LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 281, 2 April 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A totter relating to harbor works and the contract system is held over. A vexatious error appeared in our last issue, by which it was made to appear that the Charitable Aid Board intended striking a rate. The paragraph referred to the Auckland Board, but the word Auckland was left out.

In his address for the defence in the murder case, Mr Kenny made some reference as to the value of expert evidence. A coroner's jury at Bolton were holding an inquest the other day on a young man who was found dead at his lodgings. Five doctors swore that some sediment found in a phail appeared to be strychnine, and that the body of the deceased showed indications of strychnine poisoning. An analyst, however, contradicted this evidence point blank, and in the end the jury returned a verdict of “Death from natural causes ” 1

As a proof of the expedition with which the Standard acquaints the public with the latest news—especially when it is not obstructed by “official” precedence on the telegraph wires—the terrible catastrophe in Samoa may be taken as a remarkable instance of the rapidity with which the news is transmitted. Information regarding the affair was published at our office two hours before any other local newspaper seemed to be aware of it. It was indeed made known in Gisborne at an earlier hour than it was known iu Napier, and copies of the Standard special edition were up the Coast as far as Waipiro by Sunday.

The Taranaki Education Board elections resulted in the return of Miss Heywood at the head of the list, Mr Andrews second, and there was a tie between Mrs H. B. Richmond and Mr Haloombe. By six to one the Board decided in favor of Mrs Richmond. The News says that this may be regarded as an indication that after three years* experience the present Board are convinced that the experiment of a mixed Board has proved a success. The City Bink opens for the season next Saturday evening, when a band will be in attendance. Season tiokets are being issued, •nd one night a week is to be reserved for holders of the tiokets. There is not much doubt that rinking will soon be as popular as ever, and a noticeable feature now is that whenever the rink opens for an occasional evening a large number of learners are among those present. On Saturday evening there was a good attendance. The floor has been got into capital order, and satisfaction is certain to be given on that account. At a sale of land held at the Land Office on Thursday last the following sections were disposed of :—Waimata, block IX, section 81, containing 13 acres 6 perches, was secured by Mr A. B. Newman for (upset price) £39. Section 58, town of Ormond, containing 1 acre, fell to Mr A. Parsons (upset price £30.) The lease for 21 years of sections 70 and 71, block IX, Opoiti, containing 161 acres, was purchased by Mr Thos. Wheel at the upset price of £8 Is per annum? The artesian well contractor having had to discontinue work during the last few days, owing to his having run short of piping, recommenced operations yesterday morning, a fresh supply of piping having arrived by the Australia on Friday morning. The second bore is now down over 100 feet.

The New Zealand Dairy Company have opened a branch in Gisborne, next door to the Bank of New South Wales, tho Gisborne branch being under the management of Mr G, Hill. The Company deal iu all kinds of table produce, such as milk, butter, eggs, ham and bacon. An advertisement this morning notifies that a supply of SOOlbs of butter is wanted twice weekly, Milk, supplied fresh every morning, is gold at the ■hop for 3d per quart, 2d per pint, and Id per glass,

The New Zealand Bible, Tract, and Book Society have opened a depA*. in the premises next the Theatre Boyal, with a large collec* i lon of Prize Books, Wall Cards, Church and I unday School Material, Family Pew and Pocket Bibles, in variety of binding. Hymn Books, Prayer Books, etc. Birthday and R«< *kfd Gilds, Inspection invilid.-a-Ad,

At an inquest held on the body of ths man William Watt, who was killed through falling out of a dray, the wheel of which passed over his body, the jury, on Saturday, returned a verdict of accidental death.

The last bye election in England resulted in the Home Rule candidate getting beaten by a large majority, but even then an advance was made on what the result would have been at the general election. The Tent meetings which have been carried on for the last nine weeks, closed on Sunday night In closing Mr Hare thanked the people of Gisborne for the consideration and sympathy which he had met with since pitching the Tent. He also thanked the papers for their kindness and assistance. A meeting was announced for Thursday, to to be held in the hall above Wingate, Burns and Cos., and another for Sunday night in the Theatre Royal, when the Eastern Question will be taken up, Lord Coleridge, Chief Justice of England, gives it as his opinion, and the result of his experience at the bar and on the bench, that actions for breach of promise of marriage should not be abolished. No doubt very refined people would shrink from the display of their wrongs in a court of justice, but the law was not for such very refined people alone, and persons who suffered from such wrongs had a right to come to the Court for compensation, and the very existence of such an action had a great deterrent influence and tended to deter men from wronging women ; and many marriages, fairly happy, took place n consequence of it. At a meeting held in Dunedin, it was decided to establish amonthly literary magazine entitled “ Zealandia. ” Nearly twice the amount of money required was subscribed in the room. A novel feature of the ventun is that while arrangements are being mad< to circulate the magazine throughout th, Australasian colonies, the writers are to b< exclusively residents of New Zealand. Th, matter published in “ Zealandia " is to bi

wholly original, and deal only with matters of interest to New Zealanders. Mr White, solicitor, was elected Chairman, and Mr Wtn. Freeman editor. The first number appears in July. Among the contributors are Messrs Reeves, Owen, Graham, Bracken, Waddell, Benbow, and G. Thomson. At the Mutual Improvement Society last night the business of the evening was im promptu speaking. The subjects suggested where all ol an useful character a'd were well spoken to. The subject “Who is your favorite poet or author, and why?” brought forth a critical address on Dickens, while two speakers eulogised Longfellow for the simple language and the inspiriting as well as pathetic nature of his poems. “ The good and ill effects of novel reading ” had many speakers, who mostly gave their personal experiences, the result being that while a great many novels were considered to be good healthy reading, the majority of those issued to-day were thought to be otherwise. Great stress was laid on the taste for novel reading that was cultivated by the weekly papers, which owed, it was thought, a great deal of their circulation to the chapters of novels issued from week to week. Sir,—ln reference to Mr P. E. Richardson’s letter in your last issue I would like to know what would be done in a case of this kind, One Sunday morning I went out as far as the Cemetery in order to see how a grave was being kept. My little dog was with me, and running on ahead spotted a hare and immediately started in pursuit. After half an hour’s game run the dog killed the hare. The dog had been told it was perfectly right to exterminate rabbits, but not having been specially educated in this line of natural history he was unable to distinguish the difference between a rabbit and a hare, and I myself was quite as ignorant on the point. Under the circumstances I thought it perfectly right to annex the game, not being told there was any wrong in it, and with all respect for Mr Richardson I can say I enjoyed it very much. In a case of the kind I would like Mr Richardson to inform me how matters would stand. I know a hare now when it is served up nicely, but I doubt very much if I would be less ignorant if the same thing again occurred.—l am, &e., Jugged. Juries are apt to get foul of the Judges at times. Justice Richmond talked very strongly “at ” a Napier jury the other day. Two cases lately occurred at Home, one before the Recorder and the other before the Common Sergeant. In the case before the Recorder, the prisoner was acquitted, whereupon the Recorder said, *’ Well, gentlemen, you believe the prisoner; I believe the prosecutrix, and that is the difference between us.” The prisoner was than discharged with a caution as to her future conduct. In the other case the jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. “ I cannot understand your verdict, gentlemen,” said the Common Sergeant in a warm manner, “ I disagree with it entirely.” A Juror: We think the evidence is very weak. The Common Sergeant: I think it is very strong. The Juror: We all agree. The Sergeant: And I disagree, and I may further tell you there is a previous conviction against him. A curious circumstance in the latter case is that the jury wanted to return a verdict of guilty on the close of the case for the prosecution, and changed their minds on hearing the summing up of the Common Sergeant.