Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 6 April 1911, Page 643

Intercolonial

The cable states that his Holiness the Pope has granted an audience to the Hon. Thomas Hughes, M.L.C., of Sydney, accompanied by Mrs. Hughes and their sons, and also to liev. Gavan Duffy, of Victoria.

On the afternoon of St. Patrick's Day Mr. Nicholas Larkins, formerly senior Superintendent of Police, died at his home, Stanmore, Sydney. Deceased, who was born in New Ross, Wexford, Ireland, 72 years ago, had a truly successful career. He joined the New South "Wales Police Force in 1863, and thence onward his upward march was regular and rapid.

Mr. F. Kenneth- McDonall, who is well known in Sydney literary and scientific circles, has been appointed editor of the Brisbane Catholic Advocate. Mr. McDonall (says the Freeman's Journal) has devoted much of his time to the study of solar physics, and has done some valuable and original work in investigating sun spot phenomena. Mr. McDonall as a Catholic controversialist possesses a first-class reputation, and is one of the most capable writers in Australia. He has contributed to many scientific journals at home and abroad.

We (Catholic Press) understand that the Very Rev. Father Lynch, CSS.P., and companions, leave Australia for the Philippines 011 April 19, by the Yawata Maru, the Japanese mail boat. Father Lynch will be greatly missel in Australia, and his wonderfully successful missions will be long remembered. In preparation for his work in the Philippines, where he will have charge of 40,000 Catholics, he is now studying the Spanish language. The prayers and the regret of the Catholic people of this country will go with the zealous and eloquent Redemptorist to his new and strange field of labor. «

Mr. Michael Campion Carey, a well known bookseller of Ballarat, died a few days ago after a brief illness. Deceased, who was 77 years of age, arrived in Victoria in 1851. He settled in Ballarat early in 1852, and followed the occupation of a digger for several years. He was an eye-witness of the revolt at the Eureka Stockade, and was acquainted with a number of the leaders in that movement. Subsequently he adopted the profession of a school-teacher. Mr. Carey, who was a native of Dublin, was a classical scholar and held first-class qualifications as a mathematician. He was a life-long total abstainer. Deceased was for many years associated with musical affairs in Ballarat, and was for a long while a member of the choirs attached to the Catholic churches in the district.

Friday (says the Catholic Press) was St. Patrick's Day, but Saturday was the day on which the Irish of the metropolis and their descendants, to the number of 20,000 or thereabouts, made their real holiday. It anything, the attendance was slightly ahead of the average of previous years. Wherever one turned in the city during the morning he met countless wearers of the shamrock, and more than a quarter of our citizens wore emerald favors. Early in the day the children from all parts of the city and suburbs began to make for the Agricultural Grounds in charge of the Brothers or of teachers representing the nuns, and it was not long before thousands of boys and girls had taken possession of the arena and its surroundings. Though a trifle hot, the weather was ideal. His Grace Archbishop Kelly and the Hon. W. J. Dennv, Attorney-General of South Australia, were present in the afternoon, and from a dais they viewed the display by the children. Shortly after four o'clock his Grace the Archbishop in a brief speech introduced the Hon. Mr. Denny, who delivered an eloquent address. It was computed that there were over 20,000 persons present on the grounds during the afternoon. On Friday evening a national concert was held in the Town Hall, when his Excellency Lord Chelmsford, his Grace Archbishop Kelly, the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Brien, and a very large representation of the clergy and laity were present.

The Irish national concert on St. Patrick's night in the Melbourne Town Hall was given in the presence of Sir David Gibson-Carmichael (the State Governor) and Lady Gibson-Carmichael. There was an audience of about 2500 people. His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne, at an interval in the concert, said they had met to celebrate their national festival with the self-same enthusiasm that had characterised their predecessors. Their only regret was that they were about to lose the genial personality, the cultured taste, and the stimulating influence of the Governor and Lady Carmichael. They wished her Excellency to carry with her some small memento presented by her Irish-Australian friends. It was in the shape of emu's eggs, embellished with the Irish ornaments of the shamrock and the harp set on a silver map of Australia. His Excellency in the course of a brief reply said : It is one of the best characteristics of the Inish people that, wherever they go, they are among the best citizens you find. Till we were going away I. had no idea how kind you are. I have received many letters from people I have never seen wishing us prosperity. I had one this morning from a little Irish-Australian girl, who sent me a shamrock. Once more I must say that I thank you all for the pleasant time we have had in Australia, and for all the kindness which has been shown to me by Victorians, no section of whom has been kinder than the Irish people,