INTERCOLONIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 49, 6 December 1900, Page 15

INTERCOLONIAL.

The death is reported of the Rev. Father D. O'Reilly, of the archdiocese of Melbourne. He came to Australia nearly 40 years ago, and had worked since then in various parts of Victoria. For some time prior to his death he was in poorihealth so that his demise was not altogether unexpected.

From Mudgee, New South Wales, comes the report of the death of an old resident of M' Donald' Hole named George Caddis, aged 104. Deceased was a native of Ireland and resided for a long time in the Capertee district. He was comparatively hale to within a few days of his death. He was highly respected in the locality, and leaves a large family.

A Mrs. O'Neill died in the Muswellbrook (N.S.W.) Hospital on November 2at the great age of 92 years. The deceased, with her husband and children, had long resided at Wollombi, where they were well known thirty years ago. The interment took place in the local cemetery, the Rev. Father Roche officiating.

On the first Sunday in November the Right Rev. Dr. Delaney, Coadjutor-Bishop of Hobart, dedicated and opened for divine worship a new church at Kelly Basin. The church is of Gothio design of the early English period, and has been built in wood with iron roof. The building consists of nave, entrance porch, and vestry, and will accommodate about 200 people.

Melbourne Table Talk says : — Sir John Madden, Dr. Bride, and Dr. M'lnerney— three old students of St. Patrick's College— who are now president and vice-presidents respectively of St. Patrick's College Association, are all Doctors of Law, and leading lights of the Melbourne University Senate, which is a good record for St Patrick's College.

The Right Rev. J. Dunne, who has occupied the See of Wilcannia since its establishment in 1887, left by the Ophir on November 15 to visit the tomb of the Apostles in Rome. Bishop Dunne, who is a most zealous prelate, is one of the most popular residents of the Silver City (says the Southern Croat), as was evinced by the splendid send-off accorded him by the Mayor and citizens of Broken Hill. His Lordship expects to be absent from the colonies for nearly a year.

Father Robinson, of Melbourne, has received a cable from Miss Amy Castles, stating that she has left Madame Marches!. Mies Castles went Home confident that her voice was a dramatic soprano, and that opinion was strengthened by competent critics in Europe. Madame Marohesi, however, deoided to train her voice as a mezzo, and Miss Castles became disoontented,more particularly as experienced European critics reiterated their former opinion after farther tests,

Her new teacher is said to be a man of the highest attainments in voice culture. In a letter to Father Robinson, Madame Marchesi speaks of Miss Castles as an excellent and diligent pupil, and likely to become an admirable singer and a credit to her country and friends.

tt » f eW 7? v a ?° at "* 'at home ' held in the Armidale Town Hall attended by local citizens and prominent residents of the district, to bid farewell to the Anglican prelate, Bishop Green, on the occasion of his departure for Europe, the Right Rev. Monsignor O Connor made an eloquent speech, during which he eaid that feelings of sorrow and pleasure struggled for mastery. He felt regret that a gentlemuu of Llie aUudlug and character of Bishop Grt-en was about to leave the district. Bishop Green was no ordinary man ; he was a great prelate and a foremost leader amongst men. btill pleasure was caused by the knowledge that the Bishop was returning to, a place in which he was known and where his true value as a churchman was appreciated. He was sure Dr. Green would carry from Armidale not only the sincere good wishes of his own people but those of thousands of others throughout the New England district.

The Diocese of Rockhampton embraces the territory between the 24th degree south latitude and Hinchinbrook (Ingham), and extending from the coast westwards to the South Australian border, an area of about 230,000 square miles. There are 10 extensive districts, and the arduous missionary work devolves upon 16 priests and 70 nuns • and there are from 3000 to 4000 children attending Catholic schools. His Lordship Dr. Higpin*, second Bishop of Rockhampton, (says a correspondent of the Catholic Press) is just now making his first complete visitation of his diocese. In many parts, instead of landing places, camping grounds, and halting places, with improvised r o° m o* bark and "flings, or canvas tent, wherein to celebrate Holy Mass, there are busy towns, roomy churches, commodious schools, and substantial convents. In Townsville there are two large churches, roomy schools, and a large convent of beautiful design, and recently over £3000 was subscribed for the erection of a new church of imposing dimensions and design. In 1876, when nuns established the convent schools here. 60 pupils were enrolled. To-day the attendance is nearly 900. At Charters Towers, too, there is a splendid convent, and a fine church also at Ravenswood. And at Hufrhenden, inland 236 miles, on the Flinders River, Dr. Higgins has just opened a convent of fine dimensions, construction, and appearance. But with all there ia yet an enormous amount of work to be done.

His Grace the Archbishop of Adelaide completed his fiftyfourth year on Tuesday, November 20. Since his selection to fill the bishopric of Port Augusta in 1888 (says the Southern Cross) Dr. O'Reily has had heavy diocesan cares upon his shoulders, and has taken no rest from his labors. As a result of hia persistent effort he left the Northern Episcopate practically free of debt, but on his transition to the Archdiocese of Adelaide he found it weighted down with financial responsibilities. The Archbishop, with characteristic energy and conscientiousness, Bet himself the task of clearing off all these liabilities. None of them had been of his own contracting, although in another sense they are all being contracted by him. At first the task seemed hopeless, for the debts were enormous, the rate of interest charged very high, and the people to whom the appeal for help was made were, and are, far from rich. However, they were fired with something of the Archbishop's own enthusiasm, and despite droughts and low prices, money has come in steadily, so that now, helped by the readjustment of interest charges, the total Archdiocesan debt, though still large, is far less of a nightmare than it was. The campaign continues, and victory is within a calculable distance, for the liberality which has characterised the givers is sure to be maintained. His Grace, however, is something far better than a mere genius of finance. His skill in accounts is bat one phase of his many-sided character. In matters temporal he is endowed with a strong common sense and a clearness of insight which would have brought him to the top either in politics or commerce had the Church not claimed him for her own. In things spiritual he is a guide and a helper, whose influence is recognised from one end of the Archdiocese to the other, and far beyond it. He is a cultured scholar, an expert musician, a trained journalist, an architect, and a horticulturist. Indeed, his garden and his orchard are among hia chief joys, and it is really wonderful to see the transformation which has already been wrought by him iv the stony ground which surrounds his residence at Glen Osmond. Right through South Australia everyone — whether of his flock or outside it — has learned to respect and love the Archbishop. While in West Australia, where he labored before coming to this province, the memory of his name has a sweet savor. Long may he live to inspire his flock with the true spirit of religion, and to build up the Church over the Provincial affairs of which he has been called to preside.