NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 93, 6 February 1875, Page 7

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

In another column will be found the Lenten Pastoral of His Lordship the Most Rev. Dr. Moran, which will be read in all the churches of the diocese to-morrow, next Wednesday being Ash Wednesday. A special meeting of the Hibernian Society was held on Monday evening, to take into consideration matters in connection with the newly organised band. During the evening it was decided to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the usual dinner. Tuesday last being the festival, in commemoration of the presentation of our Divine Lord in the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Purification of his Blessed Mother, the ceremony of blessing the candles took place in St. Joseph's before the seven o'clock Mass j and in the course of the day the children attending the Dominican Convent Schools, renewed their baptismal vows. In connection with tli9 Convent Schools we have been requested to bring under the notice of parents and guardians that the Christmas vacation being at an end, the classes were resumed on Monday last. It appears that we were in error in stating last week that the man Walters, who has been committed for trial for causing the death of the man Holmes, was a German. We have been visited by a gentleman of that nationality, who informs us that Walters is a Channel Island man, being a native of Jersey. We make this correction with pleasure, as we agree with our informant that each nation should only be credited with the misdeeds of its sons. A meeting of the members of the Dunedin Press Club was held at the rooms on Saturday evening, the chair being occupied by the Vice-President, The office-bearers having been elected on the starting of the club merely for three months, a re-election took place for office-bearers for the ensuing twelve months. The President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary were re-elected without opposition j but fresh candidates coming forward for a, seat on the committee, a ballot was taken, resulting in the return of the following :— Messrs. Dungan, Bracken, Cole, Nicholls, and TJtting. A new rule was passed, to enable members of the up-country Press to join the club j and after other matters of a routine nature had been transacted, the meeting adjourned. By the Otago, which reached Port Chalmers on Tuesday morning, we are in possession of English news to the 23rd nit. The intelligence, however, is not of a very startling nature. The crusade agiinst the Church is still at its height, and the venerable Archbishop of Cologne has been again fined 30,000 thalers, and a threat held out of imprisonment being added to his punishment. The Most Rev. Dr. Manning was on a visit to the Holy Father, and it is more than probable that the Archbishop will return with a Cardinal's hat. Some of the under current of the scheming of the German Chancellor came to the Bnrface during the trial of Count von Arnim, which has aroused an intense feeling of indignation in France. In a despatch which was produced from Bismarck to, the German representative at the Tuilleries, the following passage occurs :—": — " I cannot but wish France weak, and deem it inadvisable to stregthen her by contributing to the establishment of a monarchy." As might have been expected, this expression of feeling has caused profound indignation in the hearts of Frenchmen, and has laid bare the unscrupulous designs of this immaculate reformer. The usual catalogue of calamities is reported, amongst which ,the casualties at sea take precedence. The Panama mail steamer Japan shared the fate of "the Cospatrick, on the passage from San Francisco to Hong Kong, and, out of 483 passengers on board, but 117 escaped. The loss is also chronicled of the magnificent steamer Mongol, well known in this port, which struck upon a rock some twenty miles from Hong Kong, resulting in her total destruction, and the loss of the captain, his wife, and a number of pasBengcrs. In Continental matters, a Madrid despatch states that King Alphonso has issued a manifesto to his subjects, promising to initiate a liberal policy, and offering a complete amnesty to all who will lay down their arms and acknowledge his sovereignty. It is also riunored that Espartero, the celebrated Spanish statesman, is dead. On Wednesday evening (says the ' Mount Ida Chronicle ') a pleasing presentation was made to Mr. W. Grumitt, of the Bank of New South Wales, at the residence of the Rev. E. Royer, Naseby. The rev. gentleman addressed those present, relating the services given by that gentleman so readily to the Church as far back as ! 1864, at Hamilton : services which, after he (Father Royer) had removed to Hokitika, had been continued to his successors in the district, and when he returned back until the time of the building of the new elmrch had been continued, as before, to himself and to his congregation. Mr. John Dillon presented a very handsomely framed and illuminated address to the rev. gentlemen, who handed it to Mr. Grumitt. After the reading of the address, the Committee appointed for the presentation left St. Patrick's Presbytery, and repaired to Mr. J. Cogan's residence, with Mr. Grumitt and his friends, where a very pleasant evening was spent. A number of toasts were given and responded to — "The Catholic Church throughout New Zealand," "W. Grumitt, Esq.," " Prosperity to Mount Ida," " The local Press," &c, the party breaking up about ten o'clock. Mr. Cogan had spared no pains in preparing the supper-table, on which were placed all manner of fruit and delicacies. We append a copy of the address presented : — " Naseby, 31st December, 1874. W. Grumitt, Esq. : My dear sir — I cannot permit this solemn and holy season to pass away without at least giving expression to my heartfelt gratitude, and that of my flock, for the many acts of Christian philantrophy, ' in promoting by your voluntary services as organist to St. Patrick's Church the glory of God, which you have so freely and generously rendered when requested. We fully apjr^ciats this sacrifice of time and labor, which you so kindly placed at the disposal of the congregation, but I fear I am unable to find wcrls sufficiently adequate to express our grateful acknowledgements. Accept, my dear sir, my personal sentiments, and I pray that the Lord Jesus will afford you and yours the blessing and protection He can bestow on true Christians ;

and I earnestly, hope that this blessing, given with a free heart, may be visibly manifested before the close of the year 1875, which I pray you will happily enjoy. Believe me, with much esteem, regard, and respect, on behalf of myself and flock, ever to remain, my dear sir, yours very obediently in the Lord, Emmanuel Eoyer, Catholic pastor." The House of Representatives is to undergo another metamorphosis before Parliament meets this year. Economy is to give way to elaboration, and the rough deal saw-marked desks and shabby seats will no longer offend the eye and evoke the scathing criticism of the honorable member for Newton, Mr. Swanson. The drapings of the Chamber are again to be changed for others, which are on their way from England, and the seats are to be covered in maroon rep. The effect, says the ' New Zealand Times,' cannot very well be conceived until the alterations have been effected, but it is still questionable if the present green curtains will be very much improved upon. These, however, are the least important of the changes absolutely required, for they do not touch the radical defect in the bunding — its acoustic imperfection. One of the passengers on board the'Cospatrick, Frederick King, was brother of Mr. Alfred King, a reporter on the staff of the Auckland ' Evening Star.' Mr. King left London to come to New Zealand by the Nor;hfleet, which was run down in the Channel. He was one of the saved on that occasion, and took passage by the Cospatrick, apparently to meet the fate lie so narrowly escaped when on board the Northfleet. The Melbourne 'Telegraph' mentions that a reunion of somewhat peculiar interest took place on the 2nd Decsmber, at Melton, Victoria. On that day Mr. Dalryrnple Keating completed his seventieth year, and a number of his friends met to celebrate the event of his attaining the honorable age of three-score years and ten. What gave a special interest to the birthday was the fact that Mr. Keating was the first child born of Europeans in Tasmania, and is, therefore, probably the oldest Australian " native " alive. Seventy years ago, then the " little stranger " was especially, honored jby. Lady Paterson, the Governor's wife.