TOPES OF THE DAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2673, 1 December 1909, Page 4

TOPES OF THE DAY.

These Newcastle miners who have succeeded in dislocating The Backwash industry in New of Strikes. South Wales may yet discover that victory is sometimes mere costly than deteat. Heavy shipments of coal from abroad have already been notified and it the strike continues there is bound to be a ’ rush of fuel to the Commonwealth, and 1 they may be sure that it will not merely be landed, but will also be- * used, the community is not. going to sit qxnet ! while starvation stalks through the land. Moreover, already the question ' of substituting oil for coal as fuel is receiving attention, and the effect of it must be to make people less dependent upon tho mines. This is simply the local aspect of a continued deadlock. A brooder outlook shows that Australia’s extremity as a coal-exporting ■ country will be Asia’s opportunity : and whether the miners win or lose —should they still stay out—they are bound to ’ find less work in the days ahead. Sliou.d 1 the enginedrivers come out, and the ■ mines be allowed to fill with water, it will take montlis, in some instances, before they can be worked again. This ’ mav seem as much loss for the masters as the men, but the coal will not run away, and tho need of food is a much , more pressing business than the need to place exhaustive quantities of fuel ' on the market. Another factor to be ' reckoned with is the attitude of the public, which naturally resents the ens ormous inconvenience and suffering it is , put to. If those outside the quarrel come to the conclusion that the workers : have not had sufficient grounds for thus 1 precipitating a disastrous industrial ; war the result- will be to strike a deadly - blow at unionism, which, after all, is dependent for its existence on the tolerance of tlie public. * ——'■ V Abundant evidence has come to hand that Spain has blundi The Missing erod badly over its ; in War. - campaign with the piratical lliffs in Northern Africa. The correspondent of the London “Times” gives a remarkable instance of the manner in which the war has been conducted. It- will be rei membered that towards the end of the action of July 27, General Pintos, in a hopeless attempt to storm the Iliff posi- ! tion on the lower slopes of the mountain, led his battalions into a deep • ravine, known as the Barranco del Loho, or Wolf’s Gully. Here they were caught in a trap and almost annihil- ; atecl. .The survivors got back to Melil- ; :a that night, and the details of the affair were buried in silence. Two ’ months elapsed, and on September 27 a Spanish force again entered the Bar- ' ranco del Lobo, this time on the high 1 tide of victory. Wliat it saw there has been described by more than one | correspondent. Scattered far up the gully, among the rocks and prickly * pears, lay the remains of the, dead and L wounded officers and men left behind ; on July 27. The Moors had taken most » of their clothes, and had partially burnt ' many of the bodies. Some had had their heads battered in with rocks, all had been .mutilated and disfigured, and ) all bore signs, both in attitude and exr pression, of a violent and agonising 9 death. The number of bodies thus found is variously estimated at from ‘ 100 to 200. The remains were collected l and taken to Melilla, where a funeral service was held over them on the verv j day that the Spanish flag was hoisted on Mount Guru git; , The fortnightly' meeting of the Gis- . borne’ Borough Council is to be held ; at 7.30 p.m. to-day. , In the Y.M.C.A. rooms at 1.15 p.m. , to-day the Rev. W. Mawson, M.A., is' to meet members of the Y.M.C.A. and ’ their friends, when the mission work in i China will be discussed. > The Hon. Jas. Carroll wired to the , secretary of the Industrial. Exhibition L- yesterday afternoon stating that the Government Director of Stores had shipped a case of armament exhibits, 1 arid that a case of curios would follow. ’ An enjoyable entertainment will be > given in His Majesty’s Theatre to- , morrow evening, on the occasion of the annual concert of the-Gisborne Convent School. The drama “Tara,’ adapted ’ from the opera “Finola,” is to be per- !. formed, and. Messrs Vita Bros.’ orches- » tra will assist,. - ' " Staff Sergt.-Major McNair will visit i Gisborne on the' .Sth irist lie will meet the non-commissioned officers of the Gisborne Rifles on that evening, and on, the following evening he will 1 meet ®the' recruits, of whom there are , good number. Recruits must parade in uniform, and all those deemed to be fit will be passed into the ranks.. This evening, at the: Garrison Hall the quarterly examination of military officers will 4>e held, under the super-- • vision of Captain C. H. Evans,-a memher of the Central Board of Examination. The candidates will be Captain J. Tombleson for major’s commission, ■ Lieut. Small (hjturumua Mounted, 1 Rifles) -for lieutenant’s commission, 1 Lieut. Penlington (Gisborne High , School Cadets) for lieutenant’s certi- , fioate. Captain Beere is to,sit at AYeL ' lington for his major’s commission. Those interested lin the Chinese people had a most interesting opportunity of obtaining a glimpse into the manner of their lives and customs at St. An- ■ dfew’s Church last night, when Rev.. , VV. Mawson. M.A., delivered a most ;interestirig address, entitled “A Trip to Canton; a’nd'.its villages.” , The lect,ure was illustrated by a profusion of il beautifully colored lanteni slides,-which; : showed the life of the- villagers .‘ anu; , mission work amongst them,: Xlie lantern slides ivere th'e.’Avork of a Chinese photographer, ao<l we greatl.v --ul- ' mixed.;

The Gisborne vita] statistics for the month of November were: Births 39, deaths 9, marriages 7. The Motn mailfnan returned to To Karalca yesterday morning offing to. having been unable to cross «ne fortl of the river beyond Poututu. He will 'start out again this morning. The following passengers arrived by Messrs Redstone and Sons’ coaches yesterday afternoon: —From Waipiro, Mr and Mrs. Saunders (2), Mff. Haul ton ; from Waipau, Mr. Churches, Mr. Cnilin; from Tologa, Messrs Jones and Dainger. The refusal of the Railway Department to carry strawberries from Auckland to Wellington on the express trains is causing considerable dissatisfaction amongst Northern growers. Lafct week Lower ilutt strawberries sold at 3s Id per lb in Wellington. Unclaimed letter from places beyond the colony, for the following persons, are lying at the post office ? Gisborne: M. Barry, W. S. Dargaville B. K. Dodgson, Mrs. Downes Miss M. Duggan. J. C. Field. Dr. G. H. Smith, J. Williamson. During his recent visit to laranaki, Mr. M. Segedin. proprietor of the Victoria Billiard Saloon, opened a similar establishment in the town oi Inglewood. The Mayor and several Councillors attended the opening ceremony, which was of a very successful nature. On account of the legal holiday yesterday, the sitting of the Police Court was held at the Police Station. the only case dealt with was that again.:, a woman named Ada, Miller, alias Han. sen, who was charged with a second offence of drunkenness within six months. Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., convicted the woman and fined her £1 ana 2s costs, or four days’ imprisonment. Customs duties collected at the Gisborne Custom-house for the month ol November were as follows Spirits £1175 18s Id, cigars and cigarettes £374 17s, tobacco £617 18s Gd wine £llO 4s lQd, primage £l9 os lOd, surtax £ll 12s 2d, goods by weight £l-0 Os 4d, goods ad valorem £o/2 2s Gd, other duties £32 7s 6d; total, £ou3x j* 9d. For tlie corresponding period of last year the total was £3023 Is. Grand juries have already been abolished in several of the Australian btates on the ground l that they are rendered needless bv reason of the powers of preliminary investigation and commitment for trial possessed by Magistrates, " he Government will consider the advisability of introducing similar legislation in New Zealand. —The Prime Minister, replying to a question in the House recently. In opposition to the Wairoa harbor scheme the residents ol AY aikokdpu, thirty miles along the coast, have a scheme for utilising the natural harbor which exists at that point. They desire a motor railway and suggest that the County should find £II,OOO, Wairoa borough £4OOO and the Government £15,000. The Borough Council has already decided to oppose tnis scheme. A new railway regulation of great importance to farmers is to come into operation cn Ist February next. • It provides that the maximum weight of any class of cereal or other agricultural produce contained in any one stick to be carried by railway shall be 2001 b, and any sack of cereal or other agricultural produce containing a greater ' weight than-2001b shall be charged for at four timeS the ordinary late Oi freight. An exhibitor of a pony at the Wanganui Show did not take very kmdlv tlie decision of the judges that he must retire as liis pony was over the stipulated height. Approaching one of the judges (one of the best in the country on light horses), he said : “Would you like to 'know what I tlimk of you? Well, you couldn’t judge a -- gos.t. I could get an outsider to judge a sight better than you. A man who overheard this blackguardly abuse reported .the matter to the stewards, who forthwith called upon the man to apologise to the judge. He wisely decided- to do so. A most successful musical and lantern entertainment in aid of the Alangapapa Church of Frig land building fund was held last night in the Mangapapa Sohoolhouse. There was a large and apparently interested audience, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the good things provided for them. Rev. L. Dawson Thomas presided. Songs were contributed by Miss Hyett and Mr. Dalrymple, while Air. Gouldsmith : gave a number of selections from his phonograph. A most interesting feature of the entertainment was the lantern display of about 40 views of Japan, shown by Rev. F. W. Chatterton, • which were heartily applauded, and close attention was paid to the reverend gentleman’s explanatory remarks. . .Parliamentary- manner's are not al- .-. wtiys'particularly graceful, with the result, that lieat-od'words are flung across the-House almost every day. An incident ,typical of what usually happens ' cc u’-red when Mr. R. B. Ross referred to Mr. A. L. Herdnian as a gentleman whose virtues they were accustomed to see served up every day. “What’s the good of being rude and persona! ?” asked Air. Herdnian. “You. ought to behave yourself!” Air. Ross sought the Speaker’s aid, and Air. Herdnian was informed that lie had made an unjustifiable remark, which must be withdrawn. Air. Air; Herdnian: “The remarks are withdrawn, but what I. complained of was absolutely impertinent.” .The Speaker pointed out that this statement constituted a further transgression, and lie had to remind Parliament that personal references ought not to be allowed in debate. In reply to a Canterbury deputation that waited on him in regard to tlie Lyttelton tunnel smoke nuisance, the Minister for Railways made an important statement. Air 'Millar stated that six or seven months ago the Department bad an engine' altered to burn oil fuel in the tunnel, but the experiment proved too costly. In his opinion tlie electrification of the tunnel was tbo ultimate solution of the problem. (Hear, hear.) That, however, was a big undertaking, and would cost a lot of money. Meantime, .with a view to improving matters until the larger scheme could he carried out, the Department had been making inquiries regarding the invention of ail Italian engineer, which was in use in a tunnel in New South Wales, and also on the Continent of Europe. In the Neu South Wales tunnel, which had a grade, of one in 40, the men could .scarcely live, and the Department had to he content with taking half loads through it. The trouble had been overcome by means of this invention, which was in, tbo nature of an air-injector. By means of this a current of air was forced against the trains going either way. The Department purposed 1 installing cue cf these.(injectors, and it was sug“gested that they should get the power, to drive it from the Christchurch City Council. ; ,The only question was That the Lyttelton tunnel was double the length of the. New South Wales tunnel, and might require a more powerful iu-

It is stated that there are no less than 100 untenanted houses, besides empty shops, in ,A 1 aster ton. c 5i c jjL There * will be another change of programme at the RaWS Pictures to-night. Almost every orchardist in the Hastings district reports exceptionally heavy crops of apricots and plums. The operation of. thinning will involve a considerable amount of labor. An excuse put forward by a man inthe Wellington Supreme Court for not sitting on the jury was that he was a member of the Wellington Garrison Band. He was granted exemption. The milk cheques paid out to suppliers by the Oootiki Dairy' Association for the month of October amounted to £1227 19s Id us against £1097 9s 6d for the same periodi last year. Colonel Gudgeon, ex-British Resident in Cook Islands, is petitioning Parliament for a grant of £1666, being at the rate of one month’s salary for each year in the public service of this country. Bee-keeping as an adjunct to dairying is making great headway in the Rongotea district. The number of apiarists has greatly increased, and tlie bee farmers, mostly young people, are making their preparations for the forthcoming season. A shooting match for second-class shots in connection with the Gisborne Rifles will take place the Ivaiti range to-morrow and Saturday afternoons. The match will consist of five shots and optional siglitors at 200, 300. and 500 yards, and prizes will be given for the highest score at each range. Owing to the proposals of the Government regarding compulsory training, tlie Greytown Volunteers have decided to dismiss those of their members under 21 years cf age. who are not attending drills regularly. These will then be drafted into tlie compulsory brigade. At the fortnightly meeting of' the local Recbabite Tent, held last night in tlie Alasonic Hall, a large number of members were present. Ten new members were initiated into the Order, and four candidates were proposed. At the next fortnightly meeting the evening will wind up with a coffee supper and social. Applications will be received at the District Lands Office, Napier, and the local Lauds Office. Gisborne, tip to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December Bth, for 17 acres, sections 58 and 59, block XV., Ilangaroa Survey District, and 185 acres, section 1, block VII., Alata Survey District, on the optional system, and 186 acres, section 4, block 1., Tokcmaru Survey District, renewable lease (national endowment). Under the new railway time-table it will be possible for a person leaving Gisborne for Auckland by steamer on Wednesday morning to visit both Auckland and Wellington and be back in Gisborne by Saturday morning’s steamer from south; or going the reverse way, to leave Gisborne, on Wednesday evening, spend four hours in Wellington on Thursday evening, reach Auckland Friday afternoon, and return to Gisborne on Sunday. Referring to the proposal to borrow £78,000 for harbor works at Wairoa, a Southern correspondent says: —At present the bar is very shallow and. crooked, though magnificent weather prevails. The Te Aroha is blocked inside loaded' with wool, flax, and tow, and the Tangaroa is outside loaded with merchandise and cannot get in. Five hundred hales of wool are stacked on the wharves, and the total is expected to reach 1000 at the end of tne week. Although a number of the coal merchants of the town have been for some days past selling coal at an advance of Is per bag, the decision to raise the price was not a unanimous one. It is not thought probable that the strike in New South Wales will verv materially affect Gisborne, as though present stocks, in the majority of cases, are not large, future arrangements have been made which, ii carried out, should ensure at least a sufficient supply for both commercial and domestic purposes. Bv last evening’s train • Dr. Bell, Director of Geological Survey, and Air. W. D. Lysnar, chairman of the Gisborne OiUCompanv, returned to town, after a visit to tbe company’s bore at Waitangi. Seen by a “Times' representative on his return. Dr. Bell explained that departmental regulations precluded him from giving any infor- , mation to the press. It was, however learned from Air. Lysnar that the conditions under which the boring operations were being carried had greatlv improved in tlie course of the fast few days. After having -passed through a difficult, clayey and then a rock formation, the -bore- is now in an improved clay forma to, ana good progress is anticipatedsmvDr. Bell meets the manager and' directors of the company to-day attain, and leaves this evening tor Napier,_en-route to Auckland, via the Alain lrunk line. Another search is to be made for the treasure of the famous Tuscany galleon Admiral of Florence, which was one of the ships of the Spanish Armada, and. which, after fleeing north from the English ships, was Flown up in Tobermory Bay, In the Is.e °f Mfll. tion savs that she carried 30,000,000 pieces of eight and a crown for the Spanish prince who was intended to- . occupy the throne of England. Ihe first attempt at salvage was made in 1670, when a Swedish engineer was brought over by Archibald Alarquess of Argyll, Admiral of. the Western Isles. In T. 730 a second attempt was made, resulting in the recovery of a. number of coins and a fine gun dated 1584. .Five years ago a fresh- search for the treasure was made with considerable success, swards, pistols, and cannon balls being obtained. Legends say vthat the galleon was blown np by one of the Alacieans in revenge for tne kidnapping of til© head -of tire clan.* <s^;. , The Prime Alinister was asked'in the House tlie other day by Air. T. E. Taylor what is the present -"position of tlio .allegations made in October, 1908, against certain members of a former Oliine•niuri Licensing Committee/'and what •inquiry the Governmentrproposes to make ill the matter. In reply Sir Joseph Ward said: “The position is that a Royal Commission was set up to investigate the charges, that lega) proceedings were instituted by the members of the committee to upset the Commission, that the : .Court of Appeal decided that the Commission was not lawfully issued, . and that thereupon the Commission terminated. Subsequently representations were made to the Alinister for Justice by a deputation. Tlie deputation was advised to submit their information to - the police, who would thereupon malt© full inquiry to ascertain whether criminal proceedings should follow. A special officer was detached to proceed to Auckland to. make inquiry, and, after a very full investigation,, exhausting every, source, of information, .it . .wa.s found that there was insufficient c-virr deuce forthcoming to justify any criminaUproc«*dings against the persons at-