DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 43, 22 October 1903, Page 19

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

On Sunday next his Lordship Bishop Verdon will hold a visitation at Ophir and administer the Sacrament of Confirmation The annual meeting of St. Joseph's Ladies' Club was held in St Joseph's Hall on Wednesday week. There was a large attendance of members, and the Rev. Father Murphy presided. The report showed a very satisfactory state of affairs of the past season's transactions. One of the principal paragraphs had reterence to the successful production of the operetta, ' A Dress Rehearsal,' on two occasions, and also to Mr. Anthony's excel lent coaching of the performers. The Club gave several invitation social evenings 'during the season, and on each occasion the attractive musical programme presented was greatly appreciated. The annual social, which was held in the Victoria Hall, proved to be the most entertaining yet given under the auspices of the Club. There were over 300 present, and a plentiful supply of refreshments, good music, and a first-class programme were the chief factors in the evening's proceedings. The usual classes connected with the Club have been conducted with successful results, besides various amusements helping to pleasantly pass away the winter evening meetings. The election of office bearers for the ensuing twelve months resulted as follows -—President, Miss Staunton (re-elected) ; hon. secretary and treasurer, Miss Purton ; committee, Misses Johnston, Ilannan, Poppel-

well, and O'Neill. The Rev. Father Murphy congratulated the Club on the great strides it had been making each season, and also on the increase in membership. The balance sheet was one the Club had every reason to be proud of, and he wished them every success in the future. Votes of thanks to the retiring office-bearers were carried unanimously. The -balance sheet is published elsewhere in this issue. The Dunedin Musical, Literary, and Elocutionary Competition Society's second annual festival began on Saturday last. The pupils of the Christian Brothers' School have as usual gained more than their share of the elocutionary honors, especially in the junior sections In the recitation, « The soldier's dream,' for boys under 14 years, out of 22 competitors Masters R. Burke, T. Laffey, and P. Schlutor obtained the second, third and fifth places respectively. Referring to this competition. the • Evening Star ' says : • Gestures varied from none at all to very good ; or, rather, to what was worse— to action that was quite inappropriate, and even bizarre. Those of the competitors who had been trained at the local Christian Brothers' School seemed to have imbibed the best notion of appropriate gesture, No. 11 William O'Connor) being particularly good. 1 In the selection from Shakespeare, 'Henry V. before Harfleur,' open to boys and girls under I>s (number of competitors 19), Masters R. Burke and Thomas Rogan were placed second and fifth respectively. The ♦ Otago Daily Times,' referring pointedly to the Christian Brothers' School, after enunciating the theory that competitors should bo encouraged to be original rather than to be imitative, adds : « But at the same time it ha)d to be admitted that these boys were far and away better than any others who were competing.' But the most important achievement to the credit of the Christian Brothers' School in this year's elocutionary competitions was the winning of first place in the recitation, ' Roderick Dhu,' open to gentlemen under 21 years. Mr. Henry Hungerford was the successful competitor, and his victory was all the more creditable as he had to beat last year's winner of the same class.