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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2257, 31 July 1908, Page 2

“Sonic people when they do look into an Act are no wiser than before,” said the S.AI. yesterday inoruinj', during tho hearing of an impounding case at Court yesterday. Messrs Vita Bros, held a most successful “Leap Year” dance in Whinrav’s Hall fast evening’. A (large number of couples were present. The floor was in excellent condition, and a well-laid supper was provided. Messrs Vita Bros, supplied tho music.. At a meeting of the Carpenters’ Union last evening it was decided to draw the attention of employers to tho fact that there is a preference clause in the carpenters’ award, and an employment book is kept at the office of the Inspector of Factories. In connection with tho Poverty U.iy Hunt Club races to bo held on Thursday, August 6th, entries for open events close at Mr. M. G. Nasmith’s offico to-morrow evening, at 8 p.m., and, lat tho same time, the entries for the hunters’ events will close with the lion, secretary, Mr. W. G. Shorratt. Two “drunks” were dealt villi by Mr W. A. Barton S.M. at. the Police Court yesterday morning. One, a first offending Native, was fined os and 2s costs or 24 hours, while the other, one William Hogan, for a second offence within six months, was fined £1 laud 2s costs or 4 days’ imprisonment. At tho Magistrate’s Court- yesterday morning Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiff in the following undefended cases: D. >E. Dustin (Mr Stock) v. Charles Will. Moore, amount claimed £5, with costs ss; W. A. O’Meara v. same, amountclaimed £8 17s 6d, with costs 8s; Tlios. Fraser (Mr. Mann) v. same, amount claimed £l7 8s 6d, with cpses £1 10s 6d. In the judgment summons case Mackrell and-Colley v. Wm Moore, an order was made for the amount, £2 17s 6d, in default three days’ imprisonment. lii.tho case of Emmit O’Sullivan (Mr. ' Stock) v. John Guilford, defendant gave evidence that ho liacl been unable to pay the amount, and His ‘Worship dismissed the summons. The case of John Maynard (Mr. F. W. Nolan) v. Patrick John Hofen was dealt with in a similar manner. A considerable amount of interest is being taken amongst scientific men in Christchurch in the proposal made by the Carnegie Institute of the United iStates to establish an (astronomical observatory in southorn latitudes. Information lias been received there that the Institute will establish the observatory either in South America, South Africa, or New Zealand, and steps aro being taken in that city to endeavor to have the observatory established in the Dominion. It was considered that. Central Otago, on account of its climatic conditions ,and its altitude, would be -a suitable place for such an- observatory as that proposed. It <l6 likely that the matter will bo brought under the notice of the Government and of Parliament.

A good deal is 'heard about rough wdithcr on the New Zealand coasts, but according to Captain Entwistle, of the Huddart-Pnrker steamer Victoria, the reports -are -a great deal worse than the reality. In Australia, for instance, (New Zealand is known chiefly ‘for earthquakes and bad weather, and not a few Australians are prevented from visiting the Dominion from fear of one or both of these. Taking them all the year round, New Zealand waters compare more than favorably with those in other parts of the globe. Ait times, of course, they aro rough, but those that follow the sea expect nothing else. The Victoria took twenty-four hours to go from Napier to Wellington, part of the time her progress -being at the rate of not more than three or four knots am hour. The -average time for that trip is about sixteen hours. But tlio -weather that She experienced then does not often occur, and it is the longest trip Captain Entwistle has made.

The experiences of some of those who have been employed daring the past fortnight searching the snow-co.-vered hills for traces of iheir imprisoned flocks are thrilling in the extreme (says the “Oamaru Mail”). One pastoralist. .whose run comprises some of the highest peaks in the Kaknnui Ranges, was out with a mate endeavoring to find his flock, having with them ia sheep dog and “mustering” sticks. lOn one occasion one of the twain slipped on frozen snow covoring O no of the high peaks, and was only prevented from 'being precipitated to certain death by the fact tlmt his mustering staff held. On another occasion the two wore caught in a blizzard, by reason of which they not only lost their way, hut one of the number was stricken with snowblindness. The effect of this was o nlv to render confusion worse confounded and the result might have heen indeed serious had it not heen for the Ctt-xi 1 *! sa " ac it.v of the sheep'dog. ,'th <?no of the party leading the other m what scorned little better than a veritable maize, the dof by easy stages led them O Ut of the storm xi e giving some idea of the peril in which the two were in, the pnstoralist, who was feelinohis way with his staff, was led hv the clog over what was evidently a drift. At any rate, on penetrating the Uje stick, it was found that the depth of the snow was deeper than it 6 length, land it 'became necessary to beat a hasty retreat. 'Hie xL ffic i entl -\ I,ar . <l to hear the weifrht Of the dog, but it was doubtful if it would have carried the ©eu.

Mme. Clara Butt and her husband, Mr Konnerloy Romford, recently returned to England from bhnir Australian tour. In mi interview, Mine. Clara Butt said: “We have been away eleven months, during which time I have snug at seventy-.two concerts, although it was. originally intended that no should give only twenty-five.” The biggest nudlenco, continued the famous singer, was at Melbourne, where she sung before 15,000 people. The -touil rcooifAe <>f tlio tour amounted to £50,000, which she understands is the largest tum ever earned by singers in Australia. Madame Butt states that sho had an unplcusnnt experience in Wellington, whore she was refused accommodation at an hotel beeauso she and her party were “plny-ncling people.” According to tho Post, the credulous tourist, after witnessing the spouting of Wainiangu -and stooping his soul in the moonlight on Waikaromoiina, proudly takos (homo a Brummagem tiki at a New Zealand price, which is considerably above the original cost of tho goods in Birmingham. Sensible New Zealanders have long known, of counso, that “Alnori curios” have been imported in bulk into this country and sold at a handsome profit to travellers anxious to have a “real gqnuino memento” of Ihrso romantic islands. 'lllio tourist buys li greenstone god which lio believes was once worn worshipfully by n famous rniigatini'; that is good for the tourist and good for Birmingham, and good for -the local middleman. A lit-t'lo ifaitli mikes the tiki wholly Maori to the purchaser.

A writer in tho Auckland “Star” states that there are n great number of old eoa captains out of employment at tlio present time.* "Cpn anybody,” the writer asks, “naniy half-a-dozen sea mptoins avho have saved enough -money to make them independent in their old age? They may name some who have left tlio sea before they became-old, and made money to live on. Tlioro is no chance of a sea captain saving money. Whenever you got to port tlioro are always a lot of visitors, who expect to be entertained, and, after a voyage, you feel like -a schoolboy lot loose, and are naturally caroless of money. I know for a (fact that lots of tlieso old skippers, when- applying for a position, are fold straight out that they aro too old. Too -honest to steal, too proud to hog. or even apply for the old ago pension, without money, wli-at is to -become of them ? Even our Liberal Government, when they advertise For a harbor-master, or anything in that lino, make it a condition that they must not bo over forty-fivo years of age.” ‘ / Many young New Zealanders who desire to see the world aro in the habit of working their passago Home, but according to a young man of Oh list church who has returned -after having four years’ experience at sea, they find it very difficult to get an opportunity to work their passage-back to New Zealand. They gain but little experience of the sea on the passage Home (writes the “Press”), and when they seek for a ship back their discharge book, which gives their place of birth, prevents them getting a berth, for officers know that though they sign on for a voyage to New Zealand und back, they are almost certain to desert onco they reach tho Dominion. They aro consequently forced t 0 onljst in the army or get berths oil British coastal vessels, in which they receive £2 or £2 10s per month. I,f a colonial ships as ordinary seaman -and cook, ho has to cook for both cabin and fo’c’s’le, and if bis cooking-is bad lie 60on knows all about it; he -gets a kick from the cabin and a kiclf from tho sailors. An identity of namo-iand a similarity in appearance nearly spoilt a holiday taken by a Wellington lady in Australia. iShe sent a letter of credit for £IOO from her Wellington hankers to tho Sydney General Post Office, to remain until called for on her arrival in Sydney. A few days elapsed before she called at -Hie office. When sho did apply for the registered lotter she found to her amazement that somebody else had been before her, -and, giving the mine name, had received the letter. Sho went at onco to the bank and informed the manager. While sho was -there a detective arrived with the missing ‘letter. A woman, whose name was genuinely the same las that of the rightful owner, and who had been accustomed to receiving remittances from New Zealand, had secured tho letter and attempted to cash it at the bank. Rid there not been something suspicious in her manner, the money would have been paid out without demur. Tlio holiday-maker refused to prosecute. Such a contingency as actually occurred she never dreamt of, as she had frequently adopted the name policy before in travelling. A member of a deputation to tbe Chief Secretary (New South Wales) from the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institution quite incidentally drew one of tho most pathetic pictures imaginable. Ho was not aiming at emotional effect; lie merely sought to show that in special eases it cost the institution more to care l'or a destitute child than tlio Stato allowed. The special case he cited was 1 hat of a bonny, golden-haired lassie, 7 years of -age, who was—deaf, dumb,' and blind 1 All the other children in the institution- were either deaf and dumb or blind, but on her little shoulders Pate had laid tho burden of the sum of these afflictions. Ono felt a lump rise ill the throat as the speaker said simply: “.She is a cheery little mite. If she were to come into this room noav, Sir, she would walk to you and pass her hand over you t<> see if she liked you. If she did not she would express it with a childish pout; hut if she did like you sho would snuggle up to you with a sweet contentment written all over her face. Although she can neither see, nor hear, nor talk, yet she has learned over a hundred words and she can say them on her fingers.” In the last files from Home it was reported on apparently good authority that the youngest daughter of the late Crown Prince was born with a Colorado silver fork -ill her mouth. We cannot vo-ucli for this, but this week it’s Colorado silver dessert forks for cightponce each at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales, Ist August only.

THE CHINESE BOYCOTT. Thero seems to be a doubt in the minds of many whether the boycott which the Cbineso of tho world have used so effectively against Japan lately is a thing of the past, as Japanese" merchants are still punishing their island 'neighbors by its means. A fortnight ago Mr" Tong Cliai Chili, editor of the “Tung Wall Times,” who is tlio loader of the movement in Australia, states that ho received a request from certain gentlemen of Sydney interested in tho Japancso trade asking him to cable to Canton,.the stronghold of the boycott, to ascertain tho truth or otherwise of the rumor that tbe boycott was off. But Mr Tong shook his head. What was the use? The peoplo of Canton would not mention the word boycott. They simply ignored Japan, and quietly went on their ways as if she did not exist. They wero building factories, and were quite independent of their neighbor, and did not wish to have anything to do with her. As far as they were concerned, thero was no boycott; they simply declined to trade with Japan.

“About 250 tons of tea arrived in Sydney by the Japanese steamer Yawata Alaru from Hongkong to-day,” went on Mr Tong. “That has nothing to do with proving that the boycott is over. That tea was not shipped by Chinese. It is Chinese tea, I know; but it was brought by Europeans, and is consigned to Europeans, so that the boycott is not affected by its coming from China in a Japanese vessel. We intend to prosecute the movement until we receive other instructions from headquarters at Canton.

“It was the steamer Tatsu Marti that caused the boycott,” concluded Mr. Tong, “and I received further news about her by to-day’s mail. I am informed that the Japanese Government has sent in to China a claim for docking expenses in connection with the seizure of the vessel. When the mail left China no reply had heen spat I>7 the Chinese Government.”