The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1908.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2352, 19 November 1908, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1908.

J. Coleman) yesterday examined Thomas Sbean, laborer, of Gisborne, as to the cause of his bankruptcy. No creditors were present, and bankrupt stated that his oniV assets consisted of furniture value at £lO. He had resided in Gisborne for about 9 years 'and estimated his average earnings at £2 a week. He met with an accident seven months ago. Pressure from creditors forced him to file.

The only application which the Government has so far received for the use of water power for electrical purposes, under the Public A\ 7 orks Amendment Act of last session, comes from a company which desires to operate at Toaroha, in Scrutli AVestland. The scheme is a rather large one, and includes the generation of electricity at one spot and conveying the current for a considerable distance to a place where it will be employed in pumping water for mining purposes. Both the Public Works Department and the Mines Department are required to be consulted, and the matter is still under their consideration. When it was cabled out some time ago that the Australian amateur Rugby football team had chosen the designation of “A\ r allabies,” it was considered by some people that the name was .singularly unfortunate, "Wallaby” being a slang Australian term, exjiressive of a hard-up pedestrian tramping the country for work. It now appears that the name chosen was “Waratahs.” the waratali is an Australian, tulip, a scarlet flower indigenous to the country, and it was with this idea that the team selected the name* The waratali is represented on the players’ jerseys, just the same as the fern was on the jerseys of th “All Blacks.” The scarlet flower also appears on the blue bands of the players’ straw hats, with the word “Australia” spelled out. Dr Morgan, captain of the team, has explained that the team wished to be known by a distinctive name as “All Blacks” and ‘ ‘Springbokken.” It may be mentioned that 'although the team is playing as Australian, it is composed only of New South AVales and Queensland players, and wears the New South AA’ales colors, light blue jersey and stockings. In countries where women are beginning to ask for greater powers in directing public affairs, the argument Oieu-rd here so many years ago, and disproved by experience, “that women will neglect their babies if- they vote,” says a writer in the Melbourne “Age,” is paraded >as if it were'* a now discovery. “The best answer to this parrot cry,” the writor adds, “is furnished by the women of New Zealand, who were the first of Australasian women to win their way to the ballot-box' and were also the first to conceive and adopt a practical scheme for stemming the appalling death rate of babies, which is common to all civilised countries to-day, and is due to the strain and stress laid upon parents by existing moral and economic l conditions. New Zealand women recognised that unless these were combated by intelligent effort in the interests of their children, future generations would pay the price of their inaction. Fortunately Lady PI unket tools a great interest in the question, and largely through her instrumentality a Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children was formed in Dunedin.”

Speaking of a new work just published a brief quotation from the author’s preface 'would throw stronger light upon the thought which guided him if ho neglected to get a. four pour ladle for eightpence at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales twenty-first inst. only.

A meeting of the Carpenters’ Union is to take place on Townley’s Hall at 7.30 p.m. to-day. A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held in the Farmers’ Union Club rooms at 4 p.m. to-day. The quarterly summoned meeting of the Loyal Turanganui Lodge U.A.O.D. will be held in the Masonic Hall at 8 p.m. to-day. ■ The case of Alice Single v. Charles Single (Mr. T. Alston Coleman), alleged disobediouce of a maintenance order, was again referred to in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. ,In reply to the Bench, the informant said she had no desire to see the defendant sent to prison as long as he supported the children. It was agreed to adjourn the case for the purpose of trying to effect a reconciliation.

The Wanganui Technical School Board decided recently to place Esperanto on the school syllabus. Mr. La Trobe, director of the 'Wellington Technical School, however, does not think the. same course will bo followed there. Of course, if there is a sufficient demand, facilities will be provided. “But,” said Mr. La Trobe, with a touch of Irish humor, £ ‘l do not'think Esperanto has a great future before it; its future is mostly behind it.”

The movement for the Saturday half-holiday has taken on definite shape in AVellington. The local Trades Council has been in communication with the Labor Department and the Solicitor-General, and, as a result, has drawn up a petition .to the Mayor as chairman of the local bodies requesting him that a poll shall he taken at, the time - of the next municipal election to determine the day for the hall-holiday. Hundreds of copies of the petition have been printed, and are now in circulation. The local Trades Council believes that if once the question can be put before the electors the Saturday half-holi-day will be established in AVellington.

The Forty-mile Bush in the AVellington district is looking in the best of condition at the present time, and the prospects for the season are said to be most encouraging. Several of the farmers, said a settler to a “Post” representative, are giving up sheep and going in for dairying. AVith the present low price of wool, sheep on high-priced land don’t pay. The spring, ho added, had, as in most other districts, been remarkably good, and the lambing was excellent. But money was short —very short—and at the local .stock sales there was very . little demand. It is interesting also to note that milking-machines are coming more into vogue day, and, of course, in such cases, the children are relieved from what is often a heavy burden. The present system of exchanging tablets on some of the New Zealand railway stations constitutes (says the “Dominion”) a grave danger to the official in the station platform. This fact has been, remarked time and again by travellers. If the official standing on the platform hangs on to his tablet one second too long he has got a chance of being swept beneath the fast-rushing train. One man- has already been 'killed and another injured, at the game, and the wonder is that there is not a bigger death rate. At. Carterton, last Saturday. the railway official holding the tablet for one of the incoming trains had it swept from his hands and beneath the carriages. The man himself fortunately kept liis feet. Automatic appliances for the exchange of tablets are badly required. “AA’lia't’s in a name?” The exclamation (remarks a AVellington exchange) does not emanate from Juliet mourning over the unfortunate name of Romeo, but from the Onslow Borough Council. Some time ago that body, at the instance of the Post and Telegraph Office, altered the name of Crofton to Ngaio. So far, so good; but- by-and-by it was noticed that, though the township was entered in the Post Office Guide as Ngaio. the sign "Crofton” still remained on the railway station. The Postal Department was written to and requested to have the necessary alteration made in the naming of the station ; but at Saturday night’s meeting of the council word was received that the alteration could not be made, since it might- lead to confusion with Ngairc. The council will communicate with the Department again. The London correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times” writes as follows: —I see by the Northern papers that George Smith, of “All Black” fame, ■is playing again for Oldham this season in Northern Union football. It speaks wonders for his determination, for when I saw him at the Olympic games in July, there seemed to be hardly a sound spot in his body, so severely had he been knocked about in his first season with the Northern Union. One knee had given way, likewise one of his shoulders, and he had three ribs broken. He was strapped and bandaged and cased, in plaster of ■Paris, and it looked any odds against his ever donning a football jersey again. But lie is full of grit. As one.of his friends remarked to rae, “He will play till lie drops.” And last Saturday lie not only took the field for Oldham, but scored two tries. It is wonderful, but I cannot help thinking that he ought not to be playing.