INTERCOLONIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 28, 12 July 1900, Page 20

INTERCOLONIAL.

Miss Maud MacCarthy scored another big triumph at Mr Mann's (the well-known London manager's) benefit concert at the Crystal Palace, London, her playing rousing the audience, which consisted of the musical world of London, to the wildest enthusiasm. She was the solo viohniste on this occasion.

A London cable states that Captain T. M. Mclnerney, of the Victorian Mounted Infantry, has been appointed Queen's Advocate in the re-organised High Court of Justice at Pretoria. Captain Mclnerney is a Catholic, and a brother of Dr. Mclm-mey. of Melbourne. He went to South Africa as lieutenant with one of the earlier Victorian contingents.

Miss Amy Castles has, according to a cable message received by the Rev. G. A. Robinson, 8.A., been selected to sing at Madame Marchesi's annual matinee of pupils in Pans. The announcement is taken as a gratifying evidence of the high opinion entertained by the great teacher for her Australian pupil, because the programme at these annual entertainments is, as a rule, supplied only by pupils of some two or three years' standing.

Letters have been received in Maitland from Lieutenant John P. M'Glinn, who is on active service in South Africa with the Mounted Infantry, and all go to show that the gallant young Maitlander is doing good work as Quartermaster of his regiment. An ex-pupil of St. John's boys' school and an altar boy of many years' standing at the cathedral, he has proved himself a thorough Catholic in South Africa, mindful of the requirements of his men and worthy of the praise bestowed upon him by several of the chaplains of his Faith at the seat of war. His younger brother, Mr. Edward M'Glinn, was one of the four postal assistants selected from the Postal (service of the colony to assist the postal authorities in South Africa with Australian correspondence

TWe following is a report of the proceedings at a recent sitting of the Newcastle (N.S.W.) Anglican Synod : — During the course of a discussion on the question of religious education the Rev. T. Regg remarked that he had been granted permission by the authorities of the Catholic convent at Maitland to prepare one of the inmates for Confirmation. He had been requested by a lady to instruct her daughter, who was a boarder at the convent, and he at once sought the sanction of the authorities. He was received very courteously, and the request was immediately and willingly granted. The girl could not leave the convent, but a room was to be placed at his disposal at the convent for preparation of candidates for Confirmation in the Anglican Church. Since then a second application of a similar nature had been made. He thought the concession by the Catholic Church was liberal, and should be availed of. Several questions were put to the Rev. T. R Regg respecting the arrangements made, and satisfactorily answered. The Rev. Canon Shaw Baid that the concession made by the Catholic Church authorities

was handsome and liberal. The Rev. Archibald Shaw said that he had prepared for Confirmation a number of day pupils attending convents, but had never previously heard that the Roman Catholic authorities would permit the boarders to be instructed by Anglican clergymen at the convent. He endorsed the remark that the concession was most liberal on the part of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Very Rev. P. Dunne, V.G., of Albury, is a very active priest for one in his 90th year. He is now chaplain to the Catholic Orphanage at Newtown, Albury, and, save his hearing, all his faculties are in wonderfully vigorous activity. Father Dunne is an able writer, and has contributed many fine letters to the Press and several Ural-cldsa ctiiiolee Lv periodical literature.

The scheme inaugurated by Mr. John Iliffe. of Albury (says the Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney Freeman's Journal), to extinguish the debt on the Melbourne Hospital bids fair to become a success. Already over £10,000 has been subscribed. Talking of hospital matters reminds one that an unworthy attempt to damage the management of St. Vincent's Hospital has signally failed. The headway being made by this institution is no doubt causing the mean spirit of jealousy to raise its ungainly head. A charge was made that the hon. medical staff was benefiting too much from the purses of the private ward (which holds only four beds), and the A rgun sent a reporter to the hospital to glean the true facts of the cases. Briefly summarized, the position is this : — There are three classes of patients treated, viz., the destitute sick poor, the middle cla^s, and the well-to-do class, the latter being treated as private patients, from whom a charge of three guineas a week is received. For operations in the private ward the doctors charge their own fees. The average weekly cost of maintaining the sick poor is £30, and that of the out-patients £20 to £2j. Medicine is given free of cost to about 500 patients weekly, and it is to help to meet this heavy outlay that private patients are addmitted. The Mother Rectress, in dismissing the pressman, remarked: — 'To justify this course, it should be pointed out that only by the adoption of such a policy are we enabled to avoid the incubus of debt, which experience shows affects institutions managed on other lines, even in spite of Gorernment subsidy.' For instance, the Melbourne Hospital, on which there is a financial burden of £18,000 ; and while this medical charity enjoys a Government subsidy St. Vincent's receives not a single shilling from the public treasury.