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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2169, 27 August 1907, Page 2

Tho Post Office advises that telegraiihic communication has been restored with Canton. An entertainment in aid of the Mangapapa Anglican Church fund is to l>e held shortly. Messrs. Common, Shelton and Co. have negotiated the sale of Mr. D. Todd’s Waimata property to Mr. T. Trafford, at a satisfactory figure. At an early dato Dr. Collins will deliver a lecture under tho auspices of the Debating Society on “Tho Uses and Abuses of 'Alcohol.” At St. Mary's Schoolroom this evening there will he a practice of the Gondoliers Cachuca and Gavotte. All interested are requested to attend. A man named Thomas Tasker inflicted a nasty wound on his foot with an axe while engaged in felling trees at the Presbyterian Church grounds yesterday afternoon. The Pev. Mr. Grant rendered first aid, and the unfortunate was removed to the hospital.'

Mr. Miller, of the local Agricultural Office staff, is on a visit to Wellington where a Contcrcuce o! officers if. being held to formulate a more efficient system of dairy inspection.

For the second time the annual meeting of the Building Society, convened for last evening, lapsed lor want of a quorum. The chairman (Mr. Townle.y) is in the grip of the "flu,” and unable to attend night engagements, and the same epidemic was responsible** for the absence or several members.

At 8 o’clock this evening, in tho Rresbyteriiui Church, the Rev. J. G. Jamieson will deliver the first or a series of public addresses in Gisborne. Tho subject will bo, “Man Defeating God.” Special music will be rendered on tho Tho addresses a.re to continuo until. Friday night, and all are cordially invited.

A little incident recalled tlio fate of the Constance Craig last evening. Flags from this vessel were loaned for the Baths Social decorations, hut as the "gallant barquo now rests beneath tlxo waves, tho Hospital Social Goni-mitt-eo will havo to- be-speak the bunting of some other vessel on* this occasion.

Soundings taken in tho river channel on Friday, with tho new tide gauge at zero, gave tho : following depths:—Off end of breakwater, loit Gin; sixth bollards from end of breakwater, 7ft; Snark’s landing, 7ft: big crane, Bft*; 7ft Gin; along new wharf, 6ft to iit j along town wharf, sft to Bft.

Some little time ago a paragraph appeared in this column drawing attention to a disorderly scene which occurred recently at an hotel on the Wairoa-Gisborne Road. In its essential facts the paragraph was correct, but in referring to tho traveller who made tho complaint as having come downstairs to see what the noise was about an error occurred. Tho hotel where the incident took placo lias only one .story.

Lack of a quorum on the Harbor Board is a rarity, but it eventuated yesterday through a variety of circummstances. The Hon. Capt Tucker and Mr. IV. D. Lysnar are in Wellington, Mr. Hepburn is on leave of absence, Mr. Matthewson is confined to bis room through indisposition, and Mr, Clark’s absence was said to iio duo -to a similar reason. The Chairman of tho Board (Mr. Townley) put in an appearance, though suffering from influenza, and with Messrs. Sievwright, Whinray and Harris formed a committee to undertake the more urgent business.

At tho Harbor Board meeting yesterday tho matter of shed accommodation for the workers was deferred to a full meeting.—Mr. Sievwright pointed out tho necessity of better provision being made for the convenience of lady passengers. He understood there were complaints about the lack of conveniences. Mr. Harris supported tho speaker, and tho Harbormaster, who concurred, was requested to report on the question of a site for a suitable structure.— Somo mention was made by Captain Cunmiing of the dirty state of the general waiting-room, and improvement in this regard is to bo effected.

The town is in the throes of the annual visitation of influenza. The early spring weather has brought on one of “tho ills that flesh is heir to” rather unexpectedly. Perhaps our old friend the “flu” is unjustly blamed for all the indisposition’ rampant, but it is a suspicious sign when there is such a run on hot rum and milk. How the members of the temperance lodges fare is too terrible to contemplate. It was mentioned at a lodge function last evening that many members were on the sick list, and no fewer than four singers, whose names were on tho programme, assigned illness as the reason for their absence.'

A very well attended meeting of tho Hospital Social Committee was held at the Council Chambers last evening, Mr. A. F. Matthews’ presiding. The Mayor forwarded an apology for non-attendance. Various detail matters were discussed in furtherance of the arrangement®. A sub-committee was appointed to arrange for M.C’s. It was reported that the ladies’ committee was working with success, and the prospects for the function are very encouraging. Messrs Lawless and Little were asked to secure the services of a motor-car to bo utilised in polishing tho floor of the building.

Tlio oil launch ordered for tho use of tlic Harbormaster is expected within a month. In his report yesterday Captain Camming, Harbormaster, mentioned, “It is necessary for tlie Board to mako some arrangements about getting a suitable man. Capt. Martin, who holds a certificate for oil engines, has applied for the position and should be a suitable man. As lio is competent to assist mo about tho wharf it would not be necessary to employ any outsido laborer to attend to tho shijiping.” Mr. Sievwriglit thought it better to call applications for tho position. The matter was allowed to stand over until next meeting, to bo hold in a fortnight’s time.

Tho extensiveness and responsibility of the work performed by Maori Land Boards is not fully realised by many of the community. The applications in the Wairongomai and Tapuwaeroa estates, recently before the, Tai-Rawhiti Board, furnish a striking illustration. The area in the former estate is 14,064 acres, valued at £1 per acre on an average, and Tapuwaeroa comprises 9858 acres valued ■at £32,960. The total Government valuation is thus £47,024. When it Ls considered that tho Board deals with multitudinous applications in tho course of a year, maiiy involving large amounts, the value of such a body to safeguard the interests of tho Native race is made manifest.

Tho following information is forwarded by the Post Office: “Bamfield advises that the embargo on American messages is now removed as far as Canadian transit is concerned. Messages may now be. accepted subject to delay on American lines only. Messages posted to Seattle last Wednesday arrived there early on Sunday morning and went forward. The mail arrangements have, been cancelled for the future.” Further advice was as follows:—“The strike position in the United States re-

mains about the same. To San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Boston delay is very little—about normal—as direct wires exist between Canada and these offices, with the exception of San Francisco, to which Seattle relays.. The company claims to be handling ordinary traffic successfully and cables have special attention. The removal of all restrictions across Canada makes the position favorable.”

Attendance at the proceedings of the Tai-Rawhiti Maori Land Board must convince any unprejudiced person that there is no foundation for allegations as to hasty or reckless decisions. Col. Porter, the President, and his confreres carry out their duties in a most careful and painstaking manner, and no application is lightly dismissed, the Board requiring the most precise evidence that the law is being strictly adhered to in all cases. A recent critic in Parlia-

ment referred to what he regarded as sharp practice by applicants for Maori lands. If in any case abuse creeps in, the fault can not, the Times is satisfied, be laid upon the Board, which carries out its duties most strictly and impartially within the four corners of the Acts laid down. This may be said of Maori Boards in general. The members have to decide on the evidence adduced. If, after satisfying the

Boards on all points so minutely inquired into, there is room for the

manipulations hinted at—which is open to grave doubt—the fault lies at the door of our legislators who have got Native land legislation into such a chaotic state.

ProfiaUly the largest sum paid in New Zealand for duty on cocoa and chocolate for one shipment, says a Wellington exchange, was paid by Messrs Cadbury Bros., recently amounting to £1907 10s Bd.

Sawmills are springing up in tho vicinity of Ohakune, Main Trunk line. it is expected that there will ho something like 25 sawmills in the locality in the course of twelve-months or so. There is no doubt, says the’ Ohakune correspondent of the Tlahapo Post, that they are going to operate on tho best milling district in Now Zealand.

Persons who return-to Napier after an absence of a f<«w years, says tile Hawke’s Bay Herald, invariably remark on tho wonderful change in the appearance of “tho swamp” which has been caused by the successful reclamation operations of the Wliare-o-maraonui Syndicate. Regular residents havo of late been forcibly impressed with the effect on tho landscape of tho two modern residences, one of them two-storeyed, which are now in course of erection near the River Bend Farm. With the continuation of road works, which will assuredly ho followed by more building, tho change in the aspect' of the reserve will bo oven greater.,

Mr. T. T. -Ewing, Commonwealth Minister for Defence, speaking at Lithgow, the centre of the iron industry in New South Wales, said tho people of Australia were going to defend themselves, but not by “cutting the painter.” The man who would sever the cords of unity would bo a traitor to the land. Australia was not going to.be held by Australians, but by the full strength of the white men. The next thing was to stop quarrelling between the Sates. When lie saw he quarrelling between Melbourne and Sydney, ho felt that lie would like to put their heads in a bag. Far above these little minor snatters rested tho national life and existence of Australia.

The old saying that dreams go by contraries was sadly proved in the death of tho young man Michael Hogan at Rissington yesterday, says the Hawke’s Bay Herald of Friday last. For some days Hogan and his employer’s son had been carting chaff, each in charge of a dray. Hogan, who was a steady, excellent workman, yesterday told his companion to be careful, as ho bad dreamt that bo had seen him with bis dray capsized, and pinned down to the ground by a fallen horse. Strangely enough, an accident of tho kind occurred, though without any witness, but the melancholy event was that it happened to Hogan’s dray, and that he met his death in tho way in which in his dream ho had seen another person suffer.

In the House of Commons, replying to Mr. W. Redmond, Mr. Winston Churchill said that on the receipt of an address from both Houses of the New Zealand Legislature praying that the style of the colony may be altered to “Dominion of New Zealand,” His Majesty would be advised to give effect to the request by means of an Order-in-Council and proclamation. Sir Gilbert Parker inquired: “Will tho right lion, gentleman state in what material way the status of a dominion is different from that of a colony?” Mr. Winston Churchill replied: “I think that no actual legal or material consequence will follow, but the colony of New Zealand greatly desire to acquire this new stylo, and we have felt it our duty to meet their wishes.

Some little time ago, says the Hawke’s Bay Herald, a well-known Napier resident instructed a local builder to repair the roof of his residence by replacing a few' damaged shingles, but was informed that to do so would be contrary to the borough by-laws. The gentleman in question therefore wrote to the Borough Council asking permission to carry out the work, and his request was granted. The following amusing acknowledgment of this concession was read at the last meeting of the Council: —“ I beg to thank you for your letter of the 9th instant, in which you inform me that the Council has been kind enough to give me permission, under the supervision of your estimable inspector of buildings, Mr Wundram, to repair the roof of my building. As soon as I can arrange to have tho matter mended I will wait on Mr Wundram for his advice, for though I may bo a shingle or two short, I do not propose to start work in this ideal climate as long as I have a few left.” The letter was simply received, a suggestion that it should bo framed meeting with no support.

A fair attendance was present last evening at tho Gisborne Debating Society’s weekly meeting at the Church of England Schoolroom. .The subject for discussion was an interesting one —“Does Education Minimise Crime.” Mr. Darton was elected to tho chair, and apologised for the absonco of the two vice-presidents, who were unable to attend. Mr. T. A. Coleman opened the debate in the affirmative, and with the use of facts and figures had a great deal to say in favor of education. His arguments from start to finish were not onl v logical hut interesting, and judging from tho applause from his hearers ivere also popular. Mr. M. Kimble had a much harder task in

dealing with th 0 negative,- but in spite of this fact he dealt with tho subject in an interesting maimer. Tho members spoke for some time, a large number in the affirmative, and when a show oL-hands was taken it was at once seen that a largo majority were in the affirmative. A vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman. Mr. Darton proved himself a capable chairman, having a pleasing manner in encouraging the younger members to speak.

A most helpful and inspiring conference on Sunday School work was held last evening at the Presbyterian Schoolroom. Convened by the Rev. J. C. Jamieson, there were representatives of several denomination's present, the majority, however, being associated with St. Andrew’s. The Revs. Griffin and Grant participated. Particular attention was paid to the necessity of applying modern methods of teaching in Sunday Schools, the day having passed, it would seem, when untrained teachers could hope to achieve much success. Mr. Warren, who has had much experience as a. superintendent, touched on the difficulties confronting teachers. The Rev. Mr. Jamieson gave an instructive address on the new methods that were now adopted in many centres to brighten the system and encourage the children to learn. Mr. Leslie, of the Gisborne School staff, in a capital little discourse on the best modes of imparting instruction, afforded teachers many useful hints. His remarks were lit up with illustratory incidents and storyettes, greatly enjoyed by those present. Mr. Graham observed that much of tlio advice tendered by the speaker was .somewhat revolutionary, as compared with oldtime theories, and asked the best step to take to effect the improvement that was admitted to he necessary. Mr. Jamieson said that Sunday School teachers should devote at 'east an hour a week to a class for study. With the aid of a blackboard lie sought to show the end that should be aimed at, and afforded information as to the requisite text hooks. Votes of thanks and the Benedict]'.in closed the meeting. Teachers will bo given the opportunity of attending a practical demonstration at 4 o’clock, on Thursday afternoon.