NEW ZEALAND:GENERAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 26, 29 June 1905, Page 20

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL

We cannot accept reports of marriages, deaths, etc., from persons who arc unknown at this office. Fp: all practical purposes these are anonymous to us. Our lady readers will be pleased to know that we have decided to devote a portion of the "N.Z. Tahlet ' eaoh week to matters of interest in regard to the'housefeold. The new 'department, designated ' The Home,' frill be contributed to by a lady writer well qualified to deal with matters of feminine interest, and in addition to hints on nractical house-keeping will from time to time contribute articles on hygiene, care of the sick. the proper treatment of children, fashions, and kindred topics. A britf instalment of ' Maureen's ' contributions will be found on pace 30 of this issue. The small sum of half a crown was the amount in-vol'-p-d in a ri'Jil action set down for hearing ?.f the Wellington Magi'st rale's Court one day last week. When Counsel intimated that they intended eom+estinp- the case, Dr. A. M' Arthur, SM., expressed surprise that the time of 'tihe court should be taken up with a ca c e con-

cerning 2s 6d when important cases were awaiting hparing. Several solicitors in court offered to subscribe tone amount of the claim and costs if the parties withdrew. Hia Worship remarked : ' And I will give my contribution also.' Counsel, however, refused to adopt the proposal, but subsequently agreed to an adjournment of the action. ' Apropos of knignthoods,' ran a passage in an axldross given by Mr. a. VV. HULerford at Amlwrley ou iTiday, ' it seems to me a grave mistake lor colonial politicians to accept these baubles. In a democratic country th»>y are of as much value as a tin can tie*] to a clog's tail. Some of these noble knights tell you they accepted the title to please their respective wi.es.^ This is nonsense. She 'dees not become ' lady.' She remains simply ' missi-.,' as before. Thr 1 lady ' in these cases is a mere courtesy title.' The annual report of the lleefton Literary, Debating, and Athletic Society shows that it had a fairly successful year. The thanks of the members were due to the Rev. Father Gallais for placing the boys' schoolroom at the disposal -of the society. The literary and debating branch of the society was not as well supported as it ought to be, the principal cause being the want of a suitable room for holding the meetings. The receipts from all sources amounted to £146 7s lid, and the expendit'ue to £156 7s lid. The assets are set down at £160 10s. and the liabilities at £3 6s 6d. The usual meeting of the Hokitika Catholic Literary and Debating Society (writes a correspondent) was held on the e\ening of June 20, when there was a very fair attendance. A very interesting debate was held, the subiect being 'Is labor overpaid ? ' Mr. M. Moloney led for the affirmative, and Mr. M. Daly for the negative. A vote was taken at the close of the debate, and resulted in favor of the negative by a small majority. The office of vice-presiident having been declared vacant, Mr M. Moloney was elected to the position. Four new members were elected. Owing to the gale, accompanied by heavy rain, which raged throughout various parts of the Colony on Friday cening very heavy floods were experienceiS in Central Otago, Westland, and Canterbury on Saturday. At 7 o'clock on Saturday morning the town of Greymouth was completely under water, the stream rushing down the principal streets with great fury 7 The flood was the worst ever experienced in the town. Very high floods were also experienced in Canterbury and Marlborough. In Wellington ih 24 hours an inch and three-quarters of rain fell, and the velocity of the wind was probably up to 50 miles an hour. Considerable damage was 'done t o the telephone wires, and it will be some days before the ser\ ice is fully restored. The Rev. Father Cahill (Carterton) writes as follows from London under date. May 15 :— ' 1 had the nri.ilege of 1 an audience with the Holy Father on May 4. It was more of a reception than an audience, f< r there were about 400 persons present. The Holy Father looks very well indeed, and is full of kindness an>l humility. I also had tne privilege of 'beine present at his Mass on the following Sunday at seven o'clock in M-? private chapel I spent the ten- most interesting days of my life in Rome, and ha\e also visited Bologna, Venice, Milan, Lucerne, Paris, anil this city of London. To-day I go on to Dublin, anil I expect, with God's help, to be back in the old home about the middle of this week. My health is improving.' At ithe last meeting of the St. Columba Club (writes our Greymouth correspondent) a well-contested debate was held, the siiibiecl for discussion being ' Is it to the benefit of the Colony that the Otira line be completed v ' One would think there was no case for the negative, but so strong were the arguments put forth aeainst tne immediate completion of the line that Ihe judges unhesitatingly decided in favor of the opponents of the work. The billiard tournament held by the cl'ib was finished last week, Mr. James liefternan being the vvirnor, and Mr. Thomas Barry second. Altogeihrr 10 members of the ol'ih competed.— The Children of Mary sient a most enjoyable evening on Friday. The members ga 1 c a social in honor of the retiring president, Miss Mary liegeman. who received a handrpme v resent for the '/eal she had shown during her two years' Wm oi 1 office Misses K'len Sullivan. Mary Burke, and Anne Tfoffernan, who. with the pre c ident, aro so devoted to the care of the altar, also received an acknowledgment of their services.