LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 283, 6 April 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mai’s for Tonga, Samoa, and Tahiti will close at 7.30 thia evening, per Waihora.

Mr 8. Doleman notifies that debts owing on account of his contract will be sued for after Monday next. A word to the wise ought to be sufficient. To-night the City Rink opens for the ensuing rinking season. Tickets for the season, and any information in connection with the Bink, may be obtained on application. Each night the Rink has been open lately, on chance occasions, there has been a good attendance. Music will be provided to-night by a band. Mr Hare intends holding a number of Sunday night lectures in the Theatre Royal. The subject for to morrow night is to be “The Eastern Question —What does the Bible say of it ’ ” Will the Turk be driven from Europe, and if eo where will he place hie seat of empire ? Will Russia obtain the possession of Turkey in Europe ? The tent hymn books are to be used, but the hymns will be familiar to Sankey's songs. A collection will be lifted to meet expenses.

A reporter on the N.Z. Herald has been making an investigation into the quality of the water supplied to the city, and has had his conclusions illustrated, the sketches being enough to make Sir William Fox and his disciples stand aghast. No wonder Te Kooti recanted and went back to square rum. The too inquisitive reporter ought to be hung by the heels until he is gasping for a drink of the water he has “ crooodilieed.” The brigantine Clansman (Capt. Matterson) parted with her cables during the heavy gale on Thursday afternoon, and is now a wreck on the beach. There is no prospect of getting her off. We understand that an enquiry will be held next week.

"It is considered certain that the Atkinson Cabinet will have to be re-formed owing to the dissensions now existing, and the Hon. Mr Fisher is regarded as the Jonah that must be disposed of, The advisability of making regular collections in Presbyterian churches came up for consideration at a meeting of the Auckland Presbytery this week. It appeared that the Rev, Mr Meiklejohn, stationed at Kihikilii Upper Thames, bad tried the experiment of doing away with the usual Sunday collections, being under the impression that the demands thus made upon church-goers had the effect of keeping them away from the service. He soon discovered, however, that the new system would not pay, and appealed to the Presbytery for financial aid. The Acting Moderator (Mr W. Norrie) said that the law of the Church was that every congregation should be afforded an opportunity of contributing at each service, and that it was not left to the wisdom of individual ministers or a local Committee to decide whether it was advisable to have regular collections or not. This view was borne out by the members present. It is related of a well known and fairly Well respected gentleman, that he had often remarked if he could get milk he would never think of drinking beer. This ho hod not alone asserted publicly, but also privately, and bis wife ou reading an advertisement in the Standard, that milk was obtainable at the email cost of one penny, remarked that a saving of flvepence on each drink he felt thirsty enough to partake of, might he made. After mature consideration the gcptjoman in question came to lite conclusion that the innovation would materially injure the vevenqs of the Colony *i well, possibly, hie liver, and he now sticks to a engimdly former Opinion that molt aqd hop it preferably to • the lacteal fluid,

“ A Ratepayer" wants to know when the gdplUed time is up for the completion of Malone’s road contract on the Kniti, whether there are any penalties attached, and who has the supervision of the work » The writer concludes by stating that if the road is not completed before heavy rain sets m it will be ten times worse than if it had never been toiiebed and traffic upon it will be almost impossible. We have not bad time to make definite enquiries on the matter, hut may state the Maintenance contracts, of which we believe |his (• one, were referred to in the Council yesterday, and steps were ordered to bt tilwa WUU th« W ol expediting miters.

There is so little news in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, that a newspaper writer remarks: —l solemnly affirm that when the other day a mastiff bit a couple of holes in one of my bull terriers the little fellow seemed quite grateful to him for breaking the monotony of his existence.

The Union Steamship Company is about to have a rival for the trade between New Zealand and Sydney. In a late number of the Sydney Daily Telegraph there is an announcement by Mr J. C. Ellis that two steam vessels, the Albion and the Dupleix, are being refitted with ]new boilers and engines, and that they will run between New Zealand ports and Sydney. It is stated that the rate of speed will be high and that the steamers will run at regular intervals, The new line of boats, according to the announcement, will compete for the passenger traffic as well as for freight. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union of New Zealand are sending a novel exhibit to the Paris Exhibition. It consists of a banner made of peacock blue silk, and bears the inscription in gold letters, ‘ New Zealand, W.C.T.U. For God, Home, and Humanity.' In the centre is painted a wreath composed of the yellow kowhei and white clematis, At Oamaru on Saturday, a railway surface man, while handling a gun when out rabbit ehooting, got his hand so badly injured by the accidental explosion that the hand had to be amputated. The man’s hat was blown to pieces with the discharge. While the young man was being brought to his home a sister, hearing of the accident, ran out to meet him, when she accidentally fell into a ditch and broke her arm. The doctor’s services were required at the same time for brother and sister. The man’s name is Kusbatch. One of the first acts of the female Town Council of Oskaloosa, U. S., has been to pro. hibit graziers and farmers from exhibiting breeding stock in the public streets. Cattle, horsee, and sheep cannot well be wrapped up in paper parcels and carried about, so that the prohibition is awkward ; but the Oska loosa Town Council thinks the exhibition of horses or mares, or bull or coWs, rams or ewes, opposed to public decency and morals. Oskaloosa is situated in the heart of a splendid agricultural and grazing country. It is thought that some of the farmers may not vote for the ladles again.

An instance of the tough vitality of seeds is furnished by the recent experience of a Wairarapa settler. Seventeen years ago he grew some tobacco for sheepwash and also some horehound, in a garden patch. The garden was then converted into a sheep yard, and neither tobacco or horehound have been seen there, This season the old yard was dug up and sown with pumpkin seed, when a thick orop of tobacco and horehound came up, ths seeds o! which must have 1 lain low ' for seventeen ysars. A demonstration of the Melbourne unemployed was lately held near the Parliament Reserve. About 150 men assembled, aud several speeches were made referring to the coming winter and the prospect of hard times, and the necessity for the Government providing employment. The proceedings were orderly, though the remarks of some of the more extreme speakers were warmly applauded. Ultimately, the men marched in a body to the Treasury Buildings, when a deputation of five sought an interview with Mr Deakiu, who refused to see them till after the election day. They subsequently waited on Mr Nimmo, and asked him to save them from complete destitution. Mr Nimmo, in reply, stated that he would write to several firms and see tho men again on Monday aud communicate the result.

It appears the statement, co gravely telegraphed a little over a month ago, that the Prince of Wales had remarked, when talking to a statesman, that • we are all Socialists at heart,' had no better authority than its appearance in the weekly gossip column of the Birmingham Post, where the credit of bringing about a change in tho low necked court dress is given to Hie Royal Highness. The following is the form in which it appears ! — “We are all Socialists at heart,’ said the Prince of Wales the other day when talking to a statesman of the old school, who was lamenting the progress of Socialism, * and this conviction renders the outward semblance of Coeservatlsm more and more difficult to maintain.”

Rapid progress is being made by Mr Ponsford in the construction of the new building in connection with Holy Trinity Church, and it is expected that it will be available for use before the present month is ended. The main portion of the building is 60ft by 20ft, besides which there are three class rooms. It will answer many purposes, and probably not only be of great use but also self supporting. The principal object of the building is for use as a Sunday school. During the week days, however, it will be rented for the High School, and in the evenings it will nearly always be occupied. The Rev. J. E. Fox, the Incumbent, at present holds different evening classes in the Parsonage, and these can be held in the new building, as well az Church meetings, etc. The Rev. Mr Fox also proposes to organise a Young Men’s Institute, which should be of great service. It will, we understand, include physical development in the way of gymnastics, etc,, as well as mental improvement. Something of the kind is badly wanted in Gisborne during the winter months. Some ot our correspondents have lately been discussing the subject oflarrikinism, but we are surprised that this is not the cause of much greater complaint when we observe the inadequate provision there is for the healthy development of the vigor of Gisborne youth.

A special meeting of the Gisborne Fire Brigade was held on Thursday night to discuss the information given in the Standard’s telegraphic columns on the same morning, to the effect that the Napier Brigades had abandoned tho intention of holding a competition at Easter, and that the members of the Hawke’s Bay Brigades would be willing to come up to Gisborne if the local Brigade organised a gathering for May 24. It was intended to hold a local competition on that day, but no visitors from other districts were contemplated. At the meeting of the mam. bars of the Gisborne Brigade on Thursday night, it was resolved to delay the making of arrangements for a local competition, until it was ascertained whether it would be possible to make more comprehensive arrangements, with a view to inviting the Napier Brigades up to Gisborne. A Committee was appointed to arrange matters, composed of Messrs Townley (superintendent), McGowan, Fox, Morrison, Wildish, and Johnstone. Superintendent Townley selected a first team—consisting of Messrs Morrison, Wildish, Fox, Johnstone, and Walters—and a second one will be picked from the remainder of the members of the Brigade. The Mayor has consented to call a meeting of citizens to consider what can be done in the matter. The members of the County Council yesterday acceded to a request that they should allow their names to be placed on the Committee of citizens.

A visitor of particular interest to the athletic, musical and religious sections of the community passed through Gisborne last week, in the person of Mr G. T. Sullivan, brother of the world-renowned pugilist. Speaking of his arrival in Wellington the Post says t—Mr Sullivan is at present engaged in evangelistic work, and intends to conduct a mission in Wellington on undenominational lines. His history is somewhat remarkable, inasmuch as he had entirely different objects in view when he came to the colony. Until a couple of years ago his occupation was that of a trainer of athletes, and it was his intention to have delivered in New Zealand a series of lectures on physical Culture, in which he had already attained some degree of success in tho Australian colonics. About five weeks ago he attended a prayer meeting in one ot the Auckland Primitive Methodist Churches, and thia olr. oumstance has led to an entire change of his purposes in life. Mr Sullivan is a celebrated athlete, and in fact held for some time the 11-round athletic championship of New York State, besides which he was director of three of the largest gymnasiums in America, He also has unusual capabilities as a musician. His voice is a resonant baritone of consider, able range, and he has had the advantage of training at Milan, whither he went on the advice of Stanley, the popular English vocalist, Quite recently he sang at one of the Melbourne Exhibition concerts, and in the passage of the Te Anau from Auckland last week he delighted his follow-passengers with ptolortunoan given M their urgent pressure.

The American Government have ordered the Iroquois and Persicola to Samoa, to strengthen the force there. The retail tobacconists of Wellington have formed a “ trust,” or monopoly, with the object of keeping up prices, and the merchants have promised to assist them. A smart business man ought to have a good prospect there now.

TheWhangarei Town Board are about to have wells sunk at intervals over the township, with the view of making the best use of the fire engine in case of accidents, which the township is wonderfully free from up to the present. It is also proposed to form a fire brigade. Those wells will form reservoirs,

One of the Napier rowing men who visited Gisborne has been writing to the Napier News an account of the trip, which they regard as a very pleasant one. Alluding to their defeat by the Poverty Bay crew he says Never mind, we'll have our revenge next season; there will be no excuse than, there's plenty of deep water off the Marine Parade, thank goodness.

Two Frenchmen named Vetera are in the Waipa district looking for land. They are both practical vignerons, and are delighted with the climate of Waikato for grape-grow-ing purposes, and it is their intention to settle there if they can obtain land at a suitable price, and follow their profession as vignerons. John McManus, who r-’cently committed a brutal murder at the defence works at Ripa Island, has been acquitted on the grounds of insanity, but is to be kept in confinement during the pleasure of the Colonial Secretary. Cody, the murdered man, threw a stone at him in fun, and McManus had an idea that he had a right to murder such people. A correspondent of the Christchurch Press writes Stories of saloon-keepers being converted and olosing up their saloons are rife enough from America, but it ia not often we in New Zealand see the fact actually occurring before our own eyes. Such, however, is the case at Woodbury, near Geraldine. At this town the Salvation Army has lately been holding meetings with the result that a very largo number of the population have been converted, including the local publican, who has always borne a good name for respectability, He finds now that liquor aelling and religion won't go well together, and has de. elded to clear out ot the business. Tho wellknown J, D, Foley had arranged to hold one of his entertainments at Woodbury, and had actually advertised the performance, but such is the result of the Army’s preaching that he has decided not to perform there, The Woodbury residents have always been a fairly go ahead people, holding their annual race meeting, sports, gathering, balls, and numbers of concerts and entertainments, all of which they conduct to a successful issue. It remains to be seen what effect the revival will have upon the annual race meeting, which usually takes place on Easter Monday. From £1(1 to £fl in a very serious drop in the value of mining scrip, especially the scrip of an undoubtedly good mine, Yesterday (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph) £fl was the best offer for Mount Morgans and a short time ago they were quoted at £l6. There are £1,000,000 shares in the company, so that these figures represent a shrinkage of something like 10 millions of money. To the original shareholders this is not an overwhelming calamity. They simply have to reduce the value at which they estimated their holding. But by those who purchased at the high price the collapse will he felt very severely indeed, and there is reason to fear that in many cases it will cause serious embarrassment and intensify the existing depression. The cause of the difficulty is not far to seek. It lies in that inveterate habit of gamblers— counting one’s ohickens before they are hatched. A sparrow that is to make its appearance in the future, when seen through a magnifying medium, looms up as big as au ostrich. In the case of Mount Morgan the shares jumped last year in sympathy with the prevalent inflation and the rise was maintained in the expectation that the additional chlorimating works which were being erected would increase the output of gold to a fabulous extent. The works have been oomple’ed and the output has been increased, but, as we foretold months ago, it has not been increased sufficiently to justify the absurdly high prices at which the shares were quoted. The Manager of the Gisborne branch ot the New Zealand Dairy Company ia now in a position to supply the best butter procurable, tor the cheapest price, He proposes to make a revolution in the existing order of things in this line, by which buyers will be at a great advantage. There will be no purchasing of interior butter and re selling it at double the price ; the best butter only is kept at the Dairy Company’s shop, and the public have the benefit of the business-like method ot purchase. It stands to reason that a purchaser when, instead ot having to submit to all kinds of risks, and the disadvantage of having to wait perhaps months for his money—or in the case of shops to sell at prices which must allow the shopkeeper a large profit, besides the producer being required to take payment in other goods—can deliver a certain quantity regularly at the one place, and receive his payment promptly in hart cash—it then stands to reason that the producer can supply his article better, cheaper, and with more satisfaction to himself, and buyers from the Dairy Company reap the advantage. What holds good in the case of butter applies equally well in the case of all other producein fact, to anything that is marketable, but of course the Dairy Company’s operations are limited to their special line, which they have reason to hope will be as successful in Gisborne as it has been in other towns where they have branches, Eggs, bacon, ham, etc., will be sold at the cheapest rates, and everyone, from the wealthiest to the poorest, will be enabled to partake of those delicious luxuries which are ot all others the most wholesome.—Ad. Congregational Church servicesGisborne 11 and 7, Karaka 11, Ormond 2.33. Church of England country services Ormond, 7,