ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN SYDNEY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 15, 12 April 1900, Page 6

ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN SYDNEY.

Fob the first time since 1867 (says the Sydney Freeman's Journal) St. Patrick's Day was proclaimed by the Government a public holiday. That the decision of the Ministry was approved by citizens of all creeds and all nationalities the general ' Wearing of the Green' on Saturday demonstrated in an unmistakable manner. It would be no exaggeration to say that Sydney was ' painted green' on the 1 7th of March. The public offices and banka closed in obedienoe to the official proclamation, and many of the big city houses gave their hands ihe full holiday. As a mailer of fact, little or no business was done on Saturday. The shopkeepers, notably the drapers, the jewellers, and the florists, dressed their window 8 entirely in green. Searl's in King street had the beat display. The whole window of the fashionable florists was taken up with a design commemorating the heroism of the Irish soldiers who have fallen in South Africa. On a bed of shamrocks stood a monument constructed of white flowers. At the top and base of the white column a dove was placed. The inscription on this tomb of flowers read : ' In memory of the brave Irish soldiers who have fallen in South Africa.' Men and women who never before did so sported green on St. Patrick's Day. St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Patrick's Church were crowded at the High Masses in honour of St. Patrick. Fully 20,000 people were present at the sports at the Royal Agricultural Society's Grounds. Two hundred gentlemen attended the banquet, and the audience at the National Concert in the Town Hall numbered no less than 4000. In a word, the whole celebration was a magnificent success. It was a triumph for the Cardinal-Archbishop, who since lK'Jti has placed himself at the head of the St. Patrick's Day Celebration, and a triumph for the Irish citizens of Sydney. At a banquet held in connection with the sports 200 guests were present. His Eminence Cardinal Moran presided, and amongst those present were the Governor (Lord Beauchamp), the Premier, nearly every member of the Ministry, several Parliamentary representatives, the Mayor of Sydney, the leader of the Opposition, Sir George Dibbs, the Chancellor of the Sydney University, the Commandant of the New South Wales Forces, etc. Among the principal speakers were the Cardinal-Archbishop, the Governor, Hon. W. J. Lyne, Hon. Dr. Maclaurin, Right Hon. George Reid, Hon. E. W. O'Sullivan, Sir George Dibbs, and Sir Matthew Harris.