The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 4, 1903.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 959, 4 August 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 4, 1903.

A light shock of earthquake was felt at 3.24 this morning. The Borough Council will meet tonight. The usual subject of water and drainage will como up. At the Police Court yesterday morning two first offending drunks were convicted and discharged. East Capo reported yesterday: N.W. light wind, barometer 29.77, thermometer 50. blue sky, good tides, smooth sea, S.E. swell.

Arrangements are now in hand for the concert and dance in aid oE the Matawhero School funds, to be held at Matawhero on Thursday, Sept. 3rd. Captain Edwin telegraphed yesterday: Gale after 16 hours from now from between north and east and south-east, glass fall, tides high, sea heavy, much rain. A counter petition in favor of a compulsory Saturday half-holiday has been freely signed in Gisborne. The petition has been sent to Wellington, and Mr Carroll has also been communicated with.

At the Police Court yesterday a ma n named John Larsen was charged with being drunk on Saturday whilst in charge of a horse. Sergt. Siddells stated that the accused had been liberated on a £2 bond, which was forfeited through his nonappearance. The accused was convicted, and ordered to pay costs, An entertainment will be given in the Wesley schoolroom on Wednesday evening, August 12th. The church choir will provide a first-class programme, including solos, duets, quartettes, etc., and will conclude with a comic dialogue, entitled, “ The Hunted Boom," Mr B. Piesse is the enterprising secretary.

Wairoa was among tile places that got a shake-up on Sunday, and reports “ a severe, prolonged eartli'quakc,” with several lighter shocks later on in the morning. No damage was done. Feilding was" included in the list, and reports a shock at exactly the same time as that felt at Wairoa, 3.45 sum. ‘ At the Mutual Improvement Society last night a strong committee was formed to arrange for their annual entertainmont, to be held this month. The evening was devoted to the discussion of “ Should women receive the same pay as men providing they did the same amount of work?” The question of the opposite sex sittiug in Parliament was also dealt with.

The attention of our readers is directed to the special advertisement of Messrs W. Pett-ie and Co. in regard to their monster discount sale of general drapery. Discounts raDge from 10 to 50 per cent., full particulars beiDg given by circular to be obtained on application. The sale is one of the most important held in Gisborno for a long time, and an excellent opportunity is presented to those requiring first-class goods. New businesses in Gisborne are opening every day, the latest being Mr E. M. Herrick, who has purchased the fruit and confectionery business so loDg carried on by Mr J. Lewis. It is Mr Herrick’s inten. tion to keep a large stock of the very best English confectionery, and to make the business the most up-to-date of the kind in Gisborne. A fine assortment of English sweets is now being opened up, including fruit preserves, crystallized cherries, figolois, Murray’s almond paste confectionery, fruit giaces, and a fine lot of chocolates. The goods are ail of the very best quality, and connoiseurs are recommended to try them, . *

A number of prize Buff Orpington cockerels are advertised for sale. The monthly meeting of the Gleaner’s Union has been postponed until Monday nest, August 10th. It is proposed to convene a conference of inspectors of the public schools, to be held in January next. Grcymouth reports that the export of gold from there last month was valued at £59,594 Ss lid. At the Supreme Court at Wellington yesterday, three boys charged with theft at Ilawera, were admitted to probation. A number of cases of scarlet fever in the Auckland city and suburbs are reported, but they are said to be merely sporadic. There was a large attendance at the Cinderella dance given by Misses Honan in the Academy or Music last evening, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. A laborer named John Ford, aged 35, was crushed to death by a fall of earth at Hew's brickworks, near French Forest, seven miles from Manly, New South Wales.

Yesterday was observed as a close holiday at Nelson, in keeping with ail old custom. Nelson never was noted for getting up a vigorous hustle—it prefers the old style to keeping up with the times. A grand social will be held in the Public Hall, Patutahi, on Thursday evening, August 6th, in aid of the Roman Catholic Church Fund. The dance commences at 8 o’clock, and the gathering promises to be a great success.

A young man named Frank Crowley was arrested yesterday by Constable Doyle on a warrant. Ho had been wanted for some months for default in paying a fine for travelling on a train without paying his fare at Pahiatua, the sentence being seven days’ in default. Addressing a public meeting at Manaia, Mr J. G. Wilson, president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, said:—“l am perfectly certain that no one in the world is obtaining more money per cow than the people of Taranaki are at the present time.” -

Considerable indignation has been aroused in Edendale (says the Wyndham Farmer) over the reprehensible action of somo person or persons in sending a number of anonymous letters, couched in most offensive terms, to some well-known residents in that community. Mr Lissant ClaytoD, land and estate agent, Dunlop’s Buildings, advertises a number of choice town and suburban properties for sale. Ho requires to lease 400 to 150 acres and to buy 120 acres on the flat. Mr Clayton is agent for the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation.

The sales made by Messrs Hamon and Smith during July include the following : Sale of O’Reilly Bros.’ stables to W. O’Reilly; sale of section on Mangapapa to Mr W. Aitken ; sale of goodwill of lease and stock of Mr J. Lewis’ shop to Mr E. M. Herrick ; sale of Albion stables from W. O’Reilly to Mr Francis, of Dunedin. The firm have also been successful in securing business premises in town for other clients. They call attention to the fact that they have several businesses in town for sale, also a shop in a good position to lease. Mr R. M. Birroll, who has just returned from the Motu, speaks most enthusiastically in regard to the future of that district. He considers that the destruction of timber that is going on there at the present time is nothing short of sacrilege. Mr Birrell was accompanied by Mr L. Bolton, and the visit was made in connection with the proposed tramway scheme. They were accompanied on their return by Mr P, Mortensen, manager for Mr Baigent, who has secured tho principal milling interests in tho Motu, on the front road.

Mr 'J. Gordon, manager for Capt. Tucker, has returned from Campbell Island, and reports everything going on in a most satisfactory manner, lie left three men on the Island to take care of the place during liis absence. Mr Gordon states that the cattle, horses, and sheep are thriving. One' of the mares has a fine young foal, which is doing well. The -question as to whether ‘stock will thrive on the Island has been settled absolutely in the affirmative This is the third season, and all the stock arc doing splendidly. The sheep are very, healthy and free from disease.

Tlios. Campbell Cummings (“ Soapy Tom ”■) was discharged yesterday on a charge of vagrancy, showing from the evidence of Messrs Barry, East, and Lucas that he had been receiving money from the sale of bottles—from 7s to 10s per week from Mr Barry. His, Worship commented on the disgraceful way in which the defendant had been living, and advised him strongly to reform his ways of living. Tom, looking .quite a different man, owing to the kind attention given him. by the police force, was then released. The Sanitary Officer, Dr De Lisle, has given him an opportunity of destroying his collection of rubbish, failing which it will be done for him. In tlie course of a brief prelude to his sermon at Wesley Church on Sunday evening, the Rev. Blr Rothwell touched on the proposal of the Premier to make it an oflenco for residents of a no-license district to have liquor in their houses. A Wellington paper made reference to this as a demand of the “ bigoted and fanatical prohibitionists.” It would be seen, however, that it was embodied in the demands of the trade, and would,- he said, be resisted by all fair-minded people, as an unwarrantable interference with personal liberty. In addition to the usual excellent music, Miss Golding’s solo was beautifully rendered and deeplyimpressive. There was a large congregation. Mr C. J. East, organist and conductor, presided at the instrument.-

A skin-grafting operation, which is considered to be the most remarkable feat of its kind ever accomplished, was recently performed in New York on the body of Wilson Fredericks, cashier of the United States Express Company, who was badly burned in the wreck of the Easton express on the Central railroad of New Jersey at Westerfield in January last. The operation was in progress for several weeks, under the direction of Dr Pittis, at the Muhlenberg Hospital, id Plainfield. To obtain the necessary skin Dr Pittis, who is a Freemason, as is also his patient, appealed to the members of the Masonic fraternity, asking them to contribute portions of their skin to save the life of their brother. The appeal was promptly responded to, and no fewer than 1346 pieces of skin wero taken from the bodies of 45 Masons and transferred to that of Fredericks, who is now making satisfactory recovery.