The official opening of St. Patrick's Dominican Convent, the boarding-school which is being established at Teschemaker's, near Oamaru, by the Dominican nuns, took place yesterday in glorious weather and in the presence of a very large concourse of visitors.
Arrangements had been made for a special train to leave Dunedin at 10.15 a.m. to take those who desired to be present at the opening ceremony and, incidentally, spend a pleasant afternoon in the country. Some 300 people left Dunedin, and stoppages were made at most of the way-side stations. The number was considerably swelled by the time Teschemaker's was reached.
Conveyances of different descriptions brought a large crowd out from Oamaru and numbers made their way in from the surrounding country, with the result that there were close on 1000 people present during the afternoon. The property, which is the gift of Mrs McCarthy and family, of Teschemaker's, comprises 25 acres, with a 25-roomed house thereon. Of the grounds, some 10 acres are laid out in a magnificent park in which are growing some of the oldest English trees in the Oamaru district. The nuns have also acquired a further 29 acres adjoining, which brings their total holding up to 54 acres. The house, which was originally built by the Teschemaker family in the early days, was acquired by the McCarthy family as a residence and has been used as such until they conceived the very generous idea which they have now put into execution.
The house has been added to at various times, and is now a fine, substantial building, mostly of Oamaru stone, the latest addition being of timber. With its ideal grounds, the place will form probably the finest boarding-school in the Dominion. It is about a mile and a-half from the railway, in a sunny position, well sheltered, and lacks nothing to complete its suitability. It is intended to have some 20 boarders in residence within the next week or so, but the school is capable of accommodating a much larger number.
• A sensational affair is reported to have taken place at the Territorial camp at Papatoetoe on Friday night .
The 3rd Regiment was supposed to be sleeping in camp, since the lights had long been put out. Three privates, however, had managed to make good their way through the lines, and carried out their intention to visit a neighbouring orchard. It was not until they essayed to return in like manner that trouble occurred.
Shadowy forms stealing through the darkness caught the eye of a sentry.
They were challenged, but persisted in their endeavour to get through the lines. The sentry had high notions of duty, however, and he proceeded to carry out the letter of his instructions.
He called on the men to halt, and when they did not obey he used his bayonet on all three. One received a bayonet wound beside the left eye, another was wounded below the jaw, and the third was run through the back of the thigh.
All had to be taken to the hospital. They are making satisfactory progress.
• As indicating the great damage that is being done in Wakapuaka orchards by opossums, Mr G. Hall brought to the Nelson Mail office recently a number of apples which had been nibbled by these creatures. He states that they are eating hundreds of apples every night, while a crop of nuts will be entirely spoilt.
The opossum seems to be a greater pest than the rabbit. Mr Hall considers there must be some hundreds in the Wakapuaka district. The extraordinary part about it is the opossum is protected.
- ODT, 25.3.1912.
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