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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2102, 30 January 1908, Page 2

A slight oarthquake occurred yesterday at about 3.35 p.m.

A mail for South, per the s.s. Fanny, closes at 11 a.m. this morning.

There are about 200 residents requiring connections with the water supply. Passengers on the Alonowai yesterday report that several large sharks were seen circling round the ship.

Tho banks and the Courthouse were closed yesterday to mark the anniversary of the Auckland province. The Hawke’s Bay Education Board notify vacancies for several teachers. As stated in another colum, applications will bo received until February 6 th.

1 A gentleman who was sentenced at tho Police Court yesterday to fourteen days’ imprisonment “without the option,” asked, probably from force of habit, for “time to pay the line!”

Auckland is to have something in the nature of a skyscraper, as a contract has been-let for tlie erection of an eight-story brick building in Custom-istreet East, near Queenstreet, for Air. J. C. Spedding. Yesterday afternoon the house at Waerenga-a-hika occupied by AIT T. Cahill, was burned to the ground, nothing being saved. The house and con tents were insured for £250 in the Atlas and Manchester offices.

Mus-rrs Andrew Weir and Co. are inaugurating .a, service between "Westport and South American ports. The i'tr.Su vessel arrived at Westport on Monday week, and is now taking in a largo cargo of coal for Valparaiso. This initial shipment will be watched with keen interest, for on its result will depend whether the trade will be further developed.

It is estimated that about eighty adult members of local volunteer corps, excluding senior members of cadets, will journey to tile battalion manoeuvres to be held at Johnsonvi lie, near Wellington, at Easter. It is expected that the men will leave on the evening before Good Friday and arrive back on the evening of Easter Monday, or on Tuesday morning.

Iteccntly Mr. T. Wiltshire, aged S 6, met with a serious accident on the town approach to the Kaiti bridgo. Being confused by tho approach of a number of vehicles, he fell and fractured a bone an the hip. Mr. Willsliire was conveyed to his home, and received medical attention, but little hope is held out for his recovery of the use of his legs.

Several cases of petty thefts from private houses are reported to have taken place on Monday night. A WJiataupoko resident complains that lie lost a mangle and other household articles. A meat safe, which contained a cooked joint, was rifled. In another case, a number of saucepans were removed from an outhouse, but they were not" stolon. It is stated that the lids,did not lit. A piece of hose was also removed. About this time last year it was reported that various articles of clothing, hanging on a line vanished. Possibly there is is some connection between the incidents.

Let mo record the funniest thing I have seen for some time past (writes the “Dominion’s” travelling correspondent). Hiding along near a creek, I saw something brown jump into tho water; then another. I nulled up to see what they were. To my astonishment they were pigs —half-bred T.imworths. Their mother was near by, and the youngsters were quite enjoying a swim. Some of them were on the bank about 3ft above the water, and they took a proper header into the stream, and swam quite easily. Pigs do not, as a rule, t ike readily to water, but these little follows seemed to he quite at home in it.

A piinful e.cquel to a practical joke occurred in one of the country districts one evening recently (says the Ashburton “Gua-nlian”). Several young fellows, it appears, were ondenvoniig to frighten the occupants of a wh.ne by throwing stones; on the roof of the dwelling. One of the occupants of the house appeared on the scene with a loaded fowling-piece, .mil happening to see one of the offenders up in a tree, he took aim and discharged the gun, with tin* result- that the man in the tree was brought to the ground. On examination, it- was found that the young fellow’s leg contained a number of pellets of sljot, •

A lire occurred at ii.iiO yesterday afternoon at tho corner of King’sroad, MakauiT, when a four or five roomed house, belonging to the Hon. CapL. Tucker, was completely destroyed. Nothing was saved.

At 7.30 p.m. next Monday a general meeting of members of the Cook County Curious Coons will be hold before the usual weekly practice to receive and consider the report and b dance-sheet of the ii Ist performance.

A local milkman in a big way of business told a resident yesterday that the springs upon which his cows depon'd for water are almost dried up, and a little longer of the present dry spell will find them quite dry. As ho has a 'hundred cows on •his farm, the prospects arc distinctly discouraging. q

Good progress is being made bv the Cook County Curious Coons with the programme for tho concert to be given about the end of March in aid of the funds of the City Band. The company is increasing in strength, thirty members being present at the last practice. For the Citv Band concert new American choruses '.ire being obtained.

The weather yesterday was very hot, the conditions being made more uncomfortable' hy a hot north-wen! wind. Tho highest temperature registered was 89, that figure being maintained till about 3 o’clock. One effect o, the warmer weather was to tempt lairly large crowds to both Haiti a id Waikan ie beadles, which have been rather deserted, of late.

What vith tho cash loaf that is not cheap, tho high rents, and other problems, it would seem that the local housewives had a sufficiently hard tiino of it, but indications point to more trouble -ahead. The dry weather is reducing the milk supply so materially that local vendors talk of raising the price as from tlio first of the month. Butter is already up, having been raised from Is 2d to Is 3d, and the prospects are that it will be dearer still before long.

The Tuatea had a fairly long trip in tho Bay yesterday. The vessel left the wharf at 11 a.m., and proceeded to the Haupiri, which was loading into the Tyser liner (Star of Australia. Only a short stay was made there, and the launch went lo the -Monowai’s side. After finishing with the Monowai, Captain llawko turned for port, but the arrival of tho Zealandia at 1.30 necessitated her being tendered, and it was 3 o’clock before the wharf was reached.

At tho Police Court yesterday the only business was dealing with three men charged with drunkenness. One who was suffering from delirium tremens was remanded to the Hospital till Saturday, and another, who did not appear, was fined the amount of his bail, 18s, with costs 2s. Richard Solomon, twice previously convicted of drunkenness within six months, was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment.

“Victor Junior,” writing in the Wanganui Herald, says: —Webb having become champion of the world on August 3rd last, the championship of New Zealand is now vacant, arid I have hoard a- remark or two on the possibility of -a match being made /or that title. A Christchurch visitor informs me that it is whispered there that Dick Ai-nst may challenge Fred Ford (Tresklder’s pacer) for the championship of New Zealand and CIOO a side.

“I don’t like to contradict you, ,;ir,” said Councillor Otley to the Mayor at the last meeting of the Christchurch City Council, “and I don’t think I would contradict his Worship, even if he wasn’t telling the truth.” On being called to order, Councillor Otley explained that ho was merely exploiting an hypothesis to indicate tho respect he was prepared to render to the chair, and he did not for a moment suggest that the Mayor had not stated what lie believed to he true.

Mr. J. A.i Gilruth, Chief Veterinarian, arrived in Gisborne yesterday morning, having travelled overland from Napier and Wairoa, having attended the Wairoa Show. He had intended paying a visit of inspection ol the East: Coast as far as Opotiki, but copld not do so on tho present occasion, as his presence was required in Wellington. Mr. Gilruth hopes to return at an early date, and to travel through Motu to tho Bay of Plenty district. Mr. Gilruth returned to Wellington last night by the Star of Australia. "

The recent bush fires in Hawke's Bay h ivo had a disastrous effect on the timber : supply. Local merchants have been in tho habit of depending on Napier firms for supplies of best quality rimu. Yesterday a local builder who had some on order was asked if he could make other arrangements—a very difficult tiling to do, ill view of the scarcity of first-class timber and the exceptional keenness of the demand. The Hawke’s Bay miller stated that be had lost 350,000 f- of dry rimu in the recent fires, and that it would ho fully three weeks before- ho could commence cutting again.

On Tuesday -morning, a statement was published that the To Araroa settlers wore badly in need of a telephone service.’ Another side of the story has to be rnide public. A “Times” representative was informed yesterday that there is a private wird from Kahukura and this serves twelvo To Ararat settlers and consequently tho advantages of the extension would not he very great. Even if tho line wore orected, the work would still come to Kahukura as otherwise another private line would have to bo constructed to connect the various settlers with the Te Araroa office, and moreover, the extension would -result in an extra charge of 6-1 for three minutes for bureau communication.

A printed sheet has been issued by tho Telegraph Department giving the reductions in fees for the transmision of telegrams by telephone. The fees chargeable are as follows:—For any one year, or portion of a year, exceeding six months, £1; for any period ceeding three mouths, but not exceeding 6ix months, 10s ; for any period not exceeding three months, os; or for each separate transmission, provided the telephone conversation does not oxceed three minutes 3d ; for each additional tlireo minutes, or fraction thereof, 3d. The annual fee must be made to fall due on the..Jst January, and must be renewed from that date. There was a very large passenger list by tho Zealandia, which left for the South last night. The Tuitea was crowded by those who left- this port at 7 o’clock, and there was a de-cided-air of bustle about the wharf as numerous friends assembled to see the passengers off. Those on the launch were soon limited to standing room, and it was difficult to see a vacant spot -on the deck. A female onlooker voiced one aspect- of the position when she exclaimed to her bosom pal: “What a crowd! (and indignantly) Did you ever see such a thing? And they tell me there was just as big a crowd on the boat from Auckland! I don’t envy them their trip, anyway. Tho company ought to put on another steamer. It’s a crying sHame, that’s what it is. particularly when they’re doing so well out of its.” It is quite possible that the Union Steamship Company cun show good and sufficient reasons why a more frequent service cannot be arranged for, but it is equally certain tint they would carry little weight with the lady who voiced her opinions in such an emphatic manner.

Tho box plan for Pollards’ season of comic opera will be opened to-morrow morning at 10.

There aro nine charges of indecent assault sot down for hearing on 31 onday at tho Supreme Court at Auckland.

About the middle ol next month a visit will -be paid to To lCaraka by tho Cook County Curious Coons, who are to give a concert in aid of the library funds.

In the opinion of Mr. I. Hopkins, Chief Bee Expert, the dense smoko in districts where bush fires are raging will have a prejudicial effect on blip output of honey lrom those quaiters.

,Mr. Walter Parkinson, of Kaituna (says the Christchurch “Press”), has sold 8000 bushels of barley at 5 s lOd on trucks at Kaituna. This price is stated to be a record. The crop averaged 60.45 bushels per acre.

Anniversary days are, generaliy speaking, not observed to any great extent nowadays, and tiio same applies to the observance of the anniversary of the Auckland province in Gisborne yesterday. The banks closed, a number of Hags were flying, and several picnic parties took advan.ageol the opportunity.

Yesterday morning Ching Poo, regarding whom a case of assault is pending in the Police Court, underwent an operation, some pieces of dead bone being removed. Although lie is progressing favorably, he is rather weak, and it is expected that it will be quite a month before lie can appear at the Police Court.

Mr. Townsend, formerly Mayor of Miramar, who returned t-o Wellington recently, after an extended tour abroid, which included a long stay .ii South Africa, staled in an interview, that General Brabant, who took in active parf in the war, is now farming at East London, iSouth Africa, and he expressed to Mr. Townsend a desire to h ive a few New Zealand agriculturists settled around him. Mr. Townsend found an acute depression to exist throughout the country, and many South Africans were meditating emigrating to New Zealand'.

The Marine •Department Ins sent Home an ardor for an apparatus for the lighthouse which is to be placed on the northern part of tho East Coast. During her recent visit to the North the Hinemoa had on hoard the Government Engineer at Auckland, and Mr. Allport, Inspector of Lighthouses, who with the assistance of Captain Bollans selected alternative .sites for the new lighthouse. Two very similar sites were found — one on Cape Brett, 430 ft above the level of the sea, and the other on a small island off the North Cape, 310 ft above sea level. If the former place !s selected a first order light Will be ordered, but it is believed that a light of the second order would be sufficient for the North Cape location. The Auckland shipmasters favor the Cape Brett site, but Wellington shipping experts think the light should be placed on one of the Cavalli Islands, north of Russell. “The difficulty of securing sufficient labor to run the farm is now becoming something cruel,” said an agriculturist at Manawatu the other day. “The men are remarkably hard to get, and even when they have been secured it is no light task to keep them.” As an illustration of what he meant, he mentioned a case that had come within his own observation, where a farmer had a fine crop of cocksfoot to harvest, and which he was particularly anxious to save. First- of all, lie offered a third of the proceeds of the crop to any man -who would undertake to get the seed in, but no response was made. Then he went the length of increasing the offer to one-half, but still no men could be found to take the job. At last, becoming desperate, he said he would give two-thirds of the crop in order to get it harvested, but even then the labor was not to be had. On the two-thirds basis a mail could have made from £2 to £3 a day, and yet, even at that wage, no one seemed to want a job. The fact of the matter is,” pursued the agriculturist, “that the men do not care about doing anything in the shape of hard work, even when splendid money is to be made. The result is, as in the instance under notice, that farmers often lose valuable crops, while 'the general work on the farms at this time of year is always heavily handicapped.”