Diocesan News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume 23, Issue 47, 23 November 1899, Page 5

Diocesan News.

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON.

(^F/o n our own correspondent.") November 18. The Rev. Father Delach, of Otaki, has been in Wellington this week. The building of the convent at Newtown for the Sisters of Mercy is to be starte I during the Christmas holidays. There are throughout the Colony 113 candidates for the Senior, and 491 for the Junior Civil Service Examinations to be held in January. The Very Rev. Dr Pestre, S.M., Provincial of the Marist Order, has gone to Meanee for the midsummer examinations. He will be absent about two months. The election of a member representing Parliament on the Victoria College Council, in place of the Very Rev. Dr. Watters, who lately resigned, resulted in the return of Dr. Prendergast Knight. He took his seat for the firsb time at Wednesday's meeting. On Wednesday evening, at St. Paul's Schoolroom, a children's party was given by Mesdamea Allan and M'Alister to raise funds to furnißh their stall at the Thorndon bazaar. The children's enjoyment was well catered for by the Misses Allan. Songs and dances were contributed by Misses Toohill and Gibbes. Three Sisters of the Mission from various convents in New Zealand arrived here on Thursday from France via Australia. They have been away since April, and during their visit to Paris assisted at the recent election of the Mother General of the Order. While in Wellington they were the guests of Mrs. Devlin. Though the Wellington High Levels Tramway Act, granting authority for tho building of an under-ground tram line to Karori, passed Parliament during the session of 1898, compliance with its procedure clauses have up to the present prevented the commencement of the actual work. A contract was, however, let this week to Mr. Maurice O'Connor at £12,172. The contract time for the completing of the construction is twelve months, and the company expects to have the line open for traffic at Christmas next year. St. Patrick's College annual harbour excursion, which was postponed from Tu°sday on account of rain, was held on Thursday. Headed by the band, the students, under the drill-instructor, marched to the ferry wharf, where the ' Duchess,' dressed with the College colours, was waiting to receive them. The marches as played by the band and the manly and military bearing of the boys were the subject of appreciative remarks from the onlooker*. The party was accompanied by the clergy and several fiiends The outing at Day's Bay was most enjoyable. The Catholics of the Lower Hutt have sufferel a severe loss in the destruction of their Convent school by fire. When the Sisters left to return to town at a quarter to six on Tuesday everything seemed safe, but in less than half an hour the building was in flames The insurance was ,£l5O, but as nothing was saved the loss is estimate! at £250 in excess of that amount. Judging by the small insurance in this case and also that on St. Mary's Cathedral, which was burned twelve months ago, it seems that even allowing for the great care which is exercised the buildings belonging to the Catholi<; community in this district are not nearly sufficiently covered. Interest in the General Ejection, which in all probability will take place on the second Friday in December, is just awakening in this city. For the three City seats seven candidates — Me=srs. Fisher, Hutcheson, Hislop, Macdonald, Atkinson, Jellicoe, and Earnshaw — have offered themselves. The Government ' ticket ' is not yet announced, but Messrs. Atkinson, Hislop, and Hutcheson stand in the Opposition interest. It will be noticed that the last named has gradually worked his way from a Ministerial follower to an Oppositionist. At the last General Election he topped the j o'l as a Government supporter. Messrs. Fisher, Macdonald, and Jellicoe are Government supporters, and Mr Earnshaw po=es as an Independent Liberal. With the exception of Messrs. Atkinson and Jellicoe all the candidates have had previous p trliamentary experience. In the Suburbs electorate there are three candidates — Dr. Newman, an Oppositionist, and Messrs. Wilford and Kirk. The two last are Government supporters, but Mr Wilford is the accredited Government candidate. The campaign begins in earnest next week. St. Patrick's Hall was packed to overflowing on Thursday and Friday evenings with relatives and friends of the children attending the Te Aro Convent, when an entertainment was given in aid of the school requisites. The length of the programme was compensated br by the excellence of the tendering of each of the items The cantata ' Red Riding Hood' calls for special mention ; the acting • and Binging showed signs of very careful preparation. The first part comprised a piano duet, ' Qui Vive,' by M sses N. and L. Lavery ; chorus, ' Happy hunter,' children ; song, ' Sing sweet bird,' Mifs A. Foster ; Scotch reel, Misses Frost, Duff, Murphy, Foster, Flanagan, and Mason ; solo and chorus, ' Children's voices,' Miss M. Mitten ; song, 'The latest thing in dolls,' junior pupils; duet and chorus, ' Whispering hope,' Misses A. Segrief and A. Foster ; recitation, ' Meddlesome Matty,' Miss V. Murphy ; dance, Misses Foster, Coleman, Mason, and Flanagan ; duet, Misses Doherty and Coleman ; recitation, ' Only daisies,' Miss Weavers ; piano solo, Miss B. Coleman ; tableau, ' Our Fernery ' ; piano duet, Misses N. and L.

Lavery. In the cantata the cast of characters was as follows :—: — Red Riding Hood, Miss A. Segrief ; mother, Miss Mitten ; wolf, Ma«ter J. O'Connor ; woodman, Master P. Murphy ; Robin, Master J. Carmody ; Buttercup, Miss R. Segrief ; Bluebell, Miss Foster ; Rose, Miss Black.