Archdiocese of Wellington.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 11, 16 July 1897, Page 18

Archdiocese of Wellington.

(From our own correspondent.)

July 10, 1897. Notwithstanding that the weather was unpropitious there was a fairly numerous audience at St. Patrick's Hall on Monday evening, when the League of the Cross Dramatic Club gave an entertainment on behalf of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The piece staged was that original melodrama "'The Charcoal Burner." and the club is to be congratulated on the complete manner in which it was presented. The scenery was very appropriate, and the work of painting and fixing it up must have been no easy matter, especially as the stage area is limited. One scene in particular was very realistic and displayed in a remarkable degree the handicraft and the ability of the members of the club in this line. This was " A moonlight dell," which was represented in a manner that was both realistic and artistic. In a word the piece was creditably mounted, and capably acted. The following was the cast : — Godfrey Harrington (a magistrate), Mr. M. J. Sullivan ; Mattthew Esdale (a miser), Mr. A. G. Gore ; Edmund Esdale (captain of the army), Mr. R. H. Gore ; Poynet Ardcn (the charco.il burner), Mr. W. England ; Master Valentine Verdict, Mr. J. Hyland ; Caleb Brown (a soldier), Mr. J. Tobin : Abraham Cole (haberdasher), Mr. \V. Scollard ; Jacob Jones (a constable). Mr. G. Grange ; Ralph, Mr. H. Williams ; Edith Harrington (fair maid of York), Miss E. Sullivan ; Barbara Jones (Edith's waiting maid) Miss Wilkinson ; Old Mother Grumble. Master . I. Emden. •he title role was very capably filled by Mr. \V. England, who possesses abilities as an amateur actor that might well bo envied by many a professional. Mr. J. Hyland, the popular secretary of the club, ga\e a very good delineation of Valentine Verdict. Mr. J. Kearsley. junr., played violin selections (luting the interval. The piece was again produced on Tuesday night when it was much appreciated by the audience. It is expected that the funds of the Society will benefit to the amount of CIO by the two performances. The mission which was held by the Key. Father Goggan and the Rev. Father|Ainsworth in St. Joseph's Church, was brought to a elo-e on Sunday evening when the sacred edifice was crowded. The Rev. Hither Goggan preached, the subject ot his discourse being '■ Perseverance."' The Rev Father in the course of an eloquent sermon exhorted those who had made their peace with God during the holy time of the mission to steadfastly continue in the way of grace to the end. when they would reap the reward of their perseverance. Mr. Christopher Ryan, tonnerly ot Blenheim and for some time lessee ot the City Hotel, Wellington, has purchased the Club Hotel, Woodville. The Rev Father Goegan of Blenheim was in town during the week, having come over on a visit to his uncle, Rev. Father James Goggan of America, who has left for Christchurch to assist thu Rev. Father Marnane in the parish of St. Mary's. The local branch of the Hibernian Society held its half-yearly meeting on Wednesday evening when there was a large attendance. The Very Rev. Father Devoy was present and delivered a short address. The election of officers lor the ensuing half year resulted as follows : — President. Bro. B. Doherty (re-elected) ; vice-president, Bro. J. M'Millan ; treasurer, Bro. Bohan (re-elected) ; secretary, Bro. W. J. Grant (re-elected) ; assistant-secretary, Bro. W. White ; warden. Bro. Patton : guardian, Bro. Grithn : sick visitors, Bros. J. McCarthy and J. M'Millen (re-elected). The takings for the evening amounted to over £."jo. The Rev. Father Costello, who has been tor some time at the Cathedral parish, lett for Westport during the week, where he will assist in parochial work. His place at the Cathedral will betaken by the Rev. Father Gallagher, who. since his arrival in this Colony a tew months since, has been assisting the Very Rev. Father Lane at the Hutt. The Rev. Father Malone, of St. Mary's, Christchurch, passed through Wellington during the week on his way to Greymouth, where he has been transferred. I ing ret to record the death of Miss Magnu-sen. which occurred during the week. The decease 1 was an active member of the Altar Society in connection with St. Mary of the Angels', and always took an especial pride in decorating the High Altar of this pretty church. Many of the "old" boys of the Marist Brothers' School will regret to hear of the death ot Mr. Valentine Henry in Sydney. The deceased had been an active member of the Sacred Heart Society in connection with the Brothers' school, and was ever foremost in getting up entertainments tor the benefit of the schools or other laudable object?. The children of St. Mary's Orphanage being impressed with the idea that they should assist the sufferers by the Hawke's Bay floods, tinil not being blessed with a superfluity of the world's goods, hit upon the happy notion of knitting some socks. It is needless to

observe that the whole of the inmates entered with commendable zeal into the scheme, with the result that the self-imposed task was completed last week, when the good Sisters in charge of the Orphanage had the pleasure of forwarding to the Central Relief Committee at Napier twelve dozen pairs of souks. lam sure no gift, however large, will be so gratefully accepted by the recipients as this, the spontaneous contribution of those orphaned ones, who are fellowsufferers, in a sense, themselves.