WANGANUI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 36, 7 September 1899, Page 31

WANGANUI.

(From our own correspondent.)

August 31. Mr. W. Meehan, late of Ohingaiti, has taken over the Commercial Hotel, Wanganui.

The teaching staff of the Marist Brothers' School has been strengthened by the arrival of Brother Pelagius. Preparations are being made for an early start with the enlargement of the Catholic church in Wanganui. Miss M. Neill, who for years past has been actively connected with St. Mary's Choir, left last Tuesday for Gisborne. Prior to her departure she was presented by the members of the choir with a handsome present as a token of their esteem. The Very Rev. Dean Kirk made the presentation.

At the last meeting of the St. Columba Club, Mr. Pilases favoured the members with an excellent paper on the present position of affairs in the Transvaal. Mr. E. Loftus gave a biographical sketch of Oliver Goldsmith. Other items were : Recitations, Messrs. Hartnett and Lundon ; reading, Mr. J. T. Hogan. The Mangaweka correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle writes as follows :—lt: — It is now definitely announced that the Catholics are to form a new parish here, and that a priest, Rev. Father La Croix, S.M., will be shortly stationed here. There is already a large sum in hand for the building of the church, and steps will be taken to raise the remaining funds, so that no doubt a church will shortly be erected at the corner of Raumaewae and Mangawharariki streets. Seeing that the Catholics are the largest body here in numbers, there is every prospect of success attending their efforts. It may be mentioned that the Rev. Father Tymons has for the past four years regularly visited that district.