Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 7 January 1901, Page 4

A Wellington correspondent states tliat the Federation Commission will probably hold its first meeting about 18th instant, and be required to report during May. The Dunedin Post Office authorities have about 'IOO Christmas cards on theii' hands, owing to the senders having been careless or uncertain of their friends’ addresses. On account of the general ignorance of (he Chinese language on the part of the Russian population of Yladivostock and Port Arthur, the Russian Government has instituted free courses of instruction for adults and obligatory education in Chinese in all State schools in those two towns. The Napier breakwater, although not yet completed, has cast an enormous sum for little or no return, as the bulk of the transhipping work is still being done by lighters. It is estimated that about £90,000 will be required to complete th breakwater. Mr. Monk, M.H.R., has given his £4O Parliamentary bonus to the County Councils, in his district. The Waitemata Council, however, by five votes to two, refused to accept its portion, considering it stolen money. A statistician has made the notable calculation that in a programme of 20 waltzes, four polkas, and two quadrilles, a dancer would cover close upon 12 miles. This is not a bad distance for an evening’s amusement. Two more Inspectors of Machinery have been appointed. One is Mr A. Calvert, of AYellington, and it is understood that the other is Mr Walker, of the Bluff Harbour Board’s tug. Mr Calvert was at one time chief engineer of the Takapuna, which vessel ho left in order to become foreman engineer in Messrs W, Cable and Company’s foundry. At the present time he is engineer of the harbour tug Duco.

It will bo intimated to Premier Soddon (says the Bulletin) that if ho speaks at alls at the Commonwealth celebrations ho must confine himself to a quarter of an hour at the most. There is a well-grounded fear that Seddon might repeat his brain tiring Jubilee performance. The area sown for wheat in Otago thi season (says the North Otago Times) is j 44,200 acres, against 61,460 acres last year, and in oats 52,332 acres, against 60,200 last year. Barley has 30,650 acres, against last year’s 48,003 acres. There is thus a falling-off in Otago in all the sereal crops. In Canterbury there is a decrease in v heat of about 4000 acres, and an increase in oats of about the same area. Those who have faith in the future of the West Coast must regard with great satisfaction the steady devclopcment of the Keofton goldfields. The advent of the Consolidated Coy’s operations have proved the value of the district and its great possibilities due to an olightenod policy of deep sinking and scientific mining. The returns for the past year arc most gratifying, whilst the prospects for the new year never wore brighter for out of six properties at work, five arc paying well, whilst the sixth is busy erecting suitable machinery. The Consolidated Company will start the new year with over a hundred stampers and the results point to a most prosperous and payable future. Donald Macdonald came to New Zealand an advocate of the totalisator ; he is now opposed to it, for ho found that in Australia the objectionable features of i the ring kept many people from gambling i who in New Zealand had no hesitation in going to the machine.”

The half-witted man who some time ago was wandering about in the hack country, says the “Ashburton Guardian,” lias been seen during the last few days in the vicinity of Barford in a 'half nude condition. The police have been searching for him, but have not yet managed to find him. The first of the now universal penny stamps sold at the Wellington General Post Office was brought for the London Times by the New Zealand correspondent of that journal, and is now appropriately being used to convey to the people of the Mother Country a brief account of the inauguration of a universal postage service by her daughter at the Antipodes.