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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 20, 13 February 1891, Page 18

The drawing of the art-union in ail of the convent building fund at Kumara has been unavoidably postponed until the first week in April. PersoLs who have kindly consented to dispose of ticket 8 will, therefore, do well to make good use of the interval.

We desire once more to draw the atten'ion of our readers to the art-union undertaken to defray the cost of providing a presbytery at Palmerston. A very desirable residence has been secured for the purpose and it ouly now remains to clear off the debt necessarily incurred. All Catholicß understand the obligation of providing a dwelling place for their priests, and we need not, therefore, refer at any length to it. An effort, however, ia urgently needed to make the art-union a success. A new anti-Parnellite pap^r appeared in Dublin on Wednesday. December 24, under the title of the Insujfprcs^ible, and the prospectus of the Irish National PreßS, Limited, was issued on the same day. The capital of the new company is £60,000, divided into 12,000 shares of £5. The directors are Mr. William O'Brien, who is chairman and editor-in-chief ; Mr. Justin McCarthy, Mr. T. Sexton, Mr. W. M. Murphy, Mr, T. M. Healy, Mr. T. A. Dickson, and Mr. John Barry, M.P.'e. The secretary j?ro. tan. is Mr. William T. Dennehy, and the offices are 11, Lower O'Connell street. Thl Nation explains that the support given to Mr. Parnell by the members of the Parliamentary party who are now opposing him an se, not from their intention to remain amoDg his followers, but to give him an opporiunity of retiring more creditably and of his own accord. Tne meeting at the Leinster Hall, where the agreement was unanimously come to that Mr. Parnell should retain the leadership* says our contemporary, was influenced by such a feeling — in view of the services that had been rendered by the fallen leader. The explanation, we may add for our own part, seems, under the circumstances, ra'ional. We confess, beanies, that it does not seem unnec ssary. We have never been able to understand how, for one mom' nt alter tta< revelation of Mr. Pa mull s guilt was made, any thought of hid retention as lea ier emM have been entertained by an;. irue-D^arted In^bman. It has bei v tujgcs'cd that the National puty all aLng mutt have been awaie <i his guilt. Mr. Davitt's explanation, however, completely dispels that notion, and proves how confidence in the leader's word <li ceived his followers. This explanation, therefore, given by the JYatwn \s, as we have said, ratio a 1 — though we must acknowleJ^ that the proverb al Irish good nature seems to have been a little strained on the occasion. It has also been opportunely nude — anJ not without being called for. The Utv, II B. Ch.pman, vicar tf tit. Lukes CamberweU (says the Lncrpool Catliolu luncs), >.'a'ts that he h rt s had a letter from Miss Amy Fowlei. setting forth hei reasons loi aban Inning the charge of tl c L"per Suspect Hispital at Kalihi. Mr. Chapman at ributes the prevention ot her utulve to "ml tape ' and ' local ammjsities.'' Mish Fowier is m w earning her living at Hono.ulu. Ihe Leper Fund wh eh Mr. Chapman has m hand, £o,*o, will ba expended in warm clothing and txtia comforts for the lepers of Molokai (numbering 1 ,:'UO). Mr. (Jhapm m adds : "It is satisfactory to note that the base alkgatioib again.-t tic late Father Damitn were entirely due to reLgious bigotry."' We record with regret he death of Mr. J. C. Brown, Lite Mem^ her for 1 uaptka, which t ccurreu at St. Clair, near Dunedin, on Fiiday las . Mr. Biown way a colonibt of lung standing, and had led an activr a (1 useful lite. Hi* raw r u^ « Metnb'T of the Hou'C o^ liepiist'ntatives was a most creditable one, Rnd his late defeat owing to the .'.lteration made in the eons ltutncy was a subject of general ngie . Ihe Catuo ics oi jNew Zealand owe Mr. Biown'e memory a debt, .1? he had const-mtiy buipoitcd their educational claims, and prove i himself their friend. Mr. Brown was married, and leaves a widow, but no children. .Mrs. Brown has our respectful sympathy in her affl ction . Wl learn that aiiMMg the y ;iin, r .a htn wno have recently passed the Univeifliiy maliu'ulatii.u examination is Miss Kmraa Dungan a pupil ol tut All Saints' Convent Scunol, Gioytn juth. lli 5d 5 d Dungan, we may ad>i, was also one oi the gucct&sful candidatea in the recent

musical examinations in which the pupils of the good Sisters of Mercy so highly distinguished themselves. The young lady in queetion is a daughter cf the la'e Mr. John B. Dungaa, who was formerly for some years editor of the N. Z. Tablet. We see with pleasure that the talents which had earned for this gen tietnan a high place among colonial journalists are mhente I by his children.

The death is announced of Sir William Fitzherbert. X.C M.G., late Speaker of tbe Legislative Cojncil, which occurred at the Lower Hutt, Wellington, on Saturday afternoon. The deceased gentleman was a colonist of high distinction, and his long career in New Zealand was in every respect honourable and worthy of admiration. He is Bmrvived by two sons, Messrs. H. S. and W. A, Fitzberbert, and a daughter, who is the wife of the Hon. P. A, Buckley, our present Attorney General,

A concert will be givon at Port Chalmers in aid of the Catholic Presbytery fund on the 18th inst. From the preparations now in hand a brilliant success may be looked for. Hours will be regulated to euit the trains.

A public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Dunedin, the other •veniog to consider the steps necessary for the relief of the distressed relatives of the men lost in the Kakanui. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and several very feeling speeches were male. It was resolved to establish a fund for the purpose referred to, and to appoint a committee of management. The object is one that mu9t commend itself to us all, and we may confidently expect successful results.

" Baron Hirech has given 12,000,000 francs (£480,000) to promote Hebrew emigration to America." The generosity of the Baron is princely. There are, however, two sides to most ques' ions. What will American protectionists say to the wholesale immigration of a population whose inroads, to a much less extent, have greatly helped towards starving the London masses. We fancy there will ba something more to be said about this matter.

Notwithstanding Mr. Gladstone's openly expressed scorn of the Temporal Power, he proves himself more friendly towards the Catholic Church than the Tories, who, nevertheless, allow it to be gathered that they would not be unwilling to see a Papal restoration. Proof of this has been given in the Bill introduced by Mr. Gladstone for the removal of the disabilities forbidding any Catholic to fill the place of Lord Lieut mant of Ireland or Lord Chancellor of England. The Bill has been thrown out by a majority ot thirty-three. Iv opposing it, by the way, the Right Hon. W. H. Smith made a very suggestive remark or two, aud which, in more than one point, seems worthy of note. ll In the event of Home Rule bang granted to Ireland," he said, as reported by the cable, '• the Viceroy wouli be the only link connecting the country with the Throne, and it was essential that he should ba a Protestant, as Catholics regarded their allegiance as due to the Pope before tbe Queen." Does the Right Hon. gentleman therefore believe the concession of Home Rule inevitable? If not, there is little pertinence in his point. At any rate, his allusion to that stale old calumny inspecting the allegiance of Catholics proves how completely Lord Salisbury's attempt to influence the Vatican has failed. It is plain, as we have said, that Mr. Gladstone, openly as he avows his opposition, is more favourable to the Catholic Church than Lord Salisbury, wno would have it assumed that he is among the supporters of her claims.

In order to secure the necessary funds fer the purchase of a suitable uniform for the members ot the Howickand Pukuranga Fife and Drum Band, (says the Auckland Star, of January 31) an interesting and very successful concert, followed by a spirited farce was given in St. Mary's Hall, Howick, on Thursday evening last. The band under the able direction of Mr. J. Smith, performed a number of musical selections in a finished manner. Mr. Haultain and Mr. Young, the promoters of the evening's amusement, are to be congratulated on the success which attended their eftoiti. At a suitable interval refreshments of a light nature were handed round, and the entertainment was presided over by Father Walter McDonald. . . Father Walter visited his Auckland friends during the day, and it is needless to t>ay that all were delighted to see him,

An old colonist who did good service in his day has passed away in the person of the late Sergeant Finnegan, who died at North Dunedin on Tuesday afternoon. The deceasid was principally distinguished in connection with the gold escort duty performed by him, to the results of hardships attending ou which nib death is

probably to be attributed. He was held in high esteem and is much regretted.

The annual smoke concert and supper of the Dunedin Irish Rifles were held at Carroll's European Hotel last evening. Captain Fairbairn presided, and tnere were also present the Rev, Father Lynch, <j^-0 tptain T. S Graham, Lieu'enants Murray and Punne, and about furty members of various ranks. Lieutenant Murray apologised for the absence of Mmj >r Callan. After ample justice had been done to the rep ist provided by Host Ctriol!, the various toasts were proposed and received with musical honours. During tbe evening songs and recitations were contributed by various members of the company.