WANGANUI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 8, 21 February 1901, Page 6

WANGANUI.

(From our own correspondent.) February 14. This has been a week of unusual excitement here. On Monday last 500 officers and men of the Imperial Contingent visited Wauganui and were entertained at a monster garden party on the beautiful grounds of the Wanganui Jockey Club. The men were accorded a splendid reception, the Maoris assisting materially towards its success by performing some of their quaint native dances. Afterwards a committee of the leading ladies in town dispensed afternoon tea to the soldiers. Mr. Hatrick (the Mayor) and his committee deserve great praise for the arrangements made for billeting the men. The departure was timed for 8.30 on Tuesday morning when, despite the early hour, a large crowd gathered to obtain a last glimpse of these doughty representatives of the Old Land. Dean Kirk entertained three of the ohaplains— Father Foran and Revs. Townend and Chapman— at the presbytery, and afterwards drove the two first-mentioned gentlemen round to see the chief beauty spots of the town. As soon as the visit came to an end the Drill Hall, where many of the men were billeted, was got ready for the great Imperial bazaar, organised by the ladies of the parish for the purpose of providing funds to pay off the balance of the debt on the enlargement of the church. The opening night (Wednesday) was a great success. It was (says the Ch ronicle) organised by the ladies of the local Catholic community. The doors were opened at seven o'clock, and at 7.30, the hour announced for the official opening of the bazaar, the Drill Hall was filled. The bazaar was opened by his Worship the Mayor, who was introduced by the Very Rev. Dean Kirk. In the course of a very pleasing speech, Mr. Hatrick said he had to thank the Very Rev. Dean Kirk for the great compliment and courtesy which he had extended to him by inviting him to open this splendid bazaar and sale of work. His Worship said that he could assure the Dean that it afforded him very great pleasure, not only as M iyor of Wanganui, but as plain Mr Hatrick, to assist him and the Catholic people of Wanganui in the small way in which he had been called upon to do. He (Mr Hatrick) felt very h ippy when, on taking up the newspaper that day, he saw that Lxsau Knk had entertained at his house the chaplains of the various denomiuation-i v\ ith the troops who had just visited Wanganui. He (Mr Hatrick) was glad to see that we were living in a cosmopolitan Colony and in a cosmopolitan town. Shakespeare had said that a man in his time played many part?, and Mr Hatrick jokingly remarked that England's bard must have had the Mayor of Wanganui in his mind when he wrote those words. During the time the speaker had been Mayor he had opened the Opera House, sent away a contingent. received| Imperial trcops, proclaimed a king, and had been presented with a silver cradle. He ventured to say that it would be many years, perhaps never, before a man would again have s>uch a record. Mr Hatrick then paid a compliment to the ladies, who, as he could see by the appearance of the hall, had taken a very great deal of trouble. The object of the bazaar was one which he considered could not be bettered. He thought churches should be out of debt, but they had a happy knack ot mnnii g into it. No sooner did a church become free than the congregaii' n wished the building enlarged. However, the wish for enlargement w:»* in sympathy with the general progress of the town, and he hoped it would long be continued. Mr. Hatrick then referred to the good work done by the ladies in connection with the recent reception of the Imperial troops. The committee, he said, w<..ie in a quandary an to what to do with the representatives of the grand old liritish Army. They went to the ladies and explained the position, and asked how they were to get out of the difficulty. The ladies said they would take the whole responsibility. They did so, and they carriol out their contract in a most excellent manner. The ladies responsible for the present bazaar deserved great success, and after expressing the wish that they would meet with that success, his Worship declared the bazaar open. His Worship, whose address was received with applause, wu heartily thanked by Mr. T. Lloyd, on behalf of the Very Rev. Dean Kirk. To return to the bazaar proper, it may safely be said that more prettily-arranged stalls have seldom been seen in Wanganui. The stalls numbered seven, and each represented a particular nationality, the draping of the stalls and the costumes of the young lady attendants indicating by their style and color the particular nation represented. In addition to the stalls being most attractive in appearance, they were also most bountifully provided with excellent articles of art and fancy work. The following ladies and assistants were in charge of the respective stalls. Empire Kiosk— Mesdamea Noblcßeaaley, T. O'Neil, and P. O'Neil, assisted by Misses O'Neill (3), Noble-Beasley (2), Meehan, Whelan (3). ' St. George for Merry England ' — Mesdames A. E. Kitchen, Mayer, Connolly, and Miss Northcote, assitted by Mrs. Cleary and Misses Turchich, A. Willie, Burke, Spiller, Chappell, and M. O'Neil. India — Mesdarxes Dwyer, E. Cullinane, Dempsey, and Hartshorn, assisted by Misses Dempsey (2), Carrigan, Leydon, Fraser, Gil* ligan, Forder (2), Pilot, and C. Blythe.

Ireland (produce department) — Misses Corcoran and M'Lachlan, assisted by Missee Crowley and Dalziell. Ireland (fancy department) — Mrs Lloyd, assisted by Misses Morgan, Crowley, McKenna, and Kennedy. 1 New Zealanders for Africa ' — Mesdames Neylon, Simpson, and Labatt, assisted by Misses Simpson (3), Crobb, Clapham, and Conroy. Canada, ' The Lady of the Snows' — Mesdamea Dv Flou. Cullinane, Keegan, and Wilkie, assisted by Misses Brown, Morton, Meneies, Simon, Hearne, Gordon, McKittrick, and Cullinane (2). Good business was done, and when the bazaar closes on next Tuesday no doubt a substantial sum will have been realised. On Sunday last Dean Kirk referred to the successes of the Wanganui Con veal at the recent Matrirnlation examination. He pointed out that now our girls could be taken to the very doors ot the universities. He also referred to the lahu thp boys had sustained by the transference of Bro. Alfred to Wellington. Bro. Alfred, during his six years' stay in Wanganui, had proved himself a splendid teacher, for besides the ordinary school work, he had passed boys far the junior and senior Civil Service and the Matriculation examinations. Bro. Augustine succeeds him.