NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 173, 21 July 1876, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Three members of a family residing at Mangere, Auckland, have been carried off by diphtheria. We have been requested to intimate fo our Dunedin readers that Messrs. Gourley and Lewis are now undertakers to the General and Pro\ incial Governments. Their advertisement appears in oux 18th page. A memorial is being signed in the Dunstan district with the object of having one County formed, under the Abolition Act. of the said district and that of Wakatip. A Mr. William Castle lays claim to the Piako Swamp, which lie asserts to belong of right to his wife, who is a Maori. It would appear, however, that some years ago the mother of the lady in question recehed compensation in lieu of the said land. We understand that the Rev. Father Cummins, to the great regret of his congregation, is about to leave Reefton. It is proposed to present him, prior to his departure, with a testimonial of the respect and affection with which he is v»idely regarded. A most satisfactory examination of the children attending the schools ot the Sisters ot Mercy, at Parnell, has recently been held. The excellence of these schools is acknowledged to be remarkable, and is such as meets A\ith commendation, not only from Catholics, but from the members of other denominations also. The E-ev. Father Francis Del Monte, on being about to leave for America, was presented by the Catholics of Lyttelton, with a purse of sovereigns and an address. The latter contained warm expression of the good will entertained towards the Rev. Father, audwas answered by him in a manner replete with feeling. The nomination of candidates for the office of Mayor for the ensuing year took place last Saturday, on the Terrace of the Provincial Government Buildings. His Worship the Mayor presided, and the candidates nominated were : — Messrs. W. Woodland, C. S. Reeves, and H. J. Walter. At the farewell dinner given at Clyde to James Hazlett, Esq., M.P.C., an attempt -was made in proposing her Majesty's health to introduce into the wording of the toast the new title of " Empress of India," but the disapprobation of the company being made evident, the addition was at once relinquished.

A man named JohnMoran committed suicide by hanging himself at Port Moeraki, on the 14th instant. The act is supposed to have been the consequence of intemperance, the deceased having been drinking heavily for some time previously. The unfortunate man has left a wife and children in a state of destitution. The Theatreß continue to present most attractive entertainments. At the Princess, in addition to Mr. Hoskins, Miss Colville, and their talented company, the famous Lingards are acting to enthusiastic houses, and gaining for themselves in Dunedin a reputation fully equal at least to that which they have elsewhere acquired. At the Queen's Mr. Talbot is delighting large audiences by his admirable representations, in which he is well supported bj; Mrs. W. Hill, and the other members of the Dramatic Corps. Me. John Core, of Westport (says the ' Argus), is at present in Wellington arranging for the sale of a half -interest in Mulholland's coal mine. He had an interview with the Minister of Public Works this morning, to arrange certain details connected with the lease, and was to meet several gentlemen this afternoon to arrange the terms of purchase. Captain Williams inspected the mine during his visit to Westport, and was so favorably impressed with its prospects, that he and a few other gentlemen are, it is said, about to invest several thousand pounds in the mine. Mr. Corr is one of the original prospectors of Mulholland's lease, and it is known to be the best of the Westport mines. A Wellington contemporary gives the following, from which, also we learn that New Zealand is not wanting in individuals of. that class to which Carlyle asserts that the people of Great Britain " mostly " belong :—": — " In the passage just outside Lue Colonial Secretary's Office, hang files of all the New Zealand papers. This, passage is a favorite promenade for persons waiting to see a Minister or TJnder-Secretary. The other day a visitor, walking up and down somewhat impatiently, was observed to make a pause each time he arrived at a certain point, and to glare somewhat wildly at the file of papers which hung there. At last he addressed a gentleman who was passing, and said pointing to the file, * How comes that there ?' Glancing at the place, the other replied, ' Oh ! the Tablet, it comes like all other papers.' In a hurried manner the stranger drew a bundle of papers from his breast, and in an eager whisper said, ' I should like to put a * Protestant Standard' beside it, Do you think they would let me, I should so like to ?' He was about to hang his * Standard ' on the castle wall, when the other remarked that such a proceeding would be objected to, as only New Zealand papers were hung there, while the ' Protestant Standard ' was published in Australia. Very reluctantly the Tablet was left without the counteracting influence of the ' Standard ' beside it." The attention of the members of the Hibernian Society in Dunedin is directed to an advertisement, which appears in another column of our present issue. The following are the results of the Bazaar and Art Union in aid of the Christian Brothers' School Fund : — Received by sale of tickets for grand and special Art Union, ,£282 7s 6d ; received by : Bazaar and Subscription Lists, £749 14s lHd; total, .£1032 2s sid> ! expenses paid, .£214 6s 4d ; balance, ,£Bl7 16s l*d; value of Prizes given (including Bishop's Portrait), .£250. It was proposed and unanimously carried at a meeting held at Forbury on Wednesday evening last, that Mr. Moloney is the proper person to hold the office of Mayor for the forthcoming year. Messrs. Scanlan Brothers and Co., being obliged by the widening of Princes-street to remove from their present premises, are selling off at a much redaced price their large and superior stock of goods. Parties who are engaged in furnishing, building, or renovating houses will now have an opportunity of obtaining many articles indispensable to this object on terms quite unprecedented. Further particulurs may be learned on reference to our advertising columns The success of Baker's Hibernicon is quite equal to that enjoyed by it on its former visit to Dunedin. Several new features have been introduced into the entertainment, which continues to be extremely enjoyable Those who have already visited it will find additional pleasure in repeating their visits, and those who havo not as jet seen it should by no means lose the opportunity of doing so.