The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1908.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2298, 17 September 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1908.

The usual weekly weather report appears on. page four of this issue.

The Almgapapa bridge which is boing orectcd by the Cook County County Council is now in position, and the decking is all ready to bo screwed down. As soon as that is do no the railings will bo placed in position and the bridge opened for traffic.

The recent dry weather has made a marked improvement in the condition of tlje country roads. The To Anai road, though m bit bumpy, is in more than pass a bio oixler, and can bo driven or' cycled over without much inconvenienco.

A lecture, illustrated by limelight views will be given m the Salvation Army Citadel to-night by Dr Gerard Smith. The lecturer will deal with the .ancient history of Egypt under the Pharoahs and there should bo >a crowded audionce.

The applications for chares in the Civil Service and Citizens’ Co-opera-tivo Bakery Society are continuing to come in, freely, and the total number of shares applied for now is closo on 1000. Tho Society commences business on October 1. Carts will run t-o all parts of the district, and non shareholders as well as shareholders will bo supplied.

In connection with the recent burglary at Air Hennessey’s boot shop a man named Patrick Alorris, alias Gromin, alias AlcClusky, was charged with breaking and entering the promises .and' stealing therefrom a safe, boots, medals, and other articles to tho total value of £25. On tho application of Sergt. Hutton a remand was grantedi until 25th inst., bail being -allowed, accused- in £IOO and two sureties of £SO each.

Tho country, and particularly the Poverty Bay flats, is looking very well just now. The slieop running on the paddocks are all doing splendidly. There is plenty of food und the young lambs are frisky and strong. Hero and -there peach, applo and a few cherry trees are to be seen in bloom. The willoivs along the creeks aro in leaf, and everything reminds the visitor that the days are tho early days of spring.

. The Ivia Ora Co-operative Dairying Company’s second creamery is now nearing completion and it is expected to be ready to receive supplies in a Little over a w-eek’s time. All tho machinery is now to hand, -and good progress is being mado in putting it together. Tho creamery ,is centrally situated close to tho To Arai estate, and as many of the settlers have gone in for dairy-farming, the supply should be well maintained. Nearly all the cow's are coming in and the butter season at. To Arai should be a record one this year. Though it is hardly six months einco the Te Arai estate was cut up and handed over to tho settlers, a wonderful improvement lias taken place on the land. Houses of various sizes and design are scattered about everywhere, -the paddocks arc well stocked w'itli sheep -and cattle and busy men can be seen in all directions striving to make two blades of grass grow' from where only one grew before. Alost of tho To Arai settlers aro making active preparations for the shearing season, and a clip of good quality though smaller than that- of tho years wdien tho estate was intact, is expected. All the settlers speak well of their prospects and talk of their future almost as if they were landed gentry. The cows have had a remarkably good spring. There has been plenty of feed and very little disease.

Thanks to the lead given by Sir John Fisher, Admiral Jellicoe and Admiral Sir Percy Scott, and tho exertions of tho gunnery officers of the Navy in general, we are able to rest assured that the shooting of our fleets has reached a very high standard of excellence (says-the “Pall Ala 11 Gazette”). AA’bether we are before or behind other navies is a question which is exceedingly difficult to answer from lack of data. There is one navy, however, whoso engaging candour imitates our own, and that is the navy of the United States. According to the “Army and Navy Register,” tho Atlantic Fleet (American) has achieved results hitherto without precedent. Firing at ranges varying with the class of ship engaged, from 5000 yards to 9000 yards, it is claimed that an average of 30.7 per con tof hits was made with 12-inch and 13-inch guns, 27 per cent witli the 8-incli, and about 16 per cent with the 7, 6, and 5-incli. The ships opened fire two minutes after they had had the targets shown, and continued firing for eight minutes. The speed was not given, but it was obviously not great. Nor is the number of shots fired from guns recorded; and these aro details it is essential to know before the value of the practice can be affirmed. But in any case results which only come out at something like 25 per cent of hits cannot, I fear, be regarded as exceptionally brilliant. There are, however, probably some unrecorded factors which account for the unsatisfactory average.

“Eric” writing in the “Inky AYav” column of the “Bulletin” says:—ln a long reporting experience in several States I have bumped against nothing so difficult for a new mail to “do” as a meeting of the Alanine Board of S. Australia. The first thing that struck me in tho Board room was that on each member’s writing pad lay a lovely sovereign with a humble Dob to keep it from being lonely. On the president's pad were three of each. Presently the president sailed in with a devil-'tako-all-landlubbors swagger, followed by his faithful secretary. They cast a look at mo, -and then hurridly transferred their glances to tho shining objects on the pad. I 'knew. “AVliat!” they thought, “a reporter hero—alone—and these—!” As the secretary finished reading the minutes, my friend of the opposition rag blew into the room, with a look of scorn that must have told tlio Board plainly that it had taken an unprintabue liberty in starting without him. The secretary lifted a file of papers and muttered a few words. The members nodded and tlio president said •“Cm” again. Occasionally a matter was discussed at length, but it was so much jargon, when no clue to its nature was obtainable. A wild fear that I had mistaken my vocation took possession of the remnants of my soul; but just here the other paper came to the rescue with a remark that there was nothing special in the meeting, and that he would give me the strength of it afterwards. He kept his plighted troth in the cosy seclusion of a bar parlor, where lie relieved niy ruffled feelings by the information that during nis long experience of the Board no new mail had been able to get down a line at his first attempt. “After a couple of meetings you’ll be as right as beer, old chap.” he said encouragingly. But, by dint of much diplomacy, I succeeded in dodging that Board’s meetings afterwards, so that I cannot tell whether my friend the enemy was speaking the truth or following the usual policy of his paper.

In connection with flic recent social in aid of the proposed Alnternity Home, Aim.' Alaynard has handed over £3l, the net proceeds, towards the luml.

A few nice specimens of early spring bulbs wore on view in Air. AY. Miller’s shop window yesterday. The bulbs were grown Air. Geo. Grant, and include some choice samples.

The hall-yearly sittings of tlio Supreine Court in Gisborne will open before Mis Honor Air. Justice Edwards, at half-past ten this morning. Jurymen and witnesses must be in attcii(lonco punctually at flint time.

The treasurer to the Hospital Trustees, Mr. E. G. .Matthews, has received £1 towards the Hospital funds from tho Crown settlers, at To Arai. The amount carries £4 16s Government' subsidy.

Tho Government-owned imported thoroughbred stallion Singlestick II arrived in Gisborne by the AYaikare yesterday, and will stand at Ormond. Tho stallion is a line looking horse, and already some of his progeny have been successful on the turf.

The latest disease preventative is an mtiseptic article to In; placed on the receiver of telephones, the idea being to prevent any possibility of germs being transmitted amongst persons using a general telephone. Mr. G. Johnstone has the ilooal agency for the device, which is certainly very convenient.

The following circular telegram lias been received from tho Prime Alinistor, tSir Joseph AVnrd, by the Town Clerk:—“His AVorship the Mayor, Gisborne, —I should be glad if you would invito the residents in your centre to enhnnee the interest of the proceedings on the anniversary of Dominion Day, the 26th inst., by decorating their premises with flags where it is coin r enjent for this to be done.—J. G. AVard.”

The concert to be held in His Majesty's Theatre to-'night in aid of the Gisborne City Band, which has been in the capable hands of Mrs. Hayes, promises to bo a great success'. By special request Airs. Hayes has consented to repeat “Only a Penny,” which will be sung by one of her pupils. All' pennies contributed' will] be placed to tho credit of the Band fund. Judging from the number of tickets which have been disposed of, there appears every prospect of there being a crowded bouse, and intending patrons arc requested to secure seats at their earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

An indication that tho recent extreme tightness in the money market seems likely to relax before long is given by the fact that some of the more important lending institutions which have recently been refusing loans hare notified intending borrowers that if they apply again at the end of October they will in all probability be accommodated. How ox 7 tromo tho position has been locally is shown, by tho statement of a gentleman closely connected with the inner workings of financial circles who declared to a “Times” reporter that during a recent week “you could not have borrowed sixpence in Gisborne from 'recognised lending institutions, no matter how good the security.” *

The St. John Ambulance Brigade is an organisation which enables those who have received ambulance instruction at the hands of the St. John’s Association to meet together for regular practice, and thus improve themselves in fir© aid an<l_ nursing work; it also provides a body whose services would be available to render assistance to the sick or injured on public.and other occasions, and who would take action towards providing for tho town and district proper ambulance appliances for use from time to time as required. The authorities of the Brigade are desirous of establishing men’s and women’s divisions in this district, and tho secretary of the local class has been Asked to take action in the matter. Great success lias attended the divisions which have been formed in other centres.

An individual named Janies Knight was brought before Air AV. A. Banton, S.AI. at the Police Court yesterday and arraigned on three separate charges arising out of a disturbance at the Dominion hotel, Kaiti. It appears -that the accused man, who was intoxicated: and moneyless, was refused .accommodation by the proprietor of the hotel, and immediately proceeded to vent his disappointment on a pane <>f glass, and made use of most obscene language. For drunkenness, the disturber of the peace was fined. 12s or 4S hours; for damages to the window, 12e over and above the amount of the damage or 48 hours', and for the use of obscene language he was not given the option of a fine, hut sent to gaol for 7 days with hard labor.

As Air AV. Alorgan’s name has been mentioned in connection with the coining political campaign we are authorised to state that the gentleman named has no intention of becoming a candidate. It is true that numerous requests have recently been made to Air Alorgan in this connection by those who recognise the good work he has done in this district in educational and other matters and his name was actually included in a list that it was proposed should be submittedto the Leader of tho Opposition; but at this stage Air Alorgan definitely intimated that ho would not accept nomination. Had there been no other candidate available to represent the Opposition interests it is probable Air Alorgan would have come to a different' decision.

Lately, (says Air. Drummond in the “Lyttelton Times”) there has sprung up a conviction that the birds of the air and tho beasts of the fields liavo a claim' to existence in tlieir own right. The airth and the sunshine and the fresh air and nil the best things in Nature’s gifts belong to tho birds as much as to any other creatures; and now, not even science, is allowed to take valuable lives in New Zealand. A few months ago an application was made to Air. Donne, general manager of the Tourist Department, for permission to obtain a specimen of a rare native bat 011 the Little Barrier Sanctuary, in order that it could ho examined in England and its identity determined. Air. Donne replied that the request could not be granted. As a naturalist, the applicant regretted that a specimen was not- available, but 1 as a lover of animals 110 was glad that a life had been spared.