NEWS AND NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 26 August 1901, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Coal Commissioners arc still at Mokihinui (Westport) making a thorough investigation of the mines in that locality.

The shareholders of the Timaru Morning Post hare resolved to convert it into an evening paper.

" A perambulator is a very much more inconvenient article on the footpath than the bike."—Feldwick, M.L.C.

The Wcstport JN'ews states that Mr Kugene O'Connor an ex-Parliamentary representative for the Buller has arrived in Westport. Mr Hugh McGloin, of Lyttelton, has arrived in Wellington to biing under the notice of the Defence Minister a rapidfiring, non-recoiling field gun which he ka* invented.

For some time past, says the Nelson Colonist, boring operations have been carried on near Brightwater with a view to the discovery of coal, and it will bo remembered that a seam was struck about 90ft below the surface. The pipes were driven considerably deeper, and they passed through sandstone and a considerable bed of shale, when tho fracturo of a pipe delayed operations. Since thon, however, a new bore was commenced at a point westward of tho first boro. At a depth of 90ft coal was struck, and tho seam proved to be some (ift in thickness, but the boro has been continued to a greater depth, and is now, wo understand, being carried through sandstone. Tho indications aro regarded as vory promising, and wo hope shortly to bo ablo to record further developments. Tho Eev. L. M. Isitt (writes tho London correspondent of tho Dunedin Star under date sth July) is about to enjoy a well-earned holiday after a long and fatiguing mission. After a short visit to ady Henry Somerset at Eastnor Castle, he is off with Dr Aked, of Liverpool, for a couple of months' cycle tour through France ar d Switzerland. From next September right up to Juno, 1902, ho is booked to rouse tho British people to tho necessity of a solution of drink question. Although ho found that tho war greatly hindered his mission, pooplo having no mind for social problems or reforms, he has sown much good seed, which ho trusts will bear fruit in less troublous tiruee. A leeturo on New Zealand always closes Mr Tsui's mission, and everywhere the colony seems lb awuken extraordinary interest.

Norsdenskiold the Arctic explorer whose death was announced by cable recently was born in 1832 at Helsingfors. In 1858 hi' got his first polar experience when he accompanied Torell ona voyage. Excluded from Finland for political reasons, he was appointed Geologist to the tt'oyal Museum at Stockholm. In 18G1, 1861 and 1866 ho was engaged in the exploration of Spitzbergen. In 1870 he visited Greenland and in 1872 continued his exploration of Spitzbergen, wintering there. In 1875, on board the Proven, he d scovered that during three months of the year the sea was op«n from the North Cape to the mouth of the Yenisei, thus opening up a new commercial route ror the traffic of Central Asia and Siberia. He repeated this voyage in 1876, By desire of the King of bweden, he started in 1878 with the Vega, the Lona, and three tc nderS that were left behind at the Yenis >i. The Lena was also deputed to explore the entrance of thai river and the Vega, havku been forced to winter near the Bear Island, completed the voyage alone, arriving at Yokohama in 1879. Nodtndciold was the author of several scieniiiic treatises on the Arctic regions. WADE'S TEETHING POWDEKS for babies are soothing, reduce fever and prevent blotches. Price 1/-