Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3721, 6 January 1913, Page 4

Local and General.

A large number of bowlers went North by the Victoria on Saturday to take part in the tournament at Auckland.

It is Avidely rumored, but the report, it should be stated, does not bear official confirmation in any Avay, that it is unlikely the ferry service will be continued at tlie present time beyond the end of the month. A part change of programme will lie submitted bv Patlie Pictures at His Majesty’s Theatre to-night, when a number of new dramas of more than average merit Avill make their appearance. Chief of these is “The DetectiA'e’§ Conscience.” a striking Lubin production, whicli caused a great stir in America when first shown there. The freezing season at Tokomaru Bay is proving Aery successful. From the date of its commencement the Avorks have been taxed to their utmostcapacity. -It is satisfactory to add also that the stock lias all been in capital condition/ As far as feed is concerned, there is plenty in the back country, and the recent rains IniA'e greatly improved the grass on lands towards the Coast.—“ Own Correspondent.”

Referring to the prospects of Continental trade in frozen meat, Messrs Gilbert Anderson and Co., the Colonial agents, say in their annual report that trade has not materially increased. Germany has taken a few hundred carcases from Australia, specially prepared with the internal organs not detached. No hope can be entertained of large and satisfactory business until the ticket of inspection is accepted as guaranteeing by the country or origin the healthy condition cf tlie meat. The building trade was busy in Gisborne during the whole of 1912, and there is every indication that the year just entered on will' be as prosperous a one in this respect as that just completed. Buildings, residential and otherwise, are springing up like the proverbial mushroom, here, there, and everywhere. A fact learned by a “Times” reporter on Saturday that will surprise many people is that the total value of buildings dor which permits were issued in Gisborne during 1912 was £110,113.

1 \ man will be charged at Court tins j morning trith having procured liquor 1 while prohibited.

“Their Lives for Gold” Avill be screened again this evening at the Opera House.

A particularly detestable act is said to have been committed on Saturday, when a bather’s crutch was stolen from the shed on the Waikanao. The shipping passenger lists of the past two" days indicate the crowds of people who are returning to Gisborne after spending the holidays away from home. The East Coast Railway League (Tiniroto) has communicated v/ith the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister for PublicWorks, inviting him to visit the district and inspect the railway route. While-in Wellington, the Borough Engineer (Mr. A. J. Paterson) attended to several matters concerning the municipality, but was unable to make numerous inquiries owing to the fact that Government officials, like most other men, made holiday at Christmas time.

After a period of some Aveeks’ obscurity John liars has commenced to appear in his orbit again and was a*raigned before Mr W. A. Barton. :;.M. yesterday for his second offence of drunkenness within six months. He fined £1 and costs (2s) or four days in gaol.

To Saturday’s meeting of the East Coast Rabbit* Board, _ Inspector Turner, of Wairoa, submitted the following statement of expenditure on Native lands from March 31 to October 31, 1912: —Mobaka No. 1 and 2 (24,507 acres), £205: Tutaekuri (12,-542 acres) £145; Tatrakina (1000 acres), £10; total, £360. Captain J. T. Browne, Assisted Adjutant-General and QuartermasterGeneral, Wellington Military District, has Avritten the Hastings town clerk stating that it Avas proposed to organise a motor reserve of officers in New Zealand, and he requested that a list be supplied him of registered owners of private cars. The town c-lerk has written supplying the information.

To those who have been keenly anticipating Madame Kirkby Lunn’s visit to Gisborne, it Avill be a disappointment to learn that the celebrated contralto has cancelled her local engagement. But an opportunity to hear her magnificent voice is now offered by Messrs. E./Chrisp and Son, who have m splendid, collection of Kirkby-Lunn gramophone records in their Peel Street Parlour. All are in. vited to cal! in and hear them.* “Mangatu” writes: “In your issue of Friday you publish a cutting from the ‘Dominion’ that a shearer at Otaki shore 226 sheep in 84 hours. 1 may say that it is looked on as an ordinary performance up this Avay. During the season Pita Robin has beat this on several occasions, on one occasion shearing 270 in 8 hours. -Jack Hames on Waipaoa station reached 2-50 two or three times, also Whare Kura in one day of S 4 hours shore 260. One gang of 8 shearers averaged over 200 per man for five days.”

A Dunedin P.A. wire states that there Avere eight bankruptcies in Dunedin for the year ended last month, as against 27 for the previous year. Invercargill shows an increase for the past year. There were 16 bankruptcies there, as against II for 1911. In Dunedin for the past year the assets as per statements filed were £47-5 14' 6d. the amounts secured to creditors £lOsl 14s 6d. liabilities and unsecured creditors £1420 4? 2d. and amounts paid in dividends £703 9s sd. On Friday, during the memorable thunderstorm, the amount of rain which fell a was remarkable. For the 37 minutes during which the rain pattered down consistently, .07 inches tvas recorded and during Friday's 27 hours the fall totalled .87 inches. Mr C. H. Ferris has completed his calculations for the year 1912 and announces that 42.15 inches fell during the twelve months. The total rainfall for the year 1911 was 43.5 inches. The heaviest- fall during that year was for the month of May, the fall for that month being 10.76 inches. According to Messrs Gilbert Anderson and Co., the Colonial frozen produce agents, the offer of the Port of London Authority to build sorting sheds and provide increased storage at the Royal Albert Dock has met with the approval of the trade generally. It has been announced that these avill be of the most complete character, providing for the quick discharge of the steamers with the minimum amount of handling and expense. To obtain the full advantage of these improvements it will be necessary that Bills of Lading authorise the Shipping Companies that discharge will be completed at that point. The saving in insurance claims avill be considerable and to the advantage of the growers. : ‘Y\ bile we are promised this great improvement at the Port of London, which Avill greatly lessen damage and delay in discharge, it au'll, in a great measure.” adds the firm, “make the trade less dependent on labor organisation. No alterations haA-e been made at the out ports for the better handling of meat, but improvements are being urged.” Yv riting to his parents, who reside at le Ha par a, Mr. M. S. Edwards, formerly on the “Gisborne Times.” and IiOAV on the “Transvaal Leader." does not give a very bright picture of conditions _in South Africa from the point of view of the man aa'lio lias to work foT his daily bread. Referring in particular to journalism, he says that- although he is earning a A-eiy handsome salary, the gilt is fairly taken off the gingerbread by the 'excessive cost of living. As'examples of how prices go in Johannesburg to-day, Mr. Edwards avers that anything like good board costs 50s, per AA-eek. For a bath Is 6d is the usual figure. In the matter of laundry work/ twopence is asked jbr washing and ironing a handkerchief, and in respect of other garments the price is correspondingly high. Mr. Edwards also awards Jo’burg the palm for dust, the Riverina, which he also knows well, not being in it to his aauiv of thinking. When it is also stated that he is required to work up to 14 and 16 hours a day, it is not surprising to find that he contemplates at an early date moving to pastures new. If Air. Edwards does not proceed to California, lie AA'ill return' to Sydney, and thence probable back to New Zealand.

There is no doubt but wliat the Vacuum and Window Cleaning Co. have already proved themselves a great help to many housewives in Gisborne. They will undertake to clean anything about a house—from chimney to doorstep—and give satisfaction. A card sent to 152 Palmerston Road, or a ring on ’Phone 722, will have their immediate attention.*

The Salvation Array Band gave an enjoyable afternoon concert at the Recreation Ground yesterday. _ The pleasure launch fleet on the river has been augmented by the addition of some lighter craft, in the shape of boats provided with a new style of detachable American engine. During 1912 the Customs duty collected at Wellington totalled £852,632 compared, with £830,631 in 1911. The beer duty paid amounted to £13,259, as against £13,508 in the previous year.

The wool clip of the Canterbury Agricultural College was a record invalue this year. The clip was disposed bf at the last sales,, and realised, with skins, the price of '£1024 9s 6d. The college flock numbers about 3200 Blieep. . Our Matawai correspondent advises : “The drought was broken up on Thursday when a thorough downpour which was urgently needed, came as a surprise and there is such a flourish of grass that settlers cannot cope with growth! All the holiday-makers are expected hack to work on Monday/’ It is understood that as a result of a committee meeting of the A. and P. Society held; on Saturday, the proposal to hold a winter show in Gisborne lias been definitely abandoned for this year, but it is not unlikely that the Government will be asked to allow the State exhibit to come to Gisborne for a show to be held in the winter of 1914.

A good way to clean gas mantles or gas burners that are blackened by carbon deposits is to sprinkle sodium chloride or “salt’’Upon them while burning. This causes the carbon to burn away,-and prolongs the life of the mantle, and increases the efficiency of the light or burner. In laboratory combustion furnaces deposits ,of carbon can thus be removed. Of a consignment of 360 cases of American apples which came this week to a Dunedin fruit broker. £lO worth was taken by the rats that apparently travel as tourists between San Francisco and New- Zealand. Twenty cases have been ruined almost wholly by the wretched pests. Several cases looked as though the rodents had made dining saloons of them, for most of the fruit had been sampled.

Special services were held at the Methodist Church yesterday and were well-attended. A Communion and Covenant service was particularly impressive, and four new members —all young men—were received into the Church. In the evening Rev. J. A. Locliore preached a sermon from Phil. •3 —13 and 14, on “A Life Purpose and Its Realisation.” The choir rendered an anthem “Sing Oh Ye Heavens” and Mr J. H. Jones, sang a solo, “Calvary.” At the special morning service Mr Locliore was assisted by Mr Field, a newcomer from Auckland.

Complaints in regard to the inadequacy of the men’s dressing sheds on the Waikanae beach this season have been numerous, and now the ladies have taken up the cry. “There is only one shed.” said a lady yesterday, “and Sts condition is indescribable. The floor is thickly caked with sand, which makes it practically impossble to decently cleanse the feet, and in addition yesterday a number of women were dressing in the shed when a mother arrived with her family, including a little boy, who asked embarrassing questions and a poodle dog ! The place is always crowded, too..

Why can’t we have a shower bath and at least decent accommodation and regulations ?”

The wonders of Lake Waikaremoana axe much-vaunted abroad, and the pen. rple of Gisborn© do not seem to be fully alive to the fact that this beautiful resort is within remarkably close reach of the town. Only yesterday, over what he calls a ‘"weal good road,” a local motorist (Mr. D. McKeague) covered the complete distance in 71 'hours. Last week, when the road was heavy, he went through in sliglitly longer time, not meeting with the slightest mishap. At Waikaremoana. he reports, there are large numbers of visitors, enjoying the wealth of scenery and balmy climate for which the spot is noted. The trout are not ‘“biting” to any great extent, and no big baskets- have been reported during the past week.

A quaint letter, written from Norfolk Island by a. native who is studying for the ministry there, describing the new Bishop of Melanesia, who is now in New Zealand, is published in the ‘‘Sydney Evening News” “I am greatly astonished at this Bishop,” says the boy writer. ‘‘He is very tall, bis face is exceedingly beautiful., and his clothes are beyond description. He is also very learned indeed, and I am astonished because in three, days lie already knows something of the Mota language, and I think that in ■this he must be more learned than Bishop Wilson. We decorated the mission, painted afresh the house of the clock, and words waited for the Bishop on the road. The words were ‘Our hearts are with you.’ The Bishop visits each class in the school, and I am afraid because We do not know anything. We do not answer iiim because lie speaks in English only, and tvs are thickheads and do not understand this language you call English.”