INTERCOLONIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 41, 9 October 1902, Page 7

INTERCOLONIAL.

Brother Denis, the director of StJ. Joseph's College, Hunter's Hill, who is on the eve of a trip to France., ia to be entertained by the ex-studentsi of the college, and is to be the recipient of a substantial presentation.

We go from home to learn news. The ' Boston Pilot,' which is usually a well-informed paper, commences an article thus : ' Cardinal Moran, who lately " resigned " the Archiepiscopal See of Sydney, is now visiting his native Ireland.'

The Rev. Father Sherin, of Cooma who recently sustained severe injuries to his foot through the accidental discharge of a gun, is still an in*-' valid at St. Vincent's Hospital, where the wound is rapidly healing.

In consideration of the benefit concert to the Melbourne Hospital by Miss Amy Castles it is intended to name one of the wards in that institution after the gifted songstress. Catherine Hayes, who visited Australia in 1854, gave a concert for the same purpose, which realised £700 nett ; and for that help she was accorded the honor which it is now proposed to bestow on the ' Bendigo Nightingale.'

About a month ago the Rev. C. J. M'Auliffe, of Branxton, met with ai serious accident while in discharge of his priestly duties, having been thrown from his horse, with the result that he sustained two broken ribs and fractured a bone of the right foot. He was nursed at Branxton by a Sister from the Lewisham Hospital until able to travel to Sydney. Though suffering intense pain from the foot, Father M'Auliffe is making satisfactory progress towards recovery.

That strong suppor.ter of compulsory sale in the Commons, Mr. T. W. Russell, M.P., has replied to the letter sent him by the President of the Victorian Branch of the United Irish League : ' Bryntirion, Llandudno, North Wales, August 8, 1902. Dear Sir,— Permit mo to thank you for letter enclosing copy of resolutions 'adopted by tho Irishmen of Melbourno on tho 4th ultimo. I think wo are nearing a settlement of the agrarian issue in Ireland, and I am hopeful that this trouble out of the way, everything else will be approached in a broad and tolerant spirit.'

A largo number of the parishioners of St. Francis Xavier's Church, Narrabri, assembled in the convent schoolroom recently, the occasion being the presentation of an address and purse of sovereigns to the Rev. Father C. Smiers, who was leaving fon Wilcannia. The Very Rev. Father J. Hearn occupied the chair. The Rev. Father J. M'lnerney, S.J., was among the speakers. A presentation of a similar nature was made at West Narrabri by Mr H. S. Walker, on behalf of the residents of that portion of the parish, during tho alternoon.

At a meeting of tho committee of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Mount Gambien, a few Sundays ago, the Very Rev. Dean Ryan Presiding,, the proposed erection of a new convent was discussed. The Dean stated the views of the Archbishop of Adelaide (Most Rev. Dr.. O'Reily) on the scheme. These were entirely favorable, and after conversation it was resolved to take measures for the erection of a new convent and schools, to cost about £10,000, the

whole to be completed in about 18 months. The committee expect Jo borrow the money at a reasonable rate, and to pay off the whole of tho debt within 10 years. The Dean and Mr. John Kennedy waited upon the Archbishop and laid before him the resolutions and views of the committee on the subject. It ia intended later to build a Christiani Brothers' College on another block of the church ground east of the convent.

A Victorian settler gives the following account of the sad state of affairs in many of tho country disstricts : ' From all parts of northern Victoria, the Wimmera, the Mallee the Northern District, the Goulburn Valley, the Rivenina we are moving} I'starvers,' in single trucks and sp&cial train-load lots, down to the pasture south of the Divide. The letters and stories that reach) ua daily would move the hardest heart to pity. Women are amongst our clients, anxious to save their few head of dairy cattle. Men who have held off in the hope that rain would come are at last reluctantly compelled to truck their stock, when their weakness, even with all thecare thiat can be taken, causes a heavy mortality. One poor fellow, at the last extremity, wrote to know if we could take his bill for \hree months for freight. We are working day' and Wghfc in the hope -.of alleviatjing as • much as we can tbis widespread) .distress.'

Since his advent to our shores (writes a Melbourne correspondent), his Excellency Sir George Sydenham Clarke, has given many proofs of hiifa broadmindedness and perfect freedom from racial and sectarian leanings'. Presiding at a meeting of the Australian (Temperance) Alliance, at which, by the way, the executive; directory of the League of the Cross were present, his Excellency declared that the late Father Mathew had] done more for temperance than anyone else during the life of the rev., gentleman or since. The Catholic League of the Cross is working in unison with the other temperance bodies here. This is the outcome of the following sensible resolution adopted at a recent meeting of the League, held under the presidency of the Very Rev. Dean Phelan : 'It is desirable (with the sanction of his Grace the Archbishop) that the League of tho Cross should, as far as possible, without compromise of principle, .co-operate with other associations in the advancements of tho interest of temperance.'