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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 16, 16 January 1891, Page 17

Tub Rev. Father Donnelly's parishioners have presented him with a handsome buggy, harness, lamps and rugs, as a token of the esteem in which he is justly held by them. The rev. gentleman in accepting the gift said, he could not receive it hs a personal gift, but for the use of the mission, which however, was all the same. He said

it washighly gratifying to him to know that he had won their esteem and approbation while disch irging his duty amongst them. " I thank you one and all for your goodness," he added, " and in return you will be daily remembered at the altar, which is th" bes' remembrance of all."

The Very Rev. Dr. O'Brien, Rec'or of St. John's College Sydney, and Mr. Alderman W. Hughes, also of that city, arrived in D uned io on Tuesday and were entertained by the Moat Rev. Dr. Moran, who accompanied them in a drive around the vicinity. The dis inguiwhed visitors left for Queeastown on Wednesday morning, with the intention of, afterwards, catching the steamer for the Hounds at Invercargill.— We understand that his Orace the Archbishop of Melbourne and the Most Rev. Dr. Higgins, Coadjutor Bishop of Sydney, will visit Dunedin early next month.

The Rev. Father Kelly, S.J., preached in St Joseph's Cathedral on Sunday evening. The rev. preacber spoke highly of the delight and astonishment with which be had seen tbe works performed by the Catholics of this city, and predicted still greater thirgs to come in the near future. He exhor ed tbe congregation to avail themselves to the full of the institutions erected by them. Tbe rev. gentleman is an impressive and earnest speaker. We regret to find him showing unmis'akeable marks of extreme delicacy, but we trust be may benefit by the fine climate of New Zealand and the restorative properties of the hot springs, which it is his intention to visit.

At a meeting of the Wellington Branch of tha Irish National League, held last night, (say* tbe Evening Pott of the Bth inst.) it was decided that no action should b 8 taken in caanection with Irish affairs, Tae members considered the matter was in very good hands, and that the re-establishment of their cause upon a proper footing is only a matter of time.

Mr. Sydney Hobkn, tbe yonng New Zealander pianist who baa met with sucb distinguished success in his studies and performances at the Lei paic Conservatoire, (says the Wellington Pott of the 10th inst)» is at present making a tour of the colony, and arrived in town by last night's Manawatu tr in, accompanied by bis brother Mr. E. D. Hoben, who acts as his basioess manager. Mr. Sydney Hoben entered the Conservatoire about three years ago to study the pianoforte, and showed such marked pioficiency at once that within three months he was called upon to play at one of the concerts of the institution, despite the unwritten rule which prevents students from appearing publicly until they have been twelve months within the walls. Hard work last year told seriously upon his health, and after various methods of treatment had been tried his medical advisers ordered him to take a trip to the colony. Upon this be is dot engaged, and at its conclusion will return to the famous German musical college. Mr. Hoben goes on to Christchurcb and Dunedin to-morrow, and will perform in Wellington about the end of the present month. His letters to various New Z aland journals, describing life in and about the " Con," will have already created a personal interest in him, and his appearance in public should be looked forward to by amateur players upon the much-hackneyed but seldom properly-used piano.

That worthy contemporary of ours the Napier Daily Telegraph is certainly fruitful in comical remarks. " Barnardo," says he "is harassed because his work of benevolence recognises no religion .'' But here is what Barnardo, in his latest begsing pamphlet, has to say for himself. " Roman Catholic Aggression. Texts for a sermon upon this topic might be fouDd by the hundred in modern life, and apparently in ever-increasing number. Not content with the claim for toleration and relig.ous equality which is now universally conceded^ tbe Roman Catholicism of to day proves itself true to its traditions by pushing forward its pretensions upon every pretext and at every oppoitunirv which it can twist into its service. la the recent history of our own Homes the dictatorial and impertinent aggressiveness of the Romanists has been eshibite Ito a marked degree. Both in their overt action, %nd through those numerous organs of the press which they either control or influence, this tendency has often manifested itself; and doubtless public opinion has been in no slight degree aHected by the quiet, persistent, and in general underground action of this ancient enemy of the Protestant faith, in poshing forward, in season and out of reason, its arrogant claims."

Once more (says the Liverpool Catholic limes) the veteran kidnapper of Catholic children, Dr. Barnardo, has suffered defeat in a court cf law. His appeal in the case of the boy Jones has been dismissed with costs. The judges, however, endeavoured to salve his wounded feelings by commending his benevolence. We are quite as much in sympathy with benevolent work as their lordships, and Dr. Barnardo would have had nothing but words of praise from us had he confined to Protestants his efforts for the reformation and impiovement of destitute children. If the Master of the Rolls has not come across any case of a Catholic institution having rescued a child and Protestant people trying to get it away, it is not because Catholics are less alive to the interests ot the young, but because they honourably restrict their zeal to the promotion of the welfare of the little ones of tbeir own faith. The course which they pursue Dr« Barnardo should also follow if he desires to avoid litigation.

Concerning the recent cable advice that Mr. Clutgam was to play befure her Majeity the Queen, the Auckland Star sayi .— " Mr,

George Clutsam may almost be claimed as an Aucklanc'er, as he practically commenced his musical career in Ibis city and was always looked upon as a promising pianist. He left Auckland with Miss Amy Sherwin's Company some years ago, aod went round with her, visiting Australia, India, China, aid the Continent, ultimately arriving in London, where he biougLt out a symphony which nccived very favourable notice. Ihe last number of the Musical Times states that Mr. Clutsam was one of the pianists of a strong company of which Mr. Sima Reeves is a member. Now we learn that he hus played before Royalty, and as Mr. Glut- am is will quite a young man— under 30— he should bave a prom-sing future b fore him Mrs. Ciuts^m— the m >ther of thistaleatel pUnis'— resides »t Pon•onby, and, it will be remembered, took a leading part in the perform»nce of The Sheerer,' by the Amiteur Op-ra CluV — \lr. Clutnam once lived with his mother in Duned n. We rememb-r ie clea> ly. He was Master Clutsam then, and one day ona ( f oar Catholic boys •—a wild sort of a hero he was— knocked the hat off him in the streetHis mother, who, at the time, sat under the squit Minerva oa the top of the Lyceam, wrote <o the newspapers declariog that all connected with the boy in any shape or f jrm were a terrible set of ya'ioos. She did not exactly use that language, which would not have b>en either ladylike or musical on her part, but such was her suggestion in tbe words she did write. We made an inquiry into the matter and all the explanation we could get was th it Master Olutsam, as he appeared in public, was rather a temptation to boys in general, anJ that bo>s in particular, whether they would or no, felt they must have a shy at him. Hence we conclude that Master Clv sam, even at th it early age, bore outward marks of geniua. Aneciotes of this kind are commonly told of distinguished men by their biographers, and, therefore, we record the facts so that they may be at hand when the time cotnee for their employment.

Thb reception of the Irish delegates in America was magnificent, as we bad foreseen. Everywhere enthusiastic crowds welcom d them, and eminent men were present to meet and support them. At a meetiDg in New York, 33 OOOdols were subscribed and 4000 lolswere taken at the door. In Philadelphia the receipts amounted to SO.OOOdols, in Boston to 7,600d015, and everywhere they were hbeia' and generous in the extreme. The Pilot in referrin? to tie master ■peaks as follows :— " The sneers of 'he London limes and the impertinent meddling of the Lrndon Tablet, in reg.rd to the m'ssion of the Irish envoys in America, have had their legitimate effect. The assertion of Joseph Chamberlain, tbat the bulk and reopectability of American public opinion weie opposed to the Irish Home Rule struggle, has had its legitimate effect. . . . They are welcomed and helped by the State and city officials ; by Americans of every ancestry and creed , by the American Catholic clergy, who have always been prominent in ev< rv legitimate movement for Irish Home Kale. The limes and the Tablet, Messrs Bilfour and ChamrerUn, nave indeed proved themselves great formative forces on American public opinion. ''

The appointment of Dr. Magee, Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, to fill the archiepiscopal See of York is one of the si.n.s of the times. We do not as a rule concern ourselves about such matttrs relating to the Chuich of Eng and, but this is an exceptional eccasion. It is the rust time tbat an huhman his Leon so honrure.i. Dt. Magee, as an Irishman, could indeed have had co hope of promotion to an English bishopnc lad not the parly iutere-te<l in retaining the Irish Establishment thought to strengthen their hand by showiig tre ixisttnce of an .ntimate con' cetion between the branches of their Church, respectively, in England and Ireland. This it was tbat brought about the at p' intment of tbat eloquent Irish divine to tLc Etc of Peterborough. It may be reckoned of credit to the Irish nation that the Bishop in that position ha? so proved bis abilities and established his reputation that the greattr honour— the greatest except ore— is cow conferred upon him. Tie full significance of the appoint ment mAy bis realised by those who recollect that, until the appointment of Archbishop Trench, the lmmtdiate predecessor of -he present Anglican Archbishop of Dublin, no Irishman, or man of Irish parcn'a^c— for Dr. Trench wf> thai alone, and even that partially — had been allowed to occupy that See. Indeed, properlj speaking, Lord Plunket may be said to be the first Irish Protestant Archbishop of Dublin,— and bis appoin ment took place after dieestablithmcnt. Some people, however, labour under the delusion tbat it is Irish Catholics alone who are an object of contempt and fcuspicitn on the other side cf the Channel.

AMOI.G the dea'bs repo-ted this week is that of Mr C ifiEord Lloyd. Well, peace be to his ashe". The lets sud about h*m the better. If we can be no'hing tla ,we can at leaet be chaihab e — ao far, that is, as holding our tonguts goep.

A FUND organised by the Ljrd Lieutenaut and Mr Balfour for the relief of Irish distress is apparently meeting with general support. Why, however, chanty rather than righV Mid justice should

be called into play, it is not so easy to see. Still, let us rejoice that the needy are succoured in any way. At the same time, whatever our feeling respecting the traJiti ,nal Greeks may be, we retain a sn. aking BDfrpicion of the living Sasenach-at least, when he adheres to his time-honoured methods.

What is the meaning of the release of the Invincibles, Mullett and lioroney ? The National papers exp'ain tbat of D.lan.y as the reward of services rendered during the Parntll Commission. Are the other men get free merely to contradict this explanation ? It looks rather like it.

Matters in Ireland still contiuue very unsettled. Who is to lead or who is not to lead is evidently b tiil tbe ob r ct of a warm contis'. Mr Painell bas bad an enthusiastic rec ption in Limerick, where he has denounced the Liberal leaders Pt having no land policy, and condemned the abandonment by the Radicals of the peasant-propnetory clause in the Land Purchase Bill. «He himself," repor.s the cable, " believed that tbe land question ought to be sett.cd concurrently with that of Home Rule, or left to an Irish Parliament to deal with, otherwise it would be impossible to govern Ireland without stringent and strong coercicn. Without a settlement of tbe land question Home Rule, instead of becoming a source of strength and fnedom, would be a sham, ending in the resumption of the Government by the Imperial Parliament." He also repeated the accusations brought by him in his manifesto against Mr Glads' oce, and off red to retire if his opponents would guarantee certain pointe— viz., (1) a charier for the settlement of tbe land, or power tj the Irish people to settle it themselves ; (2) power to secure the interests of labour sn . of artisans ; (3) the control of the Irish police; and (4) to concede tbe appointm.nt of tbe judges and magiß'iatcs in Ireland. As matttrs now are, Insb affairs stand in jeopardy. Union, moreover, the one powerful force that had advanced their mterebte, seems almost hopelessly broken. There is no use in minimising the n.iseiies of the position. What a gala day bas, alas, arrived for toe Tones aud the Primroße habitations I

Hiom ait no doubt deserves appreciation, and. they say, the study of the nude is objected to only by the prudish. A lady aud g ntleman, who have apparently been in swimming together, without any bathing costume however, and have come out to dry themselves sitting in close comae on the bank, may form a pretty subject for a picture or a pho ogiaph ; so may a naked lady, assaulted by a balldressed gen'leman, and ; stretched beside the naked body of a gentleman who seems to have just been murdered ; so may a yonng laly or her statue, becomingly but scantily attired in a garland of flower-. All ibis and some more of the same kiud, we say, may be very pretty and appropriate and delightful in art, and all that kind of ttiiu^. What we whould venture to hint, however, is that it hardly forms o becoiing border for a central picure representing a sacrei subject. We mention neither a local habitation nor a name. Wo just turow out a hint, by which perhaps good taste may be called into action.