LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 196, 15 September 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The parade of stallions will take place in the Waikanae paddock at noon to-day. The gas given off from the springs at the Hammer Plains during the late earthquake burned brilliantly when a light was applied. The most healthy British colonies are New Zealand and Tasmania, with death rates of between 11 and 12 per thousand. The sale of Mr McDonald’s furniture has been postponed to Thursday next. Ths sale of blood stock will take place at two o'clock this afternoon. An Auckland paper states: —“ The ship Piako will in all likelihood remain in port until the end of the present month, when she will leave for Napier or Gisborne to load with wood for Home." The Whataupoko Road Board give notice that they will, on October 11, proceed to make a special rate of nine-sixteenths of a penny in the pound on all property in that district, for a period of 26 years. The rate book is now open for inspection. Among the applicants for the position of matron of the Auckland Hospital were Miss Guilbride. of Melbourne, and late matron of Gisborne Hospital, and Miss Houldgate, who is to be offered the position vacated by Mias Swain. A Gisborne journal nearly got into trouble the other day for inventing a pack of nonsense with regard to some politicians of high rank, who have been paying Gisborne a visit. It is just possible that more may yet be heard of the matter. Before leaving Sydney the Maori football team were entertained at a smoke concert which is said to have been the most sociable and successful that has ever been held in Sydney. Mr Scott was prominent during the evening, in songs and toasts. A bazaar in aid of the Church of England is announced to be held on Wednesday and Thursday next. There will be a concert on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday evening there will be various novel entertainments. The bazaar will be open on each afternoon for the sale of articles. Mr Beresford, well-known as the popular host of the Settlers’ Hotel, has emerged in a new line, in which no doubt his experience and business capacity will ensure him success. He has taken over the dining rooms lately occupied by Mr Williams, and the rooms will be opened to the public to-day under the new management. By request the next scene in the new local operetta will be given in our next impression. It had been decided to “ basket ” any further emanations of the kind received, but the enquiry for its continuation has been so great that we feel inclined to give way to the majority, though asking that we should not be classed with that majority. It is with a feeling of deep sorrow that all who knew the late Mrs G. F. Henderson must regard that lady’s death. She passed through a time of dreadful pain that fortunately does not fall to the lot of many people, and her death was a happy release from long months of agony. The friends feel very grateful for the considerate way in which Dr Innes attended to the patjept. The funeral takes place to-day. At the Theatre Royal Skating Rink this afternoon a children's carnival will take place. The rink is to be specially done Up for the occasion. There are now so many juvenile tinkers in Gisborne (and Saturday being a special day), that the arrangement of a good carnival on that day should not be difficult to accomplish. Therefore the one set down this afternoon should be a great success.

It has been stated that Mr J. M. Bidgood, of Ormond, intends instituting a libel action against the Standard, for strictures contained in last Thursday’s issue. We may have something more to say about this matter later on. It may be mentioned, though, with regard to this affair, that there was not the slightest intention to reflect on Mr Kenny : he is rather entitled to credit for the honorable part ha took in the matter. On Thursday evening Pastor Wallace commenced his promised lecture on “ California," but the alarm of fire interrupted him in the most interesting part of his subject, So far as he went, the lecturer was very successful, and his practical knowledge of the subject, and entertaining method of dealing with it, was much appreciated by those present. Pastor Vt’allsce has been requested to give the lecture on some future date, and we understand that he has uepeantad to do so. Our contemporary is very often m&uourate, only on rare occasions is it amusing,' but it was extraordinarily so last night—at its own expense, It evaded its duty with regard to the Borough election, and now attempts to gloss over the evasion by saying there was no interest taken in* the election 1 Just imagine; on a damp and disagreeably day there were nearly 200 more votes recorded than in the previous year, and despite the heavy showers and miserable night, about 150 people waited over an hour to hear the result, to saying nothing of the hundreds that were saved from venturing out by the Standard extras that were handed them. If our “ contemporary ’’ saw the way our office was rushed for extras, it might possibly have been interested, too.

England’s coming harvest is likely to be the worst of the century. There was a mutiny on board the flagship Orlando on the way out. The heavy frost last night and this morning will have a serious effect on the crops just springing up. A wife in Adelaide lately put in a petition for divorce on the ground that her husband was a“ natural born fool.” An Auckland firm has received a cablegram from Newcastle stating that the strike is expected to last three months longer. The Rev J. Ward returns thanks to those persons who assisted in saving his house from destruction by fire on Tuesday night. A company with a capital of £250,000 has been formed in Melbourne to take over the Great Barrier Copper Mine, and shares are being rapidly taken up. A Dunedin correspondent says half of Dunedin is to let. At the present time there are actually 2000 houses and shops tenantless in the suburbs. The City Bink was, as usual, crowded last night. It will not be open this afternoon, on account of the children’s carnival, but will be opened at 7 p.m., when a “ big night ’’ is anticipated. The Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company, whose dividend this year was 17 per cent., hive carried 24,681,000 people in the trams and 6,450,000 in the omnibuses during the year. A man was arrested recently at Charters Towers, who was suffering from religious mania, being possessed of the idea that he has a mission to pay everybody's debts throughout the world. Ten thousand pounds, and interest thereon for thirty years, have fallen, by a legal decision in America, to the North American Belief Society for Indigent Jews in Jerusalem. The amount was bequeathed in remainder by a Mr Simpson. The “ unemployed ” at Woodville are said to be getting £3 18s a chain at piece work for falling a line three chains wide, felling for a width of 30 feet to the ground, and clearing the logs off. The work would be done by local men by contract for less than half the money. It will be noticed by our advertising columns that Mr J. R. Jones, engineer, has commenced business in that line, his address being Grey street. Repairs of all classes of machinery will be undertaken, and Mr Jones’ long connection with the trade should be a first class guarantee of good workmanship, Mrs Morrison, a resident of Newcastle, showed symptoms of strychnine poisoning a day or two ago, and shortly afterwards three goats belonging to her died. It is supposed that the goats were poisoned out of spite against the owner, who, in turn, was affected by drinking the milk from the poisoned animals. The Fire Brigade had a good chance of proving its efficiency the other night, as ths corps was up to the mark in an amazingly short time, and later on there was a tremendous pressure of water available. Many people living close by did not hear the small bell, and it was generally referred to aa “ the cowbell.” The New Zealand Stud Company have received a cablegram to the effect that the s.s. Bucephalus, which left Auckland on 29th nit., with a shipment of 300 horses for Calcutta, passed Thursday Island on Monday last, the loss up to that time being only two head, which may be regarded as very satisfactory, Mr Scobie Mackenzie, says an Camara paper, is member for Mount Ida, and he is also lessee of a ran in the Maniototo district. A petition was prepared for presentation to the Minister of Lands asking that Mr Scobie Mackenzie’s run should be out up for settlement, and it was forwarded to that gentlemen to present. Could the irony of hard fate be grimmer than this ? A correspondent of a Southern paper writes objecting to the doctrine (now gaining favor) that the ruin of New Zealand, so far as it is capable of ruin, is due to the politicians alone, and asks the following query:—“ Now, Sir, all things considered, which do you think is most to blame for our present straits—sporting, drinking, or politics ?” Mr Taylor, who has for some time past been in charge of the Albion Hotel billiard room, announces that he has taken the billiard room at the Gisborne Hotel, and hopes to see his friends roll up on Monday night. From his connection with the “ green cloth,” and by his skilful play, Mr Taylor has become well-known among lovers of the cue, and he ought to be well patronised. It is rumored that the Hon Mr Mitchelson, the Hon E. Richardson, and Mr Maxwell, General Manager of Railways, are to be appointed railway commissioners at a salary of £l5OO a year each. The Wellington Post is terribly indignant, and prophesies that the star of Mr Maxwell will be again in the ascendant. It says it would be better to appoint Mr Maxwell sole Commissioner, as the other two are notoriously un lev his influence, and would dance to his piping.

An Auckland telegram states: -In an action North Zealandia Woollen Company v. Bennett, late Secretary of the company, for the recovery of £473 14s 3d, alleged to have been wrongly paid by him as Secretary, Mr Justice Gillies gave judgment for the plaintiffs for £372 18s 4d with costs. He felt it was a hardship for a man to pay this out of his own pocket, but it was clear that the Secretary of a public company had no power to pledge the credit of the directors without their express authority in writing, which in this case they denied giving. There was never known to be a fire that had not some peculiar incidents. On Thursnight, when the Rev. Mr Ward became aware of the danger, he went upstairs to awaken the children. They were very sleepy, and to arouse them he took one to the window to show him the fire, and went to do the same with the other, but while doing so the first one coolly turned into bed again. When Mrs Clarke's house was enveloped in flames one woman rushed about wildly, and excitedly asked why those who were viewing the scene did not get some buckets of water and throw on ! Others entertained themselves with doing just the reverse of what they ought to be doing. Someone sung out to break the window (Mr Ward’s) to let the heat out, and one thoughtless person actually did break a pane of glass. Mr Hay was certainly deserving ot credit for h;s prompt and plucky work. At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday (before Mr Booth, R.M.) the fol. lowing eases were heard Dickson v. Simpson, claim £2O on a dishonored promissory note, judgment by default; Harbor Board V. Kinross and Graham, claim £2BlBs for rates, judgment by default with costs; Harbor Board y. Kinross, claim £l4 Is 3d for rates, judgment by default with costs; Harbor Board v. Moore, claim Ils 3d for rates, judgment by default; Harbor Board v. Muldoon, claim £2'4s Bd, judgment by default; Boylan v. Westrap, claim £1 6s Bd, judgment by default; Adair v. Dodgshun, claim £6O, judgment reserved; Waugh v. D. Malone, claim £2l 17s, judgment for plaintiff for £ll Ils 6d and costs. The following cases were heard yesterday (before Messrs Dufaur and Bennett, J.P.s): —Whitfield v. Parsons, claim £3 10s, judgment for £1 10s ; Johnston v. Mossman, claim £lO, judgment for defendant; Williams v, Hyland, claim £7 Bs, judgment for defendant, The failure of a New York firm was caused by the negligence of the office boy to post a letter. He stopped to play a game of marbles, Lord Wolseley has presided over a meeting to consider military cycling and pronounced the bicycle a military instrument of great promise.