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Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 20 March 1901, Page 2

Owners and trainers are reminded that acceptances for Beef ton Jockey Club’s Autumn meeting, close this evening at 9 p.m. A dredge punt was found floating down the river this morning by one of the harbor board workmen. The punt is now safely berthed.

We are exceedingly sorry to hear that Mr J. 11. Rees is lying seriously ill at his home in Chapel Street, and hope that the cause for alarm is only temporary. The Adclphia Dramatic Company gave (heir farewell performance to a good house last evening. They leave for Beefton to-day, where they open to-morrow evening.

Tenders are invited in our advertising columns for the carting of 120 tons of machinery from the liumara Junction railway station to the building site of the Tcremakau Company’s dredge at the Tcremaku bridge. Tenders close on 27th March at 8 p.m. Among (he visitors to town is Mr W. Gascoine of Wellington who is spending a few days holiday, looking up a number of his friends.

The Christchurch Truth sayslt may bo noted that in a letter recently written by Mr Martin to a friend in Christchurch ho stated that as soon as “.he little scandal was blown over ho intended returning to Christchurch with a view of setting up practice again.” A final reminder is given that entries for the Hokitika races to bo run under the auspices of the Westland Racing Club on Easter Monday and Tuesday, close with the Secretary at Hokitika at 10 o’clock to-night.

Wo direct our readers attention to the time-table for both days of the Resfton races, which are to be held on Friday and Saturday next. The stock in the estate of H. Oliver was bought yesterday by our up-to-date Cash Draper, at one third the cost price. It is Mr Smith’s intention to move the whole stock to the up to date Cash Depot, and when remarked the public can look out for startling bargins. The annual meeting of the Palmerston North Gas Company was held in Wellington on the 14th inst. The annual statement showed a satisfactory state of Dr Colliog, the Chairman, paid a high tribute to the zeal and ability of Mr Matthew Kennedy, the Company’s engineer and secretary. Mr Kennedy is now in Groymouth spending a few weeks holiday with his parents. Mr J. Ford of Kokiri, challenges any man in New Zealand, through our advertising columns, to cut a two foot log (red pine) horizontal position, square cut, or any other cut from £lO to £SO. Man and money may bo found at this office. Owing to the state of weather the Hokitika regatta was postponed till today The Government have allotted the sum of £ls 14s as a subsidy to the Kumara Young Men’s Club Library. A largo number of silver pine sleepers are being cut in the Okarito district and the Jane Douglas will bring a cargo up shortly. Mr Wm Gooch, who (says the Times) met with an accident a short time ago, is now rather seriously indisposed. It is hoped ho will soon bo completely restored to health again. Sir Wcstby Porcival, formerly AgentGeneral, who is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Consolidated Goldfields company of New Zealand, is now in Reefton.

From a private wire received at Hokitika from the Premier yesterday it seems there is very little chance of his visiting Westland until after the session. Mr Scddon states that ho and Mrs Seddon “arc in good health and hope that all their friends on the Coast are likewise.” Constable Watt of Okarito is under orders for removal to another district away from the Coast. The Okarito people will very much regret to lose so efficient and painstaking an officer, and his many friends will wish him all success wherever ho goes. A writer in the Melbourne Iloralp narrates how harshly the servants in good families arc treated. This ‘ manservant ’ says he has been working for years past in the best families in St. Kilder Toorak, and Hawthorn. His hours are from 330 a m to 9 p m., and his wages are five shillings a week. Hundreds of men aud women live thus in this great “bright happy Australian Cjmmonwealth. ” J[e has to attend to the stables, the grooming, the milking, the fowls, and the garden ; and men-servants are never allowed even half a holiday, public or otherwise, and the master or mistress will reply on preferring such a request, “ If you are not content there are hundreds willing to take your place for bed and keep. ” Even Sunday labour is enforced in the best families. Mr Foxton, Queensland Horae secretary, has been notified that during the drought men have been coming in from the western districts. Numbers have collected at Clermont and Barcaldinc, where the starting of railway works and the sending away of contingents will make a considerable difference in the number of unemployed.

In connection with the tenders for steel rails for the Queensland railways, English, American, and German firms will bo given an opportunity of submitting prices, but the specifications will provide that the rails must bo delivered in the colony. Some 5825 tons of 421 b rails, and 3100 tons of (i:b rails will bo delivered at Brisbane, while 858 tons of 52 lb rails and 3000 tons of 01 lb rails are to be landed at Townsville.

Up to the present 3,000 men have been granted old ago pensions in Victoria. One of those is a man of 21 years of age, a native of Victoria, who was permanently disabled through a mine accident. The*Act provides that a person following a mining occupation, and who hts been 21 years in the colony, if injured so as to bo unable lo earn his living, may be granted a pension. A detailed report from the office of the Agent-General, as to the quality and value of honey from New South Wales, as represented by twelve bulk samples shipped laA season, has been received by the State Minister for Agiiculturo. It transpires that Australian honey is at present worth from £2O to £'27 10s per ton or only about half the value of New Zealand. The merchants recommended that all honey for shipment should be carefully graded, and that samples which granulate should be kept separate from those which do not,

An extraordinary scene was witnessed recently when the new torpedo-boat destroyer Lee ran aground on the Maplia Sands whilst undergoing her steam trial. When she ran aground, the Lee literally ploughed up the sands, causing the bow of the vessel to rise up, whilst the stem became embedded up to the shaft. She was in imminent peril of falling on. her side, and the ship’s company hastily left the deck, and alighting upon the sands shored her up. The vessel was afterwards got oft and towed to Chatham.

Quire a sensation has been caused in maritime circles in New York by some singular statements made by the officers of the United States Fisheries Commission steamer Albatross, respecting the perilous conditions attending navigation in the South Seas, They assert that they have discovered that nearly all the South Sea Islands are wrongly charted by from tarn, to a dozen miles, thus making stoeriojfrP the chart exceedingly risky. The exceptions are said to be the Fiji Group and Tahiti.

The 14-year old girl, Maggie Eddy, who confessed that she was responsible for the stone-throwing mystery at Ballarat East, has made a further confession of mischievous conduct while employed as a servant by Mr Jowkes. a year ago, when articles of clothing, etc., mysteriously found their way into the fire or were destroyed. A 15 months’ old baby was at first blamed, but the trouble ceased when the girl loft the house. She says she was merely actuated by the spirit of mischief, and felt compelled to act as she had done,