GENERAL NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6513, 16 June 1899, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

OLD AGE PENSIONS. ■; . ; Thei Government has issued instructions! !that if a pensioner is cpnsicted of drunken^, ness-im future, the instahnents shall not b&j paid to. him personally, but to a duly ap.- i pointed, agent. . I

OTAGO C(ML-

UnuEoail activity in the coal trade: .pre-J vails^at Kaitarigata (says>the " Otago : Dailyr v Timesu")) > At the presentabime no less-than. 255 men and boys are eaxgloyed at tha. mme -aho^re and below giounxi. This 1 number has never been exceeded since the co;ilwas first worked. During the past three months nearly -50 minersi-liawe; been taken on^ and thSae -were mostly' strtogecs, all the locat men'.;haAriiag been. -previoudy engagedi . Ofc one day recently the outpni reached- 98 trucksj,aind the daily average ootput isiabriut 600CtoB*.- '

APOLITICAL CEEB6YMAN.

The--. Auckland corret^ondent , of f t'Ss "Gttiga^.Dßaiy 1 Times »S top that DE"Hoß>king addressed a meeting; iii Raglan in sugr port 6b: his "candidature^ ibir the • Waikata seat.t A* the conclusion, sot tfie address some questioiHpswere asked. (Dte being asked u " HSwiyoa- the permissions of your Churcfiy or^Ch&tririan of you'ridfefcriot, to take* tnis parfciri politics?" the HDaetor replied tßa* this was riot required %• the laws of tiie Cliurofi'i^nd he could' nqfe Break a law. wlffek did motr not exist. In reply! to another' questiisni^ he. said.T ie" would contest ffia' seat againsttaH coDieifc:; -■■:•.■ ■••■••;

THE RAKAM.i&ISASTERr;

TKfecenquiry into the; Rakaia raily^ajr awcidenfc will be of au eafiaustive ch^rnater, 'and is exjiected to extend" over three wwb£s. *Mr vPßndleton,' one of iifie CommiaSioirers, 4si expected to reaeU&Wrflington nest. Friday*-, . "

; THE EXAMINATION SYSTBW.

' AYtdegram frompiWeilnigton say*:: — It is understood that th6-KJncatipn Dgpartmenfe has^under consideration the questi(»: a£ the "desiraihileness of- :f riming: regulalaonw Trith: > the^ object of alloNwirg head-teaelieus! to!---classify children' uodte their contnaii. and. : Jtkuscdo away with'ttfTiei present pastThte'\rould alldywrtiiei inspectors^ to devote; tbfeohtime to otherrmatters.

DEBF MINING.

j. Sftme interestingr figures caaeerarng trie irewilts of dee« rminirg at Bendigo- are giWm by Mr Travis,«,Secretory for fttihes in V?icjtoric, in the iOflaual report of <-thei Depasrt--jment. He wsite*:— " A fa ; r->in"feKen'<e may-jbß->drawn of thfe^ possible sueoess-- to be ex~ Ipected in the^futttre from' the follow :rg pets:— ln 1894" * be New Cttumj Ra:l-way-';G6mpan.y diS3O;\rered a r paj^ably aTurifero'us? ;ll6de'at .■•ffc.vdeptte- of: 2878 ft : rr"bm iffie' sWfacep pxoro' 1895; : t»-tlie end of 18§Sitttiis 'cpmpaHy^ jraised from^tievlVade in 40,778 tons: (Of ore, andtt ; th'e yield of golfli ther'efrwnlamounted tiw- 3Syssioz :14dw*, , shf warig . aa • {average "ofiTiTJ'dSw't per. ton; 1 The fatnoaflt Irealised- waa'£>t42, : 248 lT .BSch'tttbn of or.e"mis= [therefore -worth JG3 9s 9si." Dividend*,- ton the extenc^of £78,391 S§ r or £2. 2s 6(Tper •share, were-disiributcd as^profits, in adißtiOn ■to a reserve- fund beirg-restablihed. The ' company is now workiiigp-the Jcde profitablyat a depth 1 - of 3000 ft. Tfie Sh-'afid^ah Company- worked the same reef at 2782 ft. and obtained 91700z ol" gwld from • 16.728? tons, and' fro-n this paid' £14,300 in- divi^dends.. Tito lode, in its^oamtiruati-ojn to- til* south, at a dejjtfr «»f over 3000 ft, is fteihy worked" bjr the EurelcaExtended 1 Company,- and to' fcße north? at a depth of 2SB2ft, by tlie Shanrrock UJbnipany, wfiicli-, un to tile eiwP.of 1898? won 1521o»- from 1474 toi»s of ore, and paM in dividends 53750. 7 '-> total out-put-from these mines- te> the end of" 1898" was 58,980 tons cru-lfed" f»r a yie!cT of 46>2!?20z 14d"wt, avera.'jißg' l&fdwb per bm. aad the dividends amoa»ted to £96,941' ss-. This result may be taken as an indication of the immense possibilitSes that await th> further , development Qf" the deep g^ld-mows of the colony.** _^^___»_____-^_ '