DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 19, 13 May 1909, Page 735

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From Our Own Correspondent.) May 10. Mr. W. Hay ward, sen., of the Rink stables, who recently entered a number .of horses for the Sydney Royal Show, secured a notable record of wins for the Dominion. These include -a first prize for four-in-hand teams, first for a carriage pair, first and second for cobs, second for tandem team, third for dog-cart horse, and third for gig horse. The whole number of exhibits were subsequently disposed of at satisfactory figures. Mrs. Francois Narbey, an old resident of Long Bay and Akaroa, passed away recently at the age of seventyfour years. The late Mrs. Narbey was of Irish descent, and her childhood was spent in England. She arrived with her parents in 1851, and "walked from Lyttelton to Banks Peninsula. On arrival at Long Bay the family resolved to stop, and began dairying under great difficulties. They persevered, however, and prospered. In 1856 she married Mr. Francois Narbey. They had a family of eighteen children. The late Mrs. Narbey was a genero\is benefactor to the Church, of which she was an ardent and faithful member. The funeral of the late Rev. Mother Marie St. Benedict took place at Ashburton on last Tuesday morning, and was very largely attended. At 10 o'clock the remains of the deceased religious wore removed from the convent to the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, where a Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Very Rev. Dean O'Donnell. The following clergy were present: — Very Rev. Dean Ginaty, S.M., V.G. (representing his Lordship the Bishop), Very Rev. Dean Bowers (Geraldine), Rev. Dr. Kennedy (Cathedral), Rev. Fathers Tubman, S.M. (Timaru), Hyland (Rangiora), Tymons, and Ahem. At the conclusion of Mass the funeral procession, headed by cross-bearer and acolytes, and followed by the school children, the Children of Mary (in regalia), and members of the Congregation, moved to the cemetery. The funeral procession was the largest ever seen in Ashburton, and extended from the convent to the railway station. The Very Rev. Dean Ginaty officiate^ at the interment. Great interest is taken on both sides of the divid^ig range in regard to the progress of the huge tunnel whish is to connect Canterbury and Westland. Some particulars of the methods adopted and work already accomplished were given by Mr. Murdoch McLean, one of the firm of contractors to a Lyttelton Times reporter. At the Otira end, he said, favorable progress was being made, and the men were quite satisfied with the conditions under which they were employed. The plant for making concrete blocks had been installed, and the blocks for lining the tunnel were being made. When the concrete was set, they would begin to line the widened portion of the tunnel with the blocks. The progress at the heading was particularly good, and between 41 and 42 chains had been done. It was hoped that the distance driven would this week be between 78ft and 80ft, and if that were accomplished the men engaged on the works would get a bonus of £12 or £14. With the bonus system the men were quite satisfied. At times the ground driven through was particularly hard, and though the men. worked with great vigor, they were unable to advance more than 60ft or 66ft a week. In portions of good ground they could do 70ft to 80ft a week, and for everything in addition to 66ft they received a bonus, and by that means they got the full benefit of the ground. If the conformation of the soil did not allow more than 66ft to be cut out, the men received the same wage, and no decrease was made for the ' bad lands.' Mr. McLean said the employees were of a good class, and if they did not get a bonus they would do just as much work as they could. It had been said by labor agitators that the men by doing extra work and by exerting themselves were robbing other men of work. As it was, it happened to be a matter of fact that no more men could be employed, owing to the nature of the work. They were confined within narrow limits. The hydro-electric installation at the Otira end of the tunnel was working with marked success, and ever since it had been placed in position it had been driven without a hitch. At the Bealey end of the work a good deal had been done, though the vci'y hard work at the cuttings on the face and the great work of fixing the pipe line to the water supply from the Devil's Punch Bowl had caused a good deal of delay. The pipes were now laid to the mouths of the tunnels at the top of the rise, and the flumes through the tunnel which was to convey the water to the pipe-head were nearing completion. The power-house, compressor-house, generators, pelton wheels, and compressors were all in position, and the cables had been placed on the connecting poles. It was probable that in a couple of weeks work would be started at the heading at the Bealey end.