GENERAL TELEGRAMS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2091, 17 January 1908, Page 3

GENERAL TELEGRAMS

Press Association. NAPIER. Jan. 10. Tho Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company have received tho following London cable: “The frozen moat market continues very wea‘k. Prices are unchanged.” The liev. Sidney Hill yesterday ordained and induced the newly-formed Presbyterian chargo of the Taradalo and City districts. Tho Napier Harbor Board accounts for 1907 show very large increases in all departments over 190 G, which year had up to that time beaten all previous records. The 1907 revenue was £33,135 3s 10, or £/645 14s 7d more than in 1906, an increase of over 30 per cent. Tho shipping tonnage was 503.249, or 21,322 more than 1906. Tho cargo _ imports were 150,399, exports 80,276, being 12,872 and 5196 ahead of 1906. Hie breakwater has been extended 124 feet, and shipping has increased in tonnage bv 523, and the cargo un and out 8404 tons. A contract has been let at £24,000 for increasing the size of the Glasgow wharf in ferroconcrete, and ill about 18 mouths the ocean-liners will be ablo to come alongside. The chairman of tho Board (Mr. J. Vigor Brown has for several years stated tl-t tno revenue of the Board must rxpai.d as long as the policy of tno Government was continued in eutyiig np lar"e landed estates, and Ir.s (pinion has been very 'oroioly Wim out by the figures now to lo place.l before the Board. •ETCETAHUNA. Jan. 16 Tho bush fires have lot sprewL the last two days being calm,, but i. the wind comes before ram tno position will probably be scuous, I ho creeks arc drying up and water is short in the town. PALMERSTON N-, Jan. 16. Reports from Poliangina.to-day indicate the danger of busli fires increasing. At present no homesteads have been burnt, but soveral are in danger. Miles of fencing, several sheds, and a number of sheep have been burnt, but tho valley is enveloped in a heavy cloud of smoke, and it is impossible to form any definito idea of what loss has ben sutamed till tho rain comes and the country clears. 'A noticeable effect is that feed miles away from the fires has ben burnt up by the combined heat, sun and smoke. At present tliero is no .indication of rain, which is urgently wanted evorywhero. At Komoko at tho head of the Pohangina Valley, the settlers are prepared to forsake their dwellings, and tho fire is reported to be raging through the forest reserve, a big stretch of bUbll ‘ 'MASTERTON, Jan. 16. AVhii'o exploring the Tararua ranges, a son of Mr. D. McGregor, senr., discovered a very beautiful cascade, estimated to have a hundred footfall. Tho locality is not at present easily accessible, but ornoablv a track will shortly be cut it. coscade lias been named *ho IV. cGrogor fall, after Mr. McGregor, sour., to whose enterprise mainly the public aro indebted for the ex -ollert track to Mount Hoi is rra. ■' ru the accommodation provided lor tourists at the Mountain Houso The drought still oo Mimics and farmers are bewailing the prolonged absence of rain. T , r WELLINGTON, Jan. 16. The following sentences were >mposed to-day by Mr Justice Button: Alfred John AVanstall, horse-stealing. 18 months’ imprisonment, with Uar.J labor, John Lewis, false P«> t6 P*ajj 18 months’ imprisonment, with hart ■labor, John Mitchell, breaking and entering at Mangatoro, New J iy--1110,1 tli, 12 months’ imprisonment; .John Smith, alias Andrew Guthrie, indecentcy. 12 months: Hapo lauon, for-erv and uttering m AAamirapa, 12 months: Ernest Gray, who had pleaded guilty to stealing £2O at New Plymouth, was admitted to probation. , . • ■ „ The Times states_that enquiries >}S to the effect of the new tariff m cheapening prices show that on some articles the consumer will get no teduction. owing to the advance in price at Home. Maizenn, cornflour, patnet infant’s food, cotton, and silk .mods have advanced. Light cotton goods will benefit. The remission ot the su«*nr duty and on the duty on dried fruits directly benefits the consumer. the prices being lowered to the extent of the lessened duty. Confectioners and iam makers have. However. not lowered the prices. -He local boot market is also reported to benefit bv the tariff, and the demand for American-made boots Has sensiblv decreased. , Maninpoto’s owner has rclceive.l word from the trainer that- the horse pulled up sore after a gallop yesterday. He will bo brought to Wellington, but it is. doubtful whether he will start in tho Cun. .

LICEaINFECTED sheep. DRASTIC ACTION BY TIIE STOCK INSPECTOR. Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed at -Matawliero yards yesterday at tlio action of tho Government stock inspector in ordering that a number of pens of shcop_ said to bo infected by lice must bo’ dipped by the purchasers .immediately after the sale at the nearest dip. Tho effect of this order was to causo buyers to fight shy of these lines, for .tho day went her’ and tho consequent scarcity of water on most farms has made dipping an exceedingly difficult matter to arrange. Tims a dull market was made worse than it otherwise would .have been. Auctioneers, owners and dealers were very indignant over the matter. They contended that as the bulk ql the dipping was not undertaken until March, the Inspector should l not commence bis campaign against infected sheep until that time. If he waited but a lew weeks he would then find that there would be few flocks that had not been dipped. Moreover, they eon tended that the Inspector should visit the flocks on the farms, find out what arrangements were being made in regard to (lipping and act Hoordingly. Instead of this lie came along to the stock market and liv placing Ids notices on the pons spoilt tho sale. The Inspector, Mr. Ross, was soon bv a Times reporter and gave bis version. ill' pointed out that under the Act anyone bringing licoinfccted sheep to the yards or having such in his possession was liable to prosecutiofi and the law therefore left him no discretion in the matter. As for visiting tho Hocks in the country, lie did this ns far as was possible, but having the whole of the County to attend to ho . naturally could not get to all. He also that the dipping season started on Jnmtnrv Ist, and finished on March 30. Prosecutions aro being instituted against the owners of the sheep complained of. It is stated that tho Chief inspector for the district will bo interviewed with a view to seeing if the Act cannot be administercil° with a little more consideration for the interests of local sheep men. It is also likely that steps will be taken to establish a public dip at the saloyards so that owners bringing sheep in, can have them dipped when such a. eourso is necessary. A public dip would be a very great- convenience to sheep owners, particularly in a season like the present where water on most farms is scarce.