STEWART’S ISLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 4034, 31 January 1876, Page 3

STEWART’S ISLAND.

• We (‘New Zealand Times’) are indebted to the Hon. the - Commissioner of Customs for the following extract from the' report of Capt, J. B. Greig, coast-waiter at Stewart’s Island, for the quarter ended 31st December, 1875, which will be found very interesting;— “ Nothing of importance has taken place within the district during the quarter, the only new settlers being a few men who had originally been brought over to work at the saw-mill, but are now settling down to other Work, and are making clearings and homesteads for themselves in the bush. For alb that, the general welfare of the whole population is progressing steadily onward. The tinning of fish at Half Moon Bay is still in operation, and I believe will be continued, although the difficu Ity of getting into working order an enterprise of the kind, particularly in maintaining- the exact supply of fish required, in an isolated place like this, in which labor is scarce and where nearly every man has found employment of his own originating, which he is loth to give up, is much S 'eater than would at first sight, appear, ne thing in favor of the work is this, it is producing a variety of tinned fish, which in point of variety must ensure ready sale, and so far as I can learn, at remunerative prices. The closing of the oyster season on the 31st of October showed it to have been a most money-making one to all engaged in this quarter. The price and the demand kept up to the end, and the oyster bed itself proved quite equal to the calls made on it. In fact, it would almost appear as if the quantity of oysters upon it , were increasing, when one looks at the facility with which they are now obtained, for I have known over 900 dozen to be taken up this last season by two men and a boy in a day and a-half, although that might be accounted for on the supposition that the fishermen are now becoming pretty practised to their work. The real oyster-pro-ducing power of this bed will, however, in all probality, soon be tested; for appearances already show that the trade will be more vigorously prosecuted next season than it has been hitherto. Already there are four vessels oh the whaling ground—- *•£*; , f'h® vicinity' of the Solanders, Which seems to. be a, great ,resort of the sperm whales. One of these vessels is the Chance, of InvercargilT; the other three are American., Two of the Americans haVe brought into Port William three sperm whales, equal to thus of oil; and thrObance ia here at present trying out the

blubber of a sperm whale which she killed and cut up outside (about eight tuns). The vessels all report having seen many whales, and should fine weather prevail the whaling business here will probably be unusually successful for some mouths to come. —The sawmill at Half-Moon Bay is still at work, h&ving cut during the last twelvemonth about 500,000 superficial feet of timber, mostly red pine, a great portion of which has been used within the district.

_An Arab chief at the Marseilles Opera especially admired the trombone-player, expressing bis wonder “to see that Christian swallow so much brass. I cannot yet comprehend where he puts it.” An Irishman writes to a friend that if he wants to know what “illigant living” is, he must come to his house, where the breakfast cons : sts of nothing, and the supper of what was left at breakfast.”

A Prodigal Moment.—A man want into Slight’s confectionary store a few days ago, in ao excitedmannor, and rushing up to the proprietor, said “Do you make wedding cakes’ ” ? ‘Yes, sir,” said Slight. “Well,” said the other, “ I’m goin’ ter git man-id ter-day, an’ I want a c <ke. I’m no slouch, an’ I’m goin’ to do thing things right up to the handle. 1 don’t intend ter gic married but once, and yew bet I’ll make things howL” Slight smi ed blandly, and commenced lifting out L2 and L 4 wedding cakes, gorgeous in beautiful frosting and artificial flowers. Among the rest was a small plain cake. “ HoW much if that ?” asked the excited purchaser. “ Fourpen e,” said Slight. “ That’s the one for me; here’s your money, old pard; wrap her up. Thar’s nothing mean about me. I wouldn’t care if it was s'xpence. ” Slight gazed after the purchaser, as he wmt out, about fivn minutes, the picture of amazement, and then he sat down and fanned himself for half an hour, and then got up and consumed half an hour more in stowing away piles of fancy cakes and talking to himself softly, but his bland smile had passed away, for the time being.—American paper.