LOCAL and GENERAL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 175, 28 July 1888, Page 2

LOCAL and GENERAL.

An Auckland paper takes notice of the Rev. Mr Ward’s mission to that city, and states that his ministrations at different Wesleyan Churches were much appreciated.

What has become of the Wairoa footballers? They do not appear this season as if they were going to come up to time against the Gisborne players. Some alarm was caused early yesterday morning by one of the chimneys at the Hospital emitting a big blaze, but as the chimn-y was thick, the roof of iron, and everything damp, there was no danger.

It was erroneously reported that proceedings were to be taken against those persor s whose defective chimneys had lately been the cause of trouble. The Council considered a warning would be sufficient on this occasion. In Adelaide it is feared that the action of the Sydney Maritime Unions with regard to Chinese seamen, will extend to the coloured labour employed by the P. and O. and other companies.

Settlers in the Lower Wairarapa have been holding a meeting to take steps for united action to put down the wild dog nuisance. The bush is said to be full of rabbiters’ dogs gone wild.

An auction sale of South Australian pastoral leases took place at Adelaide recently, when 13,162 square miles, equal to 8.419,880 acres, were disposed of at an average of £ll2s 4d per mile. The mining exchanges at Charters Towers, Queensland, are open every night, and shares are bought and sold by auction, which provides a very reliable market, and gives confidence to those concerned. Two thousand two hundred and sixty teachers' certificates have been issued under the Education Act. At present there are 1619 certificated teachers atwork—9os males, 80 married and 634 unmarried females. There in a young lady in Taranaki, a Miss Hall, who constantly breaking her right arm. Thß limb has just been accidently fractur-u fox the fifth time, each break being in a different place. An export of a somewhat unusual character was made by the Wairarapa from Auckland for Sydney, for transhipment to India, in the shape of 400 boxes (20 tons) of potatoes, which were shipped to an order from Calcutta. “We are sorry,” groans a Wairarapa paper, “that Mr——, oculist, auriat, specialist, and the devil knows what else besides, should hove left Marton without squaring his advertising account. A bachelor of 43, who “ promises to be a kind husband ” advertises in a Sydney paper for “ a loving orphan or a lonely lady with means.” He wants the sweets without the bitters—the bride and the boodle without the people-in-law. Sydney tobacconists complain bitterly that they have lost much trade sinoe the rollerskating mania set in. The young man who dawdled away his time in the smoking and belting dens now gyrates at the rink—where smoking isn’t allowed. Answers still continue to come in for the vexing egg puzzle, but only one has been received in this batch that has not been previously recorded, the number 40. A good many Matawhero correspondents are among the unsuccessful ones. The latest on dit about the Wanganu* absconder, Dudley Eyre, is that when he was in Auckland on his levanting trip, he met a member of the church to which he belonged in Wanganui, dunned him for £3 arrears o pew rents, got the money, and added it to h if spoil. There is a butterine factory in Sydney. Nothing is used but the choicest beef kidney and caul suet, in the selection of which the greatest care is exercised. It must be freshtallow is quite useless for the purpose. The factory is open for inspection, and the product vended on its own merits.

The Fielding dairy farmers ridicule the idea of the Governmet sending round “ an expert” to teach them how to make butter and cheese. “ They are wondering if the State will send •an expert to ttaoh the hens how to lay double yoked eggs.”

An apprentice in a coachsmith’s shop in the Wairarapa had a remarkable escape recently. Whilist drilling some machinery the sleeve of his shirt caught the revolving drill spindle stud, and before he had time to cry out, the whole of his garments were stripped off him, with the exception of his boots and socks and a paper collar. The Dunedin City Council send Mayor Dawson to Wellington to make representaions against many of the amendments proposed in the Municipal Bill, especially against the present system of audit. The Council asked for the removal of the disqualification as magistrates of publicans who have been elected to the mayoral chair. The Rev. Mr Ward, minister of the local Wesleyan Church, was very successful in Auckland in connection with his scheme for the erection of a new church and parsonage. He managed to get subscribers for a total of £125. Some were inclined to laugh at his enthusiam when he took the matter up, but results so far have assured that he will be successful. There is no telling what energy can do. Our contemporary evolves some extaaordinary theories at times. Last night we were told—“ The Maori is neither good to himself or anybody else ; as a landholder he is simply an encumbrance, and is only tolerated by reason of supposed primitive rights.” As if the Maoris were not entitled to be paid for their land—yes, sweep the poor devils out of existence, and let the land rings swoop down on their prey. Well, that would be a policy I A Melbourne correspondent writes :—Some of the more sensible of our farmers, finding that wheat and potato growing does not pay, have been turning their attention to more lucrative pursuits. My notice has been directed to some magnificent oranges and lemons from the Goulburn Valley, and they were indeed far superior fruits to those of colonial growth usually seen, the district being especially suitable for them. Some raisins of first-rate quality were also on exhibition, and it is in this line that the farmers have a show, for it has been conclusively proved that raisins can be grown at a good profit. A number of Adelaide farmers have secured good returns from crops of grapes devoted to this purpose, and no doubt the industry will quickly grow to one of very considerable extent. There is a large and constant demand for raisins, and our farmers will do much better in catering for the demand than in struggling to earn a livelihood from wheat growing, at what is to them starvation rates.

A letter on 11 Persecuting God's workers ’ cannot bs published, as it would be injudicious to do so while the matter is still in the hands of the Court, and comments have to be withheld lor the same reason. Major Lovelock states that he has decided to stay in Gieborne to see the matter out. An Auckland paper refers to ths Salvationists who were recently imprisoned in Gisborne as “Salvationist martyrs.” “ Disgusted ” writes that be neither cares a jot for the Army or those who are against them, but he sees “ no reason on earth or anywhere else why they should not be allowed to occupy a few feet of roadway rather than the burdened taxpayers should have to pay for keeping them In gaol, whether they are right or wrong.” Mr Beattie says the Salvationists were the jolliest people he ever had under his care. “ They’ll have you converted before they’re done with you, though? “Hal ha I bal” laughs the conservator of all peace disturbers, "In five weeks to come I’ll be twenty-three years in the service, and if they can convert me after what I’ve seen and gone through, they’ll—they'll—” convert him, of course, but wo did not hear the end of it.

The federation of the whole of the maritime societies throughtout Australia is looked upon as practically accomplished. The divorce suit instituted by Mrs Rose against her husband Dr Rose, M. P., of Melbourne, has been settled out of Court.

A woman in receipt of a weekly allowance from the Bay of Plenty Charitable Aid Board was seen at the last Foresters’ ball at Tauranga.

The Government architect of Tasmania was severly caned in Hobart recently by a Mrs Webb, at whose house he had oeen a family visitor. No explanation was given. The boarded-out children in connection with the Sydney State Children’s Relief Board cost per head £l4 2s 6'l during the year and the inmates of the cottage homes £22 10s. A singular fracas occured this week at Mr L. D. Na han’s farm, Maraetai. Mr Stim on, manager, has the charge of the poultry at the farm, and a short time since lie accused two of the men employed then iu the care of the osteriche.s Allen and Harrison attacked Stimson, and a fight ensue 1, during which Mrs. Stimson came to the assi-tance of her husband, and belabored the other men with a h -rsewhip Stimson was rendered unconscious before the combatants were separated, he having been cut about the head, but he soon recovered. Alien and Harrison were slightly bruised. The following, says the Christchurch Telegraph, is a statement of the stock of wheat held in this part of the colony at the present time: —North of Waitaki, 550,000 sacks ; Oamaru and neighborhood, 175,000 sacks; total 725,000 sacks of four bushels, or equal to 2,900,000 bushels. This would furnish cargoes for 60 large English ships. We think this is the largest stock of wheat that has been held in July of any year. Unless the English market moves up, or freights come down, we shall have a grain shipping trade all this year at dull prices. So far, holders are out of pocket as against men who sold early in the season.