Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3418, 9 January 1912, Page 4

Local and General.

Nominations for ail events at the Gisborne Racine Chib’s summer meeting close with the secretary (Mr. H. E. Dodd) to-morrow evening. The, Federal Storage Battery Company, of New York, have advised the Borough Council that they hope to ship the two tram cars now being constructed for Gisborne early ip February-

Mr- W. A. Barton, S.M., left town yesterday for Wairoa, where lie will hold a sitting ofthe Magistrate's Court. While repairs, were being carried out < at the, Haiti bridge yesterday, the workmen engaged on the job discovered that a number of the decking planks and stringers were- much affected with rot. It is also stated that other portions of the bridge are similarly affcted, and that the matter will engage the attention of the Borough Council at an 1 early date. Three first offending inebriates were convicted and fined the usual amounts, before Mr. W. Lissant Clayton, J.P., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. In each of two of the cases the accused was ordered to pay expenses, amounting in one case to 22s 6d, and in the other to £1 Os 6d. Micliael Mahon, who had been previously convicted, was fined 10s, with costs 2s, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. Edward Jackson was fined £l, with costs 2s, in default 48 hours’ imprisonmentTwo large sheep stations are advertised in Messrs. Traill Bros, and Co.’s column for sale. First-class land is seldom on the market, these two places should be worth inquiring into-* The Chief Postmaster advises that deferred ordinary' cable messages may now be accepted for United States of Ame- ' ric a . via Eastern only. Though the chemicals of which the disinfectant 'known as “iysol” is constituted icause agonising pains when taken internally, and invest the usual -fatal' results with more fearful suffering than is associated with most forms of physical dissolution, the poison is becoming increasingly popular with people who wish to die. On Tuesday (says the “Christchurch News”) a large party of seamen from ships in port, who wished to quaff the land breezes in contrast with those of - the briny ocean, took a char-a-baffc and four horses, and made for the Eyreton district. They were being navigated by a skilled driver, and were enjoying the rural scenery to the full when they arrived at a ford on a usually ftnall river near Clarkville. Here just previously* there had been a gig in distress, but the skipper, nothing daunted, essayed to make the crossing, and the j good old ship and its merry crew stuck in mid-stream. Tie crew behaved with - great presence of mind. They discussed the possibilities, and, despite the surging of the torrent and the trouble with the motive power, decided not to lay to. but get themselves and the ship out . of the tumbling swirling mud. The crested waves possessed no terrors, and 2 soon a hand with a life-line got to the , shore. The trouble, however, was to undo the fore-traces and sundry other fastenings to which nautical terms were j speedily adapted- The captain and first mate and bosun, and all the crew down to the cabin boy, behaved with strict discipline. Although zo the onL lookers things were looking ominous, the heaving of the lead showed no signs of a decreasing tide, and the hands.had to turn t-o and obtain a hawser to heave the craft ashore. While it ~ lasted the fun was fast- and furious. Either a home played up and sent Tom ; Bowling spinning, or a member of the party slipped further in the waves than he had intended. The ship came to dock to a livery stable in town later i on, and what was to have been a prosperous voyage endedThe great struggle which is at present taking place between Stevenson, champion of the world, and George Gray, the Wt • young Australian marvel, is attracting “ the attention of billiardisis the world : over. The perfect- tables and bright f and airy appearance of Messrs Smith _ and Robinson's billiard parlor, in Dunlop’s Buildings, is also attracting attention, and the tables are constantly occu- - pied by highly pleased natrons.* J ' j 1 Powelka has not been heard of lately, 1 but his name is still potent in many :• parts. A village near Wanganui, Ma- . kirikiri by name, suffered a mild panic ( on Christmas Eve, when it became known that a burglary had been com- • mit-ted at the local store. The Wan- ■ ganui “Chronicle” states that the in- • evitable rumour as to Powelka having “turned up again” caused the trouble, but it was discovered that- the offender 1 had merely been celebrating the festive ■ season. However, the owner of the . store produced the inevitable gun when he heard the intruder, and fired twice at what he took to be the retreating figure of the burglar. Neither shot took effect, and the man got clear away. An examination of the premises showed that the window had been broken and some pairs of dungarees extracted. Charging that- she was routed out of a berth and compelled to march barefooted and clad only in a night gown into another sleeping car in the presence of many male passengers, Mrs Mary Barnhill is sung the Pullman Company for £2OOO damages. Tie conductor, she says, claimed that the porter had put her hi! the wrong sleeper. She alleged that the conductor refused to give her time to dress, and claims that after the transfer to tlie other car she discovered that her various articles of artificial hair “now sc much worn by ladies.” had been left in the ether berth. She alleges that the conductor brought her these articles and exhibited them to the male passengers, much t-o her mortification. Tiere is expected to he a very large attendance at the farewell tea and social to Adjutant and Mrs Melksliam and. Captain Copp at the Salvation Army Citadel this evening. These officers have won the esteem of a Large circle of people during their stay in Gisborne, and it is certain the farewell this evening will be enthusiastic and earnest. Tea will be on the tables at 6.30 o’clock. Mr F. A. Atkins writes on “Is the Church Played Out?” in a discussion bn church-going in “Everybody’s Weekly.” He takes an optimistic view that is very welcome. During the last year or two, he says, the Churches of this country have been deluged with journalistic criticism, and worried and perplexed by arithmetical and statistical problems. They have, managed to survive, and to-day they are really doing fairlv well. The. slight set-back in . membership has stabbed our complacent lethargy and roused us from timidity mid inertia. • . . No doubt there has been a certain arrest- of progress, for the simple reason that we have arrested our own progress. . • . As a simple matter of fact, things are not nearly so bad as certain' writers in this - discussion have tried to make out. A few years ago three of the principal London churches—Westminster. Whitefield’s, and Bloomsbury—were practically empty and derelict. Here were three great auditoriums in the very heart of London, deserted, and nearly -t, bankrupt. Yet at that time the crook- I o'rs had not begun to croak. Now today, when the. critics are enjoying themselves over a fancied slump, * all these three churches ar© crowded.