A WELCOME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 13, 16 September 1913, Page 5

A WELCOME.

TO ARCHBISHOP O'SHEA.

THE CONVERSAZIONE. There was an excellent attendance at the Town Hall last night on the occasion of tiie conversazione tendered to Archbishop O'Shea.

On the platform with the guest of the evening were Father Maples (Stratford), Father Cahill (Eltham), His Worship the .Mayor (Mr \Y. P. Kirkwood, who presided), Mr W. G. Malone (Stratford), and Mr M. Power (local vice-president of the Catholic Federation).

THE MAYOR'S SPEECH. The Mayor, Mr AY. P. Kirkwood, said it gave him great pleasure to preside over an assemblage to do honor to Archbishop O'Shea. Ho thought the people of. Stratford thought with him that it was an honor to welcome him. On behalf of the people of Stratford he (the Mayor )extended a hearty welcome to the Archbishop and hoped the present visit was merely .the forerunner of many to come. The Roman Catholic community would certainly feel honored by the fact that the Archbishop had made Stratford the first place where he administered confirmation since his consecration. The Stratford people generally could all the more sincerely welcome the Archbishop because of the fact.that his boyhood had been spent in Taranaki. The guest of the evening would feel pleased to know that throughout the Stratford district the Roman Catholic church was held in the highest regard, and that a majority of the residents in the district held his faith. The Archbishop should feel highly honored by the fact that u great many of the audience were not Roman Catholics. In conclusion, the Mayor congratulated the Archbishop on the high position to which he had been elevated, and hoped it would further enable him to carry out his work for the good, of humanity.

ADDRESS FROM THE PARISH. Mr W.- G. Malone then read the following address from the parishioners :

To the Most Reverend Archbishop O'Shea, Coadjutor.

, Your Grace, —We, the members of the Catholic parish of Stratford availing ourselves of the occasion of Your 'Jrace's visit here extend to Your Graca a hearty welcome to Taranaki in general and to Stratford in particular. We offer to you our hearty congratulations on the groat'and well-merited digtiity to which the Holy Seo has "raised you, assure you of our loyalty, and do homage to Your Grace's person. We fully appreciate the honor which Your Grace has shown us by letting Stratford be (after your own late parish of To Aro) the first parish in which Your Grace has administered confirmation. This honor has enabled us al-o to have the happy privilege of being the first people to welcome to Taranaki the first Taranaki settler elevated to the high dignity of Archbishop. We pray God to bless your parson and your work; we ask your blessing on this parish and all its members and remembrance in all Your Grace's prayers. Your Grace's obedient servants in Christ,

M. POWER, Vice-President Catholic Federation, Stratford Branch. G. WILSON, Chairman Reception Committee. J. MULVEY, Secretary Reception Committee.

THE ARCHBISHOP'S REPLY

The Archbishop said he was indeed gratefid to the people of Stratford for the- splendid reception and welcome accorded to him on the occasion of his first visit to the town since his elevation to the position of Coadjutor-Arch-bishop of Wellington. He had especially to thank the Mayor who, during the afternoon, had enabled him to see the chief beauty spots in the vicinity. He was especially grateful to those in the audience not of the Roman Catholic faith who were present, and he understood there were many in the audience. Among his best friends were pople of other faiths, and while he would always/stick close to liis principles he hoped that anything he might say would never be construed as an attack on those who differed from him in faith. He had not been born in Taranaki, but had spent the whole of his boyhood about twenty miles from Stratford. He had since then visited the province many times, and each time he had seen si<nis of

progress'. In recent years the province had made great strides and one needed to he no prophet to say that a very great future was heforo Taranaki. "Ho was especially plensed to notice the progress of the Stratford Roman Catholic parish. He could remember when Stratford was not a separate parish—when, indeed, one parish extended from New Plymouth to Wanganui. a. hoy he had passed through the town after n disastrous fire had swept the town, hut the residents had built a better town on the ashes of the old. The parish owed much to Dean McKenna (who built the* first portion of the church), tn Father Troaoy, who had done much for the parish and to the present devot. nnd learned priest. Father Maples. To the efforts of thes<> men must he attributed the fact that now Stratford had as good a church, prpsbvtpry. a^d

convent as rrrv iim'ish in + V>r> iV<ni»i_

Tn conclusion, ho »'*>i*' , r'>Wl '•!

ere thaiikt for-the cntiiusijj-

tic welcome, and stated that lie would . always regard the progress of the pro-

vince and the parish with interest; and he hoped that all would work lor tho good ox the province.

. MUSICAL PROGRAMME The musical programme submitted was of a high order of merit. The 'church choir acquitted itself well m a number of items. A number of children from the Convent school showed, to advantage in a tambourine dance the music for which was nicely played by Tom Rooney. An item greatly appelated was that given by the.littlo Misses Fitzgerald and Vendal 1 a -song without words," for which they received a double encore. Misses Winnie Fitzgerald and A- Robson played » pianoforte duet "Tancredi very nicely, and Miss Winnie Fitzgerald also 'contributed a pianoforte solo in finished, style. Vocal items were given by Mrs C. Massey Misses E Toeker, A. Sullivan, V. Miscall, and M. Sheahan, and Messrs M. P. Anderson, T. A. Lonergan and T. Wilson.