DUNEDIN AND DISTRICT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 39, 28 January 1898, Page 18

DUNEDIN AND DISTRICT.

The annual synod of the clergy of the diocese of Dunedin will be held in the Cathedral on Tuesday, February Bth. The Synodal Mass will begin at 7 o'clock, after which the synod will be opened in due form by the Bishop of the diocese. The retreat for the clergy will be opened by Father Buckeridge, S.J.. on the same evening and will close on the following Saturday morning.

The Catholic Primary schools of St. Joseph's and N. E. Valley, under the charge of the Dominican Nuns, will resume work on Monday next, January 31. Studies will be resumed at St. Dominick"s College on the following day. This latter arrangement has been specially made in order that intending students may be able, even if living at a distance, to reach Dunedin in time for the opening of classes. The occasion is a favourable one for inculcating two virtues which are important factors in all successful educational work — whether at Dunedin or elsewhere — punctuality and steady attendance on the part of the pupils. To the average child, holidays possess a perennial charm such as is never experienced by the weary children of a larger growth who throw off the harness for a period, and, so to speak, turn mind and body out to grass. Educationalists have long learned to dread the success of pupils' pleadings for '' just the few days more,"' that spoil the good beginning, which, siys the wise old saw, is half the work.

The result of the London Trinity College practical examination in music, held at St. Doininiuk's College by Dr. Vincent on October ."> of last year, are just to hand, and afford convincing' proof of the thoroughness and efficiency of the musical training given by the Dominican Nuns. The following are the detailed results of the examination : — Music— Senior grade : M. Burke, 80, honours ; M. Jones, 73, pass. Junior grade: A. Liston, 80, honours; A. Freed, 82, pass ; F. Courtis, 72. pass ; E. O'Connell, 71, pass ; I. Seelye, 08, pass. Primary grade : E. Wood, 7."., piss. Singing— Senior grade : A lady pupil, 80. honours — all Dunedin. Dominican Convent, Oamaru : — Music — Junior grade : Mary Duggan, 72, pass ; Maud Ralph. (W), pass. Dominican Convent, Invercargill : — Primary grade : M. Mclvowan, 81, pass ; E. Ward, 81, pass. This represents a cent, per cent, pass for each of these convents, all the pupils presented being successful. We heartily congratulate the good Sisters on such excellent results.

The Retreat of the Dominican nuns was carried out this year in the picturesque home of Seaview. It lasted for 10 days, and was conducted by Father Buckcrid^e, S.J.. of Melbourne. The religious of the Order from Oaraaru, Invercargill, Milton, Lawrence, and Queenstown, came to Dunedin to take part in the various exercises of the Retreat. Several changes have boon made in the staffs of th various houses in the diocese, and all the nuns for the outlying convents leave this week to resume their scholastic labours. The

Retreat of the Sisters of Mercy began on Tuesday and ends on Thursday next, February 3. At its close four of the Sisters will leave to take charge of the new foundation at Wrey's Bush, some particulars of which were given in our last week's issue. An account of the opening of the convent will, in due course, be laid before our readers.

A mesting of the Programme Committee of the St. Patrick's Day Sports was held at the Christian Brothers' School on Friday evening, the 21st. A draft programme was drawn up to be submitted to the general committee at its next meeting. The draft provides for athletic events, an international tug-of-war, a hurling match, and various cycling events, which have now come to ba indispensable to every up-to-date sports carnival. We are glad to know that the various committees are putting their shoulders to the wheel, and can confidently promise the patrons of both the sports and concerts a great variety of solid enjoyment.

Mr. Cought,\n, a visitor from Westport, is at prtsent stnying in Dunedin. As far back as twenty golden yours ago Mr. Coughlan was a member of St. Joseph's choir — being, in fact, one of its early members. On Sunday last he sang the solo parts of Farmer's Mass, Miss Blaney rendering some of the others.

Here is an item of interest to those who are living in coastal and other districts where the sand is encroaching upon the arable land. A few years ago Mr. Baird, of Victoria, accompanied his old friend, the late Mr. J. L. Gillies, to the Heads, on which occasion it occurred to the former gentleman that the introduction of marram grass would have the effect of stopping the drift of the sand in the neighbourhood of the Kaik and the Heads. The idea was at once seized on by Mr. Gillies, and the Board, at his suggestion, ordered a shipment of several tons of the grass, which through, the influence of Mr. Baird, was kindly supplied by the authorities at Port Fairy, Victoria. On the arrival of the grass the Board carefully planted it, under the direction of Mr. Stephens, the Board's inspector of works, and the experiment hat, proved entirely satisfactory. The original plantation is now very vigorous and has seeded abundantly) and one of the most pleasing parts of the Board's visit on Saturday was to notice that not only were the original plants much enlargedbut that an extra area of the sand was covered with the grass from Belf-sowing, the seed having spread from the old plants. There is, therefore, every prospect of the grass completely arresting the progress of the sand drift in the neighbourhood of the Heads within a reasonable time. We may state the experiments of planting marram grass have been completely successful at Port Fairy, Victoria. Mr. Baird is now on a visit to Dunedin, and the Harbour Toard took advantage of his presence to bring him to the Heads to examine the marram gras«. which is promising to be a« beneficial in New Zealand it has already proved itself to be in Victoria.

The people of Dunedin can a<Tord to congratulate themselves on the evidence of increase 1 prosperity shown by the Post Office Saving!) Bank returns for their postal district. The amount at credit of depositor oa December :51, IM)7. exceeded that of IS'.)6 by Cl)O27('\C 1 )027('\ Th'j amount of Savings Bank deposits showed an increase of £10.91 I. c.v account* opened in IS'J7 numbered 1.175, as against -1,1!' I for lS'.lti, ami the amount at credit of depositors was £721, 51 id, as against CHG t,.V.)D for ISi)C,, C 6 11.000 for IS'J.I. £.322.r>;U for 15 ( .)4. £.->05,1)13 for 181U, and £10.3.731 for 1S!»O. 'lhings are evidently looking bright for Dunedin.