INVERCARGILL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 16, 16 January 1891, Page 7

INVERCARGILL.

Jaouary 12, 1891. A pleasing ceremony took place on New Year's Eve, wh<n a number of the gentlemen of the Catholic congregation assembled at St. Mary's Presbytery to present the Very Rev. Father WaUh witb a new buggy, harness, and outfit a* a New Year's gift, in token of their esteem and regard. Tbe buggy, which is strongly built and wellfurbishjd, wa* nude by Messrs HuffoJim and Bm, Dea street, while the harness was speciiilv made for the New Zealand and South Saas Exhibition by Messrs. W. Gathrie and Co. The gift was a very suitable one, seeing that the pmsh is wide aud scittered, and tbe clergymen often suffer an inconvenience in not baling a mode of conveyance at hand to perform theirdutiei and attend to urgent calls in the country places. Mr. W. J. M'Kaown reid the following adiress — "Very Rev. Sir,— ln recognition of your uatlring Z9al and energy in promoting the spiritual welfare of this pariia during your brief 6ojourn amongst us, and as a token of the harmony that ermts between pastor and people, the members of your congregation have resolvei not to allow the present festive aaason t j paaa by without giving expression in some tangible form to their feelings of gratitude, respect, and reverenoe. In selecting a suitable souvenir for the o caaion our object has been to procure one which shall be useful to you iv carrying on the good works and discharging tbe important duties belonging to your office. We, therefore, beg you to accept as a New Year's gift from the Catholic community this buggy, with harness and outfit, and we trust God will long spare you to labour amongst us and minister to our spiritual wants. — Signed on bebalf of tbe Catholic congregation. (.Here follow the signatures.)— Father Walsh said : My Dear Friends, — I thank you most sincerely for your very kind address aud for tbe highly useful and valuable present which accompanies it. Although comparaively a stranger in your midst, you loru to sntertain towards me, your pastor, those charitable and generous sentiments, which tend to form mens' happiness. Thiß indted, is all the more creditable to you, especially as I feel and know that, during my short residence in Invercargill, I have done nothing that would merit such a spontaneous manifestation of your affectionate regard. I should be indeed ungrateful if I did not prize tba existence of the feeling which your presentation of to-day evinces, and I can assure you it shall ever be one of my greatest pleasures, as long as I am amongst you, to look upon this day's gift as a memorial of tbe frienily relations which now exist, and I hope will ever coat.nue to exist between pastor and people. A certain consolation, ioo, arisss from toe fact that th>* present forbids even an effort at forgetfulne«s, for as often as it shall be brought into use, which will be at least several time 9 a week in going into tbe country to impart instruction iv Christian doctrine to over one hundred Catholic children, even fleeting days and weeks and months cannot obliterate the depth of gratitude which I owe the donors. Your appreciation of a suitable occasion, such as tbe present is, no doubt — must, I know — be the source of no small drain on your resources. When I call to mind your unselfi -h, unflagging, persevering efforts and lavisijexpenditure in the cause of the Dominican Convene m the course of the year ; when I remember your generous Christmas offerings made a few days ago, your handsome present to-day is ; 11 tbe more to bd appreciated &s I assure you it is. Again, I have to request you to accept my wirmest thauks conjointly with the very best wishes for tbe New, Year aod a fervent prayer for your future welfare both in time and Eternity." The annual pic-nic in connection with the Catholic schools took place at the Ocean Beach, on Wednesday, January 7. Notwithstanding the fact that a strong westerly wiod was blowing, a large number of children and parents made their way to the tripping place, where after the inner man bad been attended to, a programme of sports consisting of some eighteen items was gone through. Some of ihe contests proved close ai<d interesting, especially the tug-of-war between the married women and the unmarried. The married ladies eventually won tha prize but not satisfied with tne result, their opponents demanded aoother contest and succeeded ia pulling their elders over the score amidst great applause. Tea was aj»ain passed round in the evening after which all returned home seeming well satisfied with their day's outing. In the evening a concert was held in St. Joseph's school, and passed off very successfully. Tbe building was crowded and a number were unable to secure even standing room. Tne Catholic boys' school reopens on Monday, January 19.