NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8, 22 February 1900, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

At the last meeting: of the Ashburton Catholic Literary Society Mr. J. Ilealy was appointed librarian. We have received a parcel of used postage stamps for Rev Father Kreytnborg's mission from Miss A. Riordan, Charim? Cross. The Flora Soap Works at Petone, near Wellington, were totally destroyed by fire on Thursday morning. The fire originated in the upper story, and had obtained a firm hold when discovered. It ie said that a new township in the Wanganui district sections in which were recently offered for sale by auction has been numed Ladyamith. The many friends of Mr. Robert Darroch (says the Wairarapa rime*-) will be pleased to hear that he has been selected by the \\ ellington Education Board as instructor in school management to the city pupil teachers. The thn-i nnnrnt Insurance Jtfc order for the current quarteris to hand. Ihe number contains a quantity of useful information with regard to life insurance business, as well as reading matter of a lighter character. Is a recent issue of the N.Z. Tablet our Auckland correspondent stated that Mr Maurice Lavery, who had passed his matriculation examination, had been a student at the Marist Brothers' College for three years. A correspondent informs us that Mr Lavery had been at the college only 18 months, and that he scored 80 rer cent for L-itin in the examination. The Very Rev. Dr. Pestre, S.M , who had been making a short stay at Waimate, left there on yesterday (Wednesday). It is understood that Dr Pestre will shortly be leaving for France to attend the General Chapter of his Order which takes place in the month of September of every seventh year. Two delegates from the New Zealand province will be elected and will accompany him on his journey and take part in the deliberations of the Chapter. The attenti .n of our readers is directed to the lengthy Hat which appears elsewhere (p. 5) of Catholic officers at the seat of war. This is the second list of the kind which we have published Both combined give a very incomplete return of our co-religionists that hold commissions in the British army in South Africa But none the less, the lists afford striking evidence of the extent to which not merely Catholic men in the rank-and-file, but also Catholic officers, are engaged in the defence of the Empire. We learn from a Christchurch correspondent that the Slattery pair are (xpected in Christchurch this week, and that steps have been t.iken, by the distribution of pamphlets and otherwise, to place the full facts of their discreditable career full square before the local public of all creeds. Dunedin may look forward at an early date for the infliction of the presence of this undesirable pair and possibly the chief centres of population between Christchurch and Dunedin. According to statistics published by some of the London papers regarding the use of telephones in this Colony, it is shown that New Zealand has 60 telephones to every 10,000 inhabitants whereas Ureat Britain and Ireland have only 18 The only countries ahead of New Zealand in this respect are Sweden, with 113 telephones per 10,000 inhabitants; United States, with 101 • with 97 ; Switzerland, with !>3 ; and Canada, with &7 Germany, with 2!», is behind New Zealand, but ahead of Great Britain ; Switzerland, "with 16, Belgium, with 14, are slightly behind Great Britain, and Austria (9) France (7). Spain (6) Italy (4), and Russia (2) are practically nowhere in comparison. IHB following pupils of the Sisters of Mercy, Greymouth passed the Trinity College Practical Musical Examinations .-—Senior honours— Mary C. Sheedy (piano), 83. Senior pass— Mary C Sheedy

(singing), 66. Intermediate honours — Maggie Algie (piano), 92 ; Nellie McDonnell (piano), 80. Intermediate pa«s — Rosabel Weber (singing), <>7 ; Florence Foot (piano), 67. Junior honours — Winifred White (violin), 85 ; Mechtildes Campbell (piano), 83. Junior pass — Daißy Hambleton (piano), 73 ; Nellie Giiffen (piano), (54. Preparatory — Eliza Mahony (piano), 7(J. The following pupils also passed the second grade drawing examination in connection with the Technical School, Wellington . — Geometery, Alice Dix, Annie Malone ; freehand, Annie Malone, Kate McKendry. The ladies of the social committee, finding that th°y had a substantial surplus in hand after paying all expenses in connection with the recent social (says the lnanqahua Times) decided to purchase therewith a souvenir for Mrs. O'Regan. The selection made was a gold bangle set with pearls and a handsome dressing case. The presentation was made by Mrs. Potts, who, on profferng the gifts, expressed the hope on behalf of the assembled ladies present that the recipient would be spared many long and happy years to make use of both. Mrs. O'Regan responded in a few graieful word-*, an) said that the valuable offering ohe had just received would alway.s remind her of the kind friends she was leaving behind her in R^etton The Wellington correspondent of the JS'oiih Otaijo Times writes : I learn that the Takitu settlement (formerly known as the Clarkesfield estate), which was recently acquired by the Crown from Messrs. Wait and Bunbury, has been bub-divided for settlement purposes, and will be disposed of on Thursday, March Ist. The estate, which consists of 9674 acres, is situated on the Waitaki River, and the altitude ranges from about 400 feet to 2020 feet above sea level. There are about 1000 acres of flat land on the Waitaki, varying from rich to light stony land, well grassed, undulating and rolling downs, and steep rough terraces and gullies. The quality of the soil on the ploughed land is regarded by the department as generally good, in places very good, with a fair depth of soil. The country is well watered, and the sections are to be disposed of as small grazing runs, for which they are admirably adapted. From a chatty and interesting article on ' A Visit to Westland.' in the Canterbury Tlmet we take the following extract • — ' One of the especial productions of which Greymouth seems to be very proud, is one of their own Greymouth boys. With the fine fraternal spirit which characterises the Coasters, persons of all denominations delight in the splendid abilities of Father Ainsworth. This thin, slim boy, reared beneath the shadows of the Greymouth hills, gives every promise of becoming the Cicero of the Catholic Church of Young New Zealand. If the "Little Johnny Ainswonh " of long ago be, indeed, what Father Ainsworth was in the past, it is no wonder that his fellow townspeople marvel at the process of evolution which has transformed the raw lad into a fine speaker whom, as man and priest, they admired and loved in the pulpit of the Greymouth Catholic Church on the 21st January 1000. With the picturesque blue cloak of the Marist missionary hanging pracefully from his sholders, this eloquent young Greymouth priest was a pulpit picture to bereme nbered. Truly, indeed, this strange, wild Westland has added in a generous fashion to the intellectuality of Church and State in New Zealand."