THE GAZETTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2370, 3 August 1899, Page 10

THE GAZETTE.

WELLINGTON, July 27. The following promotions are gazetted : — • Major Messenger, who commands the Permanent Militia here, to be lieutenantcolonel j Captain Coleman, the cavalry instructor for the colony, to be major ; Major Murray, Ist Battalion Auckland Rifle Volunteers, to be lieutenant-colonel ; Major Headland, unattached active list, to bo lieutenant-colonel ; Major Watt, 2nd Battalion Wellington (West Coast) Rifle Volunteers, to be lieutenant-colonel. The Blenheim City Rifles have been disbanded, and Captain Griffiths transferred to the honorary unattached list. The total customs duties collected at the ports of New Zealand for the quarter ended 30th June amounted to £460,716, as compared with £433,700 for the .corresponding quarter /of ' iB9B. Tlie^excise duties totalled £18,972, as against:£l7,223. The following are the balances in' the public accounts for the quarter ended 3Qth June, 1899 : ?-* Consolidated fund, £1,217,324 • (against "this Treasury bills amounting to £810,000 are .outstanding) ; public works fund^ £171,173; Cheviot estate account, £3306"; land -for settlements account. £28,868 ; conversion account, £1693 ; loans to local bodies account, £12,131 ; New Zealand consols account, £437,840 ; suspense account, £7584. The telegraph, postal note, money order, and savings banks business throughout the colony for the quarter ended June 30 shows a substantial increase, as compared with, the corresponding quarter oi lasfc year. The excess of savings bank deposits over withdrawals last quartet was £92,954. Mr John Coom is gazetted chief engineer of working railways. /- X .■ The services of the Ashburton Guards have been accepted by the Government. It is announced .that for the senior civil service examination of January, 1901, the period of literature Avill be from 1800 to 1850, and the special books will be Carlyle's "Sartor Resarfcus" and Milton's " Samson Agonistes."

y A large number of Maoris hare lately passed through Invercargill and Bluff, en, route to Ruapuke, to take part in the" obse- ; quies of Ezia Waitere, who passed away at his homonpar Dunedin. He formerly resided" at Ruapuke; and 'at the" time of his death owned one-third of the island. He was 6ne of the several chiefs who sold Stewart" Island to the Government. Topi ie now the' last Burvivor of the historic past, so far as the South, , Island is concerned, and he is in his ninetieth I year — Southern Cross. Beat the big drum and shout hurrah I A discovery ! The best thing this side of the line; licks everything of the kind into a cocked hat. No more sleepless nights. A. boon to parents; an everlasting blessing. .What? Why, Woods's Great Peppermint Cure for coughs and colds, of course. Sold everywhere at Is 6d and 2a 6d ; the large eiza is the cheaper in the lons run.