Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3998, 31 July 1913, Page 4

Local and General.

Michael Patrick McClirystal was yesterday fined 10s and costs (2s) or 48 hours’ imprisonment for drunkenness. During the quarter just ended. 42ft) money orders, amounting to £21,158 7s Bd, were issued at Gisborne, and 1071, valued at £9,985 18s were paid out. Dealing with the Gisborne Savings Bank for the past quarter, the following figures are interesting:—Accounts opened 715, closed ,449 ; number of deposits 6G48 (£30,090 Ss.Bd); withdrawals 4258 (£67,533 17s. 7d; excess of deposits over withdrawals £12,556 11s Id. Speaking in the House last night, Mr W. D. S. MacDonald urged the Government to push on the geological survey of the Poverty Bay district, because lie believed there were possibilities being discovered in the Gisborne district even greater than those which were being developed in Taranaki. At Patufcahi yesterday an inquest was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of the unknown man who died suddenly near Parikanapa on Tuesday morning. Mr D. B. Watt, J.P., conducted the inquiry, and the, following was the jury: Messrs J. Bavliss (foreman), H. Ritchie, J. J. Bridge, J. J. East, W. Manson, junr., and G. Atkins. Evidence was given by Messrs J. Sharp and 11. Lysnar, Dr. Ileevo and Constable Maloney. Dr. Reeve, who heirl a post-mortem examination, said that death was due to heart disease, and a verdict was found accordingly. It appears that the deceased, who was a slight-built man, intended to walk to Gisborne. The young woman Ada Tny'or appeared before the court yesterday on the remanded charge of having stolen a set of furs, valued at £5, the property of Emily Francis Louisa Drury, Mr Bright appearing for accused, and Mr Barnard for informant. Mr-Bar-ium! said that at the time the information was laid, defendant had taken from informant certain furs and had not returned them. The fill's had sinco been returned and defendant offered an explanation of her action. The question in such a case was whether or not the accused person showed a criminal intention of permanently depriving the owner of her property, but as tlio informant had accepted the defendant's explanation lie would offer no evidence. Mr Barton agreed to this course and the case was withdrawn.

An inspection of tho Gisborne High School mas conducted by Inspector Gill yesterday. A woman was yesterday committed to Avondale Asylum and will go up by Saturday’s steamer. Owing to heavy pressure on space, a batch of correspondence is unavoidably crowded out. Mr O. Hudson lias resigned his position as secretary of the Driver’s Union, and Mr Legg has accepted the appointment. Two stowaways who travelled South by the Monowai, were lodged in the lock-up last evening and will appear before the Court this morning. A special supplement to the “Gazette” contains a full list of the agents licensed under “The Land Agents Act, 1912.” The Paliiatua Competitions Society has received 201 entries for its competitions this year, as against 167 entries last year.

The Legislative Council yesterday set up a committee to confer with a similar committee set up by the House on the amendments made in Defence legislation by the Act of 1912.—P.A. The Union Co’s Maitai, which left for Auckland yesterday, had 300 tons of frozen meat cargo for transhipment to the Niagara at Auckland. The latter steamer leaves for Vancouver tomorrow. In reply to a question in the House yesterday (says a P.A. message), the Minister stated that the question of the recovery of rates due on Native land would be dealt with in the Hating Bill to he submitted to Parliament. The military authorities wish it to he made clear that henceforth all those Cadets ur Territorials posted to Rifle Clubs will have to put in the necessary number of parades required by the regulations. “Too many girls are taking up commercial work, to the detriment of domestic training.” So wrote the secretary of the Palmerston High School Board in a letter to the Hamilton High School Board. Butter which in Taranaki is being sold ;it from Is Id to Is 3d per pound, cannot be bought under Is 5d per pound'in Depnevirke and Wellington, while the local price of the commodity is up to Is '7d, though milk is being reduaed in price.

Mr. E. Newman. M.P., lias received a communication from Hon. F. M. 15. Fisher, stating that proposals to establish accident funds for local bodies are now receiving the careful consideration of the Government.—Correspondent. On behalf of the Opposition, Mr. Buddo stated in the House last night that it would assist the Native Minister to pass any practical legislation to settle the Native lands.—Own Correspondent . It was (says our Parliamentary report°r) stated in the House last night by the Hon. Mr. Herries that on the average 500.000 acres of Native lands bad been alienated yearly since 1909. In tlie House last night, Mr. Massey (wires our Parliamentary reporter) said that his Government had purchased more country during its term of office than any previous Government had during any two years. Replying to an interview given by Mr. Isit-t to a Christchurch journal, Mr. Massey in the House last night denied that his party was financed by rich men, and stated that they had to fight the last election on £7oo.—Special reporter. At the Salvation Army Barracks at 8 o'clock to-night, the band will render a programme of musical items, and solos will also be given. Bandmaster Stein has brought the band to a high standard of perfection, and n thoroughly enjoyable evening may be locked forward to.

The following revenue was collected in the. Gisborne postal district for tlie quarter ended on June 30:—Private box and bag rents £lB Is 3cl; money order commission £lO7 16s Id; stamps sold and credited to stamp revenue £2935 0s 7d : postal note commission. £sl 6s; miscellaneous receipts (postal) 4s 2d; total postal, £3115 8s Id; telegrams £2471 10s GJ-d: telephone exchanges £3llO IGs sd; miscellaneous telegraph 16s 9cl: total telegraph £5586 3s 81 cl; total post and telegraph revenue £B7OI 12s Old.

(Some difficulty is being experienced in procuring a sufficient number of copies of some of the songs set for the Gisborne Competitions. In the bass solo section only five or six copies of the “Lute Player” have thus far come to hand, and the local music sellers have orders from probable competitors for some 24 copies. Entries in this section promise to be particularly good, and it is to be hoped that required copies will be procurable at an early date or considerable disappointment- will be felt.

A well-attended meeting of the Beautifying Association was held yesterday afternoon, when a fair amount of business relative to projects for beautifying different portions of the town was transacted. A Finance Committee was appointed to undertake a thorough canvass for funds. It was decided to call tenders for the erection of an ornamental fence around the planted encloshiro at the wharf. The Association has in view some further commendable schemes for swelling the treasury.

The following sections in the Wairoa County are open for sale or selection :— Mahonga survey district, 30 acres, £llO cash purchase, £2 15s half-yearly rent for occupation with right of purchase, £2 4s half-yearly rent, renewable lease. The section has originally been cleared and grassed, but it is now mostly covered with taubine and manuka; there are several patches of blackberry. The soil is fairly good, resting on a clay and papa .subsoil. Situated about five miles from Opoutama Post-office (Waikokopu Harbor). Waiau survey district, 121 acres, £250 cash purchase, £6 5s half-yearly rental, occupation with right of purchase, £5 renewable lease. This is easy undulating country, containing about 60 acTos of mixed forest, principally tawa, with a fair quantity of ka-hikatea, rimu, and matai, which is crowing mostly on the north side of the road; balance of the land is covered with light manuka, and is poor pumicc’us land. Situated one mile from the Wa.iroa-Waikare-inoana ’coach road, and 33 miles from Wairoa.'

A territorial officer received an unexpected shock at the Mangaweka Court. The department brought a charge against a lad for failing to attend parades, but the proceedings wore .of short duration. Mr. llaselden, S.M.: Has this lad attended parades regularly lately? Officer: Yes, he lias given every satisfaction since the information was laid. Mr. Haselden: 'Do you intend to withdraw the present proceedings? Officer: I would ask for a fine. Magistrate: You won’t get if. I have a very decided opinion in these matters. Greater tact and discretion are necessary with these lads. If you won’t withdraw the case, then it is dismissed.

The banks of the Waimata River will one day be a series of beauty spots. Anyone acquiring a site over the valley will bo' pleased with the bargain in a year or two. Mr C, G. Bloore is now offering nearly 3 acres of rich plateau opposite the newlybought picnic reserve, for £650. Particulars in advertising column.* .

At Opotiln yesterday a meeting of delegates of all Cay of Plenty centres except Tauranga resolved to urge the desirability of vigorously prosecuting the construction of the East Coast railway between- Tauranga and Opotiki. It also urged a connection with the existing railway system via Rotorua. As indicating the scarcity of school teachers, it is reported that there was only one application for the position of assistant master at tho Sydenham School, and that, consequently, instead of tho board forwarding four names to tlie committee, only one was sent. Tho Justice Department has agreed to a special magistrate being detailed to hear cases against senior cadets tor broaches of the Defence Act, and will arrange, as far as possible, to have these cases heard apart from other cases in the Court. “How long have you bee a milk inspector?” asked Mr M. Myers of . a witness in tho Wellington Magistrate’s Court. Witness: “About six months.” Mr Myers: ‘‘What were you before then?” Witness: A bricklayer.” A lady who had a ticket on a horse that paid a sensational price at Trenthem, discovered when she went to collect the dividend that she had lost the ticket. The club’s secretary was appealed to, but naturally he could, offer no uedjaCss. Later the lady was fortunate enough to discover the missing bit of pasteboard on the tea-room floor, where she had evidently dropped it while partaking of afternoon tea. Speaking on a proposal that the Farmers’ Union Conference should recommend the Minister for Agriculture to take steps to eradicate the sheep tick in New Zealand, Mr C. H. Ensor, North Canterbury, said that the loss through ticks in their wool crops was serious. Wool buyers estii mated it sometimes as causing a loss of Id a Hi. on the wool, which meant a loss of some £600,000;. Mr C. J. Reakes, Government. Veterinarian, suggested that the loss was due in a great extent to improper and insufficient dipping. Over one-third of the amount deposited in the savings banks in the Dominion during the last financial year was placed to the credit of thrifty people in the Auckland district/ The deposits in the Pest Office Savings Rank during the year amounted to £11.26,192, of which £2,962,191 were deposited in State savings banks m Auckland, leaving £8.762.998 distributed over the rest of the Dominion. There was also a sum of £1,180,560 deposited in the Auckland Savings Bank, making a total for the district of £1,482,7-51, which is equivalent to nearly 34 per cent, of the aggregate deposits in savings banks.