Diocesan News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 51, 20 December 1900, Page 4

Diocesan News.

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON. (From our own correspondent.) December 15. Fathers Mahony and O'Reilly, of St. Patrick's College staff, have pone fora short trip up the Wanganui River. Rev. Father George Mahony, who was here for some weeks in connection with the Stoke Orphanage cases, returned to Nelson on Thursday. At the Teohnical School Drawing examination the following students from St. Mary's Convent wero successful in the second grade :— Freehand — L. Meagher (excellent), E. Crombie, M. Goulter. Model— M. Goulter (good), I. Evans, C. Gray. Prior to their departure for home the Btudents of St. Patrick's College who took part in the production of ' The Two Orphans ' were treated to a special picnic. They were oonveyed in brakes to Titahi Bay, where a very pleasant day was spent. On their leaving the Bay cheers for their hosts, Rev. Fathers Clancy and Herbert, to whom the boys were deeply grateful, were lustily given. The end of the Stoke Orphanage cases has at last been reached. The trial of Brother Wybertus, charged with indecent assault on a boy named Gucker, occupied the Supreme Court, over which Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout presided, on Monday. A verdict of ' not guilty ' was returned. The results were anticipated by unprejudiced people of all denominations here and the verdicts of the jury have brought from the Press and people expressions of approval. A word of praise is here due to a local ' Defence Committee,' in which Messrs. O. McArdle. T. J. Davis, and L. Dwan were the prime movers, for the many services rendered to the Brothers during the trials. Though the Brothers have triumphed the costs of the defence are necessarily very heavy, and for the purpose of raising funds for the payment of these subscription lists are being forwarded to the principal towns in New Zealand. Already in Wellington there is, I am informed, a good sum subscribed, but as this is considered to be a colonial affair it is hoped that sympathisers from all parts of the Colony will subscribe and that the Brothers will not be put to the expense of repelling an attack on the whole Catholic body. Subscriptions may be forwarded to Rev. Father O'Shea, S.M., Bouloott street, or to Mr. 0. MoArdle, Botanical Road. A grand social and conversazione as an expression of sympathy with the Marist Brothers are to beheld in thejSkating ßink on next Wednesday, when doubtless there will be a large attendance. The midsummer entertainment and distribution of prizes at Ft. Mary'a Convent took place before an assemblage which packed the large schoolroom on last Monday evening. Instrumental and vocal items, quite up t«the excellent standard Bet at previous concerts by the convent pupils given by Misses Kenny, Rowe, N. Louy, Macloskey, Ritling, Camuion. N. Drummond, Bennett, and Reilly, and recitations by Misses Duignan and Parsons, occupied the fir?t part of the programme. In the absence of hia Grate the Archbisnop, the Very Rev. Father Lewis presided. Before presenting the prizes he congratulated the Sisterß and their pnpita on the excellence of the entertainment. The convent now had a colonial reputation as the premier s-chool of music. That this reputation was well merited was conclusively proved by the triumphs of pupils under the tests of the English examining institutions. Nor was it only, he said, in music that the convent was successful : it imparted a sound secular education, and, above all, it gave to pupils a solid religious knowledge — that knowledge which gave lustre to all education and was the foundation-stone of society. The Catholics of New Zealand •were proud of their schools, which for more than twenty years they had maintained in spite of the monetary sacrifices which were thereby entailed. He complimented the Sisters and pupils on the progress made during the year, and wished them all a pleasant holiday. [The prize-list appears in another part of this issue.] The annual entertainment by the pupils of the Dixon street Convent school was given at St. Patrick's Hall on Thursday and Friday evenings. The hall was altogether too small for the large audience present. ' Beauty and the Beast ' was the play staged and the cast of characters was as follows . — Zimri, F. Maher ; Azor; E. Murphy ; Anna, T. Myers ; Loloo, M. Mitten ; Beauty, I. Barry , Silverstar, D. McGrath ; Attendant Fairies,— A. Foster, D. Fonks, N. Maher, G. McArdle, K. Hickey, H. Flanagan, M. Edmunds, M. Tobin, A. McKenzie, W. Palmer, M. Outtrim, E. O'Brien, B. Foster, C. Tandy. The Sisters deserve every praise for the training of the youthful performers each of whom went through the allotted part in first class style. During the intervals the following items were given : — Fan Drill and recitation, infants ; duet Cpiano), B. and R. Coleman ; chorus, school children j solo (piano), G. McArdle ; song, A. Segrief ; choruß, children ; solo (piano), M. Weavers ; duet, B. and R. Coleman ; song, A. Foster. A special word must be given to the infants for their performance of the Fan drill. The sympathetic singing of the Misses Segrief merited encores for their different numbers. The proceeds of the entertainment go towards the fund for prizes and school requisites. A highly enjoyable and successful entertainment in aid of St. Bride's Convent. Masterton, was given by the pupils in the Opera House there on Thursday evening. The first part of the programme gave convincing evidence of |the good work done in musical matters by the nuns, and reflected great credit on them as teachers. The presentation of a drama, entitled ' Lord D&rnley' as the second part was equally successful. The programme of musical items was as follows : — Pianoforte duet and solo (three pianos), Misses Hourigan, Eccleton, Holloway, Richards, and Jones; vocal chorus, Misses Eccleton, Parsons, Daly, Holloway, O'Connell, Holmes (2), Jago, O'Malley, Collier, D'Arcy and Smythson ; accompanist, Miss Elsie Richards. Pianoforte solo, Miss Elsie Richards. Vocal solo, Miss

MoKenzie ; accompanist, Miss Olive McKenzio. Pianoforte solo (four pianos), Misses Eocleton, Hourigan, Richards, and Jones. Vocal duet, Misses McKenzie, Holloway, and King ; accompanist, Miss Eocleton. Pianoforte duet, Misses Parsons, Daly, Williamson, O'Connell, Jago, Richards, Collier, and Jones. Vocal chorus, Misses Eccleton, McKenzie (2), Holloway, King. O'Malley, and Jago; accompanist, Miss Elsie Richards. Pianoforte solo, Miss Eccleton. Vocal solo, Mr Walter Jago ; accompanist, Mies Eccleton, Pianoforte duet, Misses Collerton, Eccleton, Houiigan, Holloway, Stempa, and Torn* (2) Tn th*> drama the following took part ■ — Misses Holloway, E. King, Polly Mallabarr, Florence D'Aroy, Reside, Power, Ecvleton, CoHerton, Chapman. Mat ray, Parsons, Hooper, Hourigan, Chapman, Stempa, and Vida O'Connell.