NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 108, 22 May 1875, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

In the Provincial Council on Tuesday evening, on the House resuming for the consideration of the Estimates, the hon. member for Tuapeka moved the following amendment : — " That, in the opinion of this Council, the financial proposals brought down by the Government axe not satisfactory, and that the present distribution of Executive offices has not been found to be conducive to the proper administration of the affairs of the province. The Council therefore requests the Government to reconsider their present position, with the view to better financial and administrative arrangements being arrived at." 'The amendment caused considerable discussion, in which, as might be expected, the irrepressible member for Dunedin floated to the surface, and held forth at considerable length. The amendment was ultimately carried by a- majority of 2. It will be seen from the peculiar wording of 'the want of confidence motion, that the attack is directed to individual members of, rather than against, the Executive in.globo. We see that one of our morning contemporaries has associated the name of Mr Pish with the successors of the present Executive, but we should say that if there were the slightest possibility of such an event taking place, it would be an unanswerable argument for the total abolition of provincial institutions, and sure to decide many who now waver on the question. The usual fortnightly meeting of the H. A. C. B. Society took place in St. Joseph's School-room on Monday evening, and considering the severity of the -weather, the attendance was good. The usual formal business having been disposed of, Mr Drumm was ballotted for and duly elected a full benefit member, and Mr Paviletich and Mr J. Griffin were proposed. A short time since a resolution was passed, affirming the desirability of thoroughly advertising the objects and benefits in connection with the Society. A circular setting forth the matter was addressed to the various Lodges throughout New Zealand, and on Monday evening the Secretary announced that he had received a, good many replies, all of which, with one exception, thoroughly concurred in the idea, and expressed their willingness to co-operate with St. Joseph's Branch in defraying the expenses of advertising the Society. It is confidently believed that if the vast numbers of Catholic Irishmen now flowing into the colony were in a position to know fully and clearly the nature and the benefits of the Hibernian. Society, that in a very short time the memberships of the Society woxild be doubled. A letter was received from Brother Griffin, of Melbourne, who is the representative of St. Joseph's Branch a,t the Annual Meeting of the Executive Directory and Deputies. The letter, as is usual with Brother Griffin's communications, is prolific of wise and practical suggestions, and as matters of great- importance to New Zealand will be disciissed at the ensuing meeting, it is fortunate that the Society has so able and zealous a deputy to represent its wants. Matters in connection with the band and the late pic-nic were discussed, and the secretary of the recent concert, Brother R. Carroll,' reported that on next Lodge night he would have the balance sheet ready, and informed members that about £20 wotild be realized. * We have been forwarded by Dr. Cole, the Health Officer, his report presented to the Sanitary Committee. It is under eight differeat headings, amongst which are treated the water supply, drainage, sewage, meteorology, and vital statistics. From the report we learn that Dunedin stands upon an Area of nearly 1,000 acres, while there are yet 100 acres to be reclaimed. Some idea of the uneven surface of the city may be learned from the fact that -while one portion of it — Duncan-street — is 366 feet above high water mark; another, Hanoverstreet, is *40 below it. The report is a carefully compiled one, and contains a deal of interesting statistics with regard to the city and its population. It has also appended a lithographed map of Mr. Burt's plan of main sewer, embodying the modifications by Dr. Cole, showing the line of sower from the "Water of Leith to the Sand Hills. [From the vital statistics we glean that during eleven months of last year there were no less than 420 deaths, or at the rate of 227 per 1,000 j 77 per cent, of which originated from, infectious diseases. The some-what novel sight of a whale disporting itself inside a harbour was witnessed at Akaroa within the past week. TJnfortunately however, for his whaleship, an American whaler lay in the harbour, aud the boats having been brought into requisition, the gambols of the monster of the deep were brought to a premature close. The chase and capture formed an unusual piece of amusement for the Akaroans, who stood upon the shore and watched the death struggle. The watermen, determined to make hay while the sun shone, and

aquatic trips were made to the scene of the battle at the charge of three shillings. Arrangements have been made on the part of Ohristehurch Museum to have the skeleton placed in that Institution. The whale proved to be of the species known as the " humpback," and measure I about 32 feet, producing from, about a tun to a tun and a half of oil. We are glad to be able to announce that, after defraying all liabilities, the proceeds of the lecture of his Lordship the Most Rev. Dr. Moran, will place £24 12s towards the object for which, it was given. We regret to have to announce the sudden death of Mrs. Mulrooney, of Stafford Street, which took place on Wednesday last. It appears she was in the enjoyment of her usual health during the earlier portion of the day, hut immediately after dinner complained of sudden indisposition, and in the space of ten minutes from the ;ime of complaining she was no more. Her sudden death has cast a gloom over the neighbourhood, in which she was deservedly respected. The Press Amateur Dramatic Club having given repeated performances for the various charities of the city, propose devoting the proceeds of their next entertainment to the supplying a wardrobe for the Club. With this object in view, they come before the public on ne^t Wednesday — the pieces chosen being " Plot and Passion," followed by the "Happy Pair." Mr. Hoskins and Miss Colville have generously given their services on the occasion, and as his Excellency the Marquis of Normanby has graciously signified bis intention to be present, no doubt the object for which the entertainment is given will receive substantial assistance. We would draw the attention of our town readers to an advertisement in another column from the Revising Officer, notifying that he will hold Courts for the revision of the lists of voters for the following places : — For the districts of Dunedin, Boslyn, and Caversham, on Monday, 14th June, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, in the Resident Magistrate's Court-house, Dunedin. For the district of Port Chalmers, on Wednesday, the 16th of June, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, in the Court-house, Port Chalmers. We are not aware if the value of money be greater in the Reefton district than elsewhere, but decidedly if such be not the case the size of the Reef ton inch cannot be equal to the orthodox space. Judging from the following paragraph clipped from the ' Inangahua Times ' the coin of the realm must be scarce in that locality : — " The tender of the ' Inangahua Herald,' of one penny per inch, has been accepted by the Reefton Road Board, for general advertising for the current year." Who would not be a newspaper proprietor ? Is its leading columns of the 16th ult., the ' Lyell Argus ' says : — " Much to the credit of the denomination, but owing in great degree to the zeal and self-abnegation of the clergyman, a determined effort is now being made by the Roman Catholic portion of the community^ to provide suitable bnildings wherein the worship of God can be carried on with decorum and solemnity. Not only has a house to house canvass been initiated for the purpose of providing the nucelus of a church building fund, but another want which has been very much felt has not been overlooked. We allude to the provision of a qtdet place where the clergyman could reside during his sojourn in the* district, and where he might be visited without interruption by the members of his congregation. In order so far as possible to meet the immediate exigencies of the case, the shell of a building on Mi*. J. Sullivan's ground will, we understand, be transformed into a temporary residence. It is therefore apparonfc that the thin edge of the wedga has been inserted which will one day drive away the apathy in religious matters which has hitherto been characteristic of the place ; yet very much remains to be done before the wish of the people to obtain the service of a resident priest can be gratified." The ' Nelson Colonist '•> in a recent article upon Ireland, its •wrongs and their remedies, is good enough, to say : — " Here, let us Toe the natives of the three kingdoms on a most perfect footing of equality. An Irishman in these colonies is only distinguished from an Englishman or a Scot by his superior courtesy, the grace and thoroughness of his hospitality, and the bright twinkle of his eye that tells of fun and keen wit." A daily Catholic journal — the ' Daily Telegraph — has been established in New York. Persons who can live at all in Brazil live a great while. They have a man there who dances on his knees his grandchildren's Grandchildren. At Ceara, in that country, there is a woman in prison who was sentenced for life, November 6, 1815. She was then 60 years old. She is therefore 119 years old now.