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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2403, 19 January 1909, Page 4

Caterpillars are reported to be'doing considerable damage in some parts of Hawke’s ißav.

The polling at the Thames by-elec-tion, it is stated, will probably tike place on January 28.

Potato blight is fairly bad in the Otaki district, and a new form of blight of a mild nature lias broken out among the crops in Alan.akau.

The steamer Manuka arrived at Auckland from (Sydney on Sunday with 503 passengers, said to be a record number for an intercolonial boat.

A Press Association telcginm from Auckland states that G. ißedpath, of Gisborne, has qualified for matriculation at tho New Zealand University examinations.

The To Kanaka Tennis Club will open their now courts at Te Karaka on Thursday (afternoon. A general invitation is extended to all tennis players to be present.

Air. Mortonsen’s house at Ormond, which was destroyed by fire on Saturday night., was insured for £SOO and the furniture for £275, both in the South British Office.

One of tho handy little wall calendars for 1909, issued by the London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Co., has been sent to this office by Air. D. Alorice, Gisborne sub-agent.

It lias been decided, to form a Roman Catholic Association in .Auckland to perpetuate the St. Patrick’s Day festival, and to attend to other matters of interest to the denomination.

A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Young Aden’s Christian Association was held in the AVesleyan Schoolroom last night. Mr. F. S. Malcolm (president) was in the chair, and there was a- (fair attendance. A letter iwlis received from the newlyappointed secretary, Air. C. R. "Webster, stating that he was to spend a week .in Sydney, in order to help the Association there in a. financial campaign, and would leave For Gisborne. Ho expects to ‘arrive here during the first week in February. It amis stated that the rooms of the Association, in Air. C. Rosie’s buildings, would probably be ready for occupation towards the end of March.. It was also reported that contributions were coming in satisfactorily. . 'lt was decided to hold a special meeting on Mr. Webster's arrival.

A meeting of Past Grands of the. Loyal Gisborne Lodge, 1.0X0., M ' U was held in the Masonic Hall last evening for the purpose ok conferring past officers’ degrees. Inere was a large attendance. P..G. Warren presided, and was assisted by P.G.’s Schwab©, W. Morgan -and O. H Ambridge (secretary). Tho past elective secretary’s degree was conferred upon Bros. McConnell, Chisholm,, McPherson, Sharland, and Kirk; the Past Vice-Grand s degree upon Bros. McConnell, McPherson, Sharland. and Kirk; the Past Noble Grand’s degiape upon Bros. AlcPheieon, AVilmot Cox, Sharland, and Kirk, and the Purple degree upon Bros McPherson, AVilmot Cox Sharland 1 , and Kirk. It was decided to hold a meeting of -the Past Grands’ Lodge quarterly, when it is probable that papers dealing with lodge and othei matters will be read.

Our short serial stories, by an unknown Author, will bo continued as usual everv Saturday, and wo feel •confident they will create as. much excitement as heretofore. This week is a stirring tale of interest entitled “Dover Egg Boaters for sixpence each,” at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales, 23rd inst. only.

A .list of auctioneers (licensed by the Gisborne Borough Council is published in this issue.

Welshmen resident in the Westport, district intend sending a nugget ot frold and an illuminated address to the Hon. Mr L'loyd-Georgc, Chancellor of the Imperial Exchequer, a prominent Welshman.

There are a large number ol unemployed in Westport at present, consequent on the almost entire cessation of the Harbor Board .works. There seems to be no immediate promise of employment for them.

In a letter, received by Mr W. J. Barker, the Minister for Marine (Hon. J. A. Millar) states that he hopes to sec municipal fish murker-' established in Auckland and m vlrc other centres of the Dominion.

It is expected tlisit the medical conference which will lie hold in Napiei next month will discuss the suoiect of healing by suggestion, which v. asbrought 'prominently before the public of Christchurch some time ago.

A favorable fruit season is being experienced in the Ael son province, and the conditions for the jam-mak-ing industry are much better than those of last year, when raspberries had to be imported from -Tasmania.

Farmers in the Feilding district are hoping that the recent change or ■weather will just about save the situation, as far as cut crops arc concerned. Oats are looking, very well and root crops are coming along splendidly.

White pine timber to the extent of 3,073.043 super, feet, valued at £12,733, was exported last year from Wanganui to Sydney, with the exception of one shipload to Brisbane. Ml the timber came from mills in the 1 tali ape district.

A Masterton visitor in the Bush districts states that he has visited an up-to-date «milking shed lately when 82 cows in full-milk were disposed of by a man and two boys with the aid of three milking machines in one and a-half hours.

Despite the recent stringency in the money market, -properties in Feilding "and surrounding districts have (says the “Star”) been changing hands at tolerably good prices. High-class 'dairy lands in particu.'ir have been in fair demand.

The frequency with which vessels go ashore at Patea has 'led a member of the local Harbor Board to move that a rocket apparatus be procured. to enable a rope to be got at one'on board any steamer as soon as it- may happen to go ashore.

The regular service of insulated trucks -promised by the Railway Department for the first traffic between Napier. Wellington, and intermediate stations lias started. 'lt is computed that the fishing industry in Hawke’s Bav List Year represented a value of £30,000.

The Timaru Borough Council has let the No. 4 contract in connection with the underground drainage scheme now being carried out there. This contract covers eighteen miles, and the successful tenderers were Messrs. Tibbes and Clyma, of Dunedin, whose price was £IO,OOO.

A Press Association telegram from Dunedin states that the Per. Father Cleary, editor, of the “Tablet,” who is well known in Catholic, circles throughout Australasia, has hud the degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred on him by the Pope for services rendered to Cathofic journalism.

“The country in the Tologn Day district is looking very well this summer,” said Air. C. Kells, manager for Messrs Common, Shelton and Co., Ltd., to a “Times” reporter yesterday. “The rape crops are coming on nicelv. hut I did not see many turnip fields. The stock is all doing well, and farmers are generally contented with the season.”

Five vessels^of different types were busily engaged at the wharf yesterday. either discharging cargo or preparing for sea. There was a barquentine, a scow, a ketch, a schooner, and an auxiliary schooner, and as the work proceeded at each boat the wharf (presented <a lively aspect. In addition to these operations a number of men were engaged in loading Wool into the lighters for transhipment to the s.s. Kaikoura, in the Bay.

A novel feature of the New Zealand conference of " the Methodist Church, Wellington, commencing on February 25, will be a men’s banquet, to which about 300 Methodist •laymen and ministers will probably he invited. It is understood that the idea is due, .in part at feast, to the Y M.C.A. The banquet will ho given in the Town liall Concert Chamber, .’and the Rev. C. IT. Garland, of Nelson, will preside. It is expected that about ISO visiting delegates will at,tend the conference, and a specie, committee is engaged in finding temporary homes for these.

The Education Department’s new home for backward children at Otekaike, 'Otago, has been opened, though it will not bo fully occupied until an extensive scheme of improvement of the water supply and sanitary conditions lias been completed (says the “New Zealand Times”).Accommodation will then be available for between 30 and 40-children. The principal has visited various parts of the country to examine children who have been suggested as suitable subjects, and a few have already gone to Otekaike. ’ That the home was necessary is evident from the fact that the erection of a cottage as an extension is already authorised. Otekaike homestead is a spacious, well-designed building,, with magnificent grounds, so essential to the institution’s work. As it grows, cottages-£dr new pupils will be orected here and there, thus providing excellent facilities for careful classification. Outdoor occupation and'.manual occupation is the principal feature in the training of the children, and they are educated along the lines of ordinary schools, as far as their backward physical or mental development will permit. • The agony of an aching head drives away every thought of pleasure and causes anxiety to the sufferer’s friends. Stearns’ Headache "Cure brings quick relief and makes life livable.

' Recently a suggestion was received from Lord Roberts that New Zealand should send 1 t-o England a-team of public school cadets to compete for his trophy at Bisley this year, and, as the General Government have expressed their willingness to subsidise subscriptions towards the cost, a number of Greymouth residents are urging the local governing bodies to co-operate with a view to raising funds for sending the lads Home.

With the benefits arising from an exceptionally good growing season, the output of mutton and lamb from Taranaki this year, records an exchange, is likely to prove unusually large. A very extensive .increase intothe area of sheep country, according to to the same authority, is tlso annually taking place. That studmasters are keeping well abreast of the growing demands was exemplified in the Jong row. of pens of good quality and variety of breeds at the present show in the district.

Some of the West Coast newspapers liave been urging that a full inquiry, apart from judicial proceedings, should be held into the circumstances which have led up to the charge against Connolly, arising out of the Westport murder ease. The Minister for Justice (Hon. Dr. Findlay) says that he sees no necessity for such a course being taken. The charges against Hallinen and Andersen were heard in the Magistrate’s Court and the Supreme Court, they were defended by counsel, and he knew of no charge having been made against the administration of justice in the matter. He thought it. was admitted that they bad had a fair trial.

It is expected that the eight sleeping ears for the Alain Trunk line will * r> bo completed by the date fixed for the commencement of the through service. Six of the cars rare c ertain to be ready, and the other two will .probably also be available. There will be two on each train,, giving accommodation for 40 persons. During the daytime these cars will be used as ordinary first-class carriages, and will scat about a third as many more passengers as sleeping accommodation-is >*&_ provided for. It is thought that the ’ " cost will be about 10s or 12s Gd per berth for the journey from Wellington to Auckland, or vice versa.

One valuable feature of the recent general election has so far escaped notice (says the “'Dominion.”) It- is the great increase in the number of members of Parliament who are committed to a definite and effective programme of national defence. It is not a party movement, and, therefore, it is surprising to find that both political parties are well represented amongst the 18 members who are unconditionally pledged, and the further 16 who view the movement favorably. This, however, hardly represents the full strength of the gpin. Nearly fifty of the unsuccessful candidates, including nearly all of the Labor anti Socialist candidates, are also in favor of the movement.

Indications point to a bountiful harvest -for Otago and Southland farers. If reasonably good weather prevail for the final development of the growing crops the harvest- time should (suggests the Dunedin “Star") indeed -be a season cl rejoicing. The grain yield promises to be abundant. Men who study the markets and. like the wise men in the East, have faith in signs, - say tent the difficulty this \ year will be in finding a market ror grain. Wheat from Melbourne- and Sydney is already coming to New Zealand markets. As regards oats •and chaff, if the harvest be as hoped ■for, there will be a large quantity ■for exnort.

A smart piece of work was performed at the Taranaki-streei YTiarf on Tuesday by a seafaring mail, named Patterson Hobbs (says the Well:region “Post”). A fireman belonging to the steamer Cornwall, which arrived from Liverpool on Saturday, was going on board, his vessel when lie slipped and fell into the water, cutting himself on the head against the wooden fender and stunning himself. Hobbs, who was going ashore from the Cornwall (he is not employed on the vessel) climbed down the fender, and getting into the water, put a fopo under the fireman’s nrmpits, and thus enabled some of the crew to puel their shipmate aboard. Prior to Tuesday’s occurrence Hobbs had saved five lives.