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Gisborne Times, 1 October 1909, Page 4

There will bo <a late train after the exhibition by the Dick Arnst Picture Co. at His Majesty’s to-morrow night. The annual general meeting of the Gisborne City Band will he held at the Cosmopolitan Club at 8 p.m. on Tuesday next, October oth.

The Timaru to Christchurch road race of 112 miles, which is being held under the auspices of the League of New Zealand Wheelmen on Saturday, October 20th, is arousing much interest in cycling circles.

A conference will be held this afternoon between the Borough Council and tho Cook County Council, at the latter’s room, for the purpose of ascertaining and agreeing upon the cost the Borough Council should contribute towards the maintenance of the roads over which. they cart their metal supplies. The following revenue was collected at the Gisborne Customhouse for the month ending 30th September: Spirits £146 3s Bd, cigars, etc., £343 6s Id, tobacco £615 11s 3d wine £77 16s 6d, beer £6, goods by weight £152 19s 2d, goods ad valorem £1616 11s 3d, other duties £69 lls Id; total, £4212 11s lOd. The amount collected for September, 1908. was £4661 13s 9d.

Speaking at a gathering in his honor at Oxford, recently, Mr. John O’Halloran, in repudiating a suggestion that the Farmers’ Union was a marty and political organisation, said ho scarcely knew Mr. Massey, and had only shaken hands with him once, and that was on being introduced. “I know all the other side,’ the speaker continued, “they shake hands with me every time we meet.”

Owing to counter attractions, there was only a moderate attendance at the Salvation Army Citadel last night, on the occasion of the closing night of the sale of work in aid of the self-denial fund. A number of dresses made by Mrs Melksham remain unsold, but they can be obtained from her privately. Purchasers of these garments are expected to donate' them for the use of the children in the Army Home, Wellington. It is expected that the selfdenial fund will benefit to a certain extent by the sale of work, but a great deal of money lias yet to bo raised to enable Gisborne to retain its proud position of second on the list for Australasia in connection with the selfdenial anpeal. Adjutant Melksham will he extremely grateful for any donatons to the fund.

In paying a tribute to his leader, General Booth, when speaking at Sydney last week, Commander Hay, new Territorial Commander of the Salvation Army, in Australia, remarked that it was pure accident that the “General” bad never discovered the North Pole. He had' wandered so much about all four corners of the world, turning up at the most unexpected places at the most unexpected times, that it would occasion but small wonder if the PearyCoo'k controversy was silenced by a statement that the “General” could claim priority. Now, at the age of 81, although troubled with an affliction of the eye, General Booth could do an enormous amount of work and sliamo men 50 years his junior. .“Why, ’ said the Commissioner, enthusiastically, it takes us all our time to keep within cooGC of him. When I was coming out to Australia, I said to the General how much we would regret it if we felt that his last visit had been ™aid to these shores. What was his reply? Don t alarm yourself", man; I’m coming out next year.’ ” There was tremendous enthusiasm when this announcement was made. “How we shall welcome him, cried Commissioner Hay, and the assurance was readily forthcoming.

A fancy l dress mask< •“’'lad fi held in Bead’s Quay lar Hftall on - nesday next, October t J Messrs H. Hill and J.VO. Smith Inspectors under the Hawks’s Bay Board of Education, will commence their annual examination in the schools of this district on Monday morning.

Mr. James H. Sheckleton has (says the “Westport Times’’) completed the manufacture of ten tons of briquettes by his patent process, at the Westport Briquette works. He reports that the work has been entirely successful. He has had laboratory tests made, and the result is completely satisfactory. Mr. Sheckleton leaves for Wellington, and will take nine or ten tons; of briquettes with him for nractical locomotive tests on the Government railways.

A plucky rescue from drowning by a girl is reported from Moe (Vie.). Eddie Gray (10), was fishing at Narracan, in company with Kate O’Donnell (about 18), when the bank of the creek gave way, carrying the boy with it into the water, which was several feet deep. Miss O’Donnell jumped in and seized the boy by the collar of his sfurt, and brought him intq shallow water. Had it not been lor the girl’s action, young Gray would prob’abl” have lost his life, as a strong current was running.

After many vicissitudes and several reconstructions (says the “Otago Daily Times,”), the Good Chance dredge started operations about three montlis ago, and has met with such success as a gold-winner that the directors were in the happy position of being able to declare a dividend of 10s per share, being one-half of the capital returned to the lucky shareholders since the date of starting. There have been several inquiries for the purchase of the shares, which cannot be procured unless at a very high premium. It is said that this is a record in the way of dredging dividends —being the first occasion in New Zealand on which a dredge has returned half of its capital to shareholders in such a short space of time.

Fully twenty years before the Cheviot Estate, Canterbury, was cut up, the late Hon W. Robinson was out in one of the paddocks conversing with the station ploughman. He asked the man, jestingly, how he would like a farm on Cheviot, and the latter replied that be would not mind if he could get a portion of the area he was -ploughing. The years went by, the nloughman drifted away to the North Island, Cheviot was acquired by the Government and thrown open for selection. The explougliman put in an armlication, and was allotted a farm of 1200 acres, the holding including the self-same field that lie was ploughing at the time of the conversation with his employer, and which he said he would not mind having.

A hammer letter-stamper is one of the improvements the secretary of the Post and Telegraph Office (Mr. D. llobinson) noted in Germany, samples of which have since arrived in "Wellington to his order. Ordinarily letters are stamped by an ingenious machine, dirough which they pass so rapidly that they resemble a strio of ribbon in motion. But some letters are too big and others are too thick for the machine, and have to bo stamped with a hand punch, which is apt to make the wrist ache after a little use. The hammer-stamper does away with the jar, and makes the work easier than knocking tacks into soft white pine. The hammer letter-stamper is likely to be adopted throughout the whole of the Dominion.

After four years hard work the installation of the metallic circuit in the Wellington City telephone system is now. approaching completion (says the “Wellington Post”). Trunk lines have been placed underground in conduits, and the overhead gear, wherever superseded is being dismantled. If the material is still good it will be erected in connection with the smaller exchanges elsewhere. During last month 370 chains of new cable, containing as many as 308 pairs of wires, was run out, and eighty more telephones connected with the closed circuit. The next operation after the completion of the metallic circuit will deal with the exchange. The switchboard there will only accommodate 4300 subscribers, and there are 3,158 now, with numbers steadily increasing. Experience of the central battery system, recently installed at Invercargill and Timaru, may lead to its use here. Subscribers’ batteries are superseded. There is no handle, and no need to ring up. Taking the receiver off the hook attracts the attention of the exchange, and replacing automatically cuts short the conversation .

If sufficient inducement offers, the Board of the Governors of the Gisborne High School purpose establishing a boarding-house in connection with the school under the supervision of the headmaster. By an advertisement in this issue they invite the _ parents of scholars t-o communicate with the secretary, Mr. AV. Alorgan. at as early a date as possible-, in order that the Board may ascertain the amount ot support likely to be accorded to the scheme. If a satisfactory number of promises of support are received, arirangementaj will lie niad'e for the erection of the necessary building, to be completed by the time the new school is opened in February next. In the report of the meeting of the Board of Governors it was stated that Mr. A. R. Gotland, the headmaster, in his report on the proposed hoarding-house, expressed the opinion that there ought to be a profit of from £8 to £lO a year on each boarder. This amount is the gross profit, from which has to be deducted a proportionate share of the cost of management of the institution.

A varied programme of great merit was submitted at the concert in the Baptist Church last evening, in aid of the choir funds. There was a good attendance, and the Rev. W. Lamb presided. A small but efficient orchestra, under the leadership of Mr. H. J. Brownlee, consisting of Miss M. Malcolm and Messrs Warnecke and Rhinesmith (violins), Messrs Torrence and Wildish (cornets), Mr. Harre (flute), and Mrs. Brownlee (piano) played several selections during the evening. Songs were contributed by Mrs. Allen, and Messrs Harre, Heatlicote and Alexander Mr. and Mrs. Glanville were most successful in a vocal duet, as were also Messrs Torrence and Wildish in a cornet duet. Violin solos by Messrs Warnecke and Rhinesmith were items which were greatly appreciated. Mr. F. S. Malcolm gave an interesting exhibition of parlor conjuring. An acceptable item was the reading from “Much Ado About Nothing,” which was given by four members of the Gisborne Shakespearian Club. During the evening Mr T. E. Toneychffe, on behalf of .the ladies of the Baptist Church, presented the Rev. W. Lamb with a new bicycle to replace the. one which was recentlv stoTbn. Mr. Lhijvb t-lisuK-ed the ladies for their kindness, and also .moved a vote of thanks to all who had assisted to make the concert such a success. A collection was taken no during the even’'ng in aid the y?oir funds” and war. liberally r ponded to.

EI.M.S. Prometheus leaves Gisborne for Napier to-day, lalnd will afterwards visit Wellington ankl other southern ports. , > The roll number </[ the Puha school, which was opened drly in August, has reached the total of* (31. This emphasizes the necessity of enlarging the building, which was built to accommodate 40 pupils.

It is expected that the new school at Otoko, erected bv the Public Works Department for the use of the children of the railway workmen, will be opened on Monday morning. Mr. Shaw, late of Nuhaka, will be in charge.

The following have been added to the telephone exchange: 395, Makarori Station, waggon driver’s residence (three long rings); 232, It. G. Black, private house, Pakowhai (three long rings); 473, G. Brown, Masonic Stables; 494, W. M. Van tier, grocer, Gladstone Road. Deleted : 395. Okitu Bacon Factory manager’s residence; 395 Okitu Butter Factory manager’s residence; 232, G. J. Black; 494, J. Gartshore. New York’s new theatre is to be equipped with a revolving stage. r l bis will enable Louise Calvert, the English actor, who will stage all the productions, to give the variety of scenes intended by Shakespeare. It has been announced that no fewer than eight classic plays will be included in the first season’s repertoire. Among them will be “Antony and Cleopatra,” “A winter’ Tale,” “The Tempest,” and “The School for Scandal.”

The domestic help problem has taken another phase (says the “Christchurch Press”). Consequent upon the disinclination of girls to go to jobs in the country. a local registry office keeper lias sent a male to a country hotel to discharge the duties of housemaid. As an indication of the lengths of which mistresses will go to who are anxious to obtain household help, it is narrated that a country housewife on learning that the only obstacle in the way that prevented a young lady from taking the position was her desire to lie present at a certain race tfneeting, obtained the young lady’s services by promising to drive her to the race meeting.

“Sherlock Holmes,” with Thomas Kingston as the wonderful morphia subject, saw the foot lights at Melbourne Princess’ the other day, and Professor Moriarty was tranned as usual. In the present production, Gregan McMahon is the aged villain who endeavors to slay the detective by shooting him through the hat. He is not so picturesquely repulsive in the part as J. B. Athol wood, but he is convincing all the same. Nellie Calvin, as Alice Faulkner, burgles the affections of Sherlock, almost as attractively as May Chevalier did of yore; and Harry Plimmer glitters as James Lnrrabee. the highly-polished villain.

Yesterday afternoon an accident happened to Mr. F. Petrie’s motor launch which, at the time, was proceeding up the Taruheru river. When it was nearly opposite the hospital, something went wrong with the machinery, and during tlie~stoppage which ensued one of the occupants incautiously struck a match near the petrol tubes. As a result the petrol took fire, and the •flames rapidly ran along the bottom of the boat. Some ladie.s who were in the launch promptly jumped upon the seats, while the male occupants applied themselves to the task of extinguishing the flames with buckets of water. In this they were successful, and the fire was put out in it s incipient stage. For a few moments the position was so serious that the ladies anticipated having to jump into the water to escape the fire. The engine was uninjured, -and tjie launch returned to town, butwas unable to take part in the motorboat race in connection with the opening of the rowing season. Theatrical managers (says the “Sydney Daily Telegraph”) usually emphasise the rule that “children in arms are not admitted” partly because of the wail of a hungry bah- does not chord with the leading lady’s top note, and partlv because the elderly gentlemen in the stalls do not like their attention distracted from the stage picture by noises reminiscent of their younger days. At the various cinematograph shows the rule is not enforced, possibly because the auditory organs of the audience occasionally- ache for relief from the weird “effects” that accompany the pictures. Even here, however, the hungry bachelor is in evidence, and the management of West’s Pictures received a letter enclosing, a cutting from the “Glasgow Mail” to the effect tuat “the manager of the Metropole Theatre, Glasgow, proposes to establish night- creeches for the use of visitors with babies attending his entertainment. The writer sarcastically offered to establish a cheehe at the Glaciarium.

Alangaweka lias its Chinese problem and its own way of settling the matter (says the “New Zealand Times”). The little community of about six hundred s-ouls attracted the attention of a Chinese tradesman about nine years ago, and lie prospered exceedingly on the sale of groceries -and fruit t-o “barbarian” inhabitants. He even became popular with them, and there came the inevitable time when lie sold out- to return t-o China. His successor did not meet with much favor, and an antiChinese sentiment began to grow. At last it took a definite shape of a boycott. A local politician announced that the eyes of the community were on the Chinese fruit-shop, and inferred that Mangaweka public opinion would not think much of any unpatriotic person seen entering it. Business declined, and the Chinaman sold out- to a compatriot. The good-will was soon down to zero, and a few months ago there was another change of ownership, but things have not improved. The boycott is so complete in regard to groceries that the Chinaman sent his stock away a week back, but be is persevering with fruit in a modest way, while Alangaweka waits and watches.

The Right Rev. W. L. Williams, late Bishop ol : Waiapu, speaking at Napier on the occasion of a presentation to him, said:—“l am thankful to say that I have enjoyed the most hearty co-oper-ation of those with whom 1 have been associated during the last forty and aIxalf years. The work has afforded me a very great deal of pleasure, and it is not because I am weary of it that- I have been induced to tender my resignation. It is simply because I begin to find the work rather more than my physical powers are equal to. I found that some portions of the diocese I have been obliged to leave out. and when 1 began to find that out I felt that it was time to resign the work into the hands of a younger man. The means of getting about the diocese are still very rough, but not so rough as in the past. Almost the first thing ' Bishop Welwyn did was to tramp to Wellington and back from Wellington through this district to Auckland. He also travelled on foot the whole length—l cannot add the whole breadth—of the South Island. The difficulties in those days were very much greater than the difficulties ‘to'be encountered now. but, though the meatus of communication have been greatly improved, considerably more improvement is still to be desired. ’ • ' ' (L;

JlUTo’ Barn Band is due 'Ma r ica, where an exHfe fe ° U H hWi onductcd under the tendlpur will be® j and N T ait. raan&ient °i MM. w jj b e spent Jll niontffl* the Transvaal, rcvi “ Australia arljW Zealan®l , r . agricultural mBay Edustruct® t nd _ ftr . th « K- + _i to arr i ve i n cation Urd. is ex®*** 001 ro .‘- rrne Gishor& WedncSday morning next, for th“Vpnse of f ommencing the establishilp «f :i course of a'M'ioul-fcir.l instruction in the schools of this Strict. Iff arrangements can be madeJr- Lotenlwill be prepared to , MV< . . L jjjilic lectule on ‘Dairying, jiicludiniUemonstrations of separating, on the Sowing Saturday afternoon. / Tlie £2; prize which King Alfonso won at tl‘* recent Cowes regatta by l,i s yacht Bspania is not a great sum>‘> but it avill V a welcome addition to many other prizes which His has carried & m competitions ait-;)’ ' j shooting, thv> playing, i other tSterif I- ( The|PE- Slci! ot the cups and W{> (]l) the King anything for not know ; MJ, e communities at ItPen who, r«y sensibly, has r.o desire to lie made a widow. The following interesting item ap,'r, n recent issue oi xiic * S”—“The other day The Citizen’ had something to say about the prevalence of icret commissions in ordinary busing The practice is an old-estabhsheu end w ; d«tv-cad one, and an interesting hi stance 6 of* Its antiquity in other concerns than those of commerce pure and Se hi just come to light About SV Featlierston was m England behalf of the X« **»*<*•««- merit. AVhile there he placed a considerable order on beha.f of the coLny for steel rails required in connection with the railway-building schemes 01 tbo day After the completion of the transaction he vas somewhat surprised to :e----ceive from the contractors a cheque for no lei th ß “fsoo. He. did not understand this, and requested tion The replv was to hie e.ecu it at the'sum was for the doctor to do as he pleased with, and that - i p k ' usual thing in arranging colonml Government contracts. Dr Featherston returned the cheque, not having any desire to partake in ‘the usual thing. The writer has the best authority for this little anecdote, and the only thing he is wondering about is when tins ‘usual thing’ in connection with colonial government operations began and when it ended.”