DAILY NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7890, 21 December 1903, Page 2

DAILY NOTES.

The " New Zealand NaiitiA valuable oai Almanac for 1904," work. which is freeh from the press, is a publication of great value to mariners and of considerable interest to landsmen. It is a vast improvement on the 1903 edition, iti both the matter and quantity of its contents; Among the nowly-iiitroduced features are several fresh plans of harbours, and tie harbour plans which appeared in last year's edition have been brought up to diate. CotisseS are given, not only for all the coastal ports, but also from African and Australian harbours to this colony, and in each case the great circle courses have been carefully computed. The tidal tables have been corrected and the elements necessary for navigation by sun . and stars in any part of the world are also supplied. A note in the Almanac asks for suggestions. This is a* repetition of a request made last year, which bore fruit in the discovery by,- a Timaru gentleman that the coast -line on the Admiralty charts was incorrectly measured. We are glad! to observe the that the Premier has given overland even his qualified approval mails. to the request of tho Westland County Council that the overland journey from Christchurch to Hokitika should be shortened by half a day. At present a great deal of time is wasted on the trip. The mails, after leaving Christchurch. at eight o'clock, are delayed unnecessarily at Springfield and at other points on the road, with the result that they do not reach their destination until late in the afternoon of the following day. The same delay occurs in an £fe- • centuated form on the return journey. The fault does not lie with the coach service, which is really admirable, but with the Railway and Postal Departments. It w'ouldi be a very easy matter to accelerate the train journey from Christchurch to Springfield by an hour, and say© another hour from the time now spent at Springfield. Then, if the down journey from the Otira to Greymouth were reduced, the total time spent on the road would not amount to more than a day and a half. The Premier admits that this coxild be done in summer, though not in winter, but it will occur to most people that ibo shortened journey might be possible for at least eight months out of the twelve. Holders of last season's thk grain grain could have derived outlook. little consolation from tho interim grain statistics published last week. For some months past thoy have been suffering the unpleasant experience of holding on a falling market, and they are now confronted with figures which hold out very little hope of a rise. At the lowest estimate, next season's crop of wheat and oats will suffice to supply the local demands, leaving the whole of last season's surplus in holders' hands. It will be no easy task to find a profitable market for this surplus?. The Canadian export trade continues to grow, and there are prospects of an immense harvest in Australia. If holders in this colony decide to ship their stocks to Kngland th-V will doubtless huve no difficulty in disponing of them, but it Avill bo at a price which will compare.- unfavourably with tho amount which they could havo obtained in the colony six months ago. The season of school nn_ axniwl breakinys-up and prize-giv-oiti't.t. ings ia here once more, and in a, day or two most of the educational ciUiblishnieuts in and around

Christchurch will be closed and their occupants will he enjoying tho delirious sensation imparted by Christmas holidays. Many a lad and lass are bidding good-bye for eV&r to the school in which they have passed what to many of us is tlie happiest period of our lives. Thoso are going out into tho world to swell the ever-increasing throng of workers to join in the battle of life, and some of them, let ue hope, to participate in* tlie great work of nation building.