Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3416, 6 January 1912, Page 6

Local and General.

The Chief Postmaster advises as follows :—Deferred cable messages at half rates may now be accepted by either route for Canada. Two men named Hugh Reilly and John Finey. were dealt with by Mr. AY. A. Barton,’ S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday for breaches of prohibition orders. ' Both pleaded guilty, and the former was fined £5. with 2s costs, in default 30 days’ imprisonment. Finey was also fined £3. with 2s costs. I in default 14 days’ imprisonment, and j on a charge of drunkenness was fined £l, with 2s costs, in default 4S hours' imprisonment. ■ Miss C. Downes is holding a “Rej moral Sale” at her old premises, 173 Gladstone Road, commencing to-day. The stock comprises summer outfits for ladies and children, which have been greatly reduced to effect a speedy sale, whilst the balance of Hooper’s assigned stock has been remarked to low prices. The production of the great picture play. “The Circus Girl,’’ at His Majesty’s Theatre next week is an event which is being looked forward to with considerable interest. It is a story of love, temptation, and sacrifice, and i' staged in a most elaborate fashion. The quarterly observance of the Lord’s Supper will bo held in St. Andrew's Church to-morrow morning. Members are reminded that on account of the holiday season the cards will not he left on tltis occasion. The Rer. AY. Grant will preach in the evening on “The Warrior-Saint.” The Choir will sing an Anthem. Mr. AY. Kearney will conduct the service at Mangapapa. The great struggle which is at present taking place between Stevenson, champion of the world, and George Gray, the young Australian marvel, is attracting the attention of billiardists the world over. The perfect tables and bright and airy appearance of Messrs Smith and Robinson’s billiard parlor, in Dunlop’s Buildings, is also attracting attention, and the tables are constantly occupied by highly pleased natrons.* Tlic AA’aikohu County Council yesterday accepted the tender of r J. Mooney for the formation of two miles of road in the Wailiora Valley at the price of £4SO. The other tenderers were as follow:- —Malone £750, O'Shea £660. Harvey £563 10s Od, and Bain £4-34. An aftermath of Christmas revelry was apparent in Dec Street- this morning, says the Southland News, of la-4 week's date, as a brewer's cart, heavily laden with empty demijohns, passed on its way towards the depots. Sidewalk loiterers hailed the driver with all sorts of facetious greetings, butneither he nor the patient horse in front deigned to take notice, with New Year but a few days ahead. The year 1911 saw the rolling stock on the - Gisborne-Otoko railway section considerably augmented. Besides a locomotive, two new standard carriages and one bogey van, four T 7 type bogey waggons and two cattle trucks were added. Despite the fact that timber is already coming forward for export, it is felt that the railway has not yetpenetrated the timber belt, and that there is not likely to be any urgent calls for further rolling stock until the line is advanced some little distance.

Special farewell services to Adjutant and Mrs Melksham and Captain Copp, who have been ordered to . farewell at Gisborne,; will commence in' the Cita‘del to-morrow.

New Year services will be conducted in the Methodist Church to-morrow by the Rev. J. A. Lochore. The subjects will be: Morning, “Re-digging the Wells/’ with a New Year’s address to the children, who are all invited to bring flowers. Evening, “Remembering the Way.”, Bright music'will be rendered including the anthem “Joy to the World.” The first communion of the new year will be celebrated at the close of the evening service. Mr. Schlesting, of Victoria, is to preach at Te Hanava at 7 o’clock. The Christmas and New Year holidays passed by very quietly at Pouawa. On Christmas Day a few of the residents went afield for their holiday, but the weather having an unsettled apEearance, the majority remained at ome. New Year’s Day was perfect and almost every one in the locality betook themselves to the beach, where they spent a most enjoyable time picnicing, some putting in the time fishing and others filled up the time according to their bent. The season has not been a perfect one, and stock has not proved up to the average so far. There has not been an actual want of moisture, but whenever the district has been favored with a decent shower the westerly winds left . the country worse than ever. There is no scarcity of feed, but substance seems to !>e lacking. However, with better weather conditions, there is ample time for stock to fatten yet

Although the ■Compilation of the official figures for'the passenger traffic <>n the Gisborne section of the railway during the Christmas and New Year holidays lias not yet been completed, it is estimated that this year will show an increase of ticket sales of about a thousand when compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. As most of these tickets were returns, it is considered that the real increase will lie about two thousand. The Rev. I’. Keith Even’s "New Year” subjects of discourse in the Baptist Tabernacle to-morrow, will be:Moraine:. 11 a.m. : “The Guarantee of Success.” Evening, 7 p.m.: The “.Motto Text for 1912.” The choir will render ’an anthem, and a duet will be sting. The Young Men’s Bible Class will meet at 3 p.m., to which all young men are specially invited.