Gisborne

New Zealand Tablet, 11 January 1912, Page 23

Gisborne

(From our own correspondent.) v > December 31. ", v) The Catholic schools' picnic, advertised to be held on Boxing Day; had to be abandoned at the last minute, owing >; to the action of' the local railway management. It seems the charges had been increased to a considerable extent < over those made for carrying the State school children- ' i Rev. Father Lane, speaking on Sunday, ■; stated that he felt the injustice 'so keenly. that he had decided to cancel the whole ?of the .-. arrangements. However, so as hot ito disappoint the children, he promised that the picnic should eventuate within two weeks. ;;-,; .■■'-.. '-.. , lii : connection with the Christmas festival a, midnight Mass was celebrated at St: Mary's Church by Rev. Father Lane. The high . altar and--the altar of. the Sacred. Heart- ! and Blessed Virgin were beautifully decorated for the ,!■ < occasion ? by the ladies of. the Altar > Society. :.S The* music of the Mass * was taken from Mozart and Hadyn Novello'.s fine arrangement of,/ Adeste Fideles ' was also sung. The choir, though not numerically strong, gave a-good rendition : of the music/ and were ably assisted by an orchestra. r The choirmaster, Mr. Kimpton, and the:: organist, Miss Neil, deserve special mention -ifortheir untiring efforts to make the music of the Mass such a success. .'• . .ii ;?..,■ '..';.>•' ..

After Mass on Sunday the members of the choir> were the guests of Father Lane at the presbytery, the . occasion being, the making of a presentation to Mr. Kimpton, the conductor, who is .severing his connection with the choir on account of ill-health. Father Lane ' in making the presentation, referred in eulogistic terms to the valuable | services so r freely given by Mr. Kimpton, who had .at all ;times been most assiduous in his attention to the arduous "duties of conductor. "Father : Lane then, on behalf of the members of the choir, made him a presentation of a handsome travelling companion ■ .inscribed.. Father Lane, representing the congregation, presented Miss Neil, the organist, with va ; handsome silver combined kettle and lamp, and 'thanked her. most heartily for ; the gratuitous services'-rendered to the choir during a long period. Both recipients' suit- j ably replied, and after being hospitably entertained by Father Lane, the guests dispersed. , -