ST. PATRICK'S COLLEGE, WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 8, 24 June 1898, Page 3

ST. PATRICK'S COLLEGE, WELLINGTON.

THE CONCERT. Punctually at eight o'clock the College Brass Band, under the conductorship of Mr. Trowell. opened the proceedings with Scholew' ' Songs of England,' in which the soloists gave practical evidence of finished tuition, the solo instrumentalists being Masters D Kenny (cornet), R. Dorset (trombone), E. Watson (euphonium)' C. Yenning (tenor horn), Rev. S. Mahoney (clarionet). The next item was the vocal isolo, ' The Arab's farewell to his steed 'which was splendidly rendered by the Rev. Father Hills. A fine original contribution followed, namely, • A view of "!»«— being a biief glance at some of the causes that led to the rising of 'St.s,' delnered by Mr. Stanislaus Moran, of the College Literary and Debating Society The young orator showed that he possessed m no small degree a decided talent tor declamation, and was warmly applauded at the conclusion of his speech. The next item was a chorus by six students entitled 'Ever joyous,' which was followed by a selection by the orchestra.

The second part of the programme was opened with a by the College orchestra. Father Hills contributed another \oeal item 'The holy city, 1 which was. warmly applauded. The item had an orchestral accompaniment, the arrangement being by Mr. Trowell. Another enjoyable item played by the strings foliowi d° after which the orchestra gave a spirited interpretation of Robinson's 'Khartoum.' The programme concluded with another selection by the band. Mr. T. Trowell did the whole of the conducting save in one instance, and the Rev. X. Muloney and Master 1). Kennyshared the pianoforte acconipaniments.

THE AItCUJJIsIIOr bI'EAKS. At this juncture his Grace Archbishop Redwood, Bishop Wallis, the Mayor ot Wellington, and Rev. Dr. Walters took theii seats on' the sfa_;e. II is Cww, in moving a vote ot thanks to (he Mayor tt>r presiding, s i id that he ile'sired. on bclialt of the prote^ors and tinstudents and in bib own name, to rtturn his sincere thanks to those present for coining there that oveninj-, and hu/ionnti^ the entertainment by their presence, and thus erieour.ignig the students to still greater efforts on each occasion. The inmost ,(iinvn by the public of Wellington in Si. Patrick s Col e>e imp-lled the Rector, professors, and students to work harder each vearsoasto become btill more worthy of public appioval and suppoit. lie desired also to thank hia Lordship the Bishop of Wellington tor hi- attendance, his presence being regarded with pleasuie :md sausjaction (applause). He desired also to thank the Mayor who had condescended

to preside at the entertainment (applause). His Worship s presence proved that the people of the Empire City took a deep interest a id pride in the work and progress of the institution. He begged to compliment the students on the admirable entertainment given by them that evening, which was a real musical treat. In thanking them he was sure he was interpreting the feelings of the large audience, tor it reflected the greatest credit on the performers and on their able teacher. Whenever he came there to see how well they had done, to applaud their victories, it was with the hope that when they left the institution they would gain still greater victories when they went into the world. For what they were in the college was an earnest of what they would be in the future. The virtuous youth grew up a virtuous man, and the perfect youth became the periecL man. lliey were herein a >oung and pjouiking- country that had a grand future before it if its citizens were rightly prepared to grasp it. They wore living here in a very democratic country, under a very democratic form of democratic government, and it was more necessary therefore that the citizens should understand their duties and responsibilities, for everyone was expected to take a share of the work, so that the result might be in the direc tion ot true progress and civilisation. And as the only reliable source of true and solid virtue, of true and solid patriotism, and true and enduring devotedness the common ideal was religion, religion ought to pervade and be worked into the very warp and woof of the whole texture of society, and hence, any education in which the element of religion did not fairly predominate was not a complete education ;it did not deserve the name of education What, he asked could set a limit to the progress of these fair lands of Australasia ?

The be^t blood of the most noble races of the globe ran in the veins of their inhabitants ; they had qualities amongst the very best in their nature, the ve ly qualities requisite to bring out all the material resources ot this lair land. Thi.su qualities were • Energy self-reliance, sobriety, persev. ranee. And tin nin this < ountry religion was free and Almighty Uod had given them a glorious d. stiny, glorious to themsehes and beneficent to the world, and that destiny was to work out, under the guidance of religion, an ideal ot civilization higher than had ever been seeu yet in any pare of the world (applause). Their people had the love of liberty, and liberty was all powerful in brin-ing forth the energies of mankind. They had the spirit ot enterprise and noble and generous aspirations sometimes, indeed, misguided, but certainly oU ch aspirations were calculated, when under the guidance and care and direction and ennoblement of religion, to lead to a degree of civilization unparalleled in the history of the world (applause). And how would this want, which was perhaps the only thing that Australasia required for the consummation of her future greatness, be supplied except by Christianity ? There alone was the security tor true, great, lasting add immortal civilization. When they looked around through the world and through history they saw that all things faded away and disappeared, but the Church remained in her divine unchangeableness, the divine organization and therefore suited and equal to every need of humanity. In every time she has shown her adaptability to all the needs of the human raoe. She leavened and Christianised the corrupt Roman civilisation, she tamed the fierce hordes of barbarians, she found, d Christian Europe, and 400 years ago she took in hand the wild and savage tribes ot South America and instead of exterminating them by rum and powder, as the AngloSaxon so ottendni.she put them ir. pos-ession of an amount of civilisation and ot freedom that was m ke. ping with their wild and untamable nature,. And now the saw the Church, under the guidance of one ot the most learned, mo.t liberal and most intelligent 1 ontiff, that e\er sat in the chair of ,St. Peter, "irding herselr for her next jjrtat eonqu. st, and that was to spiritualise and hallow the progress and enlightenment ot this age to sanctffy and ennoble, and elevate and sublimate the material progress of their day, for be.ier in the invisible and faith in the supernatural was the great need ot the future, as the late and great Gladstone repeated with his dying lips (applause). He asked the boys therefore, now and in their after lite, to study the grand old Mother Church, to be proud of her achievements in the long course of It) centuries, proud of the p.,rt she had taken in bringing about true happiness, progress and freedom. They had the inestimable advantage m thin land to be born free, in the thraldom of no man, to be only in the bondage of God. who.-c service was above all sovereignty. Let them be independent, manly and firm, and temper their manliness with Christian devote.mess and charity In conclusion he proposed a hearty vote ot thanks to the Mayor for presiding (applause). J

BISHOP WALUS SPEAKS. Bishop Wai IN, in seconding the vote of tli inks said in r. ferring to Master Moran's speed! on '«JB. th.it hi- did not im.v-ine that when another 'as can.c, he, „n Anglican Bishop, \maiUl hiai?d betore such a Catholic audience as that ( ipplause;. However, he could not refuse the Rector's invitation to be present, and m common with the whole of the audience he had spent a very enjoyable evening When they went to school entei uinments they hoped only to see promise of good in future years, but here that was realised, and it the students did all their work as well as they performed their musical work that evening 1 he considered the College was in a very happy position (applause). They w*re wiirht many lessons as years, went by, but he did not think they wire tau»ht to give up one iUa of that truth which they had I arnt to hold so dear. I heir kind invitation to him did not n.ean that they accounted the differences that separated them of small moment— he did not think for a moment they were— but thU they had learnt that the best thing- wa» to speak the truth m lite, that by leaning to understand one another and to sympathise with one another they were more likely to arrive at the periect truth which God meant to teach theiu (applause). They were not ashamed to put Christianity m the forefront in the school, and therefore he could not but wish the s-chool every success, and he wished the boy*, a thoroughly good and happy holiday (renewed applause)

J)B. WATTERS 81>EAKS. n. w 6 [°/ c fc » e rießolut!'?nr i eBolut !'? n waa P ut t° the meeting, the Very Rev. Dr. W,,tt. rs, Rector, said he had a few remarks to make tetter* of apology tor .non-attend-mce had been received from the Premier, Mrs. and the .Misses Seddon, the Minuter of Lands, and the Minister ot Justice. He referred in very complimentary terms of the painstaking manner in which Mr. Trowell carried out his duties a*, musical instructor to the students, whom he had at their lessons at' LVo^upSion'wS l^ BUt tht^ hou1 ' 1 -t suppose that their ' To sport with Amaryllis in the shade, Or with the tangles of Netera's hair.' They also took their part, with more or loss success, in public examinations-matriculation, junior and senior civil service, and scholarships and Trinity Colleye inusicl examinations. Though they dropped a few in the path they generally counted some, and though they could not point to perfect sue ess, at least they tried to attain it (applause). The spirit of the College had been good ; they w^l- l-> 0 students, nearly 100 of whom lived within the walls, and the spirit that prevail, d among the boys was almost up to expectations— not quite (lauyhur and applause)

THE MATOB SPEAKS. The vote of thanks to the Mayor was then carried by acclamaTrWh VV ° r ,?'P In responding, B ,id in reference to the speech on 98, that he read history in a d.fferent light to other people, for instead of England conquering Ireland, he held that Ireland and Scotland had conquered her, tor had not the latter given the British Lmpire Gladstone, and the former the Commander-in-Chief of the r p y /v, ,,1 1 ! nXn X «o St. Patrick's Collesre, he said it was the principal Catholic educational institution in New Zealand, and although he was connected with institutions in which the religious element did not prevail, it did not prevent him from realising and appreciating the mfiu nee which the boys derived from the cultivation ot the aesthetic side of education. The whole tendency of the age was in a material direction, and everything now was based upon what it would fetch in the money market. Anything that tended to mitigate and soften down that tendency was of the utmost value in any educational system. He could say that without any reservation whatever. He had enjoyed the evening's entertainment very much indeed, and he had the utmost goodwill towards St Patrick's College (applause). That institution might reasonably be reckoned to turn out a fair proportion of leaders of the community and it was of the utmost importance that youths who would in the future be leaders of the community should take to heart the weiehtv and judicious words which his Grace the Archbishop had addressed to them. He thanked them for the reception they had accorded mm (applause). At the conclusion of the proceedings cheers were given for hia Grace the Archbishop, Bishop Wallis. and the Mayor, and the Very Key. Dr. Watters, * J