The Church in New Zealand

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 51, 23 December 1925, Page 21

The Church in New Zealand

\ Historic Kororareka

• A North Auckland correspondent writes: Spending a week-end at Russell, . I took the opportunity of visiting the residence of the late Bishop Pompallier. The building is a ,| double story one containing about 16 rooms. j*The house is in a surprisingly good state of repair, but the grounds have a neglected appearance. The house is the second oldest in New Zealandthe oldest, I understand, is at Keri : Keri. The Bishop's house was the only one not destroyed at Russell during the Maori War. The house was evidently built to withstand a siege as the walls are thirty inches thick throughout. Our correspondent was informed by the present owner and occupant of the historic residence that it is for sale. Such an interesting and valuable memorial of by-gone days should surely be acquired and preserved. Central Otago in the Early Days Writing under date November 14, from Ranfurly, to the Editor of the Tablet, Mr. P. Bleach says: lt- : As I take a great interest in reading the articles about the "Early history of the Church in New Zealand," appearing in the . Tablet from time to time, I would be pleased if. any of your readers can inform me when j the first little tin church was built in the ', Hogburn, and who was the priest in charge at the time. I think it was built between • { ,1866 and 1869. For I well remember Father | Norris (whose name is mentioned in the last | issue of the Tablet) being in the Hogburn I in 1870 and in meeting his Lordship Bishop Moran at the chapel door on his first visit to that part of the diocese on the 9th March, 1871. . I am fairly well conversant with matters appertaining to the Church since that time. It will be news to many of your

readers to learn that during Father Norris's administration there was a society in existence called "The Catholic Young Men's Society"—the members used to teach catechism in their turn every Sunday afternoon. They had a very good lending library of suitable books. How many country churches have got a library at the present day? There was also a good choir, as the music for the Bishop's Mass was selections taken from Mozart's "Twelfth Mass," very well rendered and which would be no mean performance for country choirs at the present day. In consideration for .your valuable space I must conclude by hoping that some reader will be able to give the information asked for and thereby give me an opportunity for writing another article on some future occasion. OO _