LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 272, 12 March 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The shooner Awaroa sailed last evening for Greymouth. A column of interesting sporting matter appears on our fourth page. It includes the acceptances for the Tologa Bay meeting, nominations for the Auckland mee'ing, and additional information with regard to the Wanganui meeting. The Borough Council are going in for retrenchment—they are advertising this morning for tenders for “ Prining, advertising, removal of nightsoil and rubbish, and also for a one horse tip dray,” We would like to know who the contractor will be, for his talents will need to be of a varied description it he is to be successful. Would it not be batter to have separate tenders called for ?

The monthly meeting of the Hospital Trustees will be held to tnorr iw evening the 18th Inst, at 7.30 o’clock. The Charitable Aid Board meet at 8 30. The Albion Club Hotel billiard room, under the management of Mr Taylor, is becoming a very popular resort for lovers of the cue. Many improvements have lately been made in the room and Mr Taylor may well be proud of his continued success, Mr G. Humphreys’ many friendr will be glad to learn that he is nnw nearly recovered tram the effects of the accident he sustained while riding out to tha camp at Lome station, the injury being caused by a girth breaking and Mr Humphreys being thrown from his horse,

The Sunday services at the Tent were well attended. The.evening lecture de.lt with the signs of the times, and presented the fact that they all point to the near coming of Christ, Last evening thelmmorta'i'y question was discussed. This evening Mr Hare will speak on the Seven Seals of Revelations as presenting the important points tn Chnrah history, from the time of Christ to the end. On Saturday last a most destructive fire was raging in the Pipiwhaka Bush, and fears were en ertained for the safety of the Saw Mills, owned by Mr King, The flames, however, did not reach the mills, A large quantity of good timber has been destroyed. The feast given to the Ngat.lporou contingent and their friends, by the Patutahi settlers, on Saturday, was most successful. The natives conducted themselves in a most orderly manner, and during the day much speeohtying took place. The Ormond drum and file was present and ably assisted in enlivening the day's amusement. At a meeting of the Directors of the Park Company held on Friday evening, it was decided to to form a Racing Club in connection with the Company. Mr M. G. Nasmith was was appointed secretary pro tern.

A mob of 2000 sheep, from Tokomsru passed through here on Friday en route for Mr A. C. Arthur’s station.

A quarterly meeting of the Licensing Bench was held on Saturday. Present: The Chairman (Mr Lewis), and members Tucker, Hull, and Humphreys. The Sergoants report was considered, and regarded as satisfactory. A transfer was granted to Mr Harding of the license of the Albion Club Hotel. During the sitting' Captain Tucker stated his intention of moving at the annual meeting, in June, with the object of having some of the unprofitable hotels closed, and argued in support of his proposal.

We must decline to publish a letter from T. H. B. Smith, because it would be undignified on our part to allow the matter referred to to be pursued in that way. - A sensible and straigbforward course was previously taken up, and there is no reason why any notice should be taken of the statements of persons who write of what they did not see or hear—were Mr Smith to do so, even for the purpose of contradicting, he would be acknowledging the writer as a person entitled tn speak with authority. Intelligent readers are quite competent to judge.

By the steamer on Sunday there departed for Sydney two young men whose absence from Gisborne will be much regretted—allusion is made to Messrs F. Steele and H. Adair, who have both set out for a wider field in which they hope to improve their prospects as well as gain that experience which is invaluable to young men. Mr Steele whr formerly engaged on the staff of this journal and the severance of his connection was regretted on both sides, though of course it could not be overlooked that he had arrived at that age which is beat of all for travelling with the object of gaining exnerienoe in his profession. He set himself diligently to the prosecution of those studies which would best qualify him for the line of business he had undertaken, and by much perseverance he became a rapid shorthand writer, and for some time was President of the local Phono graphic Society. Mr Adair was formerly in the service of Messrs Common, Shelton and Co (merchants), in whieh he acquitted himself to the satisfaction of his employers. Socially both young men had made themselves great favorities, and a large circle of friends will wish them the success they deserve, It will not be their fault it they do not get on in the world, tor honesty, industry, and perseverance will accompany them, and Gisborne may wall be proud of her representatives,

Shortly before six on Sunday evening an alarm of fire was given, and by the vigorous wav in which the bells were rung it was understood that the danger was a vary serious one. As Messrs J. Dickson and J. Weston were standing in front of the Argyll Hotel they smelt something burning, and soon after observed volumes of smoke coming from the Club., building. They at once gave the alarm,, believing at the time that it was the club rooms on fire, But they were soon convinced that the fire was in the shop below, and as they rushed across the flames could be seen in the shop window, having rissn to a height of about twelve feet, and the room being full of smoke. Buckets of wafer were immediately procured at the Albion Hotel, the door and window were at once smashed in, and by prompt and willing action, the flames were soon subdued and a grave calamity to the town averted, On the previous Thursday the shop had been vacated by Mr G. Williams, and on the following Monday Mr D. F. Crawford intended taking possession of it. The fire appeared to have originated under the window case, but it is impossible to account for how It started. Mr Williams thinks it may have been caused by rats getting hold of a stray match ana chewing it amongst the bits of paper—h« was at the time no way interested in the place, Messrs D F. Crawford and M, G. Nasmith were in the building on Sunday morning, but they qbserved nothing that would lead to an explanation as to the cause of the fire, Messrs Pitt and Maguire's store is under the same roofj the Club rooms being afioye, and if the fire had got a hold that firm would hays lost goods to the value of about £750 above their insurance. The Fire Brigade was at work in about the best time on record ; in a few mlßUtee the manual waa out and had a cuppl v of water oq from the. old brewery and the steam engine in splendid time, so that even if the fire had guta muefi firmer J hold there would have been a great deluge I Of WOV to <H>p« With iti

It is proposed in New Plymouth to start the manufacture of condensed milk. The plant, it is said, would cost £2OOO, and a company with a capital of £lO.OOO is talked of. The price proposed to be given to farmers for milk is from 3|d to 4d per gallon. An erroneous impression has been created by a report that it is intended to shut up several of the local hotels. At present there his been nothing done in the matter further than an expression of opinion from Captain Tiicket-. None of the other merribers of the Bench have yet expressed their opinion on the subject.

The British Consul-General at Hamburg, in his last report, speaks out very plainly concerning the rapidity with which Germans are forcing their way into markets which have hitherto belonged to Englishmen, but which the latter are now losing through supineness or indifference. The trade of Great Britain and the Australian colonies with Hamburg, he says, amounts to £21,000 000, a sum which comes within £4,000 000 of the British exports into the whole of the Australian colonies. Talking about hymns, have you heard the latest about Te Kooti ? No, what’s up now ? Oh, he’s quite a reformed character I He’s promised never to kill anybody any more and he’s turned teetotaller and written Atkinson such a touching letter ! Lovely, and what did Atkinson say ? Ha sent him a moral pockethandkercher and a second hand Soody and Mankey, and told him to keep in the middle ot the road and he’d get made K.C.M.G. some day I —“ Puff.” Pigott has shot himself dead I The bullet entered his mouth and killed him instantaneously I It’s the most decent thing he’s done yet 1 He's had many worse things in his mouth than a clean bullet!—“ Puff.” Mr G. H. Scales by the last English mail received advices of the sale of a shipment of butter sent home by the s.s. Aorangi about three months ago. The returns are verv satisfactory, and show that New Zealand bolter is acquiring a good name in the English market. The prices torched ranged from 108 s to 116 s per cwt. This time last year the prices returned averaged from 85s to 9os. The Lrt'elton Times, in connection with the Te Kooti affair, says “ Waen will Sir Harry learn that his colleagues can never be trusted to keep nut of mischief, unless he packs them off to Melbourne to recreate them, selves harmlessly by risking one pound notes on the Cup. The one man of a one man Government, the Premier, has no time for perambulating the colony in an endeavour to emulate the Rev, Charles Clark and other gifted exponents of the lecturer’s art,"

A correspondent to a Wellington journal suggests that New Zealand should form an alliance with the United States, and 11 cut the painter " so tar as England is concerned,

A transfer of license of the Napier Hotel (Napier) has been made from James Gray to John Waugh,

The Napier Fire Brigade met last Friday night and appointed Superintendent Waterworth and Messrs Gilberd, M’Cormiok, and R. Smith to represent the brigade on the competition committee. The committee afterwards met, Superintendent Wilkie and Messrs Gifford and Lucas being present to represent the Spit Brigade, Superintendent Waterworth was appointed chairman of the committee, and Mr B, Smith secretary. It was agreed that the meeting should stand adjourned until it was ascertained whether the Hecreation Ground could be obtained for Easter Monday; if so, the committee to be called together to make necessary arrangements. It was also decided to invite the brigades from Gisborne, Hastings, Woodville, Waipawa, Palmerston, and other centres in the North Island to join in the competition. The balance-sheet ot the last competition was submitted It showed receipts amounting to £59 19s and after defraying all expenses a balance ot £l9 4s lid, remained in hand, It was announced that the Mayor had promised ten guineas towards the fund, If the Reorea. tinn Ground cannot be obtained for Eaater Monday the competition will have to be put off until Boxing Day. It is quite amusing to note the tactics ot the Wellington papers with regard to the Te Kooti affair. The Times, which was at first opposed to the Government, has gone completely round, and mw that the facts ara be. tore them lands Sir Harry Atkinson for the part he took in the affair. The Post and the Press, both Opposition journals, consider the opportunity too good an one to lose the chance nt a bitter attack upon the Government. The Press raves in a moat hysterical manner. It al hides to Te Kooti in the most endearing and affectionate terms, and the “ lawless mob ” is considered quite a mild term in application to the Gisborne people. An intensely dramatic and furious article concludes :—ln a word, on his own showing, the Premier, under the influence ot sheer panic, threw himself help, lessly on the side of lawlessness, superstition, ignorance and savagery, and used the whole power of the Government against law and reason. He accepted unhesitatingly the most outrageous statements against Te Kooti, but he would not give ear to the most reasonable, and as it turned out, perfectly truthful statements in his favor. Such a topsy turvev line of policy, we should say, never was adopted betorebr any man entrusted with responsibility or authority. We are sure that the Premier himself must look back upon it as to a nightmare, or bewildered dream. It all arose from his utter lack ot resolution, his constitutional unfitness to deal with a sudden emergency and, we fear we must add, his most fatal weakness as a public man, the habitual tendency to sacrifice fundamental princioles to the expediency of the moment. We believe that nothing that ever was done in this country has gone sn far to justify the charges levelled against the colonists regarding their relations to the natives, as the Premier’s conduct of this affair at Poverty Bay; and we are convinced that by his so-called explanation, the Premier has placed that conduct in a more damaging light than it stood in before.