NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 32, 15 December 1898, Page 18

NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

We regret that tbe usu-^l letter from our Wellington correspondent did not reach us in time for publication this week.

The services formerly held at St. Mary's Cathedral, Wellington are now conducted ot the schoolroom, Guilford terrace, which has been converted into a chapel. Mr. Houghey has presented an altar to be used at the new chapel, and his gift has proved very timely and acceptable.

A.cxjorili'nffioto^the^a^^et.irowti.^^Mstibft^b^ryasHtafc^Qai!.' temporary) there rft re -4fc assesJetaiit^thejbCaiony .t&feijmr than there were last.., Yet,, they c are po.femLwedJ r,^ „^j l 0! [\j;rr.Y /.-.; A perfect BP^fm^ri«f i^Ws^i b^ibae^fo^Ji ne^r 1 Ale*, andra (Otasro);. Tins i« believed 1 td 'be the's&ofaa bn^thafffc is" fever been found. <'-':• ~ \~, , < ■/ ■- c viuf. „i'\v •- The opereUk ' 'g^len, hair sft&the "ire^^i' Vj^perfoSited by tbe pupils afctendinjr, fta oon^t/sbhoola on^iifc report ot the entertaiivnent, which was a creditable Vone -ii, every respect. " ..... .. '"■■/. - <j ' The annual distribution of prizes at >Stil JUary^JOrphinajre Nelson, took place on Friday,, the Tth. in?t. - BiB r HondttWwlffe Robinson presided and distributed the prizes, i -The ' brplitns ipixRented a capital propfr-imme of Bongs : recitations, -eta/, and- altogether the function was a most successful one. > We rejrret to sta»-e th it awio» ro pressure of wo^k the engravers have been uoable to Quish the blosk of the Invercargill Demonstration Committee m time for this fcsuet the blojk'is, ia feet, not yet to hani, but will appear in next week's issue as a souvenir of a notable event in the history of the centenary year in the capital of southland. _

The Royal Oak Hotel, Wellington, was burnt . down last Saturday. A largo number of boarders were sleep^ng-ia-the hotel and some of them were only aroused with the greatest difficulty Ladies rushed from the burning building in scant attire, their shrieks of dismay being heard a considerable distance away. Mr Greer, a commercial traveller for a Sydney fir^m, and Mr. Blandford' general manager for Messrs. Bing, Harris and Co., were burnt to death, their charred remains being, found among the debris of the fire. •

A special general meeting of the shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand was held on last Monday in Wellington. There was only a moderate attendance. Mr. Martin Kennedy and Mr'W Watson were unanimously elected as directors. In returning thanks for his re-election, Mr. Kennedy spoke strongly in vindication of the soundness of the position of the Bank, and expressed bis belief that many of the shareholders would have been better off if the Bank had not been assisted by the Government. The Timaru Aloysian Club held its final meeting for the season on Tuesday, 6th inst. There was a good attendance of members and the evening was pussei very pleasantly. Songs were given by Messrs. Rissil, Niall, Kane, Whelan and McDonald. Before olosing the Rev. Father McDonnell spoke a few wprds of encouragement, to the members, and congratulated them on their success this season. The meeting terminated with the singing of ' Auld Laug Syne ' and 1 God save Ireland.' Three hearty cheers were then given for the worthy president (Rev. Father McDonald).

The New Zealand Times (Wellington) of last Monday publishes an interview with Captain Kemsley. chief of the Fire Brigade, regarding the Royal Oak Hotel fire. Captain Kemsley makes strong strictures on the insufficiency of the appliances granted to the Brigade by the Council. The matter was brought up at a meeting of the Public Works Committee of the Ciiy Council the sa Le nij^ht, when ctronj? excption was taken by the mayor and several councillors to Captain Kenisley's remarks. No action was takev>. but it is uadersto d that a committee with power to call expert evidence is to make an exhaustive investigation into all the circumstances surr !und:ng the destruction of Sb. Miry's Cathedral and the Royal Oak Hotel.

Our Waimate correspondent writes : . On the evening of the feast of the Immaculate Conception five • oung laiies were received into the association of the Children of Mary here, and a number of others as aspirants. After the solemn little function all ai journed to the school, where a sumptuous repast had been prepared and a pleasant social was eujoyed. There were present Fathers Regnault, O'Contiell, and Cleary (editor of the Tablet). Advantage was taken of the occasion to present Father Regnaulfc with a handsome and valuable evidence of the good-will of the association andiiheir pleasure at welcoming him back, improved in health, from his recent visit to the Hot Lakes.

At 10 a.m. on Sunday last the new Catholic Church at Addington was opent-d by the Vicar-General, assisted by'the Rev. Father Servaj- an. There was a large congregation present, and the church was crowd* d to overflowing. The Vicar-General, having blessed the church, celebrated High. Mass and preached a very appropriate sermon. H« also congratulated the people on their generosity and the Rev. Father Servajean on his energy in connection with the church, of which the very rev. speaker said he was ex:eedingly proud. Miss A. Bryant, Miss Bowler, Miss A. Cronin t ..B4rs.,Bowler, and Mr. G. Cronin, all of whom belong to tbe Pro-Cathedral' choir, sang in excellent style Farmer's Mass, and Mies Young presided at the organ. The offertory amounted to £15.

What's in a name ? There is a good deal of trouble in it occasionally. The Newton Borough Council in .Auckland is (says a contemporary) having ill-luck in the task of re-naming the borough. After much debate * Wharehou ' was chosen, but has now been objected to by the Government because it is not a Maori-word. 4 Tokaroa ' having been proposed, the Mayor informed the Council that he would oppose this to the very. last. Te Rehu and Roseborough were then discussed, but" .were also 'rejected;" Grey-Lynn was finally unanimously agreed to, one member remarking - tljat it commemorated the name of one of the greatest men in connection with New Zealand history, and also the name of tbeiasft member for the borough, when it was an electorate. Should the" authorities raise no objection to Grey-Lynn, it will be the name under 'which Newton will be known in the future.

i:uW i' 1 yjßE l ir"pfeaain't little gathering 1 ' took place recently at the Cafe" de Pdris, Christehurchj to welcome the President of the H.A.C.B. Society, Bro/ 25. d>Hayden; of 'Ballarat. >' The chair was occupied by Bro. P. Barke, P.P., and there were present, including other gentlemen, Brqs. Sellats^Cpnr^ey.andfß,, Hay ward. The health of the visitor was. proppße^,b^ t D.P."Bro'. Courtney, who regretted that his stay was so short,"only a few hours, which made it impossible to collect the members, of the Branch together to meet him. Bro. Hayden, in responding, said that the Society/ had been established in his native' city, B^Darat, and was nbw spread all over Australasia. The' objects of the Society; which had the sanction of the Church, were to bring Catholics and Irishmen closer together, and to beget in its members a feeling of patriotism for Ire 1 and, and also for the land in which they lived. He took the opportunity of vindicating the^loyalty of. Irishmen to the British Empire, a f aot proved on many a , well-fought field. Several other toasts, including the healths of Mr ; and. Mrs. Burke, were honoured prior to thedeparture of the guest. t -