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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 17, 23 January 1891, Page 17

His Grace the Archbishop of Wellington, accompanied by the Very Bey. Father McNamara, V.G., and the Btv. Fathers Yardin and Power, visited the French flagship Dubourdieu on Thursday. His Grace was honoured by a salute of 13 guns.

The Christian Brothers' School (St. Joseph's), Dunedin, will reopen on Monday next, the 26th inst. Parents in the country desirous of placing their sons under the care of the Brothers can, we understand, have tteir boys accommodated at respectable boarding-houses in the city whilst they attend the day school. Judging from the results of the pupils' examinations at the end of last jcar and from the very creditable display made by the lads at their Christmas breakup, we are quite satisfied that a good and profitable year's study was gone through by the boye. We heartily wish our young friends a still greater measure of success in the scholastic year they are now abjut commencing.

The Diocesan SjDod of Dunedin will assemble in St. Joseph's Cathedral on Wednesday nes f . the 28th inst. On the following morning a soltmn office fir the dead and Hiyb Mass uf lifijukm will be

j celebrated ia the Cathedral, as the twelve-months' mind of the late Bight Bey. Monsignor Ooleman, commencing at 7 o'clock.

Mb. Fitzqkbald, the Australian labonr delegate, has protested in London against making the colonies "the dumping ground for the rubbish of the old world." — And yet mankind h»ve btfore their eyes an example of brilliant effects to be so obtained. Ulster, the queen province of Ireland, the very blossom of Protestant civilisation, waß settled in just such a manner. The rubbish of Great Britain — of Scotland particularly— was damped there, and behold the result. Decidedly if we may judge by Ulster— and all we hear be true— thieves) and scamps, and human rubbish generally, make the finest ancestors possible. To shut out such rubbish from the colonies, therefore, is to inflict an injury upon their future.

A well-known athlete in Wellington (says the Wellington Post of the 16th inst.) is about to take up his residence in another part of the colony. We refer to Mr B. P. M'Mahon, who has been connected with St. Patrick's College since its establishment, and who has now received an appointment as master of the Catholic school at Beefton. Mr M'Mahon is an excellent footballer and cricketer* while on the running track be has won several prizes. Up to the present time he has been secretary of the Bugby Football Union, and Las discharged the duties uf the office very satisfactorily ever since bis election. Before he left the College he was entertained at dinner and presented by the Bey. Dr. Watters with an illustrated edition of " Couk's Travels Bound the World," and several choice works by Hallam. He leaves for his new sphere of labours to-day» and will carry with him the best wishes cf a large section of our readers.

Mobe brutality, contained in a small space, than the following it would be difficult to fiad. We take the passage from a congenial source, the Napier Daily Telegraph :— " The fact is the Bed Indian is not at all that James Fenimore Cooper pictured him. He is, not to put too fine a point on it, an evil smelling, dirty, treacherous, cruel coward, and if, as our cablegrams have told us, the present war may lead to his extermination, we are not at all sure it need be regretted. The world, it is true, is pretty wide, but it is not quite wide enough just now to hold a race that refuses to come under the banners of civilisation." — Verily, the spirit of Bartelot and Jameson survives them.

The submission of the Indians and their sending their chiefs to Washington to beg fir kinder usage bears out what Father Kraft said, in the interview to which we alluded last week. The matter savours very little of fanaticism, or the influence of a false Messiah. Poor people, they seem hardly to need such excitement to make them discontented with their lot. Among the means of harassing them appear to be also the Wild West shows that have of recent years become so common. A bmi of the unfortunates, for example, who had been exhibitei by one Dr. Carver, arrived in New York a few weeks ago, with the intention if possible of getting back to their country. They were, however, penniless, and told piteous tales of the cruelty with which they bad been treated. Anglo-Saxon utterances, like that of our Napier contemporary, make this easy for us to believe. But the poor Indians are only too willing to become civilised. Indeed it is their readiness to do so and the danger of loss in consequence arising to well-paid officials th"t goes far towards creating their trcnble Father Kraft spoke well of General Miles and described him as friendly to the tribes. He further expressed himself anxious that the Indian Department should be done away with, and the War Department appointed to act in its place.

" The police report on the working of the Prison Gate Brigade (says a Melbourne cablegram) contains some curious revelations. It is alleged that the brigade clothe and feed criminals who at night are engaged ia crime." — But the tendency of the Army's sayings and doings generally seems to be to bring into practice Luther's advice— Pec ca fort der. Hardly any other result can be expected among crowds labouring under continual excitement and whose motto is in effect " The gi eater the sinner the greater the saint."

On Tuesday last (says ihe Nelson Colonist of the 15th inßt.), the children of the St. Mary'-* Girl's Orphanage to the number of one hundred and thirty, and ranging from three years of age to fourteen were taken for their annual picnic. The locality selected for the occasion was the Peninsula, near the Maori Pah, Wakapu&ka, and at about ten in the morning a couple of coaches and several traps left the Orphanage in Manuka Stieet, the children being accompanied by the Very Bey. Father Mabor ey , Father Landaur, the Bey. Mother and Sisteis in charg6 of the Convent as well as Mr. Hoult and a few friends. The drive out was not the least enjoyable part of the programme, and after arriving at their destination the childreo rambled on the sea shore till lunch was raady. In the afternoon a number of games and sports were entered upon heartily, and at rive o'clock tea was provided for the children, who later ou enjoyed more fun,

Before leaving the ground they gave hearty cheers for all who had assisted in pro Tiding for them such a happy holiday, and for Fathers Mahoney and Landaur and ths Sisters. The Tery Rev. Father Mahoney made a fewremaiks telling the girls that their thanks were due in the first place to the" liberality of the public who had subscribed ■o generously for their picnic, and in the second place to Mr. M. Hunt, through whose instrumentality tho subscriptions were obtained. About seven o'clock the homeward ride was commenced and the many songs sung by the girls on their way to town gave evidence that happiness reigsed.

An opening for Russian Jewe, expelled from their own country, would seem to exist in South Africa. A committee of the Dutch Reformed Church reports having assisted one of their number who had been converted — converted to what we cannot exactly say, for we are not fully informed as to what a reformed Dutchman—especially a Boer— may be. The committee further reports that more Jews have of late been concerted than formerly — again a rather indefinite pronouncement, the number or average of such former conversions not being stated. We may, however, conclude perhaps that the condition of certain Jews is more necessitous than it was in former yeare. — Meantime, there is an opening for Russian Jews to become reformed Dutchmen if they will. There appears, nevertheless, to be some reason to doubt their good will in the matter. A rev. member of the Dutch Reformed Synod, for instance, expressed his opinion that it would be best to dissolve the Jews' committee, and turn their thoughts to the conversion of Mahommedans. What are the chances that the Dutch Reformed Church will gain a large accession of proselytes from either people ?

PEOFEBSOR Mil Mulleb recommends that all the languages now spoken throughout the world — in number, we believe, about 2000 — should bo silenced with the exception of four, namely, English, French. German, and Italian or Spanish. But might not the pbonograph be brought into use in the choice ? Much heart-burning and contention, no doubt, would be aroused by an attempt to put the proposal in practice — as Professor Muller seems, in fact, to recognise. Every one would fight for the retention of his own particular tongue, and would claim it as the best. But if the difference could be shown in plain black and white, the mattt-r should become more simple. The phonograph can be ntihsed to show the manner in which the air is affected by sound. We saw it the other day here in Dunedin — a regularly marked line for an organ note and a violently jigged sort of a line for quite a common sentence in English. Why, therefore, should not every language be tested by the phonograph, so that it might be ascertained which approached nearest to music? 'l he musical tongue is that which has always been held in most asteem ; that therefore, which should be selec'ed in preference. Professor Max Muller proposes for preservation the "most eillcient instrument of communication." But that is a sjrdid idea, out of keeping with an sßSthetie age. Lst the phonograph, we say, decide the matter.

In St. Mary's Cathedral, Wellington, on Sunday last (says a local daily of the 14tb mst), was commenced the ceremony of the forty hours' Adoration, and the ceremony was continued on Monday and yesterday mornings. Solemn High Maas was celebrated on Sunday, in the presence cf His Grace the Archbishop, by the Very Rev. "Father McNamua (Vicar-Geaoral), as.is'ed by the R j v Father L> Menant des Chesnais (deacon), the Very Rev. Father Kerrigan («übdeacon), and the Rev. Father Power, Master of Ceremonies. The altar was magnificently decorated, it being lined with crimson hingings and beautified by quantities of natural rlowera and large number of candles. Tnere was a large congregation present. The music was rendered by the Cathedraljcnoir under Mr. Macdurt Boyd. Mo/, irt's First Mass was sung very elfjctivjly, an 1 after the profession of the Blessed Sacrament the Litaay oi the Sunta was rendered. In the evening, Vespers, His Grace the Archbishop preach j.-i an eloquent eermon on the Blessel Sacrament, his remarks* bjing listenel to with wrapt attention. On Mon lay morning Mass was agaiD celebrated at 8 o'clock by the \ Rev. Father Lc Menant des Ch-so-us, who was assisted by the Very Rev. Faiher McNamara (deacon) and the Very Bey. Father Kerrigan (sub-deacon). The music was rendered by the 'Sisters of Mercy, and consisted of Concone s Mass, and at the off >rtory *' Jesu Doloris Victima." After the elevation, " Aye Verum " was sung. Adoration was continued during th>^ day, and the church was visited by a large number of the faithful. Toe Mass of Deposition was begun yesterday morning, the celebrant being the Very Rev. Father McNamara. (deacon) Rev. Father Doherty, (sub-deacon) Very Rev. Father Kerrigan. The usual procession of the Blessed SacrameDt took place, m which the different confraternities took part. The music wad again rendered by the Sisters uf Mercy, and was the same a 9 on Monday ni^ht.

THE lnlf-yeaily meeting oi St. Patrick's Bianch, H.A.C.B.S. (says the Wellington /WotW ot the Hth inst), was held at the Marist Brothers' schoolroom last night, Bro. G, Bradley (President) in the

chair. The election of officers for the ensuing six months resulted as follows :— President, Bro. J. Stratford ; Vice- President, Bro. K. Daly; Treasurer, Bro. M. B)han; Secretary, Bro. W. J. Grant ; Warden, Bro. J. Clancy; Guardian, Bro. T. Burke; Sick Visitors, Bros. P. Morris, J. Clancy, T. O'Brien, and W. Feeney ; Auditors, Bros. T. Burke and J. Curry ; Medical Attendant, Dr. Cahill. A vote of thaaka was gir^n to the retiring officers. It was decided to act in coDJuncticn with the juvenile branch in holding a concert om St. Pa rick's Night, and a committee was also appointed to consider and report as to the manner in which the holiday shall be spent.

Mattees in Ireland seem to continue much as they were. The situation is most unfortunate — humiliating to everyone in sympathy with the National movement, and injurious to the cause,

Tkk attitude of Sir W. V. Harcourt is probably that which, under the prese it circumstances, most of us would also prefer. Sir William is reported to have written a letter in which he declares that " he prefers the comfort of his own fireside to political activity just at present. 1 ' Decidedly, when political activity involves vexation and confusion enough to drive a man half-mad, a quiet fireside offers mfiiite attractions. Mm, however, who have nailed their colours to the mast must go through with it, whatever they have to face. Let us for o ice take as our own the brag of our Anglo Saxoa brother an 1 refuse to acknowledge defeit until we have secured the victory. Not, of course, thit we would accuse our Auglo-Sixon brother of making a bull. We reserve our Hibernian privilege in addition to what we borrow from him. Sir William Harcourt may toa«' hi 3 toes in the ashes, but Irish Nationalists must weather the storm, keeping their wits about them, and their " hair on."

Mr. Stead narr.tes the erf -ct produced on the late Canon Liddon by a visit which he induced him to rmke to a Salvation Army meeting The Canon bitterly contrasted the condition of his own Church, in whose advantages and complete possession of the truth he, nevertheless, professed a strange confidence, with what he witnessed. "We could not get such men to St. Paula," he said. And great indeed is the guilt of a religious! system that baa driven the poor out to seek for heavenly comfort and peace in fanaticism and spasmodic excitement. The contrast to the Catholic Uhurcb is also remarkable. She has always been the Church of the poor. Nay, her enemies reproach her with the ignorance and poverty of the masses who throng her shrines. The fidelity of the poor, not proved as yet, nor, as we are convinced, ever to be proved, to the Salvation Army, is certainly a valid test of where the Gospel of Christ is to be found.

Tbk retirement of Sir William Frzherbert from the Seakerahip of the Legislative Couucil i* v<.ry much to be regretted. Sir William Fitzherbert joins to high a tainoaents, truly liberal principles, and statesmarJike qualities of great ability. In tin position filled by him he invariably performed his duties in a manner alike creditable tohim& j lf, woitiy ot the coloTy in whose legislature he held so exalted a place, aud ben ricial to the community. Sir William's retirement is the more to be regretted since it is sai 1 to be caused in some degree by delicacy of health. Rumour is busy, meantime, with the names of gentlemen looked upon as likely to succeed to the vacant office* The name of Sir Maurice O'Rorke, late Speaker of the House of Representatives, is especially promm- ir id the matter, andjthere is no doubt that should the appoin ment be thus made, aa expected, it would be mobt appropriately bjstowed.

Hi 1 * Excellency the Governor appears to have said what ho ought 10 have sud in unening the Science Congress in Chnatchurch the other day. lie was greit on secularism, though we may hope he would nat have been quite so much so it he could help himself. Wu may however, perhaps, admit thu Lord Oaslow has genuine pity fo r nursery-maids. He contrasted tducation here and at Home. '"Here,'' he said, " it is without direct cost to the parents, who are relieved of the charge of the children during the troublesome years of infancy, and who. by leaving ttiem at school dunag riper years, obtain for them someihing more than education which is elementary." — Perhaps, indeed, they obuin more than they bargain for. His Excellency, meantime, when he goes Home stouli make a good all-round Tory. He turns oil clap-trap easily, and that is about ail his party can honestly require of him.