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Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 128, 23 February 1921, Page 8

A “calculating boy,” a resident of Hokitika, is attracting attention on the West Coast by his marvellous feats of lightning mental a.rlltihmetic.. lie is about twenty-three years of age. He takes a delight in working out sums given him by other residents, and by visitors. His ability and quickness were tested by members- of the jxirty of politicians and of the Canterbury Progress League, who were in Hokitika on Thursday. Ho was asked to multiply a sum of five figures hy another sum of five figures. Ho repeated the figures once, turned them over in his mind for a few seconds-, and gave the answer, which was proved by pen and pencil to be correct. A visitor told him the date on which the visitor was married —it was a fairly long time ago, and h<| immediately stated tho day of the week. He has n. remarkable memory for the dates of public events. He was asked when Mr. Massey became Prime Minister. He gave a date, which it was found was not tho date on which he was sworn in, but the date on which the want of confidence motion he moved was carried. Ihe slight, mistake was on account of the calculator mistaking the meaning of the question. The Labour Party’s campaign in connection with the forthcoming municipal elections has been launched, and on Sunday night a meeting was held in the Empress Theatre, at which Messrs. A. W. Croskery and H. M'Keen, two of the candidates for the City Council, delivered addresses. The questions of housing, tramways, sanitation, the milk supply, and the fish supply camo under review, ami both speakers particularly stressed the need for Establishing municipal markets. The transportation system of New York City—street cars, subways, and elevated linos—carried 1,527,'h0.000 passengers in 1910. These lines carried passengers in 1920.