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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2327, 21 October 1908, Page 4

The Town Clerk (Mr. R. D. B. Robinson) was last evening granted a month’s holiday by tlie Borough Council.

“If my dog gets into the pound, they can turn him into sausages,” said Cr. Bright last evening when- the Council were considering the regulations for tlie dog pound. The Borough Council has engaged a driver for the Straker waggon at a salary of £3 10s per week, with an allowance of 4s for every extra trip done to the quarry in a day. - “You can’t make a second speech, Cr. Wliinray,” said Cr. Bright last evening. . “I only want to make an observation,” replied Cr. W liinray as he proceeded to address tlie chair. The only business transacted by the Charitable Aid Board last evening was the. granting ofi relief to a widow and children, and ordering new furniture for the old women’s portion of the Home.

The unsatisfactory condition of the waterworks contract was discussed by the Borough Council last evening. The question was considered in committee, the reporters being asked to withdraw.

A young man was arrested by Detective Rawlc yesterday on warrant, and will be charged at the Police Court this morning with leaving Christchurch witnout having made adequate, provision for the maintenance of liis unborn illegitimate child. A well-attended meeting of , the Blacksmiths’ and Farriers’ Union was held last' evening. The following trustees were appointed: Alossrs T. Bell and J. R. Redstone. The entrance fee was reduced, from 5s to 2s 6d. Some minor business ivas transacted and the meeting adjourned. The Mayor last evening suggested that the Council should ask the Railway Department to sell a portion of the.railway reserve.(about 8 acres in area) on the Waikanao beach. Cr. Wliinray favored the suggestion, and a resolution in accordance therewith was carried. , ■" ~

At a meeting of the Y.M.C.A. Board of Directors, hold on Monday night, it was resolved that the Association endeavor to obtain a general secretary and also suitable rooms. Up to the present the sum 6f £270 per year lias been, guaranteed for three years, and 'the subscriptions of those who have., already signified their intention of becoming members are.estimated to produce a: further £125.

The appointment of a dog ranger and the inaugurating of the dog pound is no doubt the result of such a -number of dogs straying about apparently wthout owners. Under the circumstances it behoves those who' have valuable dogs or one which they prize for other reasons to remember that this week it’s dog chains for eight pence each at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales, twenty-fourth mat. only.

A general meeting of the newly formed Chamber of Commerce will be held in the Farmers’ Club roomsj Masonic buildings, on' Friday next at 4 p.m., when a draft of the proposed rules and constitution of the Chamber will he placed before the meeting... . .

Miss Florence Baines, who ; in her ,p.lay of “Miss Lancashire, Limited, has gained la high reputation,as a. refined “fun maker”, is to visit Gis,borne shortly with her company. In Groat Britain and the colonies the lady and the play have '•received the heartiest commendations, including that of Lord Roberts, who presided when Mists Baines delivered, to a select assembly, the amusing story of “Miss' Lancashire, Limited,’ and wfio congratulated her by saying * ou have made me laugh more than I nave done for years.” Wednesday, November 11th, has been appointed as the date for the triennial election of members to the Waiapu County Council as follows: — Matakaoa Biding,' one member; Awanui riding, one member; Piritarau riding, two members; Waipiro riding, two members; Tokomaru riding, •two members. Nominations will be received at the County Offices, Waipiro Bay, on Wednesday November 4th. On the same date the triennial election for one member to represent Waimata riding in the Cook County Council will be. held, and nominations will be reoived at the County Council office, Childers Road, Gisborne, until noon on Tuesday, November 3rd. Nature {says Dr. Te Rangihiroa, Assistant Native Health Officer) did not intend the Maori to herd in cities, to shut out fresh air and sunlight and evolve sanitary problems. His place is on the land, both from the commercial and from the equally or more important health point of view. The danger of phthisis amongst the Maori is more serious between the ages of 15 and -25, just when he is turning his back upon the farm and seeking the employment of the towns. Of tbe 22 cases recorded last year the age incidence was as follows: Age 1 — 5, 1 case; 5 —15, 1 case; 15—25, 10 cases; 25—35, 6 cases ; 35—45, 2 cases; over 45, 2 cases. A service, which has its pathetic side, obtains in the Anglican Church, at Hastings. For some time past the ißev. Mr 'Hobbs has -been in the habit of holding a short communion service three or four times a year for the aged and infirm of his parish, the participants being conveyed from their homes to the church in carriages, engaged for the purpose. Thus old and invalided persons, whose years and infirmities would have kept them sundered under ordinary conditions, are enabled to meet together for the purpose of assisting at the most sacred service of the church, and at its conclusion talk over years gone by. These services are held in the spring and summer time for obvious reasons and, as far as possible, after the great festivals of the church. The representative of that excellent establishment, the Jubilee Institute for the Blind at Auckland, is at present in Gisborne with the object of obtaining subscriptions towards its support. The object is one which should need no commendation to the sympathy of the .public. ‘The Institution, according to the last annual rejiort. is providing for 54 'blind people—eleven men, six women, nineteen boys, eleven girls and two day pupils with five blind journeymen, who reside in their own homes and avail themselves of the Institute as a means of gaining a livelihood. Financial as-

sistance is urgently necessary in order to carry on the increasing work of the Institution, and especially to meet the expenses attendant on the erection and equipping of the new building which has been found necessary.

An American writer, MrKebneday, writing in the ‘‘Christchurch Press," pays the following compliment to the newspapers of the Dominion:—After the bulky yellow journals and the flaring headlines of many, but by no means most, of the. American newspapers, the New Zealand Press is a welcome relief. It is a clean. Press,, without so much world news- as the big dailies of America, though what it lacks in this respect, it nearly makes amends for .in its skilful footnotes to its brief cable despatches. Its editorial and news columns naturally have the party . bias the -"public like to buy, but there appears to be little of that deliberate supression and misrepresentation of news which so often is evidentin Amei-ican journalism. Its columns, too, are remarkable free from those pernicious advertisements so noticeable in the newspapers of so- many other countries.

Mr 'll. A. Barr's book, “With the British Rugby Team in Maorilaud,” which suffered a slight delay in publication, has now appeared. It may be described as rather a racy story. It is a matter-of-fact record of the tour, and it has been said of the ■book that “the whole subject has been treated with refreshing terseness and abandon.” In addition to the story, special articles have been written for the book by Arthur Harding, captain of the British team; George Harnett, manager; J v W. iStead, captain of the New Zealand team; Frank Morton, the well-known journalist ; T. W. Leslie, trainer of tlio British team; Neil Galbraith, and Andrew Spence. The work is illustrated with line drawings from the pencil of F. Hiscock, the clever black-and-white artist, of Wellington, and with a number of reproductions from photographs.

The Christmas number of the “Weekly Press” well sustains the high reputation gained by its predecessors. From an artistic point- of view it could scarcely be excelled, and the literary contents are worthy of the excellencorof the illustrations. Page after page of charming studies, show’for New Zealand at its brightest and its best. The people of the Dominion, from “his Majesty the Baby” to the venerable “relic of the past” are portrayed by many an artistic snapshot. The occupations of Now Zealanders, from sailors to shepherds, the glorious scenery of our , islands, and much of interest besides," are set forth in a series of admirable illustrations., There are three supplements—a line reproduction, in colors, of W. Hounsom Bylos “Coaching in New Zealand,” nnd two very attractive Maori studies, from photographs by Chas. M. Phillips. Another feature worth notice is the quaintly effective colored study, “The Spirit of Mischief” by A. Kermnway.” Among the contributors to the literary pages are, A. A. Grace, Constance Clyde, Ghirton Scollard, B. E. Bauglnn, and other uotahle tvriters,

A London'paper of August 29th. says:—About two thousand men employed by the International Paper Company are on strike in consequence of a threatened reduction in wages in certain departments. As a result, all tlio'jnills owned by the trust, are shut down. It is stated that there is an adequate stock of paper in hand for immediate requirements, but if the strike continues, very long the newspapery arc likely to have difficulty m finding supplies.

The term “child slavery” as applied to farm labor has been given attunes such <i generous publicity {writes the Wairarapa correspondent of the “Dominion”) that it comes almost as a shock to find mention oi only one alleged ease in the school inspectors’ reports. The case in 'question was in the Hawke’s Bay report, and stated that a family of-six children—three boys, aged 7, 10, and 12 years, and three girls, 9, 11, and 13 years—milked 51 cow* night and morning. The children appeared to be overworked, stated the report, and their progress was described as slow.

Referring to the recent prosecutions of booksellers for celling alleged indecent- books, Frank Morton writes : “The fact of the matter is that the police cannot ho held solely responsible for all this insensate doddering foolishness. There is someone in concealment- pulling wires. The true prosecutors in these cases do not appear. It is about time they did appear. It’s about time that the public knew the names of these ill-thinking persons who have sufficient influence to induce the oolice to waddle into any ludicrous situation that the moment’s insanity demands.”

A return has been prepared for the information of the Australian Military Board relative to the establishment- and efficiency of the military forces throughout the Commonwealth. It shows that the militia has a total establishment of 17,609. with a strength of 15.870. the number of efneients being 13,424. The volunteer establishment is 5718, the strength 4969, and the number of efficients 3981. The grand total is the establishment of 23,327, with a- strength of 20,839, of which number 17,415 are efficients. The percentage of efficients to the establishment is 75, and to the strength 84.

The recent influenza epidemic among horses in Melbourne gave rise to some curious incidents. One lady had .taken a cab at- the station because it- was raining, -and she was dissatisfied with the pace of the noble animal in the shafts. “Dear me, cabbie,” she said, “cannot your horse do better than this?” “I’m afraid not, ma’am,” said the driver, “lou. see, he’s got this ’ere prevailia hepidemic, influenzer,- -pretty bad, anc l— ’» “Oh, vou don’t say '?”■ The fare ' was instantly interested and svrapathetic. “TV ell, you should.ii v have him out in this weather. lou must take him home at once, and make a mixture of honey, brown sugar, lemons and rum, and give him one large tahlespconful every hour; rub his breast with whiskey, put a com compress of brandy and water about his throat, and put his feet in hot mustard and water. ..give him adorer power and put him to bed. little boy was just the same, .and I-' But they had reached their destination.

Muck interest- is taken abroad in the report on the rainmaking experiments conducted at Oanisru last, season bv tbe Bov. D. C. Bates, of tbe New Zealand Meteorological Olkce, and published in tbe Parliamentary Reports of the last session of Parliament. It lias already been republisned in full in “Symcfcid’s Meteorological Magazine” in London, translated into German for the “Meteorologisclie Zeitsc-hrift,” the leading meteorological magazine in the world, and is being published with illustrations by tbe Weather Bureau of the United States. Professor Cleveland Abbe, the editor of the “Weather Review,” says it is the best thing written on the subject that lie knows of, and that it should go a long way towards ending tbe idea that- men can cause rain to fall, and also towards directing the r* u blic mind to more useful channels for the scientific study of climate and its adaption to agriculture, etc.