Invercargill

New Zealand Tablet, 14 March 1912, Page 27

Invercargill

(From our own correspondent.) March 11. In connection with the church building fund, a new system of collection has been inaugurated. Members of the congregation have been supplied with slips on which they are to fill in the amount they are prepared to pay per week to the fund. Those who fill in the slips are trien supplied with small envelopes on which they write their names, and in which they enclose their contributions, finally placing the envelopes in a box placed for the purpose at the church door. The money may be placed in the box weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, at the convenience of subscribers. The work of renovating the Marist Brothers’ school and residence, undertaken by the church committee a few months ago, is now completed. The old building, which served for about half a century as a church, until the present one was built, has been thoroughly overhauled and put in a condition that will permit it to be utilised for many years yet. The main building is divided into three spacious school-rooms. Each room is well lighted with the latest approved school windows, and there are torpedo ventilators on the roof. Two chimneys have also’ been built, while the whole of the inside and exterior has been considerably altered, 'so that now the school is second to none in the Southland district. The southern portion of the building has been partitioned off, making a long and roomy corridor where the boys can take part in games in unfavorable weather. The improvements will enable a larger number of pupils to be accommodated, while the work of the Marist Brothers will be considerably lessened, and they will be able to conduct the teaching in cheerful surroundings. The old presbytery, in which the Brothers live, has also been .thoroughly overhauled and renovated a complete hot-water system has been provided throughout the building, and the whole of the interior tastefully finished. Altogether the work has been done in a thorough manner, and it reflects great credit on Mr. J. McNamara, who voluntarily acted as overseer, on behalf of the church committee.

_ Rev. J. S. Carroll, D.D., a well-known Presbyterian clergyman, lectured recently to a meeting of the: Catholic Literary Society, 'in Glasgow. * He expressed the pleasure which he felt at meeting' so many of his fellow-irishmen and Irishwomen. He was, like them, an ardent Home Ruler. He did not doubt the sense of justice and fair play of the majority of his fellowcountrymen, and: he had not • the slightest fear of. religious oppression.' There had, he-said, been once a Catholic Parliament in Ireland, in the reign of James 11., and one of the first acts of that Parliament had been to accord full liberty of worship to the members of all religions. . ° " - r- . - - . • • - ■ 1 ■ ; t -