>ct now occupy! g much atkntioL— 'he reunion of Christian pe< p!e iD matters of faith, and on what many persons io the British Isles call the " Church of our Faiheis." The Bishop proposes to lecture on the same subject for aomo time to come on each Sunday evening and the two lectures already given are therefore the first of a series There was a large congr. gation present on both occasions, and Sunday last being the first Sunday ia the month, on the conclusion of the diEoouree, there was a solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrameot around the interior of the church. The Bishop's great powers as a lecturer are well known, and bis disc urses will doub'lts-i do much good and be well attendoi since they contain information particularly important at the present time. In his first dii-course the Bishop proved fully from history and the writings of the Fathers that before tbe so-called Reformation, the faith of the people in England, Ireland

and inieedin all the British Is' es, was tbe Catholic faith, and the faith of Catholics of tbe present time. Certainly then there can have beeD no change in the Catholic faith and has not Christ said that even tbe gates of hell shall never pro vail against it? He showed also what are the distinctive doctrines of the English Church as by lam established. Tbeee doctrines formed no part of the creed of the ancient Christian people in Britain. Therefore the English Church as by law established, cannot be the Church of our fathers. The Bißhop demons rated these and a number of other points in the most lucid and convincing manner, and the second! lecture was even more interesting than the first one. Nothing, however, but almost a verbatim report would do justice to the lectures. The Very Bey father Cummings V.G., whose health, I am glad (o say, Las much improved, left Wellington on Saturday evening la«t by the s.s. Tarawera for Sydney. There was a good attendance at a very diverting concert and dramatic representation which took place at the Opera House in tkii city on Thursday evening last.. The entertainment was organised by the local branch of the Hibernian Society, and the proceeds will be in aid of a fund for the purchase and erection of a suitable iron gate for the principal entrance to the Mount Magdala Asylnm. Mr Harry Roesiter's professional orchestra wag secured for the occasion, and a varied and capital programme was successfully gone through. Mrs C. Edgar very abJy discharged the duties of accompanist, and Messrs D. bteinmelz and W. G. Courtney acquitted themselves well as stage managers The programme opened with the " Gay hussar " an overture which the excellent orchestra rendered in a capital manner. Mr Lovell followed with the song «' Once again," and responded to a well-merited encore. Mr 0. Edgar and Miss Thompson executed with much pathos and finish the beautiful duet " Tell her that I love her so" (Defay). Mr ByaD gave a recitation, " Shamus O'Brien," and later on another recitation named "A tropical subject "in a masterly manner. Mr Ryan, who possesses ■ clear and strong voice, and mnch elocutionary talent, recited, in

respocse to encores a few minor pieces, among which was Malocey's " Fmian cart," in the same taking style. Mr A. P. Youngjwas bugcessful with the song "King David," as was Miss Maude Heweon with the eorg "By the fountain " (Stephen Adams). A very good item was " Aye Maria " (Bich-Gounoi) which Mrs Hayden sang by special request, wiih a 'cello obbligato accompaniment by Mr H. H. Loughnan. Mr 0. Bead was encored for ;h • song "Because I love thee " (Bobertson), and Miaa Heyward mast be complimented on her rendering of the song •' Tbe valley by the stream " (Stephen Adams). The comio selections were wisely entrusted to Mr 0. Blgar. who appeared twice, and responded, moreover, to several encores. A sailor's horopipe in costume and a naval song, both of which Master Loader executed well, ended the musical portion of tbe programme. During an interval the orchestra rendered the " Fabian march," and* the entertaiment closed with tbe amusing farce " My turn next " which was well enacted hy the Hibernian Amateur Dramatic Club Tbe characters were sustained by Mrs D. Scrimgeour (Lydia, Twitters* wife), Miss C. Maher fLydia's sister), Miss M. Whelan (Peggy Twitter's maid-servant), Mr A. Dobbs (Twitters, a village apothecary), Mr T. Oonnelly (Tim Boles, Twitters' assistant), Mr 0. Qoggin (Tom Trap, a commercial traveller) and Mr M. McNamara (Farmer Wheatear). According to a leader in a local paper, it seems that of the 7555 women workers of tbe Colony, 14G1, or abmt one fifth, find employment in the city of the pWns. There is little difference between the different cities of the Colony with rtspect to women's woik if exceptional occupations are excluded, snch as match-making at Duoedin and Wellington, and cartridge manufacture at Auckland and, therefore, tbe distribution of women's labour in our own oity may be taken as fairly representative of the occupations of women

thronghoat the Colony. How, taen, are the 1461 female factory workers of Chrißtcburch employed? About ooe-third of them— to be exact, 420-are dressmakers; one-third are makers of men's clothing, viz, 298 in clothing factories and 185 tailoresses, and the remaining third are distributed as follows : Buotmakers, 180 • woollen factory workerg, 128 ; laundry work, 71 ; printing, 58*; Bhirt-making, 47 ; photography, 22; hosiery, 21 ; biscuit and confectionery making, 17 ; meat freezing aDd preserving, 12 ; upbolfltery, 9 ; pickle and preserve making, 9 ; hat and cap making, 6 ; waterproof clothiDg, 6 ; aera'.ed waters, 4 ; wire working, 3;' perambulator, umbrella, and cardboard box-making, 2 each ; cigarette and corset making, 1 each. In bo far as wom.n compete with men, the statistics of our city tbow the women well to the front: They outnumber the men by 231 in the clothing factories j the tailoresses are 20 more than the tailorc, and the lady photographers outnumber the geotlemen by eight. The sexes are equally balanced in the hat and cap makiug trade and in the cigarette making business. On» man is nngallant enough to compete »ith won* n in the laundry line. But the ladies are allowed a monopoly of the dressmaking Ehirlmakinjr, hoaii ry-kuitting, and waterproof-clothing manufacture Women's wages are low all aloDg the line. Curiously enough drefsmi.kirg gives an average of £1 10* lOd per week to women of twL-r y years of age, against £ I Is 9d per week to j ,vi neywomen tailors, £1 Is 2d to journey wotmn bootmakers, and generally lower remunerations at the oth r trades. As exceptions may be mentioned, £1 8s lOd etrmd by youD? women in mrat pr serving works, £1 4s 4d by bosiery-kLitters, and £1 5i by a la ly perambu-lator-maker. The earnings of women am, n arly in every case, hale more than half of those of men at the same occupation. The earnings of m iture women in factories raige from as low us five shillings per week up to thirty slilhngß ; a fair average would give tlum all about (ighteen ahillingg aa the r weekly wage.