NAPIER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 52, 29 December 1904, Page 5

NAPIER.

(From our own correspondent.)

Decemiber 19. On December 14 there passed away, at the age of 64,, Mr. Walter Cat©, an old residdnt of Napier, who wad well kin,ow,n in commercial and siportijng circles. Thjq^gjjf a convert fon only seven years, he was an exemplary Catfafolijc, \an'd his familiar figure will be missed from the services at St. Patrick's Ohuroh. He died a peaceful deatfh, fortified by all the rites of Holy Ghtorch. He leaves a widow, one daughter, and five stoms, to whom a wi|de circle of friends extend sincere sympathy. The fiimenal, wfoich toak place on December 16, was largely attended. Kejv. Father Bell officiated at tjhe era^e.— R.I.P. &

On December 16 the Napier Harmonic Society held its last qancert of tihe year, when Handel's arattorio, ' The Messiah," ~w<as 'given, in which Mrs.. Allfcm, leta^iijig soflprano of St. Patrick's Choir, to'c*k a prominent part, and of wthtom the local critic writes : ' Mrs. Allen, to whom the ■saprf'a.nb siol'as were allotted, sticndd c*ut as the strfcinfeest vocalist of tihe evening. Her tas/k was a trying ofce, bjut the success achieved w,as' distimctly pleiasijiig. The fl-ne air, " I know that my Redeemejr Hveth," was swng wrijh considerable devotional power, arid at its conclusion Mrs. Allen had to bow her aoknowlddgm^nt<s to tlhe plaudits of the audience. The solos, " Uome Unto Him " and " How beautiful are) the feet," airtd the recititarve, " There were shepherds," were also rendered by Mrp. Alleln witth tihe necessary feeling and eflefet.'

On Sunday, December 18, at St. Mary's Church, 64 hoys aM girls received their First Commiunifon. At the contelusiotn of Mask Vie children sat down to a splendid breakfast, provided by the parents. In tihe evening at St. Patrick's Oh/urcli the children marie a renewal of their baptismal vows, During the previous week eight Maori girl's of the M^ori girlsi' school, oonidaicted by the Sisters of the Mission, were received into the Church, one of the minrber m'akiaig her First Communion on Suinday.

A musical fn'-l dramatic entertiainmeint w.as/!held i!n the Thaatlre Royal cm December 12, in aid of the uniform futild of tjhe Marist Frothers' cadets. Thare wasi a large attendance. A varied and excellent programme was presanted, and met with hearty demonstrations of a.pjp>raval. The Frivolity Orahesitra rendered great assisitatnce. Tihe sfnior pupils s'aaig the choruses, ' Welcome tto our pastor ' and ' Zealalndia,' aocepfably, and tlhe .seniqr artd junior pupils sang with very good effect the cjhorius, ' Those evening bells.' Master C. Rust)on was amusing in 'his comic recitation, for which ihe was recalled,, as Was Master S. Harm an for a comic song. Master R. Aldridge sang ' Erin, my countiry,' apd Masters F. Barry, H. Ruston, R. O'Ddnotiue, and A. Keating gave i aai excellent rendering of a humorous vlocal

quiartette, wlhi'ch had to be repda'ted. The cadets gave eMhi'biUoms of physical exercises, antt manual and firing exercise with bayonet fighting, the various movements bemg cre»dit(ably 'done. One of the best items om the programme wias the dumhbell exercises by t(he junior pu<tpils. The grouping was excellent, and the m,arcliyig and qowrnter-m'archijng admirably done, while the time and preci'feiton wiitSi wiiich the movements were performed was exceptionally gjdod. The entertainment comteliutieti with -i two-act qomedy, in which the parts were taken by Mas'tora t V. Mcflntosfh, R, Y a tes, F. Treamor, £»« P. Mclvamara. Mrs. TresUon played the accompaniments, and her excellent music helped materially in the military add dumbbell exercises.