TELEGEAPHIC.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1576, 7 January 1884, Page 2

TELEGEAPHIC.

UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. Tauranga, this day.' H.H.S. Espieglo sailed for Lyttelton vt 9 a.m. Capfc. Bridge and officers :ame back from hot lakes on Saturday jvouiing. It is reported that the Governor and suite will proceed to the Sounds by tlio Espieglo. THE REV. FATHER HALBWAOHSS' FAREWELL ADDRESS. : ' ' ■ *'' j<" ,*. * Last evening the Kev.' Father Holbwachs spoke a few .farewell words to his congregation in ■ St, Patrick's Church. In the course of his remarks tho rev. gentleman said that it was not kis intention to preach a sermon, but ho had simply invited his people on that occasion to come to their beautiful church, which he would never see again, so that ho might say good-bye to them and to it. For ten years he had worked as a proiessor of a college in America, when it pleased his superiors to send him as a missionary priest to Mew Zealand. Eight years ago he left the shores of the • Mississippi and spent a few months in the south of France. Then, after a last farewell to his native countrybeautiful Alsace—after a last goodbye to his aged father, his sisters and brothors, he sailed for New Zealand. Exiled from home, they could imagine his sentiments on landing, a poor and unknown stranger, in this colony. The Wairarapa was, on his arrival, offered to him as a mission, Bishop Redwood, however, was willing to give him a better place, one of the best

positions in the Diocese, but he,. in accordance with his vows, elected to . take the poorest district. He had been a fellow sfudent with Bishop Redwood j, for several years in France and Ireland, j In his youth he had mixed in the c highest society, and it was not till he arrived in New Zealand, that he '■ knew what poverty and hardship were, j Ho would never forget the day when he arrived in this district by one of ■] Hast well and Macara's coaches. He n said then that if the Rihmtaka was the j only road into, the Wairarapa, he v/ould never be able to leave it. Ho was delighted with his first view of the Waira'rapa plains, but he found in ] them neither church, presbytery nor congregation belonging to the Oalho- • lies. It was not his intention to speak - of the toils and the privations which he • had endured iu this district. He, who , had been brought up surrounded by luxuries, had for months to lie on the floor like a swagsman, and.for years | to cook his own food. : Still, gentle- ■ men of all denominations and' a '. handfijil of good Catholics helped him with his mission..- He had had to put up with dangerous rivers and bad roads, with insults from a few bigoted sectarians, and with indiflerence from some Catholics, but all this did not discourage him, He visited the woolsliods of the district, he walked along the railway line to see tho navvies, he wrote thousands of letters to his friends all over the world to accomplish his object, Soon in Carterton ten acres of bush were changed into one of the most beautiful spots in the Valley, with its church and residence. Then St Patrick's, the gem of all tho churches, was built; then the church of the Sacred Heart at Groytown, St Theresa at Eeatherston, and St Joseph atTinui sprung, up as if by wonder. Then camo the bad times, and lie had to fight the most unheard of difficulties. After paying away his last shilling, he had to pledge his own goods. Ho would never forget the day when his own goods and chattels were seized and sold. Then, and not till then, he sat downbroken-hoarted, and found for the first time what it was to be poor. Let them throw a veil over these sad subjects, He thanked from tho bottom of his heart the good catholic people and gentlemen of all denominations who had supported him in his undertakings. Ho would take with him when he left in tho course of* few days, nothing except a box containing his books and clothing.. When a curate spent a few months in a district he usually carried away' with Mm some substantial recognition of his services, but" poor Father Halbwachs, afterhaving toiled for seven and a half years, will have to go away poor and penni- :' less." He might have to select for tho j i moment of his departure a time when i he would not be observed by a few of ' bis creditors, whose claims he • had not yet been able to satisfy. I But no! He would not stoop so low . as this 1 Al! his debts would be paid, i He.wished that before he left.he ■ could shake hands with all the good i and noble hearted people whom he had . • met in the colony. He concluded by wishing his people and churches good bye in the different parts of the district, but riot without a special reference to the ingratitude of the Catholic people of Greytown.