THE LATE FATHER MOREAU.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 19, 20 December 1883, Page 3

THE LATE FATHER MOREAU.

A i .v^j., v^.i 7 . : 'i , A A' l'-' !•(/«• ,*k: (bhronidle.) : <- - >■. -a-Fi_tly^:-]^|ll)'bixi^Moifeau Was born al Angers/ in tm west of France, intlßl3, and !wßS;,the|e6^se^ m his seven tj-r- first yeariwlien bedredV. In 1843 he came cut !to Auckland and worked as a missionary priest under direction oj Bishbp Pompal iar. m 1848 we find him lap p^otikij,, and shortly betoicthai 1 be Üboiire^ .amongst the: Maoris iuthe Waikato. ; XtkW^r *$!•?&. & rsfc w y arg o^his uiiasionary life m : the Auck -land; diocese that he acquired that command, over and^fiuency.jn the native k JhugWgQ whicU serverf, him m g cc 1 ' **-CT**ad almost tolas dying moments. Ir IJfWO the Wellington „diocpeewae cwNb3, ani Dr. Viard appointeil Bis 10 or 12 priestf •Jroml the Auckland diocese was told of acje^mpanv the Bishop^, and F.tthei Moi^ad was qnw'of, them-, t^iaugh it was «; not till 185^;that we % hear,ol him, al ' Wellington. Between; 1852 and 18.54 - ha laboured amongst the natives ai " Otakii and pther paitsi of the souther^ portion bfthis Islandi and id" 1858 'h< •was [despatched tpfj'^e^nALto helj Father Garin at Nelson. In tbat diat'riqt'Jie laboured for. six yearp, teaching French at Waimea aud elsewhere' will wonderful success and rapidity, anc having amongst his pupils Franjis Red •wood, the present honoured and 'be ', lov(d Bishop of Wellington. Inl86( Father Moreau went to Dunedin ti

ake charge of Church affairs m Otago, md what is now known as Southland. ?rom 18G0 until his arrival a**out 11 ears ago of .bishop wtoran to take har^e of his diocee, Fither Moreau's nergetic labours for religion and uil.zatioh form part ot the history of ie 'Sbuth'lsTand. 'He had charge of ii immense district', and" by bis exer-. ons. many churches and sotiools were uiit, and. sites of and for converts se« ired m Otago and Southland. The ne b ick church and presb;tery at )unedm are memorials of his untiring aergy and almost tin bounded m dance. A'l ever lv tii trict he earned ie affection and .regard of his fbrk like, and m hia htnds religi'-os d<voon and material progress male graat dvancem.enU In the long and dang-sr-us journeys he undertook m those m'gh times j Father Moreau always ravelled on foot, crossing swollen rivers ud. surmounting terrible qitficulties and ardships, ot which we m these d Lys aye little c ncption. Tbe p*ti nt irui of rTather Moreau, as he tnul ed birpugh the Maori tracks and almost nexplored forests, carrying on his back bag contain. ng the vestments, vessels nd books of his Church, will long be Bmembered by tbe old sc-ttleis of the *>u^b Otagv country. Particularly ventfu! were, his labours on the Otago oldfields, .^rhere on one oceassion, on is way to Gabriel's Gu ly, he was capared.bj the notorious teulliyau'* gang, nd narrowly escaped with his life.-, It 'as i said that Sullivan, finding tbat he 'is.a Catholic Priest, . : *ucce»l_lly egged his lite at the hands ot.hU-law-?Bs.comrades Bishop Moran came out'j Dinned m, j. and. "Jtatber.rMor-eaawas *a* sferred, .again to th* o taki , ; and lanawatu diotricts. 1n, 1876 heto-k p his he,ad quarters at F-il ing, . and jmaiaed jn the ; Manawatu: uutil July' ist, wiien he vas sent to join , th? luori misEioa up. the Wansjanui. lJivei, ; .-Nothing: need,, he hee ud about bis .laboui s* amongst JM, eople. ot the Manaw-tu-r-thßy knew ad loved kirn, ar »d th 9: news of his eath will come to them with * sense ot ersonai pain and individual los-?. :