NAPIER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 11, 16 July 1897, Page 19

N A P I ER.

(From an occasional correspondent.) The week of flags, crackers and Chinese lanterns, with free dinners, has now passed away, things generally have returned to their normal course and one only remembers that another page has been added to the history of the nation, interesting especially ti her Majesty in the evening ot her reign. There was any amount of jubilating in honour ot her Gracious Majesty in the.se quarter*, but I believe the most attractive and interesting from every point of view was the "Grand AIL Nations Catholic Bazaar," which w^ carried on during the whole of Jubilee week and wound up on last Tuesday evening. It needed more than ordinary c mrage, in the face of such unfavourable circumstances as well as the season of the year, to undertake such an important work, but considering that the bazaar had already been postponed owing to the late floods and that much of the material would not improve by further delay, it was decided that, if it was to come off this year. Jubilee week was the time. The appointments were well thought out. The bazaar has been a great success and Father Grogan and his good people deserve to be congratulated. There were but five stalls this time, including that for the refreshments. They were named England, Ireland, Scotland, Xew Zealand and Cosmopolitan, each having appropriate devices, colours and inscriptions that lett no doubt as to their respective nationalities. England tell to the lot of Mesdames Higgins, P. Barry, Murnane and Brophy, the Emerald Isle to Mesdames Condon, Sullivan, Graves and Mt.ss Kenny. Xew Zealand was entrusted to the able management of Mesdames Homersham (formerly of Canterbury), lieswick and Miss Purcell. whilst Scotland was fortunate enough to fall to Mesdames St. Clair, Ryan, Reardon and Miss Comisky. Besides the above ladies', the bevy ot young ladies attached to eauh stall, if mentioned individually, would fill up a whole column of your valuable paper. To say that all worked with a will gives but an idea of the rivalry that existed between the stalls during the whole week. A& there were suspicions that some stalls had an '• old stocking "' in reserve, there was no certainty which would top the poll until Tuesday evening, when Scotland handed over the remainder of the handsome amount of £182, England and Ireland c.um> next with £1H and X,\'.V2 respectively, whilst Xew Zealand put together £1113 2s od. which, for it, owing to circumstances, was most creditable. The sum total,

including door and refreshments, mounts up to the handsome figure of &().">} 12s .">d, with a quantity of material still on hand for a future occasion. At last Mass on Sunday in St. Patrick's the Very Rev. Father Grogan, in thanking all those who helped to make the bazaar a {Treat success, said : " He could not find words to express his feelings in reference to the fidelity and zeal he had witnessed during the past week. On no previous occasion had he seen anything to equal it. Those in charge left their homes, sacrificed their time and their means, and even their health, for the common good and the interests of the parish. These are the people who help the priests to bear the burden and maintain the honour of the parish and of religion. The success of the bazaar," he continued, "is, in the circumstances, far beyond our anticipations, and is another instance of what a congregation can do when all work faithfully together." The rev. gentleman also thanked Mr. Durney, the energetic secretary, to whom, he said, much of the success was due ; also the non-Catholics who so freely patronised the bazaar.

Dr. Spenser, known and highly-respected in this district for many years, died rather suddenly last week ; pneumonia or some kindred disease was, I believe, the cause. He was for many years consecutively Mayor of Xapier, and a member of the licensing committee up to the time of his death. In his demise the convent of Napier, who never employed any other doctor, lost a most faithful friend.

The Catholic schools of the parish have re-opened again after their mid-winter holidays.

Brother Cyril, Superior of the Marist Brothers for the past three years here, has left for Sydney. Brother Brendan, from Wanganui, takes his place.

The winter in this district is one of the finest we have had for many years.