INTERCOLONIAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 26, 30 June 1904, Page 31

INTERCOLONIAL

The Rev. Father Cunningham, of Launcoston, is very dangerously ill, and little hopes are entertained of his redqvery. Ten candidates at the recent elections in Victoria failed to poll enough votes to save their deposits of Mr. Thomas Kennedy, aged 74 years, an ex-constable of police, while attending Mass- at St. Maxy's Church, East St Kilda, on Sunday, June 19, becajne suddenly famt, and died in his seat. Another remarkably saidden death occurred at the Catholic Church, Colac on the same morning, -when a well-known resident, Mr. John Campbell, fell forward and died almost immediately. The estimated population of Victoria on January 1 last was 1,208,854—605,361 males, 603,493 females. Ac|eording to official returns, the 'total oft March 31 was 1,206.867-603,217 males, 603,620 females— a reduction of 1987 persons. The natural increase was 3669, arid the excess of immigration was 5656. The immigration as recorded was 21,849, arrd the emigration 25,644. New South Wales gained from Victoria 1282 persons • Western Australia, 1857 ; New Zealand, 908. Mr. John Byrne, of Go.odna, is probably tfoe oldest main in Queensland, having been born in the County Wicklow on the 10th June, 1798, the year of the Irish rebellion lie has therefore lived in three cemturies He arrived in Brisbane in 1853-, and worked for about a dQ7en years in the vicinity of Ipswich, after which he too 1 * up land near Redbank, and lived there until the flood of 'JH. Since that memorable period he has resided at Goadlna. His Grace Archbishop Dunne (writes the Brisbane correspondent of the ' Catholic Press ') will, on June 18, celebrate the twenty-second anni\e.is-ary of his consecration as BiJaop of Brisbane in siuocessiom to Kig}ht Rev. Dr. James O'Quinn, the fust Bishop of t,he diocese. A much more important anniversary occurred on Saturday, 4 till June, when his Grace celebrated his golden sacerdotal jubilee. The Archbishop's characteristic modesty awl objection to display presented any public demonstration being made to celebrate the great event and it passed off quietly, the united pirayers of t*he school children being the only memento of the occasion that his G.race cared to accept Refv. Father M'Donnell attended Rev. S 0. Fielding's Windsor farewell recently, and said he was sorry they were parting with Mr. Fielding. Hhey had got on so well together. When he first came to Windsor, Mr. Fielding came along and extended to him the right hand of fellowship lie had endeavored since then to reciprocate good-will. Their various ministries never dafilied at all, and that was a very good thing for the clergy. The Rev. SG. Fielding, in responding, said : ' Particularly was he grateful to Rev. Father M'Donnell, whom he thanked for coming to that meeting He thought the act most kind and brotherly, and would always remember it.' The following communication, winch appears in the Sydfney ' Freeman's Journal,' will be of interest to our readers in the diocese of Dunedin : The Rev. 10. P. O'Dortnell, who is now in charge of the Gulgong parish since the Very Ro\ . Father M. Long, P.P., V.G., left for Ireland, has only been in this state about three years. He has been in Oulgong parish one year, anil had been conmened with the parish of Cortnamble for two years Prior to that Father O'Donnell was cdnnqcted with mission work in Dunedin, New Zealand, his first Australasian ap-pointment. • Father O'Donnoll has a brother — Father P. O'Donnell— in charge of the "Gore parish, South Island. Since coming to Gulgong Father O'Donnell has afforded undoubted evidence of his ability t 0 organize. The Hibernians are now in a ftoari-siiing state, tfhianks (as Father Long stated at its establishment) to Fattier O'Donnell's work, and number 50 strong. The Society was formed a little oven- six months ago, a*nd judging by the opinions expressed by individual members it is likely, ere long, to assume even larger proportions. The town of Gulgong is now also the proud possessor of an excellent Literary and Social Club, witih a roll of over 90 members. The club is non-sectarian, and meets every Wednesday evening in the Catholic schoolroom. There are Catholic and Protestant members in equal numbers ; and all show great avidity in the conduct of affairs, and are anxious to see its ramifications extended to the numerous small centres outside Gulgong. At the present time there are three Catholic churches about to be built in the G'ulgiong parish — namely at Cobborah, Leadville, and Wollair ; and it will not be for tlhe want of trying if Father O'Donnell has not formed ttoe nucleus of a fund as a means to building a new convent aJnd schoolroom for the town of Gulgong.