Oamaru

New Zealand Tablet, 24 July 1913, Page 26

Oamaru

(From our own correspondent.) July 21. St. Mary's Dominican College re-opens to-morrow, and pupils of St. Thomas of Aquin's Boarding Academy are expected to be in residence to-day. The following results of the theory examination of tho Associated Board, held in Oamaru on June 7, have come to hand:—lsabella Farrant, 92 marks; Zita Venning, 83; Dolly Kelly, 82. These young ladies are all pupils of St. Mary's* Dominican College. The anual election of officers of the local branch of the H.A.C.B. Society took place, last week, and resulted as follows:President, Bro. L. Hannigan; vice-president, Bro. A. A. Falconer; warden, Bro. W. Hilliard; guardian, Bro. T. Corcoran; secretary, Bro. P. J. Duggan; treasurer, Bro. W. Veitch; past-presi-dent, Bro. M. F. Cooney; sick visitors—Bros. J. McMahon, P. Connor, and Jas. Maxwell. The officebearers briefly returned thanks, after which the retiring president, Mr. M. F. Cooney, in an appropriate speech, made congratulatory reference to the progress of the branch during the'past year, which had been the most successful since the society was started here. He hoped the same rate of progress would be maintained in the coming term, as there is still unlimited material in the district to work upon, and the aim must be to include as members every Catholic young man within a fifty mile radius, and as many of the older generation as possible. At the half-past 8 o'clock Mass at the Basilica yesterday morning, Rev. Father Farthing announced that the Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay, V.G., had determined that the time had now arrived when the completion of St. Patrick's Basilica must be pushed on. A considerable amount of work was to be done, and it was the Monsignor's ambition and earnest wish to see completed the imposing edifice he had commenced many years ago. As an instance of how much his-heart was in the work, Monsignor Mackay was prepared to donate £IOOO at the laying of the first stone of the new work, and a further £IOOO at its completion. Other liberal donations promised were announced by Father Farthing, including £IOO from Mrs. Grant, £25 from Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, and £lO from his own purse. When finished, the Basilica will be one of the finest ecclesiastical structures in the Dominion, and it is to be hoped that the Monsignor's wish may soon be gratified.