Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1901.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 31 December 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1901.

This forenoon trains from Hokitika and Roefloon brought in a large influx of visitors to our races. As the Star is published early to day we have to hold over our account of races till Thursday. A telegram to hand informs us that Rocklands Beach gave 18 oz 3 dwts of amalgam for 75 hours’ work. We regret to record the death of Mr J. Smyth, of Hokitika, which took place at half past two this morning. The funeral will take’ place on Thursday afternoon.

William Keane, an old age pensioner, was found dead in his hut at Butchers’ Gully near Kanieci Forks on Sunday. Thebeuywas removed to Kanicri Forks hotel yesterday. The deceased had been ailing for a considerable time and was attended by Dr Macandrew, for heart disease. The doctor certifies to the cause of death and therefore the coroner will not hold an inquest.

A meeting of the committee of the Greymouth Jockey Club was held at the Albion Hotel last evening, Present— Messrs Petrie (chairman), McKay, Smith, McCarthy, Ponsomhy, Sheedy, Walton, Giesking, and Hannan. John Byrne was elected a member of the Club unanimously. A person was appointed to stop tote betting on the course. M Gale applied to have the di-qualification removed from Gamoron. The committee decided they had no power to grant the request. The New Zealand Literary and Hiftorical Association prize for the best New Zealand poem sent in for their literary competition has been awarded to Miss Dora Wilcox, Christchurch, for her p iem entitled “The Last of the Forest,” The Rev. A. H. Collins has resigned the pastorate of Ponsonby Baptist Church, near Auckland, a position he has held for nearly nine years. The council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce considered the question of the inconvenience caused to traders by the frequent bank holidays, and agreed that all the chambers of commerce in New Zealand bo communicated with, urging a joint protest to the Government in. the matter.

The El Era states that there is a young girl at A.djfiur, in the Lebanon, named Vnna Yussnf Nail, whose eyes are stated to possess the properties and powers of Rontgen rays. She can see through anything and describes the contents of closed boxes however thick a d opaque they may be. She should be invaluable as an assistant either to a surgeon or a customhouse officer and make a grand poker player. At a meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce a resolution was passed that the council deprecates the action of th« Government in dismissing, without sufficient notice, a large number of men employed on railway works, thus causing serious loss to a large number of storekeepers and to the community, many of whom have thereby been forced into bankruptcy. According to the “Tribune de Geneve.’’ published in Geneva, there recently died in Albania on Ismail Hudgo, who was born in 1741, having reached at the time of his death the extraordinary age of 160 years. The old man up to the last was in full possession of all his senses; in fact, his vigour was so great that at the age of 158 he hss been known to walk eleven miles without being tired. He had a splendid set of teeth at the time of his death, his general appea-ance being that of a healthy middle-aged man.

The thorough bred mare Leister Bass is advertised for sale in pur advertising columns.

Mr George Ingall, o£ Red House, thanks, the public of Greymouth and surrounding districts for their liberal patronage bestowed on him, and wishes us one and all “ A Happy and Prosperous New Year.” — Advt.

A fruit very scarce, on this coast is raspberries, and our readers will therefore be pleased to note Harley and Go’s advertisement advising a shipment to arrive. Orders are now being booked.

To-night the usual Fire Brigade display will take place. Members of the Brigade have been very liberally supported by the citizens, and the procession/ and fireworks are expected to be very good. At midnight with the death of the old and birth of the New Year, the firebcll will sound the start from Boundary Street, the route being along the Quay, Customs House Street, Mackay and Tainui Street, to the residence of His Worship the Mayor,

The second test match, ia connection with the English cricketers’ Australian tour, will be commenced at Melbourne to-morrow. The only alteration in the Colonial team, which w r as defeated at Sydney, is that Duff and Armstrong rs.Laver and M'LCod,

Doctors who make frequent examinations of the heart for insurance compam ies have (states a London paper) discovered a form of heart trouble which seems to be peculiar to men and boys engaged in working lifts. This heart trouble is also found, but in a less degree, in those who are constantly using a lift. Why an injurious effect on the heart should be the outcome of the rising and falling sensations produced by a lift is still shrouded id mystery. But the fact, if it be a fact remains.

The biggest artesian well in Europe is at Qrenelle, near Paris, It gives 700,000 gallons of water a day. A London paper says it is computed that as many as 1500 Jews have fought on the British side during the Boer war, and there are on record 10 several instances of three Jewish brothers being on service with British regiments in South Africa.

There has been some comment of late (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent) regarding the practice of members of Parliament accepting money from their constitutents by way of testimonials for services rendered. The comments are all the stronger because of the “sixty pounds’ grab” of last session. Some members, however, who have been offered such testimonials are proof against the temptation. Mr A. L. D. Fraser, for instance, has intimated that he will not receive a testimonial, which was being got up among his constituents. Mr Fraser has informed the hon. tieasurer of the fund that “after giving the proposal full consideration he has come to the conclusion that his Parliamentary service to the district up to the present does not call for any special recognition.’’ Mr J. P. Morgan, the American financier tells an odd story of a little deal that he made with a London newspaper peporter. When the latter first approached him, Mr Morgpn sent word to him that his time was worth £lO a minute. He received an answer that the newspaper man would take two minutes on these terms. “My , curiosity was aroused,” continued Mr Morgan, “and I gave orders to admit Him. He gave me £2O, and talked for two miuutes. When he rose, I asked him why he had been so anxious to see me. He quietly answered that he had bet £IOO he could get to see me in his newspaper capacity.” Asked if li, had kept the £2O, Mr Morgan said that he had, and had earned it with much satisfaction.

The kauri timber growing in the North is estimated at 259,000,000 feet, and as the conversion is about 70,000,000 feet per annum, the supply will bo exhausted ih about 18 years. The kahikatea (white pine, and rirau red pine) forests in the three islands are extensive enough to sustain a much greater‘rate of conversion for future generations. In Westland alone it is estimated there are forests, which will produce 12,000,000 feet per annum for 500 years. Mr Jackson Palmer, member for the Ohinemuri district, was presented by the miners with a handsome gold sovereign case and purse of sovereigns, in reeog nition of services rendered, particularly in reference to the recent important mining dispute.

The chah'man of the Wellington and Manawatua Railway Company has received cable advice from the principal London shareholders that they approve of the purchase of the line by the Govern ment. As it is not certain whether this is the decision of a meeting or merely an expression of opinion of some of the chief shareholders no meeting of the local shareholders will be hold until mail advices are received.

It is rumoured that Mr Justice Oonolly contemplates retiring. Judge Conolly is severely taken to task by one Auckland paper for the language he used to Dr. Wilkins, during a case in which the latter gentleman was the accused. Thus the paper continues :—“The fundamental canon of British jurisprudence is that as a prisoner is held to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty. It is the fuuction of the Judge to see that the accused person obtains the fairest possible trial, and to carefully guard himself from influencing the minds of the jury by leaning to one side or the other during the course of the trial. Now, what effect is such a remark as: ‘I have seen a great many low ruffians in that dock cross-examine witnesses, and I have never seen one do it so badly as you,’ like to produce upon a jury. Obviously they would conclude that Judge Oonolly looked upon Dr. Wilkins as a low ruffin. It betrays a heat degree of temper and a spirit of aoerbility that one does not expect to find on the Supreme Court Bench. It may bo said that as Judge Conolly is a very old man some allowance must be made on that accounh He is a very old man, in his 80tb year, we believe. Wo do noc think it is in public interest that men of such great age shouli bo exercising the very grave and weighty responsibilities that devolve on a Judge.”

It is believed that a large number of residents of the colony will visit London for the Coronation ceremonies. Apropos of this, almost the whole of the saloon berths on the New Zealand Shipping Company’s new steamer Ruapehu, which leave Wellington early in March for the Old Country, have been booked. To such great proportion has the custom of drinking absinthe attained in Switzerland that societies have been formed throughout the country for tin purpose of organis ng lectures illustra'ed by limelight pictures depicting the effect absinthe has on the human b )dy. A Geneva telegram published in tbo London “ Express ” slates that in the absinthe producing country districts rou d about Neuchatel and the French frontier the condition of many of the mala inhabitants is frightful to behold, shrunken features, accompanied by palsied hands, being encountered on all sides. Throughout Switzerland the yellowish green liquid is very cheap, the prices ranging from Ud to 3d per glass, one glass being quite sufficient to make the ordinary Britisher drunk, yet in this country the peasants frequently take their eight to ten glasses per diem. An habitual absinthe drinker seldom lives beyond his forty-fifth year. It is a regretable fact to chronicle that in some districts the women are beginning to show a marked liking for this spirit.

„ A projecting fire-plug in the sireet caused a serious accident to a young girl in Wellington last week. She was thrown from her bicycle, sustaining concussion of the brain, besides being badly cut and bruised.

The sbawrooms and ladie-,’ departments of Messrs Tymons and Co.’s drapery establishment, have been p'aoed under the immediate personal oha-ge of Miss McWilliams, who has corn l from Australia under special engagement o the firm. Miss McWilliams has a professional status unsurpassed in th j Oolonia. world, and at Messrs Buckley and Nunn’s and Roberts and Moffatc’s huge establishments in Melbourne, and Horderns, and Palmer’s colossal fashionable Sydney warehouses, the departments under her direction wore the spocia and most attractive featur.s At Mean s Tymons and Co.’s warehouse the latest, Vest and most fashionable styles can therefore bo relied upon, and all information ocrcarning the dress and personal decoration will be cheerfully given.—Anvil.

The superior qualities of the Ceylon Teas; are rapidly supplanting the inferior Chinese products in all the markets of western civilization-. The teas grown in the virgin lands of tile Sinhalese, possesses greater strength, richer aroma, and an infinitely larger percentage of the Alkaloid Theine> (the active principle and stimulating property of the plant) than do the teas grown by artificial cultivation on exhausted soil of China. Hence bulk for bulk, the Ceylon Teas are 1 cheaper, purer, more stimulating, and , possess a rare fragrance, wanting in I those of the Celestial Empire. Of all the brands of Ceylon Teas, the “ Kiosk ” stands eminently supreme and without rival. Messrs Harley and Co, the wellknown auctioneers and general agents, are the sole agents for W estland of this incomparable brand, and sell it to the general public in full chests, and 51b packages. If a trial is made of the Kiosk tea, no other will again be used and knowing that “once a customer a customer for ever.” Messrs Harley and Co, are offering it for the present at prices that no other firm can compete against. All large consumers, and heads of households, would do well to give the “ Kiosk ’* tea a trial. There is quality, economy, and money in it. — AdvtSome of the, highest living medical authorities attribute the great growth of physical and mental disease which has characterised the last few decades,_ to the universality of adulturation. They affirm that the taking into the system continually by human beings a? food, substances which are chemically foreign and not only incapable of sustaining healthy life, but constitute a perpetual danger to it, is largely responsible for the new and complex diseases that baffle their curative ‘ skill. Therefore be wise in time, eat only

K Jam and avoid these dangers. Absolute purity guaranteed— Advt.