GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3234, 2 June 1911, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

By the abolition of two bottle licenses in Westport and the adoption of the 10 o’clock closing system, the Borough Council will this year lose. £165 in revenue.

The leper patients at Quail Island are reported to be as comfortable and happy as can be expected in their isolation, but they find tlie time banging heavily on their bands during the long winter nights. The caretaker 1 at the island has a. gramophone and a number of records, with which he gives recitals, which are greatly enjoyed by the patients. As the the nights are now very cold and' darkness sets in early, the patients have to fall back on tiheir own resources' for amusement during the evenings, and they have expressed a wish to have a gramophone to be kept in one of their huts, and to be operated by themselves. Tlie gramophone, which was presented by a, 'gentleman about two or three years ago, ihas been kept by the caretaker, as, if it were in the patients’ care, it could not be taken away for repairs in the event of its getting out of order.

A small consignment: of New Zealand ducks, which was despatched to London with the frozen produce on board tlie steamer Matatua, recently arrived 1 in London in good order. The firm to whom the ducks were sent state that there appears to. be no reason why poultry farmers in the Dominion should not pay more attention, to the exportation of these birds. Tlieir average is up to that- of the English duck, and when ready for the table the appearance is similar to that of the Home bird. The quality is reliable and the birds have realised the standard price of frozen produce, namely, a little over 3s per duck.

The Otago Football Association bad the following quaint application to deal with .the other evening:—“The School, Blue Spur, May 16th, 1911. Tlie Secretary, Otago Association Football Union, Dunedin. —Up till now we have been playing Association with an old school-bag stuffed with grass for the ball; but, hearing that you give schools a ball free of charge, we make an application, hoping our news are not too good to be true. Each of the 20: boys thank you in anticipation, and hope to be worthy of your further notice by-and-bye.—l am, on behalf of the boys, Elliott Christie, Captain.” The 20 enthusiasts were advised that they might have a substitute tor the “school-bag stuffed with grass” at cost price.

At- the Police Court yesterday morning Geo. Smith, alias Saville, was charged before Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., with drunkenness and 1 assaulting Henry Larsen. It appeal’s that the two men were locked up together for drunkenness and as Constable Dandy was passing the cell a little later he heard a disturbance inside. On entering he found Smith had Larsen bailed up in a corner and was punching him. Tlie prisoners were separated and Larsen had to receive medical attention. The accused replied in answer to tlie charge that he did not remember anything about the matter. He was. fined £3 and costs 2s, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment for assault and ordered to pay medical expenses amounting to 12s 6d. He was sentenced to ten days’ imprisonment for drunkenness and as this . was his third offence within six mont.-s a. prohibition order was issued: against him. Larsen was fined £1 and costs 2s, in default four days’ imprisonment for drunkenness.

In regard to climatic conditions the month of May just passed was a ratihet notable period. Rain fell- on 17 days out of the 31, a total of 10.75 inches having been registered. The heaviest fall for any one twenty-four hour period was on that ending at 9 a.m. on the 17th tilt., during which 6.10 niches fell. The sun was visible for 134 hours during the month, and there were ten days on which the sun was completely obscured. The finallest amount of sunshine on any one day was lbr. -Sunns, on 9th ult., and the longest period was 9hrs 55min on the Bth ult.

Oysters still continue in great -demand. Last week 438 bags were received at the Government oyster depot. This was the largest supply for any one week this season, and they were at ortce disposed of, leaving still a large number of orders unfulfilled from all parts of the Dominion. Yesterday morning the largest single shipment tor this season was received, a consignment of 180 bags arriving from Waiheke. Ln conversation with a reporter, a well-known oyster dealer stated that if the oysters were kept for about 10 days they' improved very much in flavor, and they fattened on their own juice. Unfortunately, owing to the supply of oysters being so small, tradesmen could not afford ten days, although a bag of oysters that had been kept yielded 25 per cent, more bottled than a. bag that was bottled immediately after picking.