LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 287, 16 April 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tender* are required to be in to-morrow afternoon for paving 44 chains of drain at North Gisborne, for Mr O’Niel. An apology from Mr J. T. Large appears in our advertising oolum*. in regard to the mistake in the Wairoa Guardian, which we referred to in onr'last issue.

In our advertising columns the services in connection with the Roman Catholic Church are announced.

The paragraph which appeared in last Saturday’s issue, with reference to Mr Maude, should have read “ that the bill was dated on the 3rd inst., but the receipt for rent was given on the 2ud.”

The programme of the soiree and cantata (to be given in the Theatre Royal to-night) is published in our advertising columns. The soiree, we may fairly anticipate, will be a complete success, and the cantata " The Flower Queen ” is a very pretty piece which there is not much doubt will be done full justice to, as the names of those who are to take part in the performance will indicate. On Saturday we published a short report of an interesting lecture given by the Rev. J. Ward, in Auckland—“ The Taranaki War." There will shortly be an opportunity of hearing the lecture in Gisborne, Mr Ward having promised to deliver it under the auspices of the Gisborne Mutual Improvement Society. The evidence in the case Mclntosh v Craill. claim £2OO, damages for forcible entry, will be taken in tha Supreme Court to-morrow. Mr Brassey appears for the plantiff and Mr DeLautour for the defendant. The intended Fire Brigade competition promises to come off very successfully. The Napier Brigade is desirous of sending up two teams, and a Napier papsKays that if the proposal of the Gisborneßeopla is oarried out it will afford the Napier Bremen a pleasant holiday. The members of the recently disbanded J Battery have done a kindly thing. They have handed over their gymnastic material to the Rev. Mr Fox, for the use of the classes that Will be instituted when the new building in connection with the Church of England is erected.

A Mr Turner, a wealthy merchant of Chicago, who ha* been on a prolonged visit to this colony, purchased in Dunedin the trained St. Bernand dog Hercules, paying £lOO for it. This dog was for a long time giving skating exhibitions down South, he having been trained to go on roller skates. The St. Andrew’s Literary Society begins it* session with a lecture to be delivered to morrow evening by the Rev J. G. Paterson, the subject being “He that would eat the kernel maun crack the nut." The Rev, Mr Paterson is a fine speaker, and the lecture, we are assured, will be worth walking a long distance to hear. The Society is making steady progress, and effecting much good, and the recumption of the usual meetings are looked forward to with interest by the member*.

The ossa of Mere Hardy v Bank of New Zealand and others occupied the .Supreme Court the greater portion of Saturday, and also yesterday, and it was not concluded when the Court rose last evening. The claim is for £l2OO and interest to declare deed void. Mr Gully appeared for the plaintiff and Mr DeLautour for the defendants. The case is now practically closed, but should Mr DeLautour wish to examine Mr Ward he can do so on Wednesday. Argument has been deferred to Wellington. At the Supreme Court yesterday Mr R Watson appeared for the Official Assignee, and handed in a list of bankruptcies which he wished closed. His Honor ordered the following bankruptcies be closed :—J. J. Ford, J. H. Aislabie, T. Nichols, John Sena, A Lsdger, W. Howarth, M. McLeod, H. Higgins, T. C. Lange, T. Parker, T. N. Andrew, A. Dean, O, Peterson, F. Oassin, P. Niven. D. Murohie, H. MoClutchey. At the next sittings of the Court these persons will come up for their discharges. An amusing spectacle was witnessed in the main street yesterday. A pet sheep, a black one, took it into its head to cha*e a sheep dog ; the dog ran away slowly, bur the sheep followed, passing through a lot of children who of course obstructed it, in playfulness. The sheep kept its eye on the dog and though the latter took different turns to elude the pursuer, the sheep eventually, after a good chase, came up with it. The dog was completely cowed, but

the sheep did nothing more than play with it. There was another large audience gathered at the Theatre lecture on Sunday night. Interesting points connected with Egypt and her Pharaohs were presented as evident fulfilments of prophecy. Mr Hare is called north for a few weeks on conference business, but he hopes to resume these lectures on his return. In closing, a meeting was announced for to night in the hall over Wingate, Burns and Co.’s In the estate of Adam Annand Gordon Croll, ironmonger, who filed his schedule in Wei lington, the liabilities are £315 9s 9d, and assets £l5. All the creditor* are unsecured, and the principal are: —W. Maude (Gisborne), £170; Gisborne Loan and Discount Com pany, £6 3s 6d; E. 8. Goldsmith (Gisborne), £9 19s 7d ; R. Johnston and Co (Gisbornej, £8 7s 6d ; J. Craig (Gisborne), £3 Is 4d ; Teat and Friar (Gisborne), £4 8* 9d; Garrett Brothers (Gisborne), £3 12* 6d; J Townley (Gisborne). £9 5s 94; Miss Doran (Gisborne), £3 7s lid; J. E. Hayes (Wei lington), £72 3s; W. E. Hall (Wellington), £4 15s; H. C. Voylan (Wellington), £3.

At the annual meeting of the Acclimatisation Society on Saturday afternoon, there were about twelve members present, Mr A. 0. Arthur being voted to the chair. The Secretary, Mr F. Dufaur, not having presented a balance sheet for the last three years, it was resolved to ask him to resign. Mr G. L. Sunderland was elected President for the ensuing year, and Mr A. O. Arthur VicePresident. Mr Grant was elected secretary. Owing to the absence of books and accounts, and members not knowing how matters stood, it was decided to adjourn the meeting till April 27. Messrs Maude, Nolan, Finn, and Winter were elected an interim Committee to act with the secretary. At Napier last week the Fire Brigade held a meeting the object of which was to mark the brigade’s appreciation of Mr W. Miller's services by presenting him with a silver longservice medal and three bars, the medal and bars combined indicating eleven years of service. In making the presentation Superintendent Waterworth referred in most flattering terms to Mr Miller'* long and meritorious efforts in connection with the brigade, the remarks being endorsed by warm applause. Mr Miller suitably responded, and the remainder of the evening was spent In a social manner, songs, etc., being given by several of the company. An ordinary meeting of the Borough Council takes place to-night. A* tenders have not yet been called for the laying of the street crossing* we would commend to the notice of the Council the advieableneas of having a crossing mads near Cobden Street, where one is more required than at some of the ether streets. There are two churches in this street, and a good many pedestrian* require to cross the main road at thia place. Without a crossing of tome kind, the course of the traffic is always a cea of slush in wet weather, owing to the water channel that ha* been made in the road. Another point requiring attention is the removal of the poplar trees that have been out down in upper Gladstone Road. Tha branches have been left on the road just where they have been out down, and are annoying to horsemen and dangerous to the fences on account of the possibility of a fire. The challenge thrown out to Mr Shelton by Mr Chambers, that both should resign their seats on the Harbor Board and give the ratepayers a ohane* of demonstrating which member has their confidence, was a subject much commented on in the country on Saturday and yesterday, and the general opinion appears to be that Mr Chambers ha* taken a course which does him credit, and they think Mr Shelton is in a sense bound to take it up. There is some talk of holding a meeting at some central place in the country, to consider the position of affairs, but the question arises as to what good could be done or how the position could in any way be improved by the holding of such meeting, besides which the apathy displayed in these matters by the tn&jcriiy at ratepayers puts a damper Uptm anything of the kind;

Tha House of Common* has adjourned tor the Easter holiday*. The schooner Waiapu left Tairoa yesterday for Gisborne via coastal port*. Bradlaugh’s Bill for repealing the blasphemy laws ha* been rejected in the Reuse of Common* by a majority of over 90.

Another blow to women'* rights. The Queen's Bench have decided that women are not eligible for seats on county councils in England. It is believed that an amicable settlement of the Samoan difficulty will result from the conference between the American and German delegates.

It was when the late Professor Proctor was an English school examiner that a little girl defined the difference between a man and a brute as follows: —“ A brute is an imperfect beast; man it a perfect beast.”

At the Mutual Improvement Society last nightan essay by Rev. R. J. Murray, entitled •' The True Gentleman,” was read by a lady member, the essayist being indisposed. One new member was elected.

A mile race, for the amateur championship of New Zealand, was run at the Napier Amateur Athletic Club’s eports last week, resulting:—F. Ellis, 1; J. Hutchins, 2; J. I. Cato, 3. C. J Lamb also started. Ellis won a game race by several yard*. Cato walked in. Time, smin ssec.

A syndicate is being formed for the purchase of a vessel for trading from Wanganui to Australia with produce, and to bring coal from Newcastle on her return voyage. This enterprise is to be started, owing to the extremely high prices charged by the Wanganui coal merchants.

A Wanganui man has a nice way of expressing himself on delicate matters. He says he saw a bulky Maori in one of the upper districts the other day, “clothed in ■unshine, and nothing more.”

At the Nelaon Supreme Court, in the case of James Watson, who got a year’* hard labor for larceny a* a biilee of a nugget of gold. Judge Richmond snd the crime waa caused by drink and gambling. The multiplication of race meetings with their gambling accompaniments, had become a public nuisance. The habit of gambling unfitted any man for pecuniary trust. The Empress of Austria is a truly noble woman—one of that class that would suit many wretches who never recognise that a woman ha* any feeling in her. The Empress intend* committing suicide when she gets the opportunity of thus disposing of herself, so that her husband may merry again, to some one whom he would take a greater liking to. This would save all the cost and disgraceful disclosures of a divorce suit.

A curious case was hoard in Napier last week, Peter Mack and Edward Hastie being charged with making a disturbance at the Cathedral. Evidence was given to the effect that the defendants repeatedly interrupted the service by laughing, conversing together in loud tones, and by singing the choral responses in a discordant fashion after the choir had finished. Inspector Kiely also informed his Worship that this was not the first time a similar disturbance took place in other places of worship, and he thought such conduct should be sternly prohibited in future. Captain Preece said he would certainly have punished the defendants very severely were it not for the fact that the Rev. De Berdt Hovell had waited on him that morning, and asked him to deal leniently with the offenders on thia occasion. The defendants had therefore to thank Mr Hovell and not him (tha Resident Magistrate) for getting off this time. In dismissing the charge, his Worship said that in future any charge* of disturbing congregations either at the cathedral or any other place of public worship would be dealt with very severely. Montprallier was thrown into consternation recently by a conjugal drama that terminated in the death of two persons. A printer named Debord, 29 years of age, became jealous of his wife, a pretty little brunette of 25. One day Debord seized a carving-knife and held it across his wife's throat, exclaiming “ Who is your lover ? ’’ After some hesitation the wife replied, “ Gaillard, the painter.” Debord at once cut his wife's head clean off with the knife, and ran, streaming with blood, to the next house to find Gaillard, the painter. It was broad dayligbt—9 o’clock in the morning. A crowd of children followed this infuriated Othello shrieking and crying. Debord dashed into Gaillard’s room, and with the knife still dripping with his wife’s blood stabbed Gaillard to the heart. He fell dead and the murderer jumped out of (the window and disappeared. It seems now almost certain that Gaillard was not the lover of Debord’s wife, but was denounced by her to protect her real lover. Thia drama caused an intense sensation.

The patrons of the Cardiff (T .ranaki) Dairy Company are in high feather over tha pratical result of the season’s operation*. Butter which they sent to London fetched 105 s, and three lots which they sent to Sydney just after the collapse of the butter boom, and which had been lying in store for many weeks (a pretty severe teat of keeping quality) averaged lid per lb. In bpth cases the net result to the dairyman would be almost 8d per lb—not an extravagant figure perhaps, but when it is remembered that this is hard cash, and that only 5d was obtainable from dealers at the periods when these lots were packed, it must be admitted that the selfcontent of the projectors of this modest little enterprise,is somewhat excusable TheNgaire and Midhurat factories, working on similar lines, are achieving similarly satisfactory results, and the croaking of thoee who predict all sorts of pitfalls in the. way of our humble adventures may now, it i* said, be fairly estimated at their true value. Butter from these three factories has been pronounced by unquestioned judges as folly equal to seperator butter.

Behold the damsel, crowned with rue, lactiferous spoils from lacteal dugs who drew from that corniculate beast, whose tortuous horn, sent to the clouds in fierce vindictive scorn ; the harrowing hound whose braggart bark and atir, arched the lithe spine and reared the indignant fur of puss, who with verminicidal claw, struck the weird rat, in whose insatiate maw lay reeking malt that erst in Ivan'* Court we saw.” So the paraphraser put* it, but the real meaning is:— “ Behold the maiden all forlorn," etc , carefully told in tha story of “ The house that Jack built.” The N.Z. Dairy Company do not for a moment admit that the damsels who milk the cow* supplying them (the Company, of course) with milk are necessarily forlorn or that the maidens will have to marry a " man all tattered and torn,” but they do most confidently assert that they supply pure milk of unrivalled quality. From thia pure milk, pure cream is extracted and delicious butter made. In the same manner they are enabled to sell the best of cheese, whilst for hams, bacon, and other dairy produce they claim an unequalled reputation.—Ad.

At a meeting of the Dunedin City Council last week it was proposed to frame a by-law to Suppress glove fights in licensed places. The well-known Mr Fish championed tha ring, and asserted that " the stamina of the English race had been largely built up by our forefather* learning to use their muscle* and defend themselves,” The same authority proceeded to say that “ a knowledge of how to use the strength that the Almighty had given you was a great thing to attain,” and added that it was al way* the way in Dunedin, that they were called upon to abolish entirely thia or that, by a few moralist* and purist* who jumped up in horror because something wrong had taken place.” Another Councillor, a Mr Lee Smith, was of opinion that " sparring exhibitions," 11 if carried out with du* propriety and decency," were quit* unobjec. tional, and were in fact " rather an edifying spectacle.” But he was forced to admit that recent exhibitions held in Dunedin were mere money speculations, and all spirit of fair play and noble sentiments were simply sunk into considerations of how much money could be wrung out of the public. A Mr Kimbell put in a feeble protest against the prohibition of “ legitimate boxing,” on the ground that “ * Bill the Slogger ’ was a much more estimable person than *' Jack the Ripper.’ ” Councillor Solomon—whose name indicate* wisdom—held that the exhibitions should be suppressed, as those which had been got up lately in Dunedin were simply to enable blackguards and spielers—why ths distinction ?—to take in the gats money, Ths jifopoiial was carried without 4 division. '

Last week a French woman itrangled five of her children and then tried to commit ■uicide.

Tha Imperial Colonial and Trading Company talk of running the River Plate mutton out of tha London market.

Some thoughtless people are trying to get Sir Charles Dilke out for another seat in the British Parliament, but Charley's r*c»nt lesson has proved a wholeanme one. He ha« oth r engagements -which it is to be hip“d will employ his time until theie foolish people have learned to have some regard for decency and the necessity for having representative bodies composed of those whose moral character makes them fit to associate with respectable men and women. ”He that would eat the kernel maun crack tha nut ” is the subject of a lecture to be delivered to-morrow night, but it might well form the groundwork for an interesting debate or controversy. We are afraid that "it is not always thus.” How many people, in the commercial world for instance, find when they have the nut cracked, so to speak, someone more fortunate or of less sound principles, comes along and appropriates the kernel, or in other word* takes po**e**ion of the oyster and leave* the shells for Mr Number One, The subject gives rise to a long train of reflections, and we are inclined to think rhe reverend lecturer will find many prepared with a negative, someone perhaps who has had occasion to deal with the law courte. We charge nothing extra for this advertisement, and advise those who are in doubt to go and hear the Rev. Mr Paterson on the subject.

Concerning the dwarfs using poisoned arrows, whom Stanley encountered, the existence of such people has been rum -red for mo-e than 2009 years; has been mentioned by Herodotus ; knd is thus alluded to by Emin Pasha himself in a letter describing his journey from Sudo up the Nile to Dufile, addressed to Dr A. Peterman, from Dufile, July 16, 1877:—“In conversation with Sheikh Beden, who came with six sons to greet me, I learnt further detail* about the existence of a race of dwarf* who are said to inhabit mountain caves to the west of Beden. These little people, of ab >ut 40 inches in height, and of a brown onlor, are greatly dreaded by the negroes. They are said to shoot very small arrows, which are deadly poisoned, and very difficult to extract, and to live on white ants and roots, not, however, despising a sheep or a goat. On account of their great agility they are difficult to catch; and aa they live in their caves, the negroes do not trouble themselves about them, but avoid going too near the mountains, I was told that the mountain they inhabit w«e named " Myan Nyan,”and some of the people call tha dwarfs by the same name, but others call them “ NyamNyam.” Now, this name would curiously coincide with the statement made bv Mariotte Bey that all dwarfs were called by the ancient Egyptians " Nam*," or reduplicated “NamNam.” I refrain from any comment on this point. I had heard eeveral months before of the existence of such pigmies who appeared to be the remainder of a dwarf population which ages ago spread itself over Central Africa, but I considered the rumour to be a

myth, for I was loath to believe that such curiosities could exist in a country which had been occupied by ua for years without any one knowing of them."