NAPIER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 20, 17 May 1900, Page 5

NAPI ER .

(From a correspondent ) May it. Napier ha.s the reputation of being not onl) oiic of the piettiest but one of the cleanest, towns in New Zealand It it, pleat-ing to face that this quod reputation is well founded by the fact that in

the bubonic scare investigation scarcely one objectionable spot has been found in all the town. Our local medical men and others have then good reason to hope that the dreaded visitor may find no inducement to settle here. The prncipal topic of conversation in Catholic circles of late is the removal of the Rev. Father Hickson to the parish of Reef ton. During the l."> months Father Hickson spent in Xapier he made himself much at home with all classes by his amiability and other good qualities, so that when it became known that his Grace the Archbishop had decided to appoint Father Hickson to the parish of Rccfton, the general expression was one of rinccrc regret. The Sunday previous to his departure the Very Rev. Dean Grogan, at both morning and evening sen iced, cxprcbsed hit> great regret at the removal of Father Hickson from Napier, and whilst he congratulated him on his promotion to one of the best parishes in the archdiocese — which was a mark of the confidence the Archbishop had in him — he feared the removal of Father Hickson would not be for the benefit of Napier. However, as the order was given it had to be obeyed, and Father Hickson would carry away with him the good wishes and the prayers of the Catholics of Napier. Referring to his departure the local Daily Tvlrqraph of May 1 said : Father Hickson was not permitted to leave Napier without receiving some proof of the high appreciation in which he is held by the Catholic community of this district. Last evening the members of the church choir assembhd at the presbytery, and Mr C. Eager, choirmaster, after a short but highly eulogistic address, handed Father Hickson a gold watch inscribed : ' Presented to Rev. Father Ilickson by the members of St. Patrick's choir on the occasion of his departure from Xapier, May 1, IDUO.' The recipient nv»de grateful acknowledgment, cordially thanking the donors for the extremely pleasant surprise they had given him. Later in the evening Father Hickson by request met a large gathering of the congregation at the Masonio Hotel, where he was made the recipient of a purse of sovereigns. Mr. J. Higgins occupied the chair, and Father Bell was amongst those present. Father Hickson left by the exprefs train this morning i n routr for Reefton to take charge of the local parish.