RELIGIOUS PIONEERS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1924, Page 3

RELIGIOUS PIONEERS

(To tho Editor). .Sir,—Will vou permit me to comment in » friendly Jimmier in your columns upon the interview granted the Press by Jlis Grace Archbishop .Julius on the occasion of his recent visit to Westland The Archbishop virtually claims that the clergymen oT the Anglican Communion share with I no others the merit of having ‘s]>ent themselves and being spent’ in the service of the miners and settlers of . j South Westland in the pioneer days of J tile settlement. One would gather |j from His Grace’s words that the rugged South was mainly a ‘terra Anglicana' into whose fastnesses our Catholic priests—whose brethren, by the way. have enjoyed always and everywhere no mean reputation for inI tepidity—never ventured. I confess to having been startled by such a claim ‘made in the best, of good faith and for a. worthy purpose; as being altogether at variance with the t t c.ditioiis, as 1 lmd learned them, of the Diocese of Wellington and latterly of Christchurch, which have ever taken pardonable pride in the self sacrificing labours of their priests in the-.e parts. The claim too, js at variance with my own personal knowledge ol the : -Kis r tlu v last, L’f! years. During the present week I interviewed two former South Westland pioneers now residing in Hokitika. One of these gentlemen went to the gold diggings at Five .Mile below Okaritn in ISliti; the other followed in Until were amused at the Archbishop's claim for they could remember at least two visits of Father McGirr, first resident, priest of Hokitika to the Five .Mile, in ’(!!! and They remember still more clearly tho visits of Father Joint Gottteiioire who was assistant to Father .Martin in Hokitika from ISIIS to IS7I. One of I best* pioneers was married ! there by Father Goulenoire at tlial period. Father John, as lie was affectionately called, made his journeys hv steamer to Okaritn, the trail South not being then blazed. I have amongst parochial records baptismal and marriage registers with records of Father Gouteuoire’s ministrations at the Five Mile, then the most distant outpost. Then there is a parochial journal of

receipts : 111 <i expenditure of (lie Hnki-lik.-i parish for 'tW nml '(iil. The l cxnctises nf tin* missionary’s journeys to Bosstowu and Okarito are entered up t needier with the miners' pencroiis olferinps. Similar records can lie* seen in tile repisler m Boss. A chapel in which Mass was celebrated fur several years was erected at. I lie five Mile as early as ’li~ and when this settlement was abandoned, parted' the material was transcl’rred to Gillespies’ lleaeh where a chapel which: was used for many years was set up. liishop Vinrd accennpanied by Kather O'Beilly —t he pioneer priest of Wei-, linpton--also visited Okarito ditrinp these" years, as did Arehhishop lledwood anil Bishop (Irimes later. Kather (hareyre. afterwanls statioiie'd in ('aiiterburv, i iintimied the ministrations of Kather Goiitenoire. Ilis visits are thfsrribed as frequent, always twice and tinder favourable wi'ather conditions, more olten in the year, ('online to mole" recent times. South Westland. attached to the parish of Boss was served in turn, for loltper or shorter periods lev Kat Iters Gulden, .McOninness, Ahearne, Me-

Caitphe.v. Berlruu. Brott n, Mc.Manns, Clnlfey- all id' whom were rememhered Jiv the early settlors. funnily, coniine to the last I’d years, of which I have personal kimwledpe.

the late Dean Hyland of Baiipinrn I several fruitful years in the district, before motors were the vehicle's of travel, and before the rivers were In idped. I ravelline on horseback from Boss to Oknrn on his repiilar visitations and whenever called upon

lor the sick and dying. Kather Boult" - hi- successor beinp held up on one ol iiis journeys between uulordable livers, contracted as a result of lumper and exposure, the disease from which he died. Kather O'Connor succeeded Kather ISoplle and carried on his work for a number ol veat's Kathcrs ,1. Ilanrahan, Cronin, and the present '.ealolls pastor Kather Biordan- have attended their southern Hock assiduously and, owing io improved conditions, more livqueutly. One of tnv inlormants impresses on me tlm lad that the early settlers were aceii-lotned to meet the priest much more ircquciitly than they met of any other denomination, an obvious explanation beinp, that the millet's as well as the early settlers were. 11l the vast majority. Catholic. It seems to me that when our cotltitrv's history is in the inakinp and when it should be the aim of all to

transmit t<» pu-teniy aeeuratc mlormalion ol the early days, an aekuow''ledgmeiil should he made ul the contribution ol mir Catholic priests to the religious welfare ol the pioneers in this portion ul the Dominion. This can lie done without detracting from tho tribute paid by his Grace to llu* clergymen of his own communion. I am etc., JAMES A. KENNEDY. Si. Mary's. Hokitika. rs'lH-’L