Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3555, 21 June 1912, Page 4

Local and General.

Reports from weather stations show that a Heavy gale prevails on the East Coast. This will probably delav shipping.—Auckland P.A. telegram. The monthly meeting of the AVnikohu County Council will be held today and the new rate for the ensuing; year will be fixed.

t At a meeting of the Wellington Seamen’s Union yesterday a proposal t« vote a sum of money* towards the Waiki strikers was defeated by a substantial majority.—P.A. wire*. A Thames P.A- wire savs:—“The municipal electric lighting poll taken to-day resulted in a big * majority in favor of the scheme—496 for and 54 against. The proposal involves £14.000 expenditure.”

A meeting of representative sportsmen to arrange for Territorial parades so as to interfere as little as possible with weekly sports meetings will he held in the Garrison Half next Thursday. The Defence officers are also to bo preseut. A meeting of the Building Committee of the Trades Council was held last night. A number of properties were submitted for consideration, and different schemes suggested for financing the purchase of same. The meeting was adjourned until next week, in order to obtain further information.

By parcel post, our London buyer has just sent us some wonderful value: in new sea let te furs.' These were bought at a- big discount, and Bon can buy them at 6s 6d, 8s 6d, Ss lid, 10s 6(1 12s 6d, and 14s Gd for sets or single furs, at C. Rcsie and Co.’s.*

Air. J R. Kirk ‘expects that the Education Commission will conclude its investigations in about three weeks’ time.

Bananas grown by Captain Afaee nt. Oak lira. New Plymouth, wore among the exhibits at the Taranaki winter show.

There is an epidemic of measles at the south end of Oainaru, some tliirty families being affected. Hawke’s Bay A. and Ik (Society has received a total of £2700 in contributions to the purchase or the new show grounds at TornoanaLetters of naturalisation have been granted to William Frerichs, restau-rant-keeper, of Gisborne and Alarko Wuksich, laborer, of Awanui.

“Tommv, make room for your uncle” is -an old-time favorite somewhat- unpopular just now with New Zealand Liberals (says the Christchurch News.

Two wild native pigeons have been seen in the trees on a lawn at Napier lately, attracted no doubt by the berries on tho trees and driven down hr snow on the ranges. A new book -entitled “Service A!emories” from the pen of .Surgeon-Gen-eral Sir A.D. Home, Y.C., K.C.8.. contains a spirited description of bush fighting in New Zealand in the old days.

Air. Cuddie, Chief Dairy Commissioner, says the special feature of the Taranaki Winter Show was the level quality of the -butter. This he attributes* to the fact that pasteurisation has now become so general in Taranaki.

It is understood that Air. P- G. Andrew. a member cf the Te Hapara School Committee and secretary of the Poverty Bay School CommitteesAssociation will be a candidate for the vacancy on the Hawke’s Bay Education Board.

Leo. Burnett, son of Air. H. Burnett. solicitor, of Wood vi lie, mysteriously disappeared from Air- Carlyon s “Gwavas” station at Hawke’s Bay, a week ago. Search parties have been scouring the surrounding country everv day since, but no trace of the young man has been found. There is at present a pronounced shortage of coal in most parts of New Zealand, to judge from the reports appearing in the city journals, _ but from inquiries made by a “Times” reporter yesterday, the shortage is not noticeable in Gisborne, there being plentiful supplies on hand and no fear of anything approaching a famine. Amongst the particulars of the estates of deceased persons which been placed under tho charge of the Public Trustee for management during the month of Alay and published in the June Gazette, are those of William Douglas of Gisborne, who died on April 2-8 (intestate); John Francis Gibbon, of Waipiro Bay. who died on April 10 (intestate); John Stevenson, of Gisborne, who -died on August 26. 1011 (intestate) and Arthur Henry !)<-:■ inuLs Williams, of Tokomaru, who died on Alay 21 (testate). One of the most interesting displays

at tie Taranaki winter show Is that made bv the guests or the local gaol. Tho exhibits range from the homely vrgmablo to beautifully carved woodwo! k. One of the most striking articles is a Alaorl urn, chiselled out- of a solid bit of timber by a- native. One ingenious prisoner has improved the shining hour by turning out a patent grindstone, the pedal arrangement being as ingenious as it is effective. There is also a splendid colletc-ion -of needlework, for which the ladies of the establishment were responsible.

Says Air. C. N. Baevertz in the

"‘Lone Hand” :—When a man recites verse badly, you may take it that he reads it badly: and while he reads it ill. be can never sense its beauty or catch its message. I think that every child at school should be taught to read rer.se aloud, just as it should be read. But who shall teach our children to do this exquisite strange tiling? Well, that is a matter for the education departments. lam not posturing here as a worker of miracles- Schoolmasters are born, not made, and the birth-rate just now is low.”

| A point of interest in regard to the | legality of claiming on married women | for debt- was raised in Court yesterj day. A claim was called against a. woman on a judgment' summons and j the c-a,?e was defended, her counsel j h< kling that- a married woman can- ! not be made the subject of an order. : The summons was taken out on April 25, and his client was married on May 4. No judgment summons against a married woman could stand, j A judgment against an ordinary perj son bound him personally and the l j reason he was made the subject of an i order was that- lie had committed con- | tempt- of Court in not paying. A j married woman, however, could notI he made the subject of such an order, j The plaintiff • counsel agreeing, the [case was withdrawn. | At a meeting of the Onehungaj Borough Council on Alonday evening, j communiactions were received from j ratepayers and from the district j health officer in regard to the alleged I slaughtering of horses for the purpose of feeding the lions, tigers, and other wild animals at the Onehunga Zoo. The district health officer stated that- he strongly disapproved of the slaughtering of animals either at the zoo. or within the borough precincts; while, in addition, such was an infringement of the by-laws. The report of Inspector Galway was alsoagainst the slaughtering of animals at the zoo. It was decided to warn the proprietor against killing beasts for feeding lions, tigers etc., and failing compliance with the Council’s ultimatum action will be taken.

| For the last five or six months Alas- | terton has been in possession of a I spick-and-span new Courthouse, constructed at- a cost of £6OOO or £7OOO. Visitors including the Alinister of Justice —have inspected it and pronounced themselves delighted with the external aspect. So far as can he ascertained, however < (says the Age},, there is no prospect of its being anything more than an attraction to visitors for some time to come. With the exception of a, few rolls of linoleum. there is net a stick of furniture m it. Whether the Public Works Department is waiting for a- slice of the four million loan before it launches out m the way of furniture, we can not say. We do say, however, that the delay in opening this new building is discreditable to all concerned.

V,- n Arx. “the man of mystery,” astounded everyone by the ease with which he picked half-crowns out of the .atmosphere. Gisb r >rneites. by dealing at the People’s Emporium, the new shop mc-xt the Ivimpton Cycle Co., can pick up jennies, threepenny-bits, sixpences, .shillings, half-crowns—aye, am! even pounds—every day of the week. Call and sco if this is not a. fact.*

The dredge Maui is new ready for sea, and she is only waiting for fine weather. There was unfavorably easterly weather on the coast yesterday, and the vessel will not be despatched until more, settled conditions prevail. The grass grub, although not. so destructive as last year, is still in evidence in the Ashburton district, and a farmer at Doric has already had to resow half a paddock of oars which have been attacked.

The Port of London Authority requires that the strikers should return to work previous to the resumption of negotiations and that the permanent staff should join the casual labor class, thereby forfeiting the right to sick pay, holidays and pensions.

Speaking before the Education ComMr J- Crosby Smith, representative of the Southland Education Board, stated that he did not think further power could be Wisely given to Education Boards while all their money was being derived from the Consolidated Revenue. He advocated conveyance allowance to allow for the centralisation of schools and the substitution of nature study for some of the subjects of the syllabus.

At the meeting of the Gisborne Temperance Association last evening a large amount of business Avas transacted. After the business a record attendance greeted the performance of the “Minstrels’’ Avho dispensed 1 the favorite form of amusement to an ap-iJK-native audience. Bros. Hatten, Petherick, Edwards, Mead, Yowles, Pooling and West Avere the performers. Sister Kearney played the accompaniments. The e\-ening concluded Avith an amusing farce.

The first meeting of the special committee, set up by the Trades Council to raise funds to assist the widow of the late. Mr R. K. Graham Avas held last night in ToAvnley’s Hall. Mr Turner, President of the Trades Council presided, and Messrs A. S. Richards and C. Catton were elected joint secretaries. It 'was decided to u’Omote a scheme to raise 6000 shillings, and lists for that purpose will be placed before the public- shortly- A number of other schemes Avere suggested and will be notified later. A manifest flaAv in the criminal code relating to horse-stealing is being brought under the notice of tlie Legislature -by the Farmers’ Union (says the Auckland Star). It appears that, as the laAv stands at present, a person may remOA r e a horse -from another mail’s paddock, and convert it to his own use. for an unlimited period, and a- charge of theft- will not lie against him unless it be proA'cd that he offered the animal for sale. _lf the position is as- stated, the Legislature should lose no time in amending the IaAV.

In future (says the Dominion) permission will be granted _ non-commis-sioned officers of the Senior Cadets to remain Avith their company at the age of 18, and to perform their territorial service with it, in place ef being posted to a, unit of the Territorial force. They must be recommended by the officer commanding _ the company, and -must express Avillingness to remain Avith the Senior Cadets as a

“N.G.0.,” instead of being posted to units of the Territorial force- Further, they can only be so posted for their Territorial service as long as they render satisfactory service as Senior Cadet- “N.C.O.’s.”

The Harbinger of Light, the monthly Melbourne publication, contains in its issue of the Ist inst. an article entitled “What Life in the Spirit World Really is,” purporting to be a communication from Mr. W. T. Stead received from him by Mrs Annie Bright, tlie editor- In another portion of the Harbinger of Light Mrs Bright states that she has received from Mr. Stead nine communications in all, comprising about 54C0 Avoras, which have literally rushed through h?r hands in the early morning hours, occupying only a few minutes in the Avriting.

Hats that are locked upon the head may be seen in New Zealand shops before long. The idea- is American, and is an outcome of the campaign against the deadly hatpin that has been waged in the United States. The '•lock,” which lias been devised by a New York inventor, consists of a bowed comb, which is pivoted within tlie frame of the hat. Once the hat is on straight the twisting of an ornamental knob rotates the combs, which bury themselves in the hair. The invention lias already been patented, and has the approval of many prominent women in American Society. Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister for Justice) opened the new Supreme Court House- in Masterton yesterday in the presence of a large crowd of people. Addresses were given by the Minister, .Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P-, Mr L. G. Reid. S.M., and the Mayor of tho town. In the course of his speech Mr Hanan stated that the best brains of the country were required for tlie Magisterial Bench, and to secure these higher salaries would require to bo paid. The Minister was entertained at luncheon by representatives of the legal profession and in responding to tlie toast of his health he said that amendments' of the Companies, Bankruptcy, and Copyright Acts were required to bring them in line with the English laws. Something .should also be done to assimilate New Zealand laws with those of Australia. There was a- brief sitting of tlie Magistrate’s Court, to deal with civil business, before Mr. "W A. Barton, S.M.. yesterday. Judgment for plaintiffs by default were-given in the following cases:—Alfred Coker (Mr. Burnard) v. Archibald Grattan, 18s, and costs os; William'Maxwell (Mr. Burnard) v- Guy Woodward, £8 1/s, costs £1 2s, and solicitor’s fee 15s 6d; John Lionel Baker (Mr. Dawson) l v. Maku, 17s 4d, costs £2 15s; same v. Huruhuru Nikora. £3 9s 6d, and costs ss; same v. Jack Poliatu, £1 15s 7d, and costs £1 3s sd; same v. Wi Karan ria. £2 5s 9cl, and costs £2 13s; Waikolm County Council (Mr. Burnard) v. William South, £2 9s 3d. and costs £1 2s; John Crosby (Mr. Burnard) v. Herbert Hosier, 14s Sd, and costs ss; Albert Wilkinson (Mr. Coleman) v. Charles Duncan, £2 ss, and costs 13s. In judgment summons cases, an order for the payment of £32 12s in default 30 davs’ imprisonment was made in the case of Rees Bros/and Bright (Mr. Bright) v Hector Bruce. The case of the Motu Meat Company (Mr Burnard) v. W illiam Brown was called, and an order was made for .tlie- payment of the claim forthwith, in default nine days imprisonment, the order to he suspended if defendant paid £2 hv the 27th and 7s 6d a week thereafter.

Tlio Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress has endorsed' the appeal, believing that the employers seek to; injure the trade unions.

The Strike Committee has decided to a.bstain from further negotiations for a settlement in the meanAvhile, and to appeal to trade unionists for monetary assistance.

A Southland teacher, when giving evidence before the Education Commission yesterday at Invercargill, expressed the view that the present syllabus enjoined methods of teaching and prescribed matter that could only reasonably be prescribed under ideal conditions avliich did not obtain

A Wanganui P.A. wire says: “The' Prime Minister was. entertained by the Wanganui Caledonian Society t;> mglit, and presented with a handsome illuminated address. Mr. Mackenzie referred to a previous speaker’s remarks, and said he would do what he could to secure the visit to New Zealand of representatives of th,e British Army, as well as a shooting team, at the time of the battleship New Zealand visiting the Dominion. Subsequently Mr. Mackenzie spoke in support of the establishment of an Imperial Council to discuss matters of Imperial import-