NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 23, 5 June 1902, Page 20

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

Mr. Seddon has left Cape Town for London. He had a splendid Bend -off. The Triad is generally noted for the excellence of its reading matter, the June number of this magazine being well up to the usual standard. The Catholics of Ashburton are taking steps to present Mr MoSherry, who has been master of the Catholic boys' school during the pißt five years, with a substantial recognition of his services. At a meeting of representatives of banking institutions in Wellington it was agreed that th re should be a discontinuance of holidays on St. Patrick's, St. G-orgre'e, and St. Andrew's days, and that on race days the banks would be kept open for a certain time in the morning. These arrangements would need ratification by the Legislature as some of the holidays which it is proposed to dispense with are statutory. Speaking at Otaki the other day Sir J. G. Ward said the Government were prepared to take the whole line and lands of the Manawatu Railway Company at fnll computation of what they believed to be their full value. If the shareholders decided to continue to hold the line the State would not do anything to injure them, and the Government would do their best to carry on their own line legitimately in the interests of the country as a whole. No differential rate would be imposed except where it waa necessary in order to compete with winter oarriage. On Thursday morning (says the Wanganui Herald) about 60 children, pupils of the Marist Brothers' school and of the convent, received First Communion at St. Mary's Church. The occasion waa an appropriate one, it being the feast of Corpus Christi. The boyi were attired in black clothes with white Bashes and the girls wore white dresses with wreaths and veils. Before giving Communion, the Very Rev. Dean Kirk addressed the children, and exhorted them in a few impressive words, to remember this the most event' ful day of their liveß and never to fall into sin, reminding them that they were soldiere of God aDd to lead lives accordingly. The children's choir rendered three pretty hymns appropriate to the occasion. A pleasant social gathering took place in the Coffee Palace on Monday night, when the letter-carriers of Dunedin held their third annual reunion. About 50 sat down to the tables and the gathering included not only the officials of the Chief Poßt Office, but several country officers. Mr Scott (chief letter sorter) presided, supported by Mr G. B. Dall (chief clerk) and Mr Ward ( of the Money Order Office). The vice-chair was fiiled by Mr A Smith (assistant letter sorter). The vice-chairman, in proposing the totßt of ' The Department,' said that since their last gathering the department had made great strides. The pen* y post had been inaugurated, and this had proved a boon to the Colony. Mr. Dull, in reply, said when he came to Dunedin there were six letter-carriers in the office, and now there were 29. This went to show the expansion of the postal department to cope with the increased business of the Colony. The position of the letter-carrier, remarked Mr Dall in conclusion, was one of the greatest walks in life, Mr Ward also responded, and dii so in a humorous vein. Songs were given by Messrs G. Clarkson, C. Strachan, A. Smith, D. Campbell, W. Brown, T. Anthony, W. B. Dall, G. Foster, W. Easton, and T. O'Connell. The programme also i Deluded violin solos, selections by Messrs C. G. O. Naumann, and W. T. Ward, aDd a recitation by Mr G. Jackson, The committee who had the arrangements in hand were Messrs W. Smith, A. Smith, W. Miller. J. Bain, G. Clarkson, T. Anthony, and A. J. Miecall (hon. secretary). Ip the Governor has not been misinformed, the CostleyHome at Auckland is not as well managed as it might be. Speaking in Auckland the other day, Lord Ranfurly Baid : 'In my remarks on the home I do not wish to find any fault with the management, or with the popeible necessary regulations in force. But when I look around the home and at the number there and see that there are about 200 inmates, and am informed that there are only two male and two female attendants to look after these old people, I can only say that it is utterly and entirely insufficient. And what is the result 1 The place is not kept as clean as it Bhould be, and the people are not kept as cle»n as they should be. Then again, there is not that proper subdivision or classification that there should be. The sick cannot have proper attendance, and I have failed to find out that they receive proper diet according to their illnesses. No doubt if a doctor may order any special diet they get it ; but if none is ordered, they get the same food as other old people. Something more should be done for them. One other matter regarding this home : The cost of food is 4s OJd per week per inmate. The whole cost of maintenance arjd food is 7s 4Jd per inmate per week. Many of those in the home are old-age pensioners. Out of their pensions a sum of Gs per week is deducted. Many others are in receipt of Imperial pensions, being old Boldierß, men who have fought and, in some instances, bled for the Empire. Are they treated the same ? No. The whole of their pension is taken away. and up to 10s per week. Wby should they be treated differently from old-age pensioners ? I cannot understand this thing, and cannot Bee what justice there is in it. Also, I question very much the legality of taking 10a from theee men, considering that, including all expense?, 7s 4£d is the total weekly cost. Is this a Coetley charity that is being run at a profit ? I mention these things publicly because it is onry by the people of Auckland taking, these things up that wrongs will be righted. The workhouses at Home aie far better and far preferable in many thingß to the Costley Home. I hope on my next visit to find the Costley Home in a very differ? nt poniiion. The Coptley legacy for the Home for theAgid Poor seems to have been taken to do work that rates should legally have done, aiid the rates of the city and district have been saved by that amount,