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New Zealand Mail, Issue 938, 21 February 1890, Page 20

Ministers’ Movements.— The Minister for Mines (Mr Fergus) was a passenger from Pioton by the as Penguin on Wednesday.

JOHNSONVILLE LICENSING COMMITTEE.— The following persons have been nominated for this Committee :—Messrs M. Atkinson, J. P. Bannister, T. Bowler, W. H. Saunders, G. Lambert, J. H. Springgay, G. Waddington, and W. Warcup. The poll takes place on the Ist of Mar^h. The New Way to the East.—Decided eteps have now been taken to develop the new route to the East by way of the West. Three large screw steamers of 7000 tons burthen, zud having a speed of 18 knots an hour, have heen ordered for the Vancouver to Yokohama pas. sage; and three others of still greater size and power, capable of steamjug twenty knots an hour, are about to be ordered for the Atlantic passage from the South of England to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in winter, and Quebec in summer. They are expected to be ready in February, 1891, and to make the passage in. five days and a half at the outside. Traveflers will thus be able to go from London to Yokohama, via British America, in 23 days. Tbe distance is 9250 miles, as against 13,750 by the Suez Caual and 15,500 by the Cape routes. Even Shanghai is 2090 nearer London by the new route than by Suez, not to speak of the Cape route, which, of course, is longer.

The Nelson Evening Mail has heard of four veteran couples now living in Nelson, whose total ages amount to 670 years. They are all members of the pioneers who landed in the province 48 years ago.