LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 274, 16 March 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Rotomahana arrives here early on Monday morning, from Melbourne via intermediate ports. She leaves for Auckland and Sydney at 8.

At the County Council meeting yesterday, it was reported that persons were in the habit of cantering over the bridges, contrary to the bye law, and it was decided to caution one man for this offence. The artesian well in Roebuck road has now been bored over 100 feet. A strata of a hard nature has been reached, and the services of dynamite are required to expedite matters. Possibly when the hard stuff has been worked through, the desired water flow will be obtained. At the R, M, Court yesterday morning an information laid by H. Cannon, poundkeeper, against V. Day, for allowing cattle to wander at large, was withdrawn. Mr Booth advised the complainant to obtain legal opinion on matter.

The Maoris at Parihaka are doing wall in cutting flax, some of them earning from £3 to £4 per week, A settler some time agn set fire to 70 acres of flax, in the vicinity of Bahotu, which it is estimated, 'uould have been worth not less than £7OOOl

Judgments were entered up for plaintiffs la the following civil cases on Thursday last:—County Council v R. Bryson, claim £2 5s 4d. costs 15s; Same v J. Cattell, claim £lO 2s Id, costs £1 Is; A. Keefer v Henare Tautare, claim £3 12s, costs 7s; J. S, Studd v Mullane and Mclntosh, claim 17s lid, judgment for 16s 2d, without costs; L. Mclntosh v J. Halloa, claim £3 10a, coats 19s. In a lata issue the Bay of Plenty Times has a leading article, in which some very complimentary references are made to Inspector Goodall and the reverse attention is paid to one whom we need not name. We have purposely avoided making extracts from the comments contained in our exchanges because it would appear as though we wished to bolster up a cause which has no need for anything of the kind, and apart from this, for the sake of the name of the district, we prefer to let matters quietly take their course, in the belle? that the trouble can thus best be settled, some one who has travelled the road tor instance.

A correspondent wants to know how long it takes to make a journey to tbe oilaprings, especially for one who never wastes an hour. In reply wo would not like to definitely state to a tew seconds—it depends a great deal Upon the disposition and method of the traveller. We have known people take a day to go from Gisborne to Makauri, but then they generally went out with the intention of enjoying themeelves, and what better enjoyment could there be than than a ride or drive out to Mnkaraka, and a short stay at Mr 8. M. Wilson’s favorite hostelry? A nice ride, a glass of lemonade and doves, a substantial meal, and a delightful chat—but at ara forgetting our correspondent. No, iir i we' positively decline to answer the WtthasHrt ’«“• 9WW IbtetMWa rnißohluHufo. '

A notification appears elsewhere, having reference to a sale of Crown Lands on the 28th inst.

It is a curious circumstance that, though last year saw no less than three German Emperors, not one of them celebrated his birthday as Emperor during 1888.

The Persian publicdecided the other day that the railroad is an enemy to the human race, because a man who jumped off a train while in motion fell uni er the. wheels and was killed. They accordingly tore the cars in pieces, and would have wiped out the train employees if the latter had not taken to their heels.

It would be inadvisable to publish a letter from “ Settler,” for the excellent reason, so far as we are concerned, that it would lay us open to a libel action without any public good being achieved. The remarks are perfectly just, but the remedy is not so clear. The letter refers to the prominent part which two leading natives of this district took in inviting an unwelcome guest to the place ; then the writer proceeds to narrate historical facts which we cannot reproduce.

Interesting meetings have been held at the Tent during the past week. There will be a meeting this afternoon at 3, but the evening meeting will be omitted. Tomorrow meetings will be held at 3 and 7 pm. In the, afternoon Mr Hare will speak on the subject ’’Are the prophecies reliable ?’; in the evening on ” God’s dealings with the nations: Is there justice in the destruction he has visited upon them ?” Mr E. W. Blackett, M.P. for Whitby, recently made a tour of the southern colonies, studying more particularly their legislative systems. Of the results of democracy in this colony Mr Blackett thus speaks“ New Zealand, one of the fairest countries upon earth, and a land flowing with milk and honey, teeming with natural wealth of all kinds, blessed with a climate of unequalled salubrity, one of the brightest gems in the British Grown, has gone near to be ruined by her Parliament!” and he quotes the words of an old resident, who said to him with great energy, “ But for the curse of [constitutional government we should have been one of the happiest and most prosperous countries in the world instead of being weighed down, as we are, by a heavy burden of debt, incurred, much of it, for purposes utterly foolish and worse."

An extraordinary affair in connection with the sale of runs is reported from Dunedin. Robert Campbell and Sons held under lease 82,000 acres at Otakeike. These were marked Lots 23 and 28a for Thursday’s auction. Ths Waitaki settlers made strong representations to the Government against reletting these runs in block and petitioned the Ministry to have them cut up. The Waitaki settlers could get no satisfaction, but at the last moment the Government are supposed to have given way and they sent a telegram as Mr Elliott, of the Crown Lands Departmsnt, alleges, to the auctioneer to withdraw the lots. The Otago Daily Timas says the telegram was handed to the auctioneer some time after the sale began, and, as the Lots 28 and 28a were the first lots, they were sold long before he had the telegram. But this is not all. The telegram was to withdraw Lots 228 and 228 a, which were the Hawkdun station, and next day a telegram was sent by Mr F.lliott as follows: ” Telegram last night should have referred to runs 28 and 28a, Otakaike, not to runs 228 and 228 a, The Lyttelton Times remarks: —“ If there is anything unexplained in this remarkable business one thing is certain, which is that the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. T. Hislop, will not again sit for Oamaru.”

Says the N. Z. Herald of Saturday last : — Poor Te Kooti 1 One cannot help feeling some pity for him after all. He went up to Mercer on Monday afternoon last with Mr James Mackay, who had it in charge to see him aa far as Mercer, and safely booked to Te Awamutu. Te Kooti is in a bad state of health: he is afflicted with asthma, and has that hacking cough so common with Maoris. He could not endure the window of the railway carriage' to be open. He seemed also timid and frightened, and was much annoyed at the people running round the carriage at the different stations to get a look at him. At one place a European called -out, ” Oh, the wretch 1 he ought to be hung 1” Te Kooti asked Mr Mackay what the man said, and Mr Mackay made a faithful interpretation. Te Kooti looked very sad, and said, "I really don’t see why I should be hung.” The wife Heene, who is his faithful attendant, knows some English, and through her he knows what Europeans are saying. When he got to Mercer he was exceedingly anxious that ha should have a key for the room in wb eh he slept that he might lock the door. He was nervous about allowing Mr Mackay to leave him until he got back to Kihikihi. It is rather surprising that, in spite of remonstrances, he should have persisted in making the attempt to go to Poverty Bay, but in his present state it seems quite certain that he will not think of venturing a repetition of the journey.

It is not many months since a large number of journals were hoaxed by a description of a bloody revolution in Mexico. They have again been the victims of falsehood, and the surprise is that news agents can be so gullible in these matters. It was reported there had been a horrible torture and massacre of some French tourists who had been taken prisoners by Indians at Yellowstone Park. The account has now been proved to have been false from beginning to end. A few such hoaxes will do a great deal towards discrediting journalism, no matter how honest may bs the intentions. People will not believe that the news agents are themselves so innocent that they will believe anything they are told to be the truth. During the Te Kooti scars some drunken scoundrel, with whose name we are not nor have we any wish to be acquainted, rushed into our office at midnight just about the time when the excitement was at its highest, and in a most excited state narrated a story that he had just galloped in from this side of Karaka, where he had heard guns being fired and other terrible noises tbgt made him feel positive that a fight was taking place. Everything about the man and the way be told the story would tend to convince an unsusceptible person ; but when asked for circumstantial evidence to bear him out the fellow got indignant and was about to leave, muttering something about not being believed until it was too late, and when asked why he did not tell the Sergeant of Police, he rushed out into the darkness, appearing to be l>igb|y offended. Hie movements were subsequently watched to ••certain if there were really any grounds for the statements he had made, and he was soon after seen behind a pot of beer I He might have been prosecuted for attempting such a dirty tfick, but it was not thought worth while to'consider t,he platter farther.

Mr Robert Reid, the retiring president of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, when replying to a presentation made to him, made a few remarks as to the commercial outlook. M r Raid said they all knew from the signs of the’ times that the danger sig nals were down ; that the tonnage of yessola arriving with goods far exceeded the requirements of the community. He feared that in the future, as in the past, many lines of goods would be obtainable here at less than they cost in the markets in the old world ; this had always been the case after prosperous times, He was satisfied that they were entering upon a period of great anxiety in the commercial world, The revenue at the Customs, he was glad to say, kept up handsomely, but that was accounted for by the fact that the goods had to be cleared. With reference to the land boom, which was a serious subject to a large portion of the community, he was sura that it died a natural death before the opening of the Exhibition, and many Would romember the common exclamation “ I thought It was aU over,” When they read the reports in the ' papers supplied by the auctioneers themselves of land to the value of B quarter of a million being sold on an afternoon, to such an extent did it prevail that he felt, as president of that chamber, it was neither honest nor right, and he interviewed a representative auctioneer, a man of great integrity, and said : " These reports appearing in the papars from day to day are false and misleading, and jt you don't t»ke action io your Auctioneer’s Association we will bring it up and gat It stopped,” He was glad to say that this gentleman did take cotton, with the result that the reports were suppressed, and the foad beom buret that very

In New South Wales last year, 1,353 persons were charged with drunkenness, and 158 persons lost their lives from causes attributable, directly or indirectly, to intemperance.

A Bohemian mechanic has built a bed that, as soon as laid upon, begins playing airs from A über, and lulls the occupant to sleep with sweetness. At the hour set for rising it changes its tactics and thunders forth one clashing march after another until relieved of the sleeper’s weight. Some lover of musty times has been diving into old files of the Melbourne Argus. Among other tit-bits discovered are two advertisements which denote how closely people were packed together in those days. One offers Comfortable board and lodging for seventeen gentlemen in a two-room cottage, where no other lodgers are taken; and the second notifies that ten gentlemen can have a room to themselves by applying at such and such a place. At the Salvation Army Barracks last evening a memorial service will be held in honor and respect of the late Mrs Captain Holdiway, who some time ago labored here in connection with the Army. Both Captain and Mrs Holdiway bad been sent from here to pioneer the Army work amongst the K'anris, living and faring with the same, and had experience of Maori pahs and Maori ways. The lady in question had won quite a number of friends, and her decease will ba deeply regretted.—Napier News. A cynical Wellington paper remarks :—We understand that the medals to be issued to the “ troops ” who took part in the recent war on the East Coast, will be issued shortly. The design has already been approved, and is as follows On the face is a representation of Te Kooti on a bust, between a Permanent Artilleryman and a policeman, surrounded by a wreath of Maori cabbage leaves, and underneath the word “Primage.” This ought to be a delicate allusion to Te Kooti’s vinous condition at the time of his arrest, while it at the same time delicately hints at the doubt existing as to whether the call to arms was a legal “ tax” on the New Zealand forces or a legitimate call to "duty,” On the reverse side is a very “ big boot ” in relief surrounded by a laurel wreath and the inscription ”ad valorem.” It is a question among classical scholars whether this is to connect the big boot with the present tariff, or whether the Public Artist intended, and Ministers subsequently passed, it as the Latin equivalent of “ For Valor.”

During the last year or two (says ths Launceston Examiner) a good deal has appeared in the press about a creeper, apparently indigenous to the Capa Colony, ths flowers of which attract and capture moths, and which it was supposed would prove a useful check on the oodlin moth. At this end of the island but little faith is placed in the efficacy of this preventative, and we have received a spray in Sower of the creeper from the gas company’s works, where it has been growing for some years past. The white flower has two pietils, which at certain stages of growth are a short distance apart, and when the moth or other insect inserts its head in search of honey the pistils close, and hold the insect till it is dead. The oodlin moth, however, is a nocturnal rambler, and it is not proven whether the flower is not at rest at night. Mr T. Wade, whose opinion on such matters demands consideration, writes us upon the subject as follows " Phyiianthue albene, the so-called oodlin moth plant.—l have been somewhat amused at the fuss made about the above as being something new to Launceston, when many years since I was presented with seeds of it grown here, but without a name, which I subsequently ascertained, but as an interesting climber, from which I grew a number of plants, which I offered, and sold some, at 6d each, I planted one, which grew and produced flowers and seed in abundance. The latter was allowed to waste as being of no commercial value here, and nothing was known of the moth destroying properties of the flowers, of which lam sceptical. There was a superabundance of codlin and other species of moths in the vicinity, but I did not notice any destruction. Certainly I did not look specially for it, but I think I should have done so had such been the case to any extent, as the plant was under my frequent daily observation.".