The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-12-03
NEWs FROM TIE ANTIPODEs.

A gentleman in this city has favored US with
the following extracts from letter lately re-
ceived from Australia, by which it will be seen
that the residents of that charming latitude
are not exempt from their share of the sfac,
tions which at this time seem to visit, in some
form or other, the entire human race on earth.
1t is worthy of note that the writer of the
letter, although q native Englishman, has 80
thorough an appreciation of the tyrannical op'
preston endured by our Southern States, at
he actually prefers the starvation and pesti
lence of Australia to the degradation of the
forty million white slaves of America.
"YAss, Ms. W., Oct. 17th, 1876.
My Dear c." had nearly completed
your affair, when 1 got into hot water with the
Orange fanatics in consequence of my presum
ing TO make q speech on the Centenary OF
O'Connell, and was 80 annoy ed for several
months by the petty prosecutions of the Scotch
Irish fanatics, who mustered strong around
Queanheyan, that was incapable of attending
to anything in satisfactory manner. My
correspondence is in arrears in all directions
bat now that am better settled than for the
past year, shall make amends for all.
You see from the heading of this that have
changed my place of residence. As my position
in Queanbeyan was uncomfortable through the
mean bigotry of q few of the Orangemen who
had formed lodge in the town, and converted
it, in a few months, from quiet, peaceable
little place into as nice nursery of ill-feeling
and diseord as oonld be we'll imagined, ] APP
piled to be removed, and in consequence was
appointed TO take charge of the Catholic school
here-and here / Am, not SO we'll off Peonni-
ariy, but far more comfortable than in the
place / left. I have been here about three
months.
Yass is considerably larger than Q Qaeanbevan
and is q far more important town.
1t is forty five miles from Q Ieanbeyan and the
centre of an old settled district The railway
passes by the town, and can reAch sydney,
2OO miles dis ana, in ten hours, whenever fe ei
.Bposed. While an pleased with my present.
position, do not think it will be permanent,
for it is anticipated that in tne next Parliament
there will be strong fort made to seculsrize
the schools, and Withdraw all aid from denomi-
national schools, which at present, if they can
maintain the requisite number of children, Ie
ceIve the support of government.
In this remote corner of the world we arc net
free from the il floence of the wretcbed secta
ries, who bawl 30 loud for liberty for the EN-
selves, but without the remotesG idea chat
Others should enjoy it.
Although the Catholic clergy and the clergy
Of the Church of England, (who represent the
great bulk of the populatioD) are working to-
ReGher to preserve their schools, the Scotch
Preebyterians, Methodists and tho other scots
mere fractionS of the mass-make up by noise
what they lack in numbers; and it is feared
they will be eventually successful, as our Par
lament is composed of men, the majority of
whom care little about religion, and are likely
to be influenced by the persistent efforts-out
whom the country possesses an unusual num-
Der.
We are in the midst of glorious spring, and
all nature ls rejoicing after the terrible ordeal
the country has Just passed through. The past
year was one of those fearful droughts that
periodically occur, and of which you folks in
America can form but a fsintideR. Till within
q few weeks scarcely any rain had fallen for
nearly twelve months. The water courses
dried up; vegetation almost entirely disap-
peared, and throughout the length and breadth
of the land cattle and sheep Peris he'd by thou
sands. The losses sustained are incalc1lable.
Months ago they were estimated at Is 600 900
pounds sterling; aud since then we have had
the severest winter ever expeIienced-and this,
too, has had it's victims.
hope may never again see snch season.
The country is strewn with carcSsses. Tho
heat OF last summer was frightf0l-for weeks
over 1000 in the shade-aud not a drop of rain.
At one time serious fears were felt for Sydney
and its 150. 600 inhabitants, as the water supply
was rapidly failing. As it was the inhabi
of the suburbs suffered severely, having to pay
as high as dollar and half for o cask Of water.
The effect of the drought was to raise every
kind Of provisions to- famine prices, with the
exception of fonr, which, fortunately, was in
large supply. You may be cure Wo could not
live on the fat of the land where resided it
was short-commops indeed. Milk, butter,
cheese and vegetables were almost unattaina-
BILE at any price. My diet for weeks was meal
and bread, with an occasional sardino or red
herring by way of change.
In spite Of all our trouble think We are
better of than the poor South. We have not
the happiness to have q Grant to rule ne, nor
Ia our country ovegrun with hungry Carpet
baRgers. Oar politicians and Office holders are
more respectable than Belknsp and
his cOnReners-and we do not possess geniuses
like Boss Tweed nor Saints like Beecher.
By this mail send you the Sydney FreemGas
Journal, containing the splsndid address of our
chbisbOp, who is . glorious prelste, q noble
Of our holy religion, and he is WithAl
the bsDdsomest man in the country, in the
prime of life and fall Of energy.
WIN.