THE WELLINGTON ALMANACK FOR 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5234, 1 January 1878, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON ALMANACK FOR 1878.

The twenty-fourth edition of the Wellington Almanack, published by the New Zealand Times Company, is issued to-day. It contains a mass of most useful information, and with each copy is issued a most complete plan of the city of Wellington, compiled by Mr. Charles’O’Neill, C.E., from official documents. The plan shows every section of laud in the city, the distances of each locality from the Post Office, the line of tramway, and all the new streets, with the greatest possible minuteness and accuracy. This portion of the work reflects infinite credit on its compiler. The directory for the Government Buildings shows the number of every room, department, and occupier. A description of the buildings is also given. The article devoted to a description of the colony and its resources is repeated, with several statistical alterations and important additions, amongst which may be men--tinned tho Governor’s official report to Lord Carnarvon (the Secretary of State for the Colony), of a tour in the South Island, lately presented to Parliament. This year a portrait and short sketch of the career of his Excellency the Governor is given, and a biographical sketch of the late Sir Donald McLean. The article entitled “The Wars of the Last Twentyfive Years,” is from an Auckland source, and is useful as a matter of reference. “The events which led to the present Turco-Russian War,” is from the London Times, with additions, bringing this very important subject to a later date. The Yen. Archdeacon Stock has supplied the astronomical notes for the year. The abstract of meteorological observations, with notes, taken at the Government Observatory, Wellington, from November, 1876, to November, 1877, has been kindly furnished by Mr. R. B. Gore, the observer. We would here, thank this gentleman for his yearly contribution. The memorabilia gives a chronological record of events of importance from November, 1876, to November, 1877. The commercial statistics in this volume will be of interest. The first table shows the revenue of the colony from all sources for the years 1875 and 1876. Table No. 2 shows the value of the imports and exports in and from the several provincial districts of New Zealand for the same period. Table No. 3 shows the quantities of live stock held by Europeans in New Zealand, also the weights and value of wool exported in the years 1853 to 1876, inclusive. Table No. 4 gives a statement of Customs revenue collected in tho several provincial districts of New Zealand during the years 1875 and 1876. In addition to the sailing directions, which has been revised by Captain Renner, and the latest notifications of the Marine Board added, will be found a very instructive paper on the management of open boats in heavy surfs and broken water. To seafaring men, as well as others, it will be valuable. 'These instructions have been published by the National Life Boat Institution. Squatters, farmers, and gardeners will, in addition to the usual information, find seventeen pages of paragraphs on a variety of subjects connected with their occupations. In a preface to the work the publishers say ;—“ The Directory will speak for itself. It has been our aim to be as accurate as possible, and for this end it was notified in the Times, before we went to press, that we should be obliged if those who had changed, or were changing, their places of residence since the city was canvassed, would notify the same at our office. In several instances this has been done, but many have neglected to do so. Several additions have been made in the country directories, and the publishers gratefully acknowledge the assistance rendered by many friends in furnishing the necessary information.” The Almanack contains a large number of business advertisements, and as a whole it is the best work of the hind we have seen in the colony, and the very moderate price at which it is published—half-a-crown—brings it within the reach of everybody. The mechanical part of the work is also remarkably well executed.