COMPLIMENTARY PARTY TO THE REV. A. M. GARIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 177, 24 July 1873, Page 2

COMPLIMENTARY PARTY TO THE REV. A. M. GARIN.

0 A tea party, at which a large number sat down, was given in St. Mary's Girl's School last night to the Rev. A. M. Garin, in celebration of his 63rd birthday. During the day a handsome and comfortable arm cbair had been presented to him by the pupils attending the schools, accompanied by a numerouslysigned address, as well as another complimentary address, signed by 200 of the old pupils, who had received their education at the school. The bountiful supply of jiooil things with which the tables were laden, having been done justice to, Mr. L. Broad said that he had been requested by tbe members of S*. Mary's congregation to ask M. Garin to accept from tbem a dinner service, which he then presented. Before saying anything further, he wished to read a telegram received that day from the Rev. Fathers Binsfeld and Cummins. The telegram was oue offering hearty congratulations to the Rev. Father on the return of his birthday. Mr. Broad theD went on to say that it was unnecessary for him to refer at length to the character, actions, or social virtues of hira in whose honor they had met. It was quite enough for him to observe that he waß sure there was not a clergman more beloved by his flock, or an old settler more highly respected by the community at larjje. In the cause of education he had douo that wbich was right loyal service to the Slate. Since 1850 he had raised and expended upon lands and buildings ut St. Mary's Station no less than £4000, and at these schools 3510 pupils had received their education. Among them was one who was now about to return from England to New Zealand for the purpose of occupying the distinguished position of Bishop of Wellington. He referred to the Rev. Father Redwood, who had been brought up in that school. From very small beginnings these schools had risen to considerable size and importance, and there was no public girls' school in the colony were so high a class of education was provided as tbat given there by the Sisters of Charity, for whose introduction into the Province they could not ba sufficiently grateful to Father Garin. He felt, too, that they were under many and deep obligations to their Protestant friends who had generously helped tbem 5 and to whose assistance it was due tbat the building was now out of debt. There were now on the roll 94 boys and 146 girls, and the attendance for the last six months had been 77 per cent., as against 72 per cent, in the preceding similar period. He hoped tbat this average would increase, as, no matter how excellent was the education offered, it was of no iisq unless the parents insisted upon their children attending regularly. There was a time when he (Mr Broad) fully believed the untruths circulated by a portion of the press to the effect that the Church of Rome endeavored to keep the children in darkness and ignorance, but now, on the contrary, he was able to assert that in no sect did there exist a more earnest desire to do all tbat could be done in the cause of education. Of this, St. Mary's Schools were an instance, and what tbey saw there was being done by the Catholic Church in all habitable parts of the globe. Considering that children of various creeds assembled there it waa a matter for congratulation that there was no sectarian quarrelling of any kind whatever. No doubt daily association weut far towards doing away with unfounded prejudices, buf- the class of instruction afforded at those schools was such as to teach the children to believe that there was something beautiful and true in the faith of all Christian denominations. This, too, was to a great extent owing to Father Garin's gentle spirit which pervaded the whole school, and to his bright example which inspired all the pupils, Thanking those of other denominations who had met there that evening for the purpose of honoring one whom the congregation of St. Mary's delighted to honor, he would conclude by asking them all to join in wishing long life and happiness to tbe Rev. Father Garin. Mr Broad's invitation having been responded to by loud cheers, The Rev. Father Garin desired to thank them all for the kindly feeling displayed towards hira. They had certainly succeeded in keeping hira quite in the dark with regard to their intentions, even the morning paper which contained an intimation of this social gathering having been spirited out of hia room. He wished in all humility to return his earnest thanks for their handsome presents and kindly wisheß. He was afraid that many of his flock might accuse him of seeming negligence in not visiting them oftener, but he found his time so fully occupied that he was quite unable to be among

them more. His wish was that his companions in the work of the ministry might visit them as much as possible, for in their calls many grievances might be talked over and much comfort administered. The dignity of the office of priest was one which was accompanied by a heavy burden of responsibility, and entailed many grave duties. The honor bestowed upon him that evening was, he considered, paid to him as the head of the station, and as the representative of the Pope, and as such he gladly received it. In paying respect to the elders of fhe Church they were obeying (he precept of Christ, who had ordered his followers to give honor where honor was due. As head of (he Catholic fetation in Nelson he had from his first arrival here set to work to do his best to further the interests of his adopted country, and this, he thought, could not be better done than by promoting education. The children attending the schools it had been his good fortune to establish received a general instruction, and were taught many useful things to assist them in the business of life, their morals were carefully attended to, and they were taught good behavior, aud good manners, as well as their duty towards their parents and neighbors. These attainments in tho aggregate tended to make them good citizens and members of society. It had pleased God to leave him among them a little louger, and he fully intended to devote his energies more than ever to the noble and good cause of education. Mr. Simmons and Mr. Elliott then spoke in laudatory terms of the example set by Father Garin, the former referring especially to the good service he bad rendered to Nelson by introducing as teachers such accomplished ladies as the Sisters of Charity, and the latter, addressing his remarks particularly to his successful efforts in the cause of education in the early days of the settlement, when St. Mary's was the only school available for tbe sons of tho first settlers. The proceedings were pleasantly varied by the playing and siDging of the young lady pupils, one of whom had composed and set to music a birthday ode to the Reverend Father, which was sung '.with great taste by herself and ber schoolfellows. A very successful and happy gathering was brought to a close a little after 8 o'clock. For remainder of news see fom th page.

A frightful accident occurred at DixoD, in Illinois, lately. A crowd was standing on an iron bridge of five spans which crosses the Rock River, to see a baptism, when the end spans gave way and a large number of persons were thrown into the water. The middle span remained standing. The river was swollen by tbe rubbish. Thirty-seven dead bodies were recovered; twenty- four were rescued, severely injured, and seventy escaped with slight wounds, or bruises. Many bodies floated down the river, and it is believed that fifty are still under the ruins. A Census of the Sandwich Islands has been taken, showing a total population of 56,897. The population of these islands has for many years been gradually diminishing. In 1832 there were 130,000 inhabitants, which number in. 1861 bad been reduced to 69,800, of whom 2,716 were of foreign birth. Tn 1866 the total was 62,956, there being 4,191 of foreign birth. In the latest census 5,366 of the population were of foreign birth, while a considerable portion of the balance were half-breeds. The decrease is entirely in the full-blood natives, their decennial decrease being about 20 per cent. Of tbe foreigners, one-third were Chinese, while there were 889 Americans, 619 British, 395 Portuguese, 224 Germans, and 88 French. The following is from a Victorian paper : — " There is an upright and sensible judge over border. A wild beast named M'KinuiD, nearly beat, dragged, and kicked his wife to death, Wagga Waggn way, and a stupid jury found him guilty, but in the teeth of the evidence, recommended him to mercy as he had j ''provocation." Judge Macfarlane was equal to the occasion, and the Wagga Wagga Express reports him as follows: — " After stating that the fellow had been convicted upon the clearest evidence of as barbarous, brutal, and ferocious an assault as he ever knew, and without one word of j provocation — a delicate hint, of the value at which it is to be hoped that the ' twelve j intelligent countrymen * were sensible. His Honor closed thus : — ' Sentences have I been passed tbat make one blush for the administration of justice. With God's 1 blessing I will do my duty to put a stop to outrages of this kind. The sentence of the court is that you be imprisoned in Goulbourn gaol for the term of two years, and be there kept to hard labor during that time.' " Sir George Bowen in Victoria. — A recent Victorian paper says : — Victoria has been ruled by Governors of very different temperaments, and widely varying mental calibre. The placid, amiable La Trobe, to whom a quiet pipe and scientific chat at Joliment possessed attractions far greater than could be found in the troubled paths of politics, was succeeded by the fiery Hotham, who fretted himself into an untimely grave, because he found it impossible to rule the colony aa he formerly ruled his frigate — and so on through various changes; but of all those gentlemen who have heretofore represented her Most Gracioue Majesty amongst us, none bas ,so persistently laid himself out to acquire popularity as his Excellency Sir George Bowen. Be is prepared, at any moment's notice, to accept any invitation to go anywhere, or toanything wbich he is required to do, if so be that such acceptance, doin<?, or saying, will please any large body of the community. During the short period that he has been in Victoria, he has received more addresses, accepted more invitations, and bandied more flattery than some of his predecessors did during the whole time of their Vice-royalty. The wonder is how Sir George manages to ring tbe changes ou his replies, so as to avoid repeating himself. However, one thing must be said in his favor, which is tbis, tbat he possesses remarkable skill in adapting apparently unsuitable material for his harangues. Historical incidents connected with the illustrious House of Savoy supplied him with many paragraphs while the Duke of Genoa was his guest, and during his government of New Zea- I land parallels instituted between th* Maoris and Scotch Highlanders, furnished him with matter for folios of dispatches. During the past week he has been lionised at Ballarat, and after affording tbe inhabitants of that city the treat of his august presence, and the choicest flowers of his oratory, has returned to recruit his energies for another " progress " in the Sandhurst direction. Curious Case of Suicide. — The Toronto Globe comments upon a curious case of suicide wbich occurred lately in Philadelphia, and which illustrates the tragic results of disappointed political hopes. A Scotch mechanic, who had for some time past been earning good wages in that town, and who was chiefly known among hisfellow- workmen for his "argumentative ■" ' "» ' -'■-' ' i ■ . TT7-T-

--pugnacity" — as the manner of many Scotchmen ib — - mixed the other day a large quantify of poison with porter, which he gave to his wife and child, and drank the rest himself. The wife and child were saved by the efforts of the medical man, but the man himself died. He left a letter behind him explaining the motives of his conduct. He said he had become so disgusted with the inequalities of society in the land of freedom that he was able to stand them no longer, and therefore resolved to remove to another world, where he believed no such differences would exist. In coming to the United States the poor fellow thought he would find his ideal of Republican equality realised, and instead or that he found varieties of rank and station there as in the old country, so that his dream of being as good as any one else was rudely broken. He was earning, the Globe says, three or four times more than he did in Scotland, and was neither a drunkard or a spendthrift; but the idea of any one in the land of equality being better off than himself was intolerable; and so the ruling passion in him was strong even to death, and he offers another example of the dreadful ! consequences that may follow upon lost ideals.