Diocese of Christchurch.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 30, 26 November 1897, Page 19

Diocese of Christchurch.

(From our own correspondent.)

At the lU h exhibition of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pdstoral Show, which took place nn Fr day week, the Association have reason to be sitt-fied both w ith thj number and quility of the txhibits. and with the mincer in which tMc Show was pitronisel. '1 he ti\ asur t's figures mike it clear that th" tikimrs at the gates are little, if anything b low that of la^ jear. which iormed a lvcord for the Association. The c ive^ed ZIOM has' not jut been reach "d ..) \he gates, but including the entrance i\ es ot those who pad at the' railway. JC'.KSO was taken, and 7 a^t year the sain was ti'.nj It ib however, reckoned that there were more people mi the g'ound this year, as the free tickets hal increased to neatly Kmii, and tht-re were about 2")U members' ticket-'. Alto'_r< tlier ]'.).!• )i) ji -i-s ms paid ioi admission, and with those who were adimtted tree, the actual number present could not have ben much short of 2l.ni). The weather was very fine, and the crowds ol p-ople were rem irk.ibly orderly. The wiiter ot a leader in a local paper seems however, not satisfied with some matters m connection with the '-how. lie says '* It has been so much the fashion among the people ot this favoured part of the colony to s] eak of their annual show as the greatest thing of the kind m the Southern Hemi-pliere. that they will probably resent any suggestion that there issiilt room for improvement. We are satisfied. how> ver, that the time has arrived when the b^t friends and promoters of the exhibition should abuidon the old style of extravagant oulnyy. and frankly admit that the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association has not kept p.ico with '■■mie other bodies ot a similar character, either in the provision ot popular attractions or m the encouragement of praelic d p^rioultuie. The local Association has many advantages. It is the premier nisi iution of the sort in the colony, and therefore, it is not «urprising fh.it itj growth is associated with .ill that is best in the development oi tiic province, and that its annual exhibition draws a larger crowd th-in any other event in the year. But with nil this the indisputibkfact remains, we presume, that the original intention of the founders of the association has been largely supplanted by a de»iie to obt.au ' record ' attendances and to secure a bold adverti-ement fora tew prominent stock-breeders and a number ot enterpiising manufacturers. The public, without knowing exactly why, cjutnrie to flock to the show, and the brcdeis and manufacturers obtain nil the publicity their hearts can desire. But if we take Last weeks exhibition as a sample of a dozen that hive "one before 'i. we may well wonder whether the average; visitor was l'aiily n p -id tor all lin trouble in going to the ground. There was certainly the unu-ual sight of a new Governor, who tpoke at the ollicia.l luncheon and afterwards did his L>e*t to emulate a still ruote exalted personage. described by one of the Victorian poets .—. — ' With all his court and councillors the good old monarch went , The morning that my talc begins through every booth and tent ;

He praised each well-made implement with ' Come, that's very nice V And sometimes he asked the use of it and sometimes asked the

price.' There were admirable displays of sheep and implements, but there can be no doubt that a little encouragement given to small farmers and even to cottagers in the way of special classes for home mam - factured articles, as well as for stock and produce would be well repaid. Shearing, shoeing and driving competitions, the reinstatement of classes of poultry and the institution of a farmer's fio.v< r show, and indeed scores of other things are worthy of considering. Then the -grand parade of stock,' which, if properly conducted', would give visitors a glimpse of the animals exhibited, was less th..n an apoloery for what the parade should be. It is not pleasant to have to find fault, but now is the time to read the lessons that may be drawn from Friday week's gathering — which are emphasised, by the way, by a slight falling off in the receipts at the gates — and if the management is wise in its generation it will not neglect the obvious dv ies pointed out." The annual luncheon took place iv the afternoon in the luncheon room at the show grounds. The ixnm was bedecked ior the occasion with wreaths and foliage, and the tables were effectively decorated with pot plants. Mr. P. Burke, ns u«ual, provided an excellent luncheon In reply to the toa-it " The Governor of New Zualund," his Excellency Lord Ranturly, who on rising was received with heaity and prolonued applaaso, said : — Mr. President and gentlemen, — I thank you *t'ur the very cordial way in which you have welcomed me and drunk my health. I can only say that my reception in Christchurch has been one that 1 never could have expected, and I hope on several occssions to come among you again. As regards coming to futi.re meetings of this association, I shall look forward to them with pleasure— as such shows as yours are, besides being of great interest and value to the Colony, of great interest to myself. Such associations, especially in, comparatively speaking, a new country, are of the most benefit to all those who earn their livelihood in any manner from the soil. In these days, when patent follows on tLe heels of patent, it is necessary for all those who require implements and are desirous of investing their money to advantage to come to 3ome place where they can practically see the various patents, the various tools, and not to judge by possibly a specious advertisement. Your papers in this Colony are very well patronised by advertisers, especially in the patent medicine line, and '• that lady who went to a ball " seems to meet me three or four times a day at different places. With respect to live stock, the show is also of the greatest advantage to the pastoralist for if he be so fortunate as to take a pmo, it will add greatly in value to the whole of his stock. Should his breed meet the fancy of ronnoi.s.scurs, even should he not be so successful as to catch the judge's eye, he may reap considerable benefits from the sale. The show enables individuals who live many miles from each other to meet and talk over farming niattei s in general, and, I hope, in many cises. of old days in the Oid Country. It enables them to see what each other is doing-, nnd to try to emulate each other in making a success of the particular branch of industiy they have undertaken. Mr. President and yvntlemen. allow me to again thank jou iri.r your extremely cordial reception, whnh I i-lvill 1 ot forget." — (Prolonged applause.) With much re: ret I record the death, at the comparatively early a^« of "> ye.*: •>. of Mr-'. Alice Commons, wife oi Mr. Jasoph Commons, of lli\er road. Opawa The decayed lady, who elied on Saturday morning last. Vovember l.'J.at ab"Ut halt-past nine o'clock, was the third daughter of Mr. Michael Hennessey, of Ballanders' County Limerick. Ireld-id. where she was born, and whereshespenithe o.uly portion of her hie. in com piny with her husband and their u>un^ l.uiuly she 1 cane to Canterbury about 2t years ago in the ship jf.ik.na. wlik.li was commanded by Captain Itose, and settled in the nei :hbourbo'd of ClniMohuieh, wheie she lived up to the time of her de'inv. lui\>. Commons, who was a fervent Catholic, and whose memory is held in yivnt esteem, had be; v in delicate health for son.c considerable time Lack. In her hist lllnt ss she was attended by the H"v. Father Ga'erne, horn whom she received with marked devotion all the consolatory rites or her holy t.uth. The Sisters of our Lady ot Missions frequently \i.4ted her. and the Vicar-General attended her before his abserce at the time for a few days from the parish. She leaves a husband and a grown up family of four sons ami femr daughters to mourn her loss. All her children were near her at the time ot her demise, and two of her elder daughters nrj inmates oi the Convent m Barbadoes street of the Sister^ of our Lady of Missions, and are known in religion as Sister St. A»ncs and Sister Mary of Loretto. Early on the Monday following her death her remains were brought from her late losiiience at Opawa to the PreCatludial, where the Rev. Father Galenic, who also officiated at the jirave, said all ■quu m Ma.-s for the iepose of her soul. With the same intention the Sisters in the adjoining convent recited offices and pr.ijerslor the dead. At two p.m. the funeral cortege, which was a largo one, was fonaed. and proceeded from the saci'ed edifice to the Catholic portion of the Linwood public cexetery, where the deceased wo^ nueried. — 11. 1.1.