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Western Star, 9 October 1908, Page 1

There is a frequently-told story in. New Caledonia that a stockman was once lost in the bush, and after wandering about some days in search of water at last discovered a spring. When he plunged his face opto it, however, ho found it was petroleum. His mind) became unhinged, and when he was afterwards found he could not remember where the place was. Mr, Houston, acting on behalf of Mi* Oswald, of Melbourne, is now carrying on boring operations near Noumea, in search of oil (says the Sidney Daily Telegraph)'. On_ September 8 Governor Richard started tlifl engine working, in the presence of a large number of the business men and officials of the' colony. Mr Houston said that, after careful prospecting along the west coast of the island, and from his'long experience on the oilfields of his native country, Canada, he considered hts prospects of striking a good flow of petroleum very favourable. Tlii operations are being foilowed with intense interest. No workable coal exists in the colony, petroleum might replace it as fuel in the con-, etructiou cf blast furnaces, without which the rich mineral deposits of the island are, in many cases, valueless, Most Chinese mandarins pass the whole of their lives without taking a single yard of exercise. Under no circumstances whatever ie a. mandarin aver seen oh foot ia his Own jurisdiction. The ■ IB*. sidtjfpfeK., fti t&a dead, is still?’fif*iSMSt fiaHs pf ScdtM*rf< - well' aa Ilj is a weird-efiifit, tfliii of laaafrnti* tion being mingled Iraaces addressed to' the departed for leaving his friend® and relative*.