THE WELLINGTON ALMANACK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 360, 4 January 1879, Page 19

THE WELLINGTON ALMANACK.

We have much pleasure in again presenting to our readers the following epitome of the above almanack. As it is printed and published by the New Zealand Times Company we shall refrain from any expression of opinion on its merits further than stating our belief that it contains the only full directory for the whole of the provincial district published in the colony. We have every reason to believe that an examination will prove that the same is thoroughly trustworthy, and corrected up to the most recent dates. 'The volume is octavo size, and contains 412 pages of closely printed matter and 24 blank pages for memoranda. The volume contains a new and greatly enlarged plan of the city of Wellington, compiled by Mr. C. O'Neil, C.E. Several very important items of information are also attached to the plan, which shows every section of land in the city, the distances of each locality from the Post Office, the line of tramway, all the new streets, and is in every respect the most complete map ever published of Wellington. The directory for the Government Buildings, showing the number of room, department, and occupier, will, we hope, be of great service to those who have business at these offices. The directory will speak for itself. It has been our aim to make it as full and accurate as possible, and for this purpose a canvas for information from house to house in every street and thoroughfare in the city was carefully made. The local directories in the country districts have been made full and reliable, and we gratefully acknowledge the assistance rendered by many friends in furnishing, the necessary information. The text of the Sheep Aoft, 1878, as being the first general Act passed, and as a compendium of the law on a subject of colonial importance, the reprint will, we hope, be useful to our country subscribers. We reprint also the full text of the Land Tax Act, 1878. Of the provisions of this measure also, the operation of which will be so extensively felt, it seems desirable that information should be as widely extended as possible. The details of the proposed mode of administration in the valuation, &c, as published in the New Zealand Gazette are also given. The "Ven. 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. Gore, the observer. The memorabilia give a chronological record of events of importance from November. 1877, to November, 1878. The sailing directions have been thoroughly revised, and the latest notifications of the Marine Board have been added. We have added a sheet giving the flags of the commercial code, colored, and a letter-press description of signals used at the station, Mount Victoria, and at the Custom House as indicating the arrival of the English mails. The statistical information has been revised, and many large and important additions have been made to it. The results of the last census are embodied in this volume, and full abstracts showing the increase in population throughout the colony and the latest results of the agricultural returns, are given. For the convenience of those who are ignorant of the pronunciation of Maori names the sounds of the Maori letters are given. About one hundred and forty different heads of information are contained in the index, from which our readers may form some idea of the scope of the work. A full index to the advertisements is given, which cover about 140 pages, which are numbered separately and kept entirely distinct from the rest of the work. NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. The following table shows the total receipts and expenditure on New Zealand Railways, during the financial year 187 S-79, to the termination, of the four-weekly period ending 16th November, 1877: —

THE CHINESE QUESTION. A meeting of the Anti-Chinese movement committee was held at the Town Hall on Friday evening, when there was a full attendance. Dr. Newman moved, and Mr. Crook seconded, that Mr. Dransfield be chairman. —Mr. Dransfield must decline. The movement had originated with the working men of Wellington, and they were entitled to reap any honor which might accrue from the success of the movement. He had simply been one of those who had taken up the matter subsequently. He believed Mr. Stead and Mr. Watson were the promoters, and as the former gentleman was not in Wellington the latter should take the chair.—Mr. Watson thanked Mr. Dransfield for the compliment he had paid him, but he felt himself unequal to the task. He was sure Mr. Dransfield ought to be regarded as a promoter, because nothing had been done except after consultation had been had with Mm Mr. Dransfield would rather be excused. All he had done hitherto had been to try to keep the thing free from party, because it ought not in any sense to be a party movement. He himself knew by conversation that the employers of labor were just as anxious in this matter as the working men themselves, and he hoped that this was but the

beginuing of a great colonial movemeut. Mr. Harrisou, Mr. Griffiths, and Mr. Wallace thought the Mayor of the city was the proper person to take the chair. After some further discussion the Mayor took the chair amid applause —Mr. VVarcup and Mr. Harrison gave certain explanation?, amounting to the fact that £3O had been collected and sent to Sydney, aud these gentlemen were then elected secretary aud treasurer respectively to the committee. A sub-committee consisting of the following geutlemen was appointed to collect subscriptions in aid of the Sydney seamen on strike :—Messrs. Fisher, Harrison, Harman, Crook, Watson, Wareup, Capper, Griffiths, Popplewell, McCoU, and Dr. Newman. After some discussion on the point of soliciting aid from without, it was resolved that the Mayor be requested to communicate with corporate bodies generally throughout the colony, and forward a copy of the petition, with a view of obtaining their co-operation. It was also resolved that the sub-committee be authorised to communicate with the s cretaries of tnde societies throughout the colony, informing them of the action takeu by the Wellington Anti-Chint-se Committee, and requesting them to call meetings of their respective traces, for the purpose of raising funds in aid of the Sydney seameu's strike.—The general committee decided to meet again in a fortnight, to consider the draft of a petition to be presented to Parliament.

°1 ! Four-Weekly tao. S ° Section, i 'toT § o Heceipts. CD O <D , P-l *- 3 "53 Kaipara Auckland 16 97 & s. d. 341 2 1 3,897 16 0 106-55 89-90 Napier 65 2,262 2 5 72-19 Wellington 45 2,531 17 7 69-17 Wanganui 86 2,652 3 2 69'35 New Plymouth ..- 21 398 S 11 100-30 Greymouth 8 555 3 2 56 94 Westport Nelson .. 19 20 153 7 6 558 11 4 127'70 S9-96 Picton .. 18 371 17 10 96 67 Christchurch—D unedin 532 37.936 15 3 72'92 Invercargill Totals .. 167 1094 4,440 19 2 93"41 56.100 4 5 76'34