NEW ZEALAND GENERAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 45, 10 November 1904, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND GENERAL

The leading matter in the ' Triad ' for the current month is, as usual, entertaining and instructive, whilst the illustrations are well up to the hiirh standard for winch t|ns monthly is rioted. .Since the beginning of the present year New Zealand has exported 411,.-sbOo/. of gold, valued at £I,(>B4,<JIM, or 60580/,, of the value of £24,261, moie than for ' the corresponding ton months of las,t yeai The three pupils prepared by the Sisters of Mercy, Lyttelton, passed the lollowing giaues m the piactital examination held in connection with Tunity College, London: — Senior — May McConville, 65, Kilty Pureell,' 62 ; preparatory, Annie Welsh, 81 (distinction). Dr. Creser, of Trinity College, London, examined in Greymouth in practical music on Wednesday, October 26. The Sisters of Mercy presented four candidates, all of whom passed. The following is the list .—Senior honors (singing), Eileen Hannan, 82 , junior (.singing), Elsie Kogen, Li'J ; preparatory (piano), Mary Mahoney, 'U ; Teiesa Mahoney, 72. JVnss May Duggan, ot Oamaru (writes a Wellington correspondent), scored ag,ain as a successful teacher of mu^ic at the late examination of the Royal Academy in Wellington, when lour more ot her pupils passed— the Misses Gaynor in the lower division and the Misses Pilmer in the elementary, one ot the lallei heading the pass list. They are all boarders at St bran<is Xaviei's Acadetny. On Tuesday evening, November 1, at St. Mary's Hall, a pleasant and happy reunion (bays the Nelson ,' CoJonist ') was spent -by the members of the Catholic Society. During l the evening a \anety of games were introduced, and the following ladies and gentlemen contributed appropriate songs -—Messrs Bunny, ilouseiux, Scott, and Redwood, Misses Harris, C. Armstrong, and Scott Miss Armstrong and Mr. Floyd presided at Vne piano. Refreshments, which were plentifully supplied, were then handed round by the ladies Father I lancy, in a tew remarks, spoke of the success that has been attained by the Society, and hoped i:ext year it would still prosper The meeting closed 'ai.li ,he singing of the National Anthem. In the course oi a letter in the ' New Zealand Times,' in leply to a communication from the Rev. J Gibson Smith, Mr J. McGregor shows up the inconsistency of the Biblc~m-.sc hools advocates He writes as lollows ' \s Mr Smiih is taking ratther a piominent part in the Bible-m-schools controversy, and as lie is probably a stranger to most of your readers, it may not be amiss to inform them that Mr Smith's 7eal m the cause is of comparatively recent growth. It is not many years since lUr Smith spoke as follows " Mere Bible-readine? in the 'schools was such a* useless thmg that he did not see any necessity to make a ichtical agitation about it Uhat good did the mere readlfigl ol thei Hible do "' For his .pa^'t^ it ihe fires bytery* ordered him to go and speak to his congregation oB this mattei, he would have to do it, but he did not think at present that he could see his way to work up any enthusiasm amongst his people for Bible-reading in schools " 'lhere is reason to believe that Mr. Smith's brother-in-law, the Rev. Dr. Gibb, took up a similar position, and, tor reasons which are no doubt satisfactory to himselt, he changed his ground, and has now placed himselt at the head of the movement, which he is determined to carry to a successful issue whatever the consequences may be to our education system.' Replying last week to a deputation, who asked that a short line should be introduced referring the bible-vn-schools question to a popular vote, the Premier expressed great disappointment at the reaction of the Referendum Bill by the Legislative Council He believed tnat there were a large number of members of the House who in their hearts desired thai the Council should reject the Bill, though they had not voted against it themselves. Every subterfuge and every device had been used to block the Bill. He asked the deputation to give him the names of the members of the House who stood pledged to Bible-reading in schools, Rbut the deputation weie apparently unable to do so stating that members were only pledged to give a referendum on the subjevt. The Premier said that they would find there were some who might support that but who would not vote for the principle itself, but there was no chance of getting the Bill that the deputation aslved for this session at any rate. Dr. Gibb then asked if Mr. Seddon would support a Bible-reading in Schools Bill, to which direct question the P-emier replied that he ought not to be asked such a question. Still he did not think that the peoiple should be deprived of their right to express their opinions on this important subject.