Untitled

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 March 1901, Page 2

Grand National concert to night, in St Patrick’s now school, The dredgemaster of the New River dredge (Mr Naylor) reports that he got clear of logs on Wednesday night, and has since been engaged in opening out a paddock. The rainfall at Greyuaouth for the month of February, as recorded by Captain Conner, was 17-32 inches with 16 wet days. The Haupiri went on the Patent Slip yesterday morning to have her bottom cleaned. While lying at the Jorvois quay wharf • having her propeller seen to, the Haupiri got a thorough overhauling, and was improved in one or two necessary particulars, One great improvement made was the removal of the forward deck houses, which did not add 10 her safety when West Coast rivers wore being navigated in windy weather. She will not be ready to resume work till the middle of next week.

Wo (the timos) regret to hear that Mr Northcrofi’s son who wont to South Africa with the fourth Contingent is now lying ill at Bloemfontein, Mr Northcroft has also two sons in the seventh Contingent that is about to leave for South Africa.

A meeting of the Kumara Jockey Club was hold on Saturday night at the Secretary’s office. A largo amount of routine business in connection with the Easter meeting was transacted. G. W. Moss and Co were instructed to sell the privileges on Saturday, 130th March. The of-fer-of Mr H. James to work the totalisator was accepted. Messrs D. M’Connon and Rouse wore appointed to watch the racing at Grey mouth and Seefton for the handicaps. 6. Hood Williams, is to receive the Committee’s vote as member of the next Conference. All improvements to course and fences were reported complete.

Indications point to Canterbury members proving a strong body of critics of the Seddon Govt, next session. In his Riccarton speech last week, G W Russell laid aside all question of party and delivered a straight-from-the-shoulder criticism. His chief point was that the Ballincc policy should bo reverted to. The weakness of the Ministry, outside Seddon and Ward, was pointed out. On finance ho dwelt fully, and up to date of writing his figures have not been questioned.

In the five years 1895 to 1899 inclusive there were 568 prosecutions for sly grogselling in the colony, and 900 convictions. Clutha, Invercargill, Mataura, and Waikato electorates furnished more than half the cases.

Tho “Otago Daily Times ” says :—The Hon. R. Oliver has, we are authoritatively able to stale, forwarded to His Excellency tho Governor his resignation of his scat in tho Legislative Council. Mr Oliver finds that he will be unable to return to the colony at as early a date as was at first anticipated by him. Daring the last fifteen years the Weiington Acclimatisation Society his spur, something like £4OOO in connection with the Masterton fish pon is.

Information has been received at Gisborne from the Hon. Mr Carroll that tho Government will send an expert to report on tho timber in the Motu, the wholesale destruction of which by fire has caused an outcry.

Referring to the observation attributed to Sir Robert Stout, to (lie effect that (he Rocr might make a good colonist for Australia, a writer in (he London Globe says : —“Certainly (ho Boer lias some experience in colonising, but (he question is whether lie has an equal capacity for loyally. However, there is no place in which he would have a better chance of learning the meaning of loyalty than in Australia.”

Actors in London receive £725,000 a year in salaries. Web to the length of two and a quarter miles has been drawn from the body of a single spider. Of the parliamentary vote of £3OO provided for allocation amongst the various education boards, Otago receives £47 17s CJ.

At the Union Store, is to bo had a very fine assortment of all kinds of fruit for jam making ; also a largo assortment of jam jars. Order early to save disappointment, Griflien and Smith.—-Anvy.

Dr. Rossetti, late Surgeon Superintendent of the Totara Hospital, will now reside in Hokitika. The genial doctor must be considered one of the oldest West Coasters, having arrived hero nearly thirty-six years ago, and in the early days had a very large and lucrative practice when lie and his lamented wife were true friends to many who required assistance in those good but rough, old days. Dr. Rossetti has for many years held the office of Consul for Italy in Westland.

An Englishman was talking to a naked South Sea Islander, and the savage was talking about “we Englishmen” and “our superiority,” and so on. The Englishman at last said he was pleased ■ that his naked friend had such sound views and such good taste. “ But,” added, “I? don’t sec how you [ can to have English blood in your veins.” “Oh, don’t you?” retorted the savage. “ Why, my grandfather was one of the men who ate Captain Cook ! ”

Two commercial travellers had an experience the other day (says the “Auckland Star”). They were being rowed out to meet the Moura, and while waiting one of them went in for a swim. Just as he got out of the water a large shark attacked the boat, and was only beaten off with difficulty. The party attempted to land it with a harpoon, but without success. The Napier Borough Council the other night, after a lengthy discussion, decided to abolish the ward system of representation, and in future councillors will be elected by the whole of the ratepayers.

The Minister of Public W r orks has given instructions to put in hand at once the extension of the Midland Railway from Motupiko to Tadmor, a six miles section, under the co-operative system.

The Premier has received a cable from the Right Hon. E. Barton, dated Sydney, Wednesday, stating that he. was leaving town for a few days, but had asked the Hon. Mr O’Conner, Vice-President of the Executive Council, to afford the Now Zealand Federation Commission every facility and courtsey.

The Registrar-General has issued a circular to R egistrars of Marriages, pointing out that it is necessary for three months to elapse after the granting of a decree absolute of divorce before marrying either of the parties. Forty per cent of those who die of cholera live above the second floor, against only thirteen per cent of those who live in basements.

Of the total sum promised to the Wesleyan Methodist Twentieth Century Thanksgiving Fund, over half a million sterling has been received. Tire first British medal was given to Captain Wyard, of the Adventure, in 1650, for beating three Dutch ships of Harwich, It was worth £SO.

Thirty-six thousand British families had average incomes of £770 a year in 1800. To-day 222,CHX) families have average incomes of £ISOO. South Australian statistics show that the land under tillage in Australia aggregates 10,240,157 acres, an average of 2.8 acres per head of population, A subaltern scouting with a small party saw a single Boor, and galloped after him. As ho slowly gained the Boer turned round and emptied the contents of his magazine ride at his pursuer, but without effect. The subaltern was not armed, but riding near levelled his pipe at the Boor, and called on him to throw up his hands. The fear of the supposed pistol was 100 much, and the armed Boer became the prisoner of the unarmed Yeoman,

The Boer child, when he receives any education at all, is evidently taught very much on English lines. Among some curiosities sent by Trumpeter Symc from Pretoria to Mr T. Poster, of his old school, are two Boer equivalents of the early “Primers.” One of these contains words of not more than three letters, descriptive of engravings of animal life which appear at the top of each page. There is also a lengthy llocr letter from some official in the education Department to another, presumably on education questions.