NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 6, 5 February 1903, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

Mr. Tunbridge, Commissioner of Police, has resigned in consequence of ill-health. One of the successful candidates at the recent matriculation examination was Miss Maud Casey a pupil of the Convent of Mercy, Greymouth. The Government intend to build and equip a dairy school at the State Farm, Levin, where farmers' sons will have an opportunity of seeing, the latest methods of dairy farming,. The current issue of ' Our Alma Mater, ' the maga3Hie issued toy the students of St. Ignatius' College Riyerview, Sydney, is to hand, and, like its predecessor^, it is turned out in excellent style, brightly written, and copiously illustrated. During the quarter ended December 31 the Customs revenue collected at all ports of New Zealand was £593,030, against £524,016 during the December quarter of 1901. The ad valorem duties yielded £201,238, and spirits £120,859. Las.t year £2,285,157 was collected, against £2,191,798 in the preceding twelve months. The Flaxbourne Estate is to be acquired by the Government under the compulsory clause of the Land for Settlements Act. It is a fine sheep station of 56,000 acres, owned by Clifford Bros. The last returns show it is carrying 50,000 sheep. The homestead is situated 14 miles from the Seddon railway station and 30 miles from Blenheim. r J}he property adjoins Starborough settlement, and the Blenheim-Waipai a line passes through the centre of it. The acquisition of the estate has been the subject of local agitation for a long time. The Government Insurance Department has had a very successful year. The new business obtained during 1902 amounted to £864,502, of which £677,018, or about £35,000 more than the previous year, was accepted and closed. The triennial investigation is now being made, and policy-holders may expect to be notified at an early date that a substantial addition has been made to their policies by way of bonus. The Very Rev. Dean Grogan, who has been in charge of the Napier Catholic parish for many years, and who has only recently retiirned from a" twelve months' tr*p to America, Great Britain, and the Continent, has been appointed to the permanent charge of the Wanganui parish, and will leave for his new home this week. He will be succeeded by the Rev. Father Goggan, who acted as locum, tenens for Dean Grogan during the latter's absence on his holiday. We regret (says the ' Ross Advocate ') to learn that the Rev. Father Bogue shows but little or no improvement in health. During the week the reverend gentleman has had a visit from Dean Martin, of Hokitika, and the Kov. Father McEnroe, of Australia, and to say that Father Bogue appreciates the visits is saving but little, as the solicitude shown by the many friends who sometimes make long- journeys to meet him. is the one bright ray in his sore trial. The Rev. Father has also had many visitors from Hokitika and the surrounding districts, and he is very thankful for the many acts of kindness shown him. At the last meeting of the A&hburton Catholic Literary Society the programme consisted of a parliamentary debate. Mr. F. K. Cooper, as premier, introduced a Bill of a very comprehensive nature, namely. ' To brine: under State control all factories, trades, and professions in the Colony.' The measure, needless to say, evoked much criticism. Mr. M. J. Burgess, in a \ery able speech, strongly supported the measure. Mr. McSherry, a member of the Opposition, made the speech of the evening, and ridiculed the Bill. After a ver<* good debate the second reading was carried by a bare majority. Mr. J. J. Gnealish, who for the past three and a half years has filled the position of reporter on the ' Bruce Herald,' left Milton on Wednesday of last week to take a position on the staff of the ' New Zealand Times.' Prior to leaving he was the recipient of seveial presentations. The ' Herald ' staff presented him with a set of gold studs and a case of razors, top-ether with their best wishes for hib future career. On Tuesday evening some members of the Tokomairiro Farmers' Club met to wish Mr. Grealish good-bye, and Mr. Ferguson (the president) presented him with a travelling bag and a Bruce rug on behalf of the club. The same evening the Milton Football Club held a social gathering, when further presentations were made, and the departing pressman was toasted in the most convivial style. The Sisters of Mercy, Greymouth, opened classes for instruction in the Virgil Practice Clavier on Monday, January 26th. This metho dof teaching pianoforte playing (says the local 'Star') has been s taken Jup with the warmest enthusiasm by some of the greatest professors of the day, notably Paderewski, Von Bulow, and others. New Zealand teachers have not been slow to recognise the incalculable advantages to be derived from the Practice Clavier method, hence, in all our large towns it is now fully established and will probably soon supersede all the old methods of playing the pianoforte. The Clavier secures for those who use it properly a perfect technique, which includes the training of the fingers to the utmost capacity of flexibility, delicacy of touch, endurance and precision of execution. The Clavier idea

is to train the fingers so thoroughly on the Clavier that when they go to the piano it will be easier and more natural to produce good effects than bad ones Wishing to advance with the age in musical and educational matters generally, the Sisters have adopted the Virgil Practice Clavier, and it is expected that large numbers will avail themselves of this opportunity of learning this the most excellent method of pianoforte playing. '