The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JULY 6, 1903. RUSSIA AND MANCHURIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 934, 6 July 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JULY 6, 1903. RUSSIA AND MANCHURIA.

It is not often that we go to Rffssia for news, but a sensation has been provided by a Russian journal as to affairs regarding Maiichuria, it being staled in effect that an ultimatum has been delivered to China, and that Britain, Japan, and United States are acting in the matter. That is certainly what they should do ; but when news to that effect comes from Russian sources, it is wise to accept it with a great deal of caution. The object of its circulation is probably to give the veiled threat that Russia will not be influenced in such a way. And Russia has certainly stealthily set about her purpose. The fact that over fifty Russian warships are assembled at IJprt- Arthur means more than any words could convey. The Czar is in the position of being able to move secretly in these matters. In democratic communities the public demand information that on being published sooi; gets to the ears of other Powers interested. If Britain made such a move as Russia did recently, all the world would know the exact purpose ; but the Muscovite in not hampered in that way, and while meaning one thing, does not • scruple to declare that there is some other purpose in view. When a Russian ' diplomat is speaking the truth it is hard to believe what he says, the lying habit being so chronic.

Mails for Napier, per Whakatane, close at 1 p.m. to-day (subject to alteration without notice). A general meeting of the Waiapu Temperance Reform League is convened for to-night, at 8 o’clock.

A farewell to Adjutant and Mrs Cook takes place at the Salvation Army, barracks to-morrow night.

Val Vousden’s entertainment is to ■be given in the Theatre Royal tonight.

A special meeting of the Harbor Board takes place at 2 to-morrow afternoon. 1

Licenses for the booths at the Steeplechase meeting this week were granted on Saturday. Owing to measles the Waerenga-a-hika School will not be re-opened until next Monday.

A very large gathering is anticipaced at the Druids’ annual social on 'Steeplechase night (Thursday). .The committee have made excellent arrangements for the social. The well-known racehorse Finepinetekura was offered by auction on Saturday by, Messrs Williams 'and Kettle, but was passed in after a bid of £SO had been made.

Mr R. N. Jones returned from Wellington last evening. While in Wellington he interviewed the Premier and Ministers on various matters of interest to the district. Yesterday Mr Stevenson, of Palmerston North, who has been for some time in this district purchasing draught horses, left overland for Hastings with a fine mob of thirty-five. The following racehorses arrived from the South last evening to fulfil their engagements at the Gisborne Racing Club’s Steeplechase Meeting : —Mongonui, Comfort, Cronje, Straybird, la, and Levant. Kaitero also arrived from Auckland.

The New Zealand Shipping Company’s Whakatane arrived from Aucklund on Saturday afternoon to load wool and linseed at this port. Loading operations commence this morning, and it is expected that they will be completed this evening.

Owing to unavoidable circumstances, there will be no meeting of the Gisborne Mutual Improvement Society this evening. The debate which opened last week will be resumed on Monday evening next.

The new financial year of the Gisborne Permanent Land, Building and Mutual Investment Society commences to-day, and intending shareholders are urged to take the opportunity of obtaining shares. Mr James Maefarlane, Chairman of the East Coast Native Land Trust Board, returned from Wellington last evening. We understand that unless increased powers are given to the Board, some of the members Will retire.

The many friends of Mr and Mrs D. Douglas, of Whataupoko, will condole with them in the somewhat sudden death of their youngest son Gilbert, which took place on Saturday. The funeral took place at Makaraka yesterday, the Rev. J. G. Paterson officiating, anu was largely attended.

The first practical use of the Harbor Board’s new slip was made on Saturday, when the small dredge was taken in hand for an overhaul. The Board’s overseer, Mr D.> McLeod, superintended the work, Mr K. Humphreys having charge of the machinery.

The Rickards Company are nightly packing the Opera House, Auckland, with most enthusiastic audiences. .The Auckland papers speak of the Company, as being far the best combination Mr Rickards has sent to this colony a .The Gisborne season commences at the Theatre Royai on Monday next.

The brewery business of Robjolins, Hindmarsh, and Co., of Napier, was sold last week for £50,000. Mr P. Glecson, the well-known hotel-owner, of Auckland, and Messrs - Plowman and Hindmarsh, of Napier, are the buyers. The property sold includes the brewery, and sixteen hotels, together with other properties in the Hawke’s Bay district.

Further contributions to tho children’ section of the Cook Memorial Fund are Oollingwood, Nelson, 3s 3d ; Rakaia, South Selwyn, 5s 3d; Mangawharo, Eltham, 5s ; Rongotea, Manawatu, 3s; North-East Harbor, Dunedin, ss: Waikakaho, Marlborough, Is ; total, £1 2s 63 ; previously acknowledged, £192 2s o£d ; grand totai, £193 4s 6Jd.

,The small boys reaped a rich harvest .when the small dredge was put on the slip.. They besieged the vessel with lcits and bags, obtaining an enormous quantity, of mussels. Even in the dark on'Saturday night boys were groping around beneath the vessel for mussels, so that when Tohunga Wereta got to hear of the choice food thus obtainable he found that his army of followers had been forestalled by the enterprising young colonials. They were all quite prepared to risk eating the mussels.

The reply to the petition sent by Mr Witton 'appealing for clemency in the case of his brother, Lieutenant Witton who was sentenced to imprisonment for life in connection with charges against the Bush Veldt Carbineers of shooting Boer prisoners during the late war, states that the King has not been able to give any special instructions in the matter. The petitioner suspects that his petition never reached King Edward, hut is being blocked by the War Office.

There will soon be a “ strike ” in Els borne. After many months of delay, and an exchange of as many telegrams as would have settled the precedence question which it worrying our leading democrats, a start is to be made to-day with the erection of the town clock. Mr R. T. Seymour is to have charge of the erection of the mechanical portions of the clock, and itb adjustment thereafter, while Mr Armstrong, District Engineer for the Public Works De- I partment, will superintend the operations generally in placing the clock in position.

“ Clean City ” writes : —“ If the practice indulged in by certain tradespeople in Peel street of throwing their slop-water, containing animal and vegetable .matter, I into the street is followed, by other residents (who evidently have a perfect right I to do the same), before long Gisborne will have such a smell that mariners will be able to dispense with the use of their comI passes to guide them here. I have noticed several complaints re above in your columns, but the pernicious habit still i goes on, and to allow it to bo continued is little short of crime. Have we an inspector of nuisances here ? Kindly let me know"’ I

A meeting of the Arai Road Board was held on Saturday morniDg, there being present Messrs j. Clark (chairman), C. White, Parker, Smith, and Jex-Blake. Mr C. J. Parker wrote stating that the track from Tokonui road to his boundary was almost impassable in wot weather. He asked that the Board give assistance to convert the same into a dray road. The distance was about sixty-three chains, and he was willing to contribute £ for £. The Clerk said there was a balance of the thirds which could be expended on the ! road, the amount being £B3 lls 7d. The Chairman pointed out that they had nc power to allocate for the road without dividing the thirds among the settlers affected. Mr Parker was entitled to a fifth of the money available. It was agreed that Mr Parker be handed a fifth of the money available, and spend it according to the terms of his letter. The Department of roads wrote re the road through the Mangapoike Valley, stating that it could not authorize it to be undertaken as asked for. Mr R. H. Wells and another contractor wrote asking the Board to consider a claim of £3 Os 5d for loss of time incurred in endeavoring to see the

specifications for the widening of the Tokonui road* It was decided that a reply be sent stating that tenders would be called at the next meeting of th% Board.

The cost of the new magazine rifle as supplied to Australia by the War Office is £4 4s.

The new sugar mill at Lautoka, Fij : , commenced crushiog on June 10th. This is the latest venture of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company of Sydney. A gang of youths engaged in whae is known as “ dragging down ” —that is, stealing from shop fronts—has recently been broken up at Sydney.

The South Australian land and income taxes for the current financial year will exceed the State Treasurer’s estimate by £559, and the stamp tax is £3929 above the estimate.

About 69 men who had had their eloth[ ing destroyed in connection with the Gracchus, applied to Dr Finch, at Lyttelton, for clothing, and received orders on the local clothiers.

The Hobart Municipal Council has granted the library trustees a lease of a pieoe of land in the city fpr 99 years with the right of renewal, in order that Mr Carnegie’s offer of a library could be accepted. Tho New South Wales Department cf Agriculture has decided to send a fruit expert to Windsor district to give practical instruction in pruning, fumigating, etc., where required by orchardists. At the Coolgardie goldfields about a million gallons of water are being sold daily from the water scheme. The expenditure on the scheme is at the rate of £40,000, and the revenue £75,000 per annum.

It is rumored that cholera of a mild type has broken out amongst the coolies in the Lautoka district, Fiji, and that several doaths have been put down to this cause, eight having occurred in one day. William Kenyon, a recent arrival from Queensland, had his skull fractured last week through a plank falling on his head while he was working at a contract at Blount Eden. 'i'ne Wynduam district lias just been visited (says the Wyndnam Farmer) by a well-known timber proprietary iu order to inupecfi the bush Jana, with a view of opening up the same lor su,wmilling purposes- The timber is reported to be in plenty and of excellent quality. .Three valuable draught horses the property of John BlcKae, of Demondrillc, New, South Wales, were recently found dead in the owner’s paddock. The animals had been wilfully poisoned by, phosphorous mixed with chilli.

Dr. McCarthy, who has been conducting experiments at Broken Hill, with tile object of producing rain, is baffled. He says the weather conditions—dust, .wind, and frost—are against him, and has suspended operations till to-day.. “ Mr Fred. Lawless, of Waihi, met with a painful accident while handling a loaded pistol with fne intention of shooting a cat. The pistol went off accidentally, and the ball, after passing round the bone of one of his fingers, buried itself in the back of his hand. Dr .Guinness extracted the bullet.