NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 207, 23 March 1877, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

The prize list of the Dominican Convent Art Union has been increased by the addition of four beautifid oleograph copies of Raphael's cartoons, presented by the Christian Brothers. The pictures represent severally, St. Paul preaching at Athens, The Lame Man healed by St. Feler at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, The people of Lystra preparing to sacrifice to Saints Paul and Barnabas, and Elymns smitten with blindness. Each picture is contained in a gilt frame. The works of art now collected for the laudable purpose of being disposed of in assisting the Dominican nuns to ensure their permanent settlement in Dunedin/ arid to provide such buildings as will enable them to fully carry out the ordinances of their rule, as well aB

to conduct their schools in the efficient manner for which they are otherwise so well qualified, have now reached a considerable value. Owing to the necessarily early issue of the tickets for the Art Union, the names of many of the prizes do not appear upon them, and consequently the value of the pictures taken altogether is much greater than that advertised in the usual manner. It is, however, hoped that the low price, half-a crown, placed upon the tickets will make up for any deficit thus occasioned. It should be generally known to all parties interested that several handsome pictures have also been provided for a special art-union, in which there will be no blanks and for which tickets will be presented gratis to those persons who have succeeded in disposing of tickets for the general art-union to the value of £5. All things, in short, combine to recommend the undertaking to Catholics and liberal-minded people erery where. The Sydney * Morning Herald,' which for anti-Irish ravings is a fit mate for certain of our New Zealand contemporaries, speaks of the Irish iv America as being, in common with the Germans, Negroes, and Chinese, " the hands and feet of the community ;" while " the native population of British descent constiiu'e its brain arid nervous system." At any time such an assertion could but brand its author with ignorance, but at present it comes particularly inopportunely, since the whole literary world of the great Eepublic is now beside itself with rapture over a poem written by an Irish-American, Dr. Joyce, and to which we alluded in our last issue. Enthusiastic criticisms concerning this splendid production meet the eye in the columns of all the American papers. Amongst other* an eminent lady writer, who signs herself U. H., thus speaks of it : — " It was with the half-per-plexed incredulity of a great delight that we laid down ' Deirdre,' after our first perusal. * Too good news to be true,' we said, took the volume up, read it again at a single sitting from cover to cover, and laid it down a second time, the delight strengthened, the incredulity vanquished. The incredulity was natural, however. Could it come easy to believe, in this year, not of grace, but of machinery, eighteen hundred and seventj-six, that a man had written a poem which for simplicity in word and loving guilelessiie s in pictures of Nature might have been written by one of close kin to Chaucer, and in Chaucer's day ? A poem which for fire in its stories of battle and for severe splendor in its metaphors may stand unhurt and triumphant by the side of all the old classic epics which have been held sacred since the days of Homer and Virgil." The review from wliich we have extracted the above appeared in the 'Independent,' and the 'style in which it is written, abundantly bespeaks the power of the writer to paBS judgement. American litterateurs will hardly agree with those who direct the columns of the ' Herald.' In consequence of the threatening state of the weather on Saturday last, the Taieri races were postponed to the Monday following, Unfortunately, however, there was not anything gained by the change, as, although the ground on the latter day was in better condition, the atmosphere was still more unfavorable. The various events were well contested, and the sporb good, but the attendance was limited. We can have no better proof of the indestructibility of hunibng than that afforded by the reports of the discovery of the true Orton, which are circulated from time to time. With " Sir Roger " in MUlbank, to look out for the appearance of the first-named deponent elsewhere, seems to us no more reasonable than it would be to sit by a man's tombstone and expect to see him pass by still in the flesh. Apropos of the px-ecautions recommended in order to prevent the introduction of small-pox into Obago, it may, perhaps, not be out of place to suggest that the rules supposed sufficient to isolate infection are not always held inviolable. We know for a fact, that some ten years ago, when a ship having on board persons recovering from the aliove-named disease was approaching Port- Jackson, she was met by a boat conveying a butcher from Sydney who came out to solicit custom, and who, with two men that accompanied him, passed at least half-an-hour on the infected vessel, and then departed unhindered,, On entering the bay the ship was sent to the quarantine station at Spring Cove, and detained there a month. The pilot who had come on board a little after the butcher's boat had left the vessel's side, as well as a customs' officer who came on board in the harbor, was obliged to remain in durance with the passengers and crew. Besides its ability to stick to an adversary with all the good taste and tenacity of a puppy dog worrying the decayedremnants of a rat, our contemporary, the ' Otago G-aardian,' is generally distinguished by a forced smartness and a wit in convulsions, that are suggestive of the " spoken" part in the humorous songs of a halfpenny book of ballads ; but for a galvanized attempt at fun, resulting in a sputter of ribaldry, we have seen nothing to surpass our contemporary's pitiful local on St. Patrick's Day. It is to be hoped, however, that so painful an effort has been productive of the desired effects, and that it has obtained for the brilliant columns in which it appeared, additional circulation amongst thoss roughs \vho3e peculiar prejudices and literary qualifications it was designed to minister to. As we have been unable to receive any particulars relating to the lamented death of the venerable Archbishop of Sydney in time for oar present issue, we reserve our allusions to (he career of the deceased prelate until the arrival of the Australian mails. We do not know whether we are singularly unfortunate, but, owing to some cause or causes best understood by themselves, piatmasters, in general, throughout the colony of Ne * Zealand display tv most shameful carelessness with regard to the due forwarding of the Tablet to our subscribers. We beg leave to remind these gentlemen that common honesty requires them to attend to the safety of news ," papers quite as much as to that of letters. The regulation, by which it is required that notice be sent to the o.Ece of any newspaper when the journal issued by it is not claimed by the party to whom it is addressed at any post-office, seems to be held in utter contempt. The ordinary meeting of the Dunedin Catholic Young Men's Society was held in St. Joseph's School-room on Welae3JUy even-

ing last. There was a very fair attendance of the members, and several new ones were elected. A full attendance is requested for next meeting, on account of special business that is to be transacted. It is much to be regretted that the state of the atmosphere yesterday waa not more favorable to the observation of the expected transit of Vulcan by Messrs Ross and Skey. The well-known ability of these gentlemen led us to hope for the happiest results. In the case of Pearson versus the City Corporation, judgment has been given in favor of the plaintiff. This verdict, no doubt, will be hailed with satisfaction by all those who followed the course of the inquiry, especially if they happen to be interested in the welfare of children. We fear, however, that the Corporation of Dunedin is not lilcely to gain in reputation for humanity wherever the repoit of the case is perueed. If it be found necessary for the preservation of the public health that Bumbledom be intruded into the homes of citizens, we, for our part, would prefer that some shorter measure should be introduced, by which, at Jeasr, euthanasia might be promoted. At all events, the community at large owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Pearson, whether they acknowledge it or not. We rejoice in the purposed abolishment of the Fever Hospital, because we believe it to have been the occasion of more harm than good.