NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 29 April 1901, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The amount of the postal and telegraphic returns are published in the Gazette issued recently. The aggregate revenue from both post and telegraph was £126,834, a decrease of £BB2 on the revenue for the first quarter of 1900. The sale of stamps amounted to £19,000, as against £59.976 during the first quarter of last year. Private box rents contributed £8,480 to the revenue, money order commission £4,200, telegrams £86,441, telephone exchanges £4,440. The Savings Bank deposits amounted to £1,141,258, as against £1,078,524 for the same quarter in 1900. The withdrawals amounted to £1,056,024, as against £985,292. The excess of deposits over withdrawals last quarter was thus £85,288, as against £98,281 for last year’s period.

The Governor is determined that the future King and Queen of Britain shall, in their visit to New Zealand, see as much of the beauties of the colony as possible. Among the “sights worth seeing ” is Milford Sounds with its towering glaziers reaching to the water’s edge. Lord Eanfurly has just returned from a personal inspection, taken with a view of acquainting himself as to whether the Ophir, with the Duka and Duchess of Cornwall, can visit Milford Sounds with safety. It is understood that Lord Ranfurly, as long as three months ago, suggested a visit to Milford Sounds, but the Admiralty authorities objected, on the ground that the anchorage there is somewhat unsafe for such a large vessel as the Ophir. There is a buoy there to which the Union Company’s vessels anchor, but it is very doubtful if this would be satisfactory in the case of the Ophir. From the present moorings there is very little room for a ship to swing, and beyond the buoy the water is of such a groat depth that an anchorage cannot bo found. We shall possibly be made acquainted with the Governor’s opinion in the course of a day or two.