ST. JOSEPH'S LADIES' CLUB

New Zealand Tablet, 22 September 1921, Page 27

ST. JOSEPH'S LADIES' CLUB

BISHOP WHYTE ENTERTAINED.. The members of St. Joseph’s Ladies’ Club assembled in largo numbers on Wednesday evening week, on the occasion of a very pleasurable entertainment in honor of his Lordship Dr. Whyte. Accompanying the Bishop were Very .Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., Rev. Fathers Kaveney (chaplain), Spillane, and Marlow. Miss X. Knott (president) received the guests, and no effort was lacking on the part of the club office-bearers and members to ensure the enjoyment of all present. An excellently arranged programme was contributed to by Misses Walsh and Dawson (piano solos); Mrs. Sandys, Misses Athy, Freda Kennedy, Brady, and McCready (songs); Mrs. M. Coughlan, Misses Metcalfe, and Evelyn x McGrath (recitations) : and Misses Thomas (piano solo). Misses Dawson and Mavis Sandys were efficient accompanists. After dainty refreshments were handed round the gathering resolved itself into a conversazione. At, a suitable interval his Lordship the Bishop complimented those who participated in the rendering of so pleasing a programme which, ho thought, was all too short. He. was glad of the opportunity of seeing what the club could do and hoped to be able from time to time to attend more of their gatherings. That Dunedin is a musical city was evident from the talent displayed that evening, as well as from the examples of musical culture ho had enjoyed in our Catholic schools. We also had our Catholic glee club which specialised in Irish music. It was with the greatest pleasure, too, that he listened to the music so beautifully rendered by the Cathedral choir. During his visitations he had been afforded much satisfaction in reading from the inspectors’ reports of the high standard attained by our Catholic schools, and the flattering comments on the quality of the teaching. He greatly favored the study of history and especially Irish history ; but regretted that this subject—and the history of our own country as well —had not the prominence in our schools’ syllabus it deserved. While there were many sympathisers with Ireland and with the Irish people’s legitimate aspirations among the English and Scottish people, it was deplorable that the tendency of the daily newspaper press was to belittle that country. His Lordship went on to say that from the moment he arrived in the diocese he had met with nothing but kindness and attention. He intended visiting Sydney shortly and would tie able to tell the many friends he left, behind him there of the equally warm-hearted ones he had found in New Zealand.