Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 25 May 1911, Page 979

Intercolonial

Bishop Corbett is now giving his attention to the matter of the proposed alterations to St. Mary's Cathedral, Sale (Vic.). It is understood that tenders for the work, which will be of an extensive and costly nature, will shortly be called*."

' Just 50 years ago (says the Catholic Press) Bishop O'Quinn, first Bishop of Brisbane, arrived in Queensland's capital with five priests and six Sisters of Mercy. One of the priests was Father Cani, afterwards first Bishop of Rockhampton. The sole survivor of the party is Mother Brigid Conlon, of St. Vincent's Orphanage, Mudgee, and on May 10 his Eminence the Cardinal wired her thus: ' Thousand congratulations and jubilee rejoicings arrival glorious party in 1861.' -...,.'

The Hospital Saturday collection, though it beat all previous years (remarks the Catholic Press), was nothing to become enthusiastic ever, and suggests that some better and more dignified method might be devised for raising funds. The total box collection was '£5400, to achieve which 4500 ladies tramped the streets from early morning till after dark ; and, besides these, and some 300 bank clerks, who worked till midnight, there were numerous others who took a more or less active part in the proceedings. The result pans out at a little over £1 for each lady collector the response of strenuous gleaning from a population of 600,000. '

There have been no .more important Catholic festivals celebrated in Australia, let alone in Queensland, that are likely to be more durably notable than the golden jubilee of the Sisters of Mercy, which occurred on May 10 (says the Brisbane Age). The grand educational work those,good Sisters have achieved since their advent to Queensland, a whole community has but improperly appreciated. It is a small centre, indeed, in Queensland, where the educational advantages bestowed by the Sisters of Mercy are not known. The present year and. the present month represent the jubilee §f the advent of the Sisters of Mercy to Queensland. . ~

Among the landmarks of Lismore one of the most striking is the new bell-tower of St. Carthage's Cathedral, which, with its' fine peal of bells is being erected as a memorial to the late Bishop Doyle (remarks the Freeman's Journal). The work of construction has been proceeding apace, and the tower is now finished to the base of the spire, a height of 105 feet. A temporary parapet will oe erected with battlements and a flat roof from which a. splendid view of the town may be obtained. It is" intended in a few year's time to continue the structure 110 feet higher than it is at present. The tower is unique and imposing m design being the only one of its kind in the Commonwealth.

A telegram from Perth announces the death of Mr Denis O'Donovan, F.R.G.S., C-M.G. He was 75 years of age, and was a native of County Cork, Ireland. He was educated in his native land and in France. Prior to his arrival in Queensland, in 1874, when he was appointed Parliamentary Librarian, Mr. O'Donovan (says the Catholic Press) filled various positions in Victoria," and was the author of numerous works. During his stay in Melbourne he wrote on literary and artistic subjects, lectured on art and architecture at the public library, and advocated the establishment of schools of design in Victoria. He was the author of an Analytical Catalogue of the Queensland Parliamentary Library.

The foundation stone of the Christian Brothers' new school and residence at Warwick, Queensland, was laid on Sunday, May 7, by Bishop Duhig, of Rockhampton, in the presence of a very large gathering. Bishop Duhig, in the course of an address, said one-forth of the population of Queensland had to maintain its own schools without a single penny of Government aid. Considering the good work the Christian Brothers had done in Queensland, it was a blot on the Statue Book that the Act in force in regard to the prohibition of grants to such schools had never been repealed. The time would come when Parliament would retrieve what had been lost in the past, and give back to the Catholics what was their undoubted due.

A feeling of intense regret pervaded the community of Orange on May 4 (says the Freeman's Journal), when the sad though not unexpected intelligence reached Orange that Mr. Thomas Garrett Dalton had expired in the Lewisham Hospital. The relatives and friends were in a measure prepared for the event, as it was known that his condition was extremely critical. The deceased was th<» eldest son of Mr. James Dalton. K.OS. of Orange He was educated at St. Stanislaus' College, Bathurst' and after receiving the degree of M.A., he entered the' business of Messrs. Dalton Brothers, Pitt street, Sydney where he remained for some years. About sixteen years 'ago he went to Orange, and when the firm of Dalton Brothers Orange, was made a limited business, he was appointed managing director which position he filled to the time of His death _ Should he have lived he would have attained his 52nd birthday on May 6.