DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 7, 12 February 1903, Page 6

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.) February o. Very Hcv, Father Fitzgerald, 0.F.M.. said the eavly Masses last Sunday morning at St. Patrick's, and in the evening preached a \cry fine sermon at St. Benedict's. Our schools opened on Monday of this week,. The attendances were fair, but an improvement will be shown next week. Rev. Father Tormey is on a fair wav to recovery, and was expected to be able to leave his bed for a while this week. Rev. Father Croko is about the same ; and with the advent of fine,r weather an improvement is expected. Tine prizes of St. Patrick/s Pay art union are to be exhibited in the window of Messrs. F. Moore and Co , Queen street. The principal prizes are a mineral specimen valued at £20, and several large oil paintings of New Zealand scenery, the work of Mr. Garlick, of Eltham, Taranaki. A meeting of the newly-formed Boys' Club and Literary Society in connection with St. Benedict's parish was held last Tuesday evening. The Rev. Father Furlong presided. The Society promises to be a great success, and is to be congratulated upon securing the services of Father Furlong. The Auckland Cas Co. has had a most successful financial year The total income on current account was £84,746 18/10 ; expenditure, £55,275 0/4 ; net pro-

s*' :f 2 ?' 471 v lB / 6 ' w^ich leaves, after paying the usual dividend, a balance of £6376 18/6. The pity of it all is that the concern, with its immense possibilities, is not municipal property, after the fashion of Glasgow and Hirminghfl.m ** iv I £ q A il £ e ?, ha 7 e been made of the District Executive of the H.A.C.B. Society from Ranfurly, Otago, concerning the inauguration there of a new branch of the Society. Wanganui is the only town of importance in the Colony which does not contain a branch of this excellent and commendable Society. It is the intention of the Executive to approach the Very Rev. Dean Grogan, S.M., and to seek his aid in bringing Wanganui into line. l^ast Monday evening in the Sacred Heart schoolroom, .Ponsonby, a highly successful entertainment was given by Mr. Val Vousden, well known as an actor, mimic, and ventriloquist. The attendance was excellent. Phe programme was wide and varied, and showed the artist s versatility. It comprised humorous and dramatic recitals, scenes and sketches, and several ventriloquial items. The proceeds go to the local presbytery building fund as a compliment to the popular parish priest, the Very Rev. Dr. Egan, 0.5.8. The Children of Mary's annual picnic was held at Northcote yesterday. There were present the Rev. Father Patterson, Adm., and Rev. Fathers Buckley (spiritual director) and Holbrook. The usual games were indulged in— swings, boating, rounders, etc. Luncheon and tea were served in the hall, and at nightfall a musical programme was gone through. The party returned to town before 9 p.m., having enjoyed the outing splendidly. The officers and committee deserve a word of praise for the excellent manner in which every detail was carried out. His Lordship the Bishop left last Saturday afternoon for Pukekohe, where on Sunday he opened a new portion of the convent of the Sisters of the Mission. The old structure was quite inadequate, and it was imperative that more accommodation should be provided. This has been done, and the building is now three times as large as formerly. The plans for the new portion provide a school-room and dining-room in the basement, and on the upper story for a dormitory, bathrooms, etc. The lower walls of the building are built of brick, and the upper portion of wood. The total cost of the building, is estimated at £1000. The plans and specifications were prepared by Messrs. E. Mahoney and Son, and the contractors were Messrs. J. Jones and Don. His Lordship was assisted in the ceremony by the Very Rev, Father Benedict, 0.P., and Rev. Father Hickson, S M., of Reef ton. The following letter is from a legal practitioner (Mr. W. Cooper), who for years held a high position in Samoa and who knows the country, its inhabitants and customs thoroughly well. It appeared in yesterday's ' Herald,' and will prove of interest at the present juncture : — ' If the letter of your correspondent, " Observer," published in the " Herald " of Wednesday is to be taken seriously, as having been written in earnest, I think he should have been a little more careful of his utterances, and a little more sui-c of his facts, before he sent you his epistle. It is not necessary to discuss at length tiis opinion of the value of Cardinal Moran's statements. I have no doubt that the Cardinal's assertions are based upon what he believes to be reliable information. It may be that if a Royal Commission should be appointed, its findings would not constitute a full endorsement of all the Cardinal's charges. I feel confident, however, that the results of the labors of such a Commission would be startling enough to make those who are now agitating for its appointment regret that the demand for investigation was ever made. " Observer " stigmatises Mataafa as an " upstart." Surely your correspondent is joking. Mataafa has been a prominent man in Samoa for 30 years. He is by birth a chief of the highest rank. He was vice-king of Samoa upwards of 20 years ago, and has been twice elected k,ing before his final appointment to that office, on the death of Malietoa Laupepa, whose demise resulted in the late troubles. " We all think a great deal of Mataafa," one of the missionaries of the London Missionary Society remarked to me on my visit to Samoa shortly after the late trouble. He is a man singularly upright in character, and his many high and amiable qualities have long caused him to be regarded by the Samoans with warm affection and great veneration. " Observer " is equally at fault when he describes Mataafa's followers as " ruffians." These so-called " ruffians ' could, had they so chosen, have annihilated several of the landing parties sent against them, but they refrained from doing so, partly because they had no feelings of animosity against the British and Americans, and partly because they believed that the hostilities carried on by the Anglo-Americans were unauthorised by the Powers. Amongst the natives the real ruffians were Ihe Tiituila contingent, brought by the warships to Upolu, to swell the forces against Mataafa. As to " Observer's " imputation against King Oscar, of corruption in the recent award, I may say that I have endeavored to examine the whole matter, not only carefully but impartially, and it .seems to me that the award could not rightly ha\e been given in any other direction. 1 feel convinced that had the matter been taken before the Hague Tribunal the findings would have been on similar lines, but the amount awarded would probably have been far heavier. Moreover, if King Oscar were animated by corrupt motives, he would be more likely to wish to 'placate two of the Powers than to please only ono of the three.'