Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6, 11 February 1909, Page 235

Intercolonial

The Rev. Father M. Hogan, who has been in charge of the Lithgow parish for nine years, has been granted leave of absence. He will leave Sydney on February 24 for a twelve-months' trip to the United Kingdom. ", His Lordship Dr. Reville, of Sandhurst, has signified his intention of providing two scholarships, tenable at the Bendigo Conservatorium of Music, for the benefit of the members of the Cathedral choir and the Catholic youne people m general. * . The Rev. Fathers P^L. Coonan, P.P. (Forest Lodge), T. Phelan, P.P. (Lewisham), and Michael Sheerin (St - Mary s Cathedral) are expected to arrive in Sydney on February 11, after twelve' months- leave of absence spent in the Home Countries. The Sacred Heart Church at Darlinghurst is to be pulled down and rebuilt (says the Freeman's Journal). Tenders are now called to carry out this work. The plans have been prepared for a very fine . building. The present building, a stone edifice, was erected, over 70 years ago and for many years, during the lifetime of the late Archbishop Polding, it was one of the head centres of Catholicism m this city. On January 23, at the Dominican Convent, West Maitland, there" passed to*her_ reward Sister Mary Aloysius Lynch, m her 69th year. The deceased Sister, was born m King's County, Ireland, and came to New South Wales in 1871. Until within three- weeks of her death she was able to fulßl her duties. During her illness she received all the consolations, of Holy Church, and on the day of her death she was visited by his Lordship Dr. Murray, the venerable Bishop of Maitland. She passed peacefully away, surrounded by the members- of her community. - - - Advices to hand by last week's mail -show (says the Catholic Press) that Miss Amy Castles is doing well in England. She is Engaged for the best concerts*in London and the provinces and on the Continent. The Royal Amateur Orchestral Society, a very select body, of which his Majesty the King is president and the Prince of Wales vicepresident, gave recently a grand orchestral concert in the Queen's Hall, and Miss Castles was the sole vocalist. The hall was packed, and the artist got a most enthusiastic reception. The Chief Justice of England presented Miss Castles with a magnificent floral tribute... Writing of the late Mr. John Leahy, Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, .whose death was recorded in a recent issue, the Brisbane Daily Mail says : — ' Queensland has suffered an -almost irreparable loss in the death of Mr. Leahy. . . On questions of-order Mr. Leahy was armed at all points, and ever in command of the House. His impartiality was unchallenged, his decisions unimpugnable. . . He was equipped for legislation on Queensland affairs in a manner scarcely equalled by any of hia peers in Parliament. . . We have, unfortunately, very few strong men in our State Legislature, and Queensland can ill-spare a strenuous statesman with the gifts, the brains, and the personality of ' John Leahy.' More than 20,000 spectators lined the route from New Farm to Toowong Cemetery, along which the State funeral that followed the remains of Mr. Leahy passed. For half an hour business and traffic were at a standstill, almost every shop and office building in the streets through which the cortege moved being closed for the time, while flags were lowered half-mast, and solemn funeral lells" tolled. The cortege was one of the longest ever seen in Brisbane, being a mile and a quarter long, and containing 250 vehicles. Every section of the community was represented. The Premier and members of the Ministry attended, also many members of the State Assembly and the Legislative Council, the Lieutenant-Governor, a representative of the State Governor, the State Military Commandant and officers, the Naval Commandant, the officers of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, the Mayor of Brisbane and civic representatives, representatives of the Supreme and District Courts, the under-secretaries and officials of the different Government departments, some of the foreign con- .. suits, representatives of the Queensland Irish Association, St. Patrick's Day Committee, and the Hibernian Society — men representing every phase of commercial and professional life. *