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Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 885, 8 May 1903, Page 2

Tlio Gisborne cadets are to have a sham fight to-night. An enjoyable open-air concert was given last night by the City Band. Captain Edwin wired yesterday Moderate easterly winds, glass rise, poor tides, very cold night. On Thursday, the 21st inst., and on June 11th, stock sales are to be held at the Waerenga-a-hika yards. At 8 o’clock this evening the Committee of the St. Patrick’s Sports meet at the Masonic Hotel to receive the balauce-sheet in connection with the late sports. Attention is drawn to the change of dates for Messrs Common, Shelton and Co.’s stock sales. The next sale will bo held on Thursday, May 21st. The value of the produce shipped from Gisborno by the Ilome steamers during the last four months amounts to 11238,731, ati increase of nearly £120,000 over the first four months of the preceding year. At tho Supreme Court yesterday probate was granted by the Registrar, Mr Barton, in the estato of Alexander Campbell to Emily Bertha Turtle. The applicant was represented by Mr Barker. Tho tradesmen of Masterton have agreed to close their business premises at nine o’clock on Saturday evenings during tho months of May, Juno, July, and August. The Commercial Union Insurance Co., Ltd., for which Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. are the Gisborno agonts, notify that they are now accepting proposals for accident, for fidelity guarantee, and tiro and marine classes of insurance business. Complaints are made of persons bathing on the beach without proper costume during the time the beach is most frequented by pedestrians. An occasional visit of a member of the force would perhaps be effective in dealing with the subject of complaint.

A notice of speciul interest to those having land cleared is given by Messrs Common, Shelton and Co., agents for the Commercial Union Assurance Co., which is prepared to accept at the very lowest current rates,policies connected with bushfelling and scrub-cutting work,

One of the best examples of volunteer enthusiasm was given by a member of the Winton corps tho other day. He walked 13 miles, for tho most part over a bad road, to fire in the competitions held in connection with the opening of the new rifle range, and at the end of the match marched home again. At the wharf yesterday morning a young man named Percy, met with a painful accident. He was assisting a carter to back his dray on to the wharf for tho purpose of unloading, when tho wheel passed over the toes of his right foot, severely crushing them. He was attended to by Dr. Cole, and removed to tho hospital. In the Native Appellate Court yesterday judgment was delivered in the Hanomatuku No. 2 case. In respect of this block two appeals were lodged aguinst tho decision given upon the definition of rolativo interests of the original owners (1) by Heni Tipuna and (2) by Mihi Karaha. Tho Court dismissed both appeals, but varied the terms in which the rolative interests of owners were fixed by the Lower Court.

A rather novel sight was to be witnessed in Kimoolton a few days ago, in tho shape of a heifer owned by Constable Healey, fully harnessed, bridle, saddle, etc., complete, being ridden about the town by one of the constable’s boys. The animal did not seem to mind being made into a geege: by the youthful “ Tod Sloan,” and as far as one could see could be guaranteed to bo thoroughly quiet and reliable.— Feilding Star. At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., Hone Harni sought to recover from Edward Arthur Evans tho sum of £2B for work done in connection with a ploughing contract. Mr E. N. Jones appeared for the plaintiff, Evidence was given by plaintiff and a native named Karaitiana Euru. His Worship, in giving judgment, stated he would fix the remuneration at tho amount which tho witness Euru said was a resonable charge. The evidence was that the land was seven acres in extent, and he would allow ill 5s an acre for the work. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £8 15s, costs £3 6s.

On Wednesday evening a horse attached to a vehicle standing at the corner of Bright street and Palmerston road became frightened. Mr W. Harding tried to restrain the animal, but it reared, causing him to release his hold of the reins and fall to the ground. The horse then bolted, the wheel passing over Mr Harding, but fortunately not injuring him severely. The horse made for the bridge, but slewed rouud, and the vehicle was caught in the wing at the approach to the bridge. A rail was smashed and the gate leading to the Beautifying Association’s enclosure damaged. A number of firemen and others rushed to the scene, Mr H. Harding, of Quinn's stables, pluckily securing the animal, and with other help it was soon released. Strange to say no damage was done to the horse, harness or vehicle. About the same hour a horse took fright on the Whataupoko side and boked with a buggy, which was damaged to some extent. On the same evening there wa9 a block on the bridge, which caused considerable inconvenience.

A dwelling-house in the front street at Dargaville wa3 completely gutted on Friday night. Mr Neurant, the occupant, went to the concert at a-quarter to eight, young children, the oldest seven years old, in bed alone. At a quarter-past eight an alarm of fire was raised. The flames had burst through the roof, and in a fety more seconds the children must have perished. Constable Thompson burst open the window and explored the front room, finding no one there. The smoke was stilling, but he got through to the back room, and, groping about, found two children crouching and choking, bagging each other in a corner. Mr Sinclaire effected the rescue of the third child out of another room. Very shortly afterwards the building collapsed. The fire is attributed to a defective chimney, a hole appearing in the chimney'*upstairs, the seat of the fire,

A Rent Reduction League has been firmed in Wellington. This year's potatoes are now being sold by Forty-Mile Bush growers at £4 per ton.

The Titnaru Harbor Board has decided to increase their wharfage accommodation very cons.derabiy.

Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. advertise that they are buyers of quinces in any quantity.

Three prisoners, while exercising in the gaol yard at Perth (West Australia), made their escape. One was arrested half anhour later, but the other two got oil.

The Mansrwatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association have asked the Wellington Harbor Board for free storage of cheese for the winter show.

An iceberg was sighted in the Southern Ocean by the Aberdeen liner Australasian, which has arrived at Sydney from London.

The Woodviile meeting of householders passed a resolution asking the Education Board to urge upon the Government the necessity of increasing the grants to hoards.

There is a proposal on foot at Pahiatua for the establishment of markets there, in which to hold monthly or quarterly sales of skins and hides.

The Southland Meat Company has started a retail business in Invercargill, after the example of the Gear Meat Company in Wellington. According to the Clutha Leader, a record price was paid for turnips, considering the time of year, a few days ago, when a paddock at Inchclutha fetched £lO per acre.

Bathurst burr, broom, giant burdock, gorse, hakea, and ragwort or ragweed, have been gazetted noxious weeds within tho County of Horowhenua.

During the month of March five China men arrived in the colony and 19 took their departure. Bullion valued at £17,050 was sent to London, via Sydney, on Monday, by the Waihi Gold Mining Company.

Sea mullet are at present shoaling in vast numbers in Port Hacking, New South Wales, and tho fishermen are netting splendid hauls daily. Thirty-four new members from Pahiatua wore elected to the Woodlands Hunt Club at. the last meeting, and it is intended to retain tho hounds at Pahiatua.

The Taranaki Acclimatisation Society decidod that it bo a suggestion to the Colonial Secretary that 1904 be a close year. The Stratford and Hawera societies are to be asked to co-operate. The Tirnaru Borough Council finds it

necessary to extend some of its sewers which discharge into the sea, as the shingle banked up by the harbor works tends to close the sowers.

A recent visitor to Parihaka tells the Ilawera Star that the natives do not take To Whiti seriously. They Consider him to bo in his second childhood, and laugh at much that, he does.

At Ballarat, Victoria, the other day, a boy named Thomas Bromley was shut in tho face with a bullet fruiu a pea rifle. The bullot entered by one cheek and, passing through the mouth, came out through tho other cheek without affecting tho teeth or gums. He is in no danger. The doctors regard the case as a remarkable one.

Complaints are being made at Goulburn, New South Wales, that- unemployed men in tho town and district, who desired to go out fossicking, have been prevented from doing so in consequence of the issue of free miners’ rights having been suspended by the Mines Department. Mr Robert Murray, of Tokomairiro, who arrived in Otago in the first year of tho settlement, probably holds the record for length of service as a school committeeman. He was elected last week for the 47th time. Ho was first a memoer of the committee in 1806, and has only once missed being elected since then. On that occasion ho forgot the date of tho meeting and failed to attend.

A disastrous fire occurred at Golden Cross, tho AVaitekauri Gold Miuing Company’s engiuehouse at No. 1 shaft being completely demolished on Saturday at midnight. The estimated damage is £3OOO. It is covered by insurance. Tho poppetheads are left 'standing. All work iu the mine has been temporarily stopped. Efforts are being made to got the pumping machinery temporarily working, in order to save the shaft. The cause of tho fire is at present unknown. The Dunedin Drainage Board has decided to adopt the draiuago and sewerage scheme of its own engineer (Mr J. T. N. Audorson), only two members dissenting. This scheme was not approved by the three engineers who had been appointed to report on it, and they put forward instead a scheme of their own, involving a high level intercepting sower. An amendment to defer consideration of tho matter till the 12th inst. was defeated, also an amendment to rofer Mr Anderson’s scheme and the scherno of the consulting engineers to some engineer of the highest repute for his decision.

It seems to us that if tho peoplo of this colony aro to bo compelled to choose between a system designed to confine scholarships to those who are “ brilliant ” before reaching 14 years of ago, compelling them to bo uqdcr the supervision of the principals of a secondary school “ by night as well as by day ” till they are 19, and a system of district high schools by which every pupil who passes the Sixth Standard goes straight ou without further trouble to a secondary course—if this be the only choice offered, then we may he sure that the district high school party will win all over the colony.—Napier Telegraph.

Wellington’s population is undeniably increasing (says the Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Star), but hardly so fast as the Premier would make it out to be. In his speech on Saturday night he caused shouts of laughter by stating that during his term of office AVeilington’s population had increased by 11 millions. Taking another look at his notes the Premier discovered that he had made a slip, but he made light of the fact by intimating that the figures should have read 11,532. “ Anyway,” added Mr Seddon, "it ought to have been more.” The Premier then pointed out that tho capital value of the property of the city had increased by £5.060,911 during the last decade, and the improved value by the snm of £31,500,096, or nearly a million per annum. He had been pleased to note the success of ihe Greater Wellington movernentj, and hoped the colony would have more amalgamations of municipalities. Such movements gave greater and wider municipal life to the community. A needed reform was a wider franchise and greater representation in municipal affairs.

Tho pouee, who have been endeavoring to put a stop to the palmistry nuisance, are not receiving much support from the Beueh (says the Christchurch Press), when we find the local justices gravely imposing a fine of five shillings as constituting, in their opinion, an adequate punishment for the offence. Inasmuch as it came out in evidence that the defendant charged 2s 6d a “ consultation,” and was doing a remarkably good business at that price, it is evident that a fine of five shillings is much more likely to act as an encouragement than as a deterrent. The defendant, we have little doubt, would gladly pay the penalty imposed by the Bench, and probably consider that the advertisement- which she has received is worth many times the amount. It is true

that- the bulk of her customers must be very silly people to be taken in by such rubbish as she teils them, but it is the people of feeble intellect who require most protection from the law. If it were simply a question of a number of gulls losing their half-crowns we might not feel very much sympathy for them. It is stated, however, by the police that visits to palmists are often responsible for a good deal of domestic unhappiness. Cases have occurred in which foolish women have brooded over the things that have been told them until their Jives have become a misery both to themselves and those related to them. If this is so, it is time that some effectual check were placed on social parasites of the Madame Zillah type, This end will assuredly not be achieved by the imposition of five shilling fines.