GREYMOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 38, 20 September 1900, Page 5

GREYMOUT H.

(From a correspondent.) September 14. On last Sunday some members of Pollard's Opera Company favored the choir with their assistance at High Macs, when Farmer's Mass was rendered, the noble work being done full justice to. Mr. D. Sheedy was again returned unopposed to the Municipal Council. Mr. Sheedy is a very active member of our municipal body, and brings a practical mind to bear on all matters that crop up in the Council Chamber, where his services are most valuable to the ratepayers. The Catholic Club is progressing fairly well. It is, however, lamentable to notice the number of young men who take not the slightest (interest in literary matters, nor, indeed, everilook at a good book. Indeed, the days of reading seem to have departed. Even those educated in college and from whom better things were expected, appear to be devoid of any literary taste whatever. Hence it is found that they know very little of what has occurred in the world, and less of what is going on around them. That portion of the church set aside for the choir has been greatly enlarged, and is now ready for the erection of the new organ, which should reach here shortly. The Organ Committee deserve the sincere thanks of the Catholics of the parish for the efforts they have and are still making to provide our handsome

church with an instrument more in keeping with the building than the one now in use. A special meed of praise is due to that enthusiastic and cultivated musician and leader of the choir, Mr Guthrie. Though a non-Catholic, Mr (Juthrie is never so happy as when engaged in some useful work in connection with the church, and in this respect geti an example to many of our co-religionists. The Rev. Father Kimbell. on Sunday, referred to the deplorable folly of Liiobo p&reiiLa who, fui the uumL l'uw,louo i^auoCo, keep th< ir ohildren away from school. It was, as he pointed out with much force, most harmful to tho child leu and a injustice to the teachers. What hide d can be more disheartening to anxious teachers than to find that obstacle* are put in the way of the children's progress through irregular attendance at school ? Father Kimbell's tr. nchant remarks shoulu be pondered over by Catholic parents throughout the Colony. It is of the utmost importance that Catholic children should have a thorough grounding in secular subjects. Those who know something of the world fully realise thia. This being so, what can be thought of those parents who, for a few paltry shillings, take their children away from school just at the time when the minds of the pupils are most likely to be benefited bj the instructions of the teacher.