Masterton

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 13, 1 April 1909, Page 497

Masterton

(From -our own -correspondent.) '-~ , - March 20. The Rev. Father Saundersqn, who has been appointed assistant to the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, has taken up his duties here. - ' For the third year in succession ..it has" been wet here for the St. Patrick's Day sports meeting, _ consequently it had to be postponed. The social gathering which was held in the Drill Hall in the evening was a great success from every point of view. The usual meeting of St. Michael's branch of the H.A.C.B. Society was held, last "T-taesday, Bro. J. Connor in the chair. ■ The committee appointed to go into the matter of obtaining a more suitable meeting room recommended that the Foresters 3 Hall be procured, which report was adopted. The members of the branch approached the Holy Table in a body on Sunday last. The Catholic Maoris of Hamiia. fittingly celebrated the opening of their church on last Sunday. His Grace ArchIflshop Redwood was present, as were also the Very Rer. Deans Regnault and McKenna, and Rev. Fathers Delach, Cognet, and T. .McKenna,. .'ln addition to the early Masses, at which there was a large jnumber "of Communicants, there was Mass at 11 o'clock 3 when his Grace the , Archbishop preached an impressive _sermon. In the afternoon there was a reception of .the Children of Mary, the second of the kind ever held in New Zealand^ into which Maoris were received. The Very Rev. Dean Regnault (Wellington) conducted the service, and his sermon was translated into Maori by Father Cognet (Otaki). During the day a large number of Europeans visited the pa, and all were hospitably treated by the Natives. .The gathering "was organised by the -well-known Hamua chief. - -,- " „- * ,_. March 26. There was a large attendance at St. Bride's Convent on Thursday afternoon to . witness the presentation of musical, certificates to the pupils of the convent who were successful in the recent examinations for theoretical and practical music from both the Trinity College and the Royal Academy of -Music* The proceedings were commenced by the rendering of a very programme of musical items by those -who took honors m the senior examinations, which was very -highly appreciate.^ by those present. The following programme was rendered.: — Pianoforte solo, .'.lrish diamonds,' Nq^2, Pape, Miss McKenna; vocalsolo, ' With verdure clad,' "Miss Hbllowayj violin and piano duet, ' Gavotte in- E minor,' the Misses O'Neill and Hanify; pianoforte solo, 'Souvenir' (Ames), Miss Fuller; vocal duet, / "Venetian boat song,' the Misses Holloway and Harris ; pianoforte solo, ' Italian Concerto ' (Bach), Miss Hanify; vocal- solo^ 'Orpheus to his lute,* Miss Edwards. The Rev. Father Saunderson, in the absense of the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, made the presentation of the certificates, giving as a preliminary a very able address. In the course of his remarks lie referred to the absence of their worthy pastor, who, he said, as the founder of the convent, hadVatched its splendid progress through the ten years of its existence. ' - Regarding the success of tho pupils the speaker- said that out of the fifty "who sat for the examinations it was worthy of note that not one of thorn had failed to secure a certificate, which he thought was a mose creditable "achievement, and one of which the Sisters might justly feel proud. In addition to the general success of the students Miss Phyllis Hanify had re> ceived the Royal Academy silver medal for the advanced grade of pianoforte music, and Miss Mary O'Neill had been awarded a College Exhibition of the value of six guineas for violin playing in the junior grade of the Trinity Col--lege examinations. Miss Hanify's success was all the more meritorious owing to the fact that she was only one mark behind the- winner of the gold medal, who had received 137 marks, while she had received 136. This young lady, who was two years younger than' the gold medallist, had been greatly, praised by the examiner, Mr. T. F. Dunhill, who predicted that her musical career would be highly successful. The performance of Miss O'Neill was equally creditable, when it was considered that the young violinist had scarcely had two years' musical train-

ing, and the exhibition coming on the recommendation of such an eminent violinist as Mr. Henry St. George, was a most praiseworthy feature. Miss O'Neill was fifth on the list for the examinations held in New Zealand, Canada, and Tasmania. ' Facts are stubborn things and speak for themselves,' said the speaker, -' and the success of the fifty pupils and the Wo distinctions that- had been gained bore out the old saying most' conclusively.' Touching on the advance of the convent, the speaker said that when the institution was established ' there were only six Sisters in the convent, and now after a comparatively short period more than three times that number were scarcely able to cope with the work. In addition to this a branch convent had been established at Pahiatua. In conclusion he thanked all- those wlio^were present and expressed the wish that their patronage would not only be continxied, but considerably Tvidened in the good cause of the convent. --. -