Timaru

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 25, 18 June 1903, Page 6

Timaru

(From our own correspondent.)

June 15.

His Lordship Bishop Grimes, on his way back from Waimate, paid a brief visit to the Temuka presbytery, convent, and schools. The peal of bells at St. Joseph's rang, out a welcome to his Lordship as the train steamed into the station. The examination of the parish schools by the Government Inspectors, Messrs. Gow and Bell, took place last w^k The results are not yet known, but are anticipated to be satisfactory. The weather has changed to, hard and severe frosts, stopping all ploughing and cropping. Threshing may be said to be completed and carting in is general. The walls of the new church at Albury have assumed fair proportions and give promise of a very suitable edifice. c Z he T usual fortnightly meeting of the local branch of the Hibernian Society was held on last Monday. Bro. J. O'Leary in the chair. I record this meeting with special pleasure as an incident occurred worth mentioning. When the item of business was reached, ' Has any Brother candidates to propose ? ' a member recently joined, Bro. O'Sullivan, got up and proposed the phenomenal number of 31 new candidates for membership. Members present were at first inclined to think a joke was intended, but the payment of 31 proposition fees dispelled that idea. Bro. Dennehy eulogised tho great effort tho proposer had made and said it was a record for any old-established branch of any friendly society in New Zealand, and perhaps in Australasia, and moved that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to Bro. O'Sullivan and that a collar, to be procured from the district branch, be presented to him. This resolution was carried unanimously— members being of opinion that tho recognition of such a performance was scarcely adequate, and that the member deserved a suitably inscribed medal as a remembrance. This addition to the membership of the Timaru branch will make it numerically tho third strongest in New Zealand, and would in itself form a substantial nucletus for a new branch in any district.

The Federal line of steamers trading to New Zealand had one of their vessels here last week, tho Cornwall. The enormous export of grain (especially oats) from Timaru should shortly place this port as second for export in New Zealand. Timaru can now accommor date the largest ocean liner as a first call port for export, and this in itself is a most important factor in promoting the prosperity of the town and district. On the occasion of the opening of the St. Andrew's Church a special train was run from Timaru. This small incident shocked the tender susceptibilities of some of our local clergymen, and a protest was sent to the general manager, ftfr Roynane, objecting to such a violent desecration of the Sabbath. Some correspondence appeared in tho local papers as the result, and a local scribe, emulating Shakespeare, wrote a short comedy in three .acts ridiculing the over-strung Sabbath-keepers. Following on, a correspondent, tinder the noui de plume of ' the great unknown (Sir Walter Scott) courted tho muso in his reply. Much surprise was felt in Timaru at the Yen. Archdeacon Harper's name being amongst tne signatories ol' the protest.