DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 12, 22 March 1906, Page 18

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

On Wednesday the annual sports meeting in connection with St. Patrick's Day Look place in Lawrence, the annual concert being held in the evening. The handsome new church being erected in Naseby (parochial district of Ranfurly) is approaching completion. We understand tnat it will be blessed and opened shortly after Easter. At a meeting of St. Joseph's choir on Thursday evening a presentation of a travelling rug was made to Mr. B. Stevens, who has been connected with the choir for a number ot years. The presentation was made by Mr. P. Carolin. The new Catholic chapel at Waikaka (says the "Southern Standard '; is approaching completion, and is to be blessed and opened shortly by the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon. " The building, which occupies a commanding position in the township, is 40ft long by 22ft wide, the contractor being Mr. M. Hay, of Goie, and the architect Mr. W. Willis. The following (says the ' Wakatip Mail ') are the results of the harmony examinations in connection with the Trinity College, London, held' last December at the Dominican Convent : — Junior grade — Pearl Evans (honors), Chnssie Bonner (honors), Mary M'Carthy, Jack Aldndgo. Preparatory grade— Rita M'Neill, Georgina and Letitia Constable, Colleen Evans, Mary Boyle, Nellie O'Connell, Florence Layburn, J. M'Chesney, and Daniel M'Mullan. The annual concert in aid of the funds of the Wai' kaia Catholic church was held in the Coronation Hall on Friday evening (says the ' Mataura Ensign '), and proved one of the best of similar events for a long time. Mr. John Maher presided, and the Rev. Father Keenan closed the proceedings with a happy speech. The, concert programme (every item of which was encored) was as follows . — Songs — Misses Brown, Dunn (Riversdale), Logan (Gore), Gulliver (Dunedin), and llerlihy (Waikaia), Messrs. Delargey, Sproat, and Rawhuson. '1 he various accompaniments weie tastefully played by Misses Leahy, Brown, and Delargcy, Miss Brown also contributing an excellent violin solo. The committee, consisting of Messrs. J. Maher, llerlihy, Delargey, Mon■aghan, O'Reilly, and Crowley, all worked most assiduously to secure the success of the entertainment and the enjoyment of the very large audience patronising it. For some tune past (writes an occasional correspondent) the ladies of Macrars had been energetically preparing for a bazaar, and on St. Patrick's Day the lesult of their efforts took a practical shape. The display of goods, useful and ornamental, was the admiration of all, and it is needless to say that such an exhibition was a pronounced success. The one large stall on the stage had a splendid stock of goods of all kinds, and the ladies in charge, Mrs Cowan, Mrs. Ctillery, and Mrs. Fraser, were assisted by a numher of young ladies belonging to Macraes, while the Misses Ryan, O'Connell, and Kenny came from Hyde. Besides the bazaar, the usual St. Patrick's Day sports were held, and in the morniirvgi ithe local choir was assisted by the Hyde choir, so 'that St. Patrick's Day on this occasion was becomingly celebrated in the quiet old digging township of Macraes., At the close of the b«.zaar Father Lynch paid a well-merited compliment to the workers in general, and thanked the public for their very liberal patronage and the graceful manner in which they had assisted to make the bazaar such a remarkable sinecess. On Sunday, which was the next following the feast (jf St. Patrick, there was Solemn High Mass at St. Patrick's Basilica, South Dunedin, at 11 o'clock. The Rev. Father O'Reilly was celebrant, Rev. Father Howard, deacon, Rev. i\T. Ryan, subdeacon. Rev. Father Cleary was master of ceremonies, and also preached a sermon appropriate to the occasion, 'taking for his text ' Let us giive praise to men of rcn'own.' The choir, under the conductorship of Mr. T. Deuhan, gave an excellent rendering of the music — Farmer's Mass in B flat. Mr. E. H. Eagar (choirmaster) presided at the organ. At the nine o'clock Mass and also at the Mass on St.* Patrick's Day the children sang the music in the Gregorian chant. There was a very large congregation at Vespers when the Rev. Father O'Reilly preached, taking for his text, ' Go out cf thy country'; leave thy father's house, and go into the land that I will show thee.' The preacher in an eloquent peroration gave a history of the Catholic faith in the Green Isle from the time of St. Patrick, portraying in vivid terms the many vicissitudes undergone, through which 'the faith installed in 'the hearts of the Irish pec pie by St. Patrick remained unshaken. During the offertory the choir rendered a hymn of praise to St. Patrick, using the old traditional melody. At the close t>he congregation sang the hymn ' Faith of our fathers.'

Without doubt (writes an occasional correspondent) the most enjoyable and best attended social ever held in Cflromwell took place on Saturday evening, in the Athenaeum Hall. Over ltiO persons were present. A number of the competing volunteers for the Goldfields' Challenge Shield, which was fired for during the 'day, were 'present as guests l of the -local corps. Several songs were rendered during the evening, Mrs. Dr. Morris, who sang ' Kate Kearney ' in splendid style, being vociferously applauded. An excellent supper was provided by the ladies. The sum of £13 was taken at the door. ■As is usually the case, and as was generally expected, the concert in connection with the Irish national festival was a success from every point of view. His Majesty's Theatre was packed in every part with a sympathetic audience, and nearly all the items were encored, which showed that the ■eliorts of the performers were thoroughly appreciated. r lhe opening selection, ' I lie beauties ol Ireland,' by the Kan^orai liana 1 , was realty a splendid Hem, and, including, as it did some oi the besi and most popular national melodies,, appealed m a special manner to the majority o£ those piest-nt. lln the opening ot the second part oi tho piogiamme the band vv as again most successiul in l 'lhe smithy in. the wood,' in which the descriptive work was given with l.ne eflect That pathetic ballad, 'Rory Darlin ,' was sung in a most sympathetic and finished manner b\ luiss Violet I" rasei , who had to respond to a well deserved recall. r l he only other lady soloist was Mis. W. Connor, concerning whose singing tne audit, n^e had formed high expectations, and in this lh-_y we-ie not disappointed, as she sang both the programme and encoic items, ' '1 he last lose of summer,' • 'J lie dea-i little shanuock,' etc., with great taste and feeling, and with a thoiough appreciation of their rcqun eau'iits. A clever little maiden, Miss Patricia liiggnis, gave an exhibition of step-dancing which was described on the piogiamme as an ' lush jig,' I/at most'oi its movements weie not familiar to exponents of Irish (Linung A kattuu of the int'eitainment was the recitation, ' Napoleon's tomb,' by Mr. A. C. llanlon, -which was given m his best style, and naturally the audience wanted more, to which he responded with BraclAn's ' Not understood.' Ihe Christian Brothers' sinking class, assisted by Messrs. Ilussc-y and Carohn, g<c\ c two very acceptable harmonised items, 'The Louhn', and 'Rich and raic' Mr. T. J. llussey sang m his usually lnnshed style ' Come back to Erin,' ' Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,' and ' Eileen Alannah.' Mi B Stevens got a well merited recall for Ins sweetly sung item Vhe lemaining soloist was Mi. P Caiohn, who was also recalled for his smemg ol '1m in, mv country.' '1 he balance of the piogiciminc was made up of a quartet, ' The harp that once,' by Misses Hiumm, Ik-reman, and Messrs. llussey and Carohn, a tno, 'The minstiel boy,' by jvlessis, llussey, daiol'in, and Lemon, and 'humorous songs by Mr Percy James. '1 he last-mentioned vocalist lr, a clever and versatile humorist, but the gieater part of his audience rightly took a strong exception to his final selection, a rough piece with the «ort of coarse ' humor ' that mieht be at home upon the variety stage, but oueht never to have been prese'iited before such a gathering as faced the performer on last Friday nia^ht. Mr James mistook his audience The accompanists during the evening were Misses M. Drumm and C. Hughes The success of the entertainment was in a threat measure due to the ciinmitiee entrusted with the arrangements, and especially to the energetic lion. secretary, Mr. W. Rodgers.