Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3509, 27 April 1912, Page 6

Local and General.

Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., holds no brief for motorists. In giving judgment in a case yesterday, he said: •‘Motor cyclists and motor car drivers go at a furious rate —at a rate very dangerous to the public. Some of them seem to think the roads are made for them and give consideration to no one else using the roads.

The Band Contest Committee has now ascertained the financial position in regard to the recent contest and it is pleasing to state that it has a small credit balance. It will, therefore, not be necessary to call on the guarantors. A meeting will be held next week when the figures will be disclosed.

A New Plymouth P. A. telegram states that the local advisory board of the Taranaki Oil Veils, Ltd., has received a cable from the London board authorising it to proceed to allotment. No further information is available, but Air Brown has expressed him.self as quite satisfied with the position.

One or two points of interest to motorists were mentioned during the hearing cf a case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. It would be well to note that a motorist must stop if the driver of an approaching vehicle holds up a hand. fthould an aciedent occur and the motorist not stop, he is liable to an adidtiona! charge" besides those arising out of the occurrence in the ordinary course of events. Tlie Gisborne Chamber of Commerce recently decided i-> make representations to the Postal authorities regarding an improved mail servir-e to Motu. At yesterday's meeting a reply was received from tile chief-postmaster at Gisborne stating that it had been decided to hold the question over until after the winter. The matter would then be carefully gone into a.nd he trusted the result would be quite satisfactory to the settlers and the- Charuber. Tlie chairman remarked that this meant that- during the season the mails would have -■ to be packed through during the winter season.. The letter was received.

The police proceeded against James Bothamley (who did not appear) at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, asking tor the amendment of a maintenance order in force against him. The facts are that Bothamley. who lives apart from his wife, pays 2s 6d a week for the support cf each of two children, in an industrial school. One of them is about to go out to service and the application was that, as one order automatically ceases, the other one should be increased to -5s per week.. Detective Mitchell eaid that accused was earning Ss a day. and HLs Worship granted the application.

A committee «et- up by the Auckland Grammar School Board to deal with the question of the proposed new Grammar School building on the Mount Eden site presented its reportto a meeting of the Board on Thursday. The committee recommended that competitive designs should Ire so prepared that the cost of the building when erected should not exceed £45,000. For the first design the committee recommended that a jjremium of £4OO should be given. £2OO for the second design, and £IOO for the third, the three designs to become the property of the Board. The report was adopted.

_ Thomas Sheen, a man “with a I list.” as Detective Mitchell said, api ]reared before Mr YT. A. Barton, S.M.. at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with using threatening behavior in Bright Street on April 13. ! The police case, as outlined by Constable Harold, was that accused, the ! worse for liquor, struck a youth a nasty blow, while Mr Coleman, who defended Sheen, said that the youths made themselves so troublesome ana obnoxious that accused bad to “smack one of them on the face.” Accused was mulcted in a fine of £1 and costs (7s), in default 4 days’ imprisonment, fourteen days being allowed for Sheen to find the money, provided chat he kept- out of liquor's way until he had paid his penalty.

Regarding the Auckland Industrial, Agricultural and Mining Exhibition, which it is proposed to hold in Auckland next year the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce, at its meeting yesterday, received a communication from the secretary stating tlpit it would be opened on December 1, 1913. The site would be on a portion of the Domain grounds, and the Executive would be pleased if the- Chamber ■ would allow the name of the Presidentto he placed on the Provincial Committee list. . The project- had been taken up most enthusiastically by the public of Auckland, and £15,000 had been already subscribed the guarantee list against loss. The chairman said liethought- that it would be just as well if the Chamber appointed a small committee to go into the ouestion of exhibits. No doubt Gisborne might be able to make a respectable bay at the exhibition. It- was decided to allow the name of the President (Mr J. W. Bright) to be added to. the list, and also to appoint a coimnitee consisting of the President, and Messrs Cederwall, Anderson, Wachsmann and Foster to deal with all matters concerning the exhibition, and to report to the Chamber.

In order to encourage the rising generation of Gisborne, a certain firm of this town offer, for a limited time —one week onlv—a free gift of apocket knife to all purchasers of boys- 1 clothing to the amount of.-ss, whether made up of jerseys, caps, stockings, knickers, collars,, etc. Try Melbourne Cash.*

i The box plan for tho NewburySpada concert next Wednesday opens at Mr W. Miller’s this morning at 10 o’clock.

Tho annual meeting of the Gisborne No-license League is to bo held on Monday evening in St. Andrew’s schoolroom at 8 o’clock, when tho annual election will take place. An Auckland Press Association telegram states that the arrest has been made of a youth in connection with the burglary at tho store in Maimgatiroto. Tho stolen property has been recovered. The Chamber of Commerce decided yesterday to appoint Messrs J. W. .Bright, Andreson, Wachsmann and the secretary (Mr W. Hamilton Irvine) to draw up a scale of mercantile charges.

Two inebriates were arrested yes tilday and will appear before the Court this morning, along with a young man (arrested at Thames, on a charge of failing to make provision for an illegitimate child), and a woman, who will he charged with making a false declaration.

The star film in the entire change of programme to be screened by the Pathc Picture Co. at His Majesty’s Theatre to-night is a very fine drama, entitled “The Voiceless Message." A . vonderful little child actress takes the leading role,' and her work is said to be little short of marvellous. The Telegraph Office is at present open on Sundays from 9.30 a.m. to 10 a.m., and froip 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. At the mooting of the Chamber- of Commerce yesterday it was decided to approach the Postmaster to see if the time could ho extended as it was very inconvenient for business people. The shortage of cargo accommodate a at the wharf was Drought up by J / W. O’Meara at' a meeting of the Vrisborne Chamber of Commerce \ r-s----/terday. It was explained that the position had arisen through defects m idle new shed which could not be used for heavy cargo at present. Two of the piles had subsided and cached under the strain of 140 tons of caigo which had been piled over ;. ; m in the shed and they would have to be straightened before the .'bed com.l I-. used.

A strange adventure befel tlie four-year-old son of Mr AV. Harding, of Victoria Township, yesterday afternoon. While playing about, the little fellow fell- through an open man-hole' in the sewerage trench. Though he received a good ducking, he managed to scramble up, and mounting the ladder once more found himself in the

light of day. Beyond a mouthful of rather muddy water which he bad swallowed on taking his involuntary plunge, the child was none the worse for the experience.

Preliminary work in connection with the bringing of the direct Sydney cable and the Doubtless Bay (Pacific) cable to Auckland is being carried on under Mr Baird, telegraph engineer, says an Auckland P.A. telegram. It is 'expected that both cables will be in full working order at the Auckland Post and Telegraph Office by the end of November. Good'progress is being made with the preliminary work at the Awanni wireless station, and it is expected that 15 wireless experts, who have been engaged, will arrive from Sydney shortly and will at once proceed with the erection of the tower.

The British Trade Mark Association wrote to the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce yesterday forwarding particulars of a movement to establish a trade mark to denote goods manufactured or produced within tlie British Empire. Considerable progress had been made and tlie Chamber would no doubt be interested to learn that the four High Commissioners for the oversea dominions had consented to serve on the Provisional Council, which was being formed. The Association asked tlie Chamber to allow its name to be placed on the Council. The request was acceded to.

A letter from the General manager of the Union Steamship Company relative to Lie inauguration of a ferry service between here and Napier, which has already been published m the Gisborne Times was read at a meeting of the Council of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce yesterday. The chairman remarked that it would be as well to reply that tlie inhabitants of Poverty Bay were looking forward to the fulfilment of the company’s promise that the service would be inaugurated next holiday season, and the Council adopted the suggestion.

The concert which the Overseas’ Club propose holding in aid of the victims of the sufferers bv the Titanic disaster is a direct appeal to the wellknown generosity of Gisbornites. It is true that the claims upon the public for charitable purposes are many and varied, but this overwhelming bereavement is a national one, and the mere fact that 600 families are liome- ' less is comparatively a small item in the sum total of the terrible calamity which has befallen the Empire. No stone is being left unturned in order to make the concert a success. The committee is entering heartily into the soirit of the movement whilst the finest talent in Gisborne is readily coming forward with offers of services* The public will be provided with a \ musical treat and we are sure that \ the appeal to pressing need of the carving families in England will meet 'Xti hearty response. V MForts of the Gisborne Chamber Amerce to persuade the Govern/to inaugurate an experimental ■. , /in this district have been warmly received by the memebrs of the Ngatapa Farmers’ Association. According to a communication received by the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting yesterday the Association recently decided to unanimously support the Chamber of Commerce in its endeavor to institute an experimental farm in the Poverty .Bay District, which had the climate and scope for such an undertaking. It was hoped that the ChamberVould approach the Minister for Agricultude on the subject. It was stated that the Premier, who. Is Minister for Agriculture, would visit Gisborne to attend the complimentary social to Sir Jas. Carroll* and the matter will then be brought under his notice.

Burning Daylight, the hero of Jack London’s delightful book of the same name, condemned the middleman m forcible Western language. Ihe reason that the People’s Emporium, the new shop next the Kimpton Cycle Co., can afford to offer such wonderful \ nines is because they import oneed from the manufacturers, thus enabling their customers to get the ‘‘cm” that usually falls to the middleman.

The Gisborne timber merchants have boon advised that from April 22, there will be a further increase in the. price of kauri of 2s per 100 feet.

On Thursday night about 400 people assembled in Coronation Square, Wairoa, to witness the unofficial opening of the new hand rotunda erected in commemoration of the coronation of King George and Queen Mary. The rotunda is a handsome structure, designed by Mr Natusch, of Napier, and cost about £250. It is one of. the handsomest in New Zealand. During the interval Mr Corkill, the Mayor, presented a wallet of bank notes to Mr T. W. Sparks, manager of the Guardian, who is leaving for Ngaruawalria, for ‘ns wife’s health. The Mayor emphasised the fact that the rounda was due to Mr Sparks’ untiring energy. The recipient was loudly cheered .on making a suitable reply. The lotil Operatic Society also donated several ha-'dsome seats for the Square.

Changes in taxation which, rumor lias it, the Government intents to introduce were mentioned to the Ptenffer, at Auckland yesterday. Ho said it was quite irue they inteu led lo go in for an increasing graduated land tax. They would possibly begin the increase in properties of about £39 OQO unimproved valuation. They also intended to differentiate between earned and unearned income, and confess; j is should he made in the case of heads of families. This question, of families must be very fully considered. In reference to figures , quoted by tlie Prime Minister jast night, it should be mentioned that there was no deficiency in he national endowment revenue, which was not included in the revenue totals for 1912. As a matter of fact tlie national endowment _ revenue amounted last year to £62,385, against £30,561 for tlie previous financial year-

in his speech at the Hon. A. M. Myers’ reception, the Premier said, that with the enlargement of public functions and responsibility the work of the Government was such that it could not be performed efficiently without increasing the number of Ministers. He had iuggested, and would still suggest, that there should bo two more paid Ministers. They could not govern the affairs of the Dominion properly unless they moved about and came into contact with the peopde. Mr Myers was almost alarmecl wlien he learned for wliat duties he had been selected, but in entrusting lum with those Mr Mackenzie said he was aware of the qualitv of the man.

An Auckland P.A. telegram states that the United Labor Party held wliat- was termed a “reification meetino-” last night, and the following motion was carried : “’1 bat this public meeting of citizens of hereby ratifies the work of the ltastef Unitl Conference held at Wellington, which conference we recognise as being the most representative gathering of the Labor and Progressive people of New Zealand which lias ever been held and it pledges itsolf to render loval sunport to the new organisation entitled’ the United Labor Party of New Zealand.”