People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 4 September 1913, Page 41

People We Hear About

When an altar boy became suddenly ■ ill at 'vearly;?-" Mass in the historic Church of Notre Dame des Vic- ; toires, Quebec, on a recent; Sunday, Sir Charles Fitz-J;' patrick, Chief Justice 'of; Canada, who was in the congregation, stepped quietly into the boy's place, and served Mass. '■Cardinal Van Rossum was recently on a visit to his native Holland. ' He was enthusiastically welcomed on 'his arrival at The Hague, where several receptions were - held in his honor. The Queen received.him m a special audience and conferred upon him the high distinction of the Order of the Lion of Holland. Mr. W. J. Burns, head of the American detective" agency which bears name, accompanied by his wife, had an audience with the Pope recently. Mr. Burns said afterwards that the Pope's face was the finest he ever saw and he was deeply impressed by his appearance. The health of Pius X., Mr. Burns' says, is good, and he shows no trace of his recent illness. He walks firmly and his voice is strong and clear. Monsignor Modest Everaerts, one of the eleven Bishops of the Franciscan* Order in China, is VicarApostolic of South-west Hupeh in Central China. He is at present in the United States, and speaks of President Yuan Shih-K'ai of the new Chinese Republic as a strong man and superior to the provisional president, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. If anybody can hold together the national factions long enough to impose the republic's authority on the whole of China, the Bishop said that Yuan Shih-k'ai will do it. It is of interest to know that the President's mother and two brothers recently became Christians. Amongst those on whom the degree of LL.D. (honoris causa) was conferred recently by: the Queen's University, Belfast, was the Right Hon. Christopher Palles, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, President of Clongowes Wood College Union, and one of Ireland's most distinguished Catholic laymen. The Chancellor of the University (Earl of Shaftesbury) referred to the Lord Chief Baron as an Irishman whose legal knowledge and judicial wisdom had a reputation not surpassed in the Empire: In proposing the toast of 'The Honorary Graduates at the dinner on the same evening, Professor Sir Samuel Dill said that the Lord Chief Baron was of the highest type of Irish character, true to his race and his ancient faith, but certainly regarded". with no less affection and reverence in the North than in the South of Ireland. Our Home exchanges report the death of Mr. Redmond Barry, K.C., late Lord Chancellor of Ireland, at his residence at Clondalkin. His resignation of the Lord Chancellorship a few months ago, owing to failing health, caused some surprise among the public, who did not fully appreciate the seriousness of his illness. He had taken up office a comparatively young man apparently in full health and vigor, and with every prospect of a long career of success before him, and it was difficult to realise that his career was to terminate so tragically early. But neither Mr. Barry nor his friends had any illusions about the gravity of the illness, and his death was not unexpected. His retirement aroused general sympathy, and the announcement of his death will be received with. sincere regret everywhere. A comparatively young man, his career had been singularly ' successful, and its termination at the early age of 47 years is to be deplored. The late Lord Chancellor was born in Cork in 1866, and received his early education at St. Finbarr's College, where he won a scholarship early in his school career." Later he went to Blackrock College, Dublin, and graduated in the old Royal University, having previously been at Trinity. He was called to the Bar in 1888, and soon enjoyed a lucrative junior practice. Eleven years later he took silk. From 1907 to 1911 he represented North Tyrone in Parliament as a Liberal member. In 1905 he was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland, a post which he held until 1909, when he was promoted to the office of ?Attorney-General. In August, 1911, he was appointed Lord Chancellor in succession to Sir Samuel • Walker.