Page 4 Advertisements Column 6

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 90, 17 April 1906, Page 4

Good business was done during the holiday season on the city tramways, but the traffic was not so heavy as during the Christmas and New Year seasons. For the past five days the financial returns were as follow s : —Thursday £296 Friday £218, Saturday £329, Sunday £145, Monday £345 The five days during the Christmas season yielded the following sums: —Friday £264, l^oo^lr 383 J Sunda y £214 > Tu«day £428 Wednesday £261. And for tne New Year holidays the results were-— Saturday £341, Sunday £177, Monday (Ist January) £333, Tuesday £225 Wednesday £276. The State Coal Depot \v;tis opened for business at 8 o'clock this morning. Trade, 60 far, appears to be flouri&hinp;, according to the verdict of the manager, Mr. W. C. Gasquoine. "We have° as many orders as we can get out," he remarked at noon, turning over three pages of new entries. The Union Company's steamer Mararoa made an excursion trip to Picton yesterday, leaving Wellington wharf at 7.40 o'clock. The vessel, which carried about 950 passengers, had a fine passago across, and arrived at Pieton in time to see the finish of the first rowing race of the day's regatta. The trip home was commenced at 3.40, and excursionists had another smooth passage back, the vessel arriving at the Queen's Wharf about 6.45 p.m., after a, record trip of ohrs smin. A curious story about some prisoners is told by the Taranaki Daily News of ■Monday. On Wednesday,, it states, a batch of ten prisoners, some of them serving long sentences, who were being transferred to the tree-planting "picnic" plantations in the- thermal district, were shipped on the Takapuna at Wellington for Auckland via New Plymouth. One warder was sent in charge of the consignment, who were dressed in civilian clothes, and allowed (the paper alleges) their freedom to roam tke ship. Several of the prisoners were well dressed, and might have been ordinary Easter holiday r makers for all the unitiated could tell to tho contrary. It is stated that the solitary warder sent in charge was new to the men, a most unusual proceeding. The inevitable happened, of course. The prisoners, it is stated, practically took charge of the ship, penetrating the vessel's hold, stewards' cabins, and first saloon, everywhere leaving some evidence of their expertness at burglary. Passengers' or officers' luggage was overhauled, and it is also stated that cargo was broached. So hot did it become, anyhow, that the captain of the vessel, on arriving at New Plymouth on Thursday, absolutely refused to take the prisoners any further. They were accordingly landed and accommodation was found for them in New Plymouth gaol. It was decided to forward them on by the Rarawa on Saturday night, and they were sent to tho break water on the mail train. The ringleader on the trip up, however, was left behind in the local gaol. Arrived at tho steamer, the captain was only persuaded, with difficulty, to undertake the responsibility of carrying such passengers, especially _as the ship was crowded with holiday-trippers. It was impossible to put them in the hold, where they would assuredly have run riot through the cargo. Eventually they were- lodged in the fore-cabin, their manacles were removed, and they were free to roam the ship. Despite the fact that there was trouble aboard the Takapuna, the same warder was sent, single-handed, to guard his charges aboard the Rarawa. What happened on board the Rarawa has not been ascertained. The New Zealand Express Company, Ltd., makes a specialty of handling furniture \Jocally, and also of packing and shipping same. Experienced and reliable men. Rates moderate. Telephone, No. 92.— Advt. " Yes, that's decidedly smart." This is a remark wo frequently hear in connection with our ladies' costumes. Eastertide is here, a costume is the necessary garment for travelling about in. We are showing somo extraordinary values just now, and are doing big business with them, which is a sure proof that they are good value. A special lino of tweed costumes, styles, at 27s 6d complete — this lino is well worth seeing; also a lino at two guineas in cloth or tweed, newest fashionable colourings. A perfect fitting English tailormado costume, coat lined silk, a really up-to-date garment from Jthree to five guineas, in the latest tweed effects, also in cloth. Be sure and see these special lines as early as possible, to ensure a bettor choice. They sell quickly. G. Smith, Cash Draper, Cuba-street. — Advt. i