Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3315, 6 September 1911, Page 4

Local and General.

Speaking in the House or Representatives yesterday Sir Joseph v\ ard stated that the financial statement would l>e brought down on 1 nday evening and the railway .statement would be submitted before Friday. The Garrison Hall during to-day and to-morrow promises to .be a veritable fairyland of flowers. It is expected that some of the finest blooms overgrown in the district will be staged on this occasion. The judges will be in attendance at 11 o’clock this morning, when all exhibits must be staged. Ihe doors will be open at 2.-J3 P- rn •, and His Worship the Mayor has kindiy consented to open the show at 3 p.m. Air H. Metcalfe, the consulting engineer, who has been retained by the Borough Council to inquire into the advisability of reinstating the headworks at Te Arai, returned to town last evening. Approached by a "Times ’ reporter, he said that he had gone exhaustively into the question, but was not prepared to say anything on the subject just yet. His report will be handed to Borough Council procabIv in the course of a few days.

The spring flower show in aid of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is to be opened at the Garrison Hall at 2.30 p.m. to-day, and the function is expected to be very successful. Speaking to a “Times” reporter yesterday a horticultural enthusiast said that this had been a very good spring for flowers of the narcissus family, and these may be expected to occupy most of the benches at the exhibition/ There had, he said, been much dry weather, and very little wind, so that the soil had been kept in a rich state, while the plants had not been beaten about by wind. Other varieties may lie represented in smaller numbers, but from observations he had made he was under the impression that the varieties of the genus named will be predominant at the exhibition.

In order to ascertain if locally manufactured sewerage pipes will be suitable for sewerage works, the Borough Council last evening to give them a trial for three months. The Borough Sanitary Inspector informed the Council last evening that two cases of scarlet fever, one case of enteric, and one case of milk fever had been reported and attended to.

Alessrs W. Webb and G. E. Darton have been appointed by the Borough Council to the Hospital Board, to fill the vacancies caused by the resignation of Air W. D. Lysnar and the Rev. A\ . Lamb.

An “open” night is to take place at the Gisborne Pastimes Club rooms tonight. One of the principal attractions will be the final for the wrestling championship. for which a gold medal has been presented by Messrs L. Lewis and A. Adair.

Messrs J. Sheridan and H. E. Hill, J.’sP., presided at the Police Court yesterday. Robert Thehvell was fined £1 and costs 7s, and Alice Cook and Cedric Wright 10s and costs «s for riding bicycles on footpaths.

The Tairawliiti District Maori Land Board met yesterday, Mr A. Keefer presiding. The following applications for leases were rganted :—To the Gisborne Co-operative Meat Supply Coy., Ltd., Awapuni A 1 23a Ir 33p, for three years; to David Peter Cameron, Repongaere Xo. 4D, 37a. 2r. lOp. for ten year's. Application for confirmation of alienation other than lease Aranui D.. Pera Hikawai and Ka xe Xgaihe to Ada Clements Shaw; Wakaang-iangi Xo. 58282, Te Mateliaere to May deLau-<-our; Papakorokoro Xo. 2C, Etna Paraki to Enid Ellen Scott; Waiomoko Xo. IC. Hataraka Rangi and Tiopira Talioro to Ellen Hurrey; Mangaoae Xos 2A2 and 2A3, Karaitiana Rum and Patoronm Ruru to Samuel Kirkpatrick : Mangaoae Xo. 2A4, Hemaima Morete or Black to Samuel Kirkpatrick; Whenuakura E2, Xoa Whakaatere to Mm. Wilkinson Smith; Whenuakura No. 2E. Amanono Hinaki to Chas. Wellwood Reeves; Puninga Xo. 6, Mere Paku Baker to Gavin Ralston Wyllie.

The Mayor informed the Council last night that he had paid a visit of inspection to the Gentle Annie quarry, and he was very gratified at the amount of stone there. A gentleman, who had had experience with mines and quarries who accompanied him, expressed himself as highly delighted with their prospects for getting stone. “The Council has every reason to be satisfied,” added the Mayor, "for it has not been money spent in vain."

A Press Association telegram from AVangamii states that Air. Arthur Duncan won the Open Golf Championship of New Zealand yesterday with an aggregate score for the four rounds of 319. J. C. Johnston was three behind Duncan, and then came Clements 326, a score which was equalled by Stewart, the Gisborne Club’s professional, who the message relates lost several strokes. Stewart’s scores in the last two rounds were 83 and 83. The draw for the first round of the Amateur Championship to-day is given as followsL. Seifert v. A. Duncan, Forbes v. u. Cameron, j. Saunders v. Ivapi Tareha, E. Smith v. B. L. Taylor, Kidston v. Park, Rattray v. Trulove, lvurupo Tareha v. Traill, Prvde v. K. Duncan. Bidwell v. Lusk,' Lewis v. B. V. Smith, Phurazyn v. G. M. Dodgshun, Seymour v. Butterworth, Gore v. AVybonrne, Didsbury v. Balneaves.

The question of strengthening and widening the town bridges was a matter _ that was brought before the Borough Council last, evening by Cr Darton. He said he understood that a report was to be furnished to the Council as to whether it. was necessary that the bnd-o-es should be widened or rebuilt in order to take the trains, but so far the report had not come to hand. The Mayor said that he understood Mr. R, \Y. Holmes, engineer-in-chief, would report- as to whether the bridges were suitable for tramway traffic. Ur Darton said he thought that if the committee would arrange for Mr. Metcalre to report that would be sufficient, ine Mayor said that Mr. Metcalfe s report would embrace the tramways and would therefore include the subject of the bridges.

Mr. Archibald Ashworth, of Alexandra, is announced as a candidate* for Otago Conti al seat as am. IndeDemdemt.

The Borough Council last evening oil the motion of Cr Collins decided that the Finance committee should review flie finances of the Borough including tlie position of the loan at the time of m resignation' of Mr. W. D. Lysnar also the amount required to complete the works and report to the Council.

As a result of a disturbance which took .place on the schooner Isabella de 1 ( rame at a late hour last night a seaman was arrested and lodged in the police cells. The trouble is said to have arisen out of a dispute between two and it became a violent quarrel. It is alleged that one of the participants made an attempt to attack the other with a “spike,” and that the affair might easily have ended more seriously than it did. The man arrested is said to have been exceedingly violent and the quarrel was only terminated by the timely intervention of the constable on dutv.

Ihe state ofjsome of the drains in the Borough ivas mentioned by Cr. Smith at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening. He pointed out that ope drain in Bright street ivas made a receptacle for rubbish, Avhile another near the roAving sheds required attention, as it Avas dangerous to pedestrians at night time. The matter AA r as referred to the engineer. On Thursday evening the Patlie Picture .management resume their popular entertainments' Avith an entirely neAV selection of pictures. The southern agent advises having secured an especially fine set of films,, and the series is expected to attract a large audience during its currency. On the motion of Cr Collins the Borough Council last evening decided that increases in officers’ salaries should only lie considered Avhen the estimates AA'ere under revieAv.

It has been said of the Poverty Bay climate and the richness of the soil that once spring sets in one can almost see the grass groAving. Those avlio have to keep laAvns in order at this season of the year knoAV that there is some truth in this probably slightly exaggerated assertion. The Borougn Council have noAV been confronted Avith the problem. At the meeting last night the Borough Engineer recommended that a. horse laAvn-moAver be procured immediately to keep doAvn the grass on the Borough reseiwes and recreation grounds. Cr Darton fa\’ored the procuring of a lawnmoAver drh'en bv petrol. Such a machine, he stated, Avas in use at the Rotorua Sanatorium, and Avorked with excellent results. He Avould like the Engineer to make enquiries as to the cost. The CoAincil at present Avas doing too much grass-cutting by hand, and such a machine-, if it AA'ere a success, Avould soon pay for itself. It Avas eventually decided to instruct the Engineer to obtain estimates for both a petroldriven and horse-drawn lawn-mower.

The custom of the local City Fathers in protracting their meetings until all hours of the morning A\ r as inveighed against in unmeasured terms by Cr Webb at the meeting last night. In accordance with notice he moved that no neAV business in future he taken after 11 p.m. This -raised a perfect storm of protest from the more silverytongued members. Cr Webb was insistent, and stated that his motion Avas designed Avith a vieAV to preventing long speeches. The Avliole of the biisiness, he maintained, could he easily put through in three-and-a-half hours if members refrained from making lengthy speeches He Avas Avilling to sit every night of the Aveek if the meetings terminated at a reasonable hour. Lodges and similar institutions had a fixed hour for closing. Cr Collins stated that the rules of debate AA'ere framed according to Parliamentary procedure, and they were not going to folloAA - the procedure of lodges. The Mayor .mu omer Councillors considered that the Council would have to sit until the agenda paper had been disposed of. Mr. Webb’s motion was rejected by an overwhelming majority, 'but it was significant that at this stage (11.20 p.m.) the Mayor of Ashburton (Mr. Henry Davis), aa'lio Avas present as a guest, bade the Mayor and Councillors good-night and took his departure. Cr Webb intimated that he Avould grt.e notice of motion to move that a ten-minute limit he alloAved to sneakers in future.

The poundkeeper reported to the Council last evening that 35 horses and 16 head of cattle had been impounded during the preceding fortnight.

When the recommendation of the Engineer to commence permanent road construction works icame before the Borough Council last night, Cr. Webb stated that he -would like to see a sketch plan, of what was intended in the way of street formation before agreeing to authorise the work. From what he had seen some of the levelling proposed would prove very expensive, and it behoved the Council to ascertain what the cost would be before proceeding with the works. It was eventually decided to authorise the Engineer to proceed with permanent road construction as far as the allocation for each street permitted.

At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council it was decided to sue for all rates outstanding after the 30th just., and to issue notices to this effect in the press. “When I fail to speak the Queen’s English, Or. Darton, I don’t think your education will be sufficient to enable you to correct me.” —Cr. Collins, at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, in reply to an interjection.