Diocese of Auckland.

New Zealand Tablet, Issue 31, 3 December 1897, Page 6

Diocese of Auckland.

(From our own correspondent.)

November 25, 1897. His Lordship Dr. Lenihan is expected in Auckland to-morrow from Australia in the outward 'Frisco mail boat Moana.

Father Ginaty commenced his fourth arduous week of missionary work in the city last Sunday evening at St. Patrick's, before an exceedingly large and attentive congregation. From early morning until late at night the Rev. Father pursues his trying task. At St. Benedict's, Sacred Heart, and Parnell the very best results have accrued from the mission.

Rev. Father Mulvihill was the recipient of several beautiful and useful presents from the children of St. Patrick's Convent schools last Friday. The gifts were the spontaneous offerings of those for whom the Rev. Father had done so much while in charge of the cathedral parish. In the high school a nicely-arranged programme of vocal and instrumental music was provided, as well as an address, recitation, and dialogue. It is expected that Father Mulvihill will leave next week for Gisborne, over which parish he is to have eh irge.

Father Ginaty, in speaking at the cathedral last Sunday night, said that he had been told that St. Patrick's choir was the best in New Zealand.

Monday, November 15, was the first anniversary of the consecration of our present Bishop, and a special commemorative service was held in St. Patrick's on that day.

The ex-students of the Marist Brothers gave a most successful and highly-interesting entertainment in the Catholic Institute. It consisted of vocal and instrumental music, athletic exercises of various forms. The maze drill by the present pupils was most enjoyable and excited general admiration. Rev. Dr. Egan. Fathers Mulvihill and Buckley, and Rev. Brother Henry (Superior), together with a large and appreciative audience, witnessed the excellent programme.

Mr. Robert Hayward, of Christchurch, the popular past president of the Hibernian Society there, was in Auckland during this week on a business visit. His brother Hibernians of the northern city were delighted to welcome him, and extended to him every attention in return for the princely way they were treated last Mirch in Christchurch.

It is with the deepest regret I have to chronicle the death of Mr. Patrick Smith, which took place after a long and painful illness on Friday, November 26. He had been for years a member of the Hibernian Society, of which body his son, Mr. James Smith, is now past district president. He was a genial, kindly old gentleman, and his death is deeply regretted. The Hibernian Society attended the funeral, and the remains were interred at Otahuhu. Father Brodie conducted the burial services. May God in his infinite goodness have mercy on his soul.

Suniay desecration, more particularly during the summer months, in this city and suburbs, assumes wide proportions. It is q i te a common thing to see droves of young men, amongst whom v liortun itely may be seen numbers of Catholics, shouldering fowliiig pieces, and surrounded by packs of attenuated dojjs, hieing themselves off to the country in quest of pleasure and excitement. These worldlings direct no thought to the Source whence alone was secured to them the Day of liest. They forcibly remind one of the quadrupeds which gobble up the fruit on the ground, and with a grunt retire caring naught about the tree whence they filled their maws.

A case has been brought to notice, regrettable becausa not solitary, where a young man denied and subsequently put aside the grand old Irish name of Patrick. What a miserable spirit with which to be endowed. Ashamed of the name of Patrick ! In the days of the CaJsurs the proudest boast of their subjects was " I am a Roman citizen" ; in like manner our proudest boast should ever be "lam an Irishman." It is a proud heritage, and he who disdains it is a poltroon.

The Auckland Conciliation Board has done right good work during the last week in amicably settling, let us hope for some time, the rate of wages to the local tailoresses. One or two arrogant employers strode the high horse, and refused to submit to wtiat they called union bossisin. That era has passed away. The craitsunui who assiduously applies his craft, but udds to his concern capital in another and equally indispensable form, and tLis is now taken into account when adjusting industrial disputes.

A monthly journal issued by a local wholesale drug company has, to relieve the monotony of too much shop, ri printed a villainous diatribe against the Popes, and in particular against Pope Clean nt VII. That a firm like the one in ques ion could have permitted Buch a loathsome compilation to appear is inexplicable. Clement it was who made Bhort work of the licentious Henry- Is the explanation here ? Steps have been taken by one of the city priests to overtake this lie, but a stern chase is a long one.

The Wesleyan Conference wrestled, and with torrid eloquence, with the question of itinerancy. Opponents to the system adduced arguments pre-eminently ana characLeristieully Piotestant. Saul one of the reverend gentlemen, "In the^e removals the wishes of a clergyman and his wite and family, hov e tits, ;uid love ot country should certainly be taken into account." To this level has the Reformation ( /) landed them.

An Indian Rajah passed through the city last week, and on pursuing his ordinary avocations in the streets, he was surrounded by a concouise of bight-seeing citizens. It the Piince entered a B'iop a policeman had all he could do to ktep the pathway open lur t attic. Secrettd beneath a blatant democracy shoddy dearly loves a lord.

The Hon. J. A. Tole very ably defended Inspector Emerson from the charges brought against him through the agency ot the Prohibition League. Upon this organisation Mr. Tole was particularly

severe, and dubbed its chief witness by the unwelcome title of informer.

Australian politics are not wanting in the curriculum of the Wesleyan parsons. It was quite refreshing to hear the merits aad demerits of the conflicting tariffs on the border banks of the Mu»rty described to Press interviewers. Intricate social and political pYtfbleras were apparently more congenial than polemics. An antiquated cannon mounted in the Albert Park, and said to have been captured from the French at Waterloo, has furnished a bellicose theme in the morning paper for the author of "Deeds that won the Empire." Mr. Fitehett has a plenary store of striking metaphor, and he has fetrivLii to immortalise our grim old deathdealer.

Keast, the suppo e ed Evangelist, concerning whom I wrote in a recent letter, and who, when the religious game was played out, fulfilled the ouerous position of greaser on the Terranoru, was this week by Judge Connolly awarded unremunerative Government employment for fnur years. In sentencing 1 the "preacher" his Honour said : '• No doubt your whole career was that of a dishonest, immoral man, who professed to do all that under the cloak of religion. I have no doubt but that it was owing to your professions of religion that you have imposed upon numbers of people." Precisely so ; but to the goody-goodies this advice and example are thrown away. Any fraud who comes the way will work the oracle just as easily as the scoundrel now incarcerated in Mount Eden Gaol. Mr. John Dillon, M.P , writing to a friend in Auckland from Dublin, under date October 1 3, said : ' 'This will be a year of widespread distress. We are endeavouring to force the Government to do their duty, and not to leave the people to the devilish agency of relief committees. If the Government robs the country by over- taxation the least we may expect is that they will provide against the distress which is ths direct outcome of the misgovernment under which we live." To satisfy the gnawing hunger of the poor Irish people the benign English Government proposes as a remedy the erection in Ireland of a royal residence. What a degrading position for Irishmen to be oblige! to go cap in hand to beg a portion of their own two and three quarter millions annually and unjustly extorted from them in order to ke-^p together body and soul. Royal pleasures and record reign festivities are to the Cinderella of the empire but phantoms. The precocity of the colonial youth was exemplified this week when a constable arrested a youngster of eight years for stealing flowers from a grave. Defiantly facing the man of law and order the young thief said : " You can't summons me until I am sixteen i years of age." We are travelling fast, messieurs.