LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 328, 23 July 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

We understand that the purchaser of Tangihanga station has disposed of the property, for £7OO on his bargain, to Messrs Wi Pare and Peka Kerekere. It is reported that a local syndicate of firstclass settlers is about purchase the Pukepapa property. The representative of an outside syndicate has also lately been in Gisborne making enquiries, with the Object of speculating in property. The schooner Gisborne arrived in the bay yesterday morning, from Auckland via coastal ports, She discharged a good portion of her cargo into the lighters yesterday, An interesling lecture is announced to take place this evening in the Presbyterian Church, the lecturer being Mr Hugo, and the subject, " The Temples of Jerusalem." It is to be given under the auspices of the St. Andrew’s Literary Society, and further recommendation is not required. There is to be no charge of admission, but a collection will be taken up, The Cafe da Paris (nearly opposite the Standard Office) has been taken over by Mrs Menzies, who intends that no effort shall hs spared to increase the popularity of the restaurant, The price of meals remains at the same reasonable rates, and visitors to town, as well as residents, will find the faro provided to ba in keeping with their tastes, . Mrs Menzies deserves to be successful, and is J entitled io support,

The steamer Wakatipu arrived in Auck land at 3.45 p.m. yeiterday, from Gisborne. A Wellington telegram says that cvir 5000 signatures have already been obtained to the petition for the reprieve of Cliemis, The Seamen's Union, at a meeting held in Sydney, declined to affiliate with the Trades and Labor Council, Mr J, J. Devine, solicitor, the other oo msel who was engaged in the defence of Louis Ohemis at the Wellington Supreme Court, is seriously ill.

At a meeting of the Directors of the Gisborne Building Society last night it was decided that the dividend on ordinary shares be 10 per cent, per annum. Mr Henry Smith, one of the ollest contractors in Sydney, was taken ill with an attack of apoplexy in the Baptist Church, Bathurst-street, on a recent Sunday evening, and died after being taken home, At the Trust Commissioner's Court yesterday, certificates were granted to a judgment of the Supreme Court in the case Mereana Paraone v. P. Barker and also in the ease Mereana Paraone and others v, Barker. That monstrous piece of impudence, the Mediae! Practitioners’ Bill, which seeks to give a monopoly to a favored tew in the profession, is likely to have a short shrift in the Legislative Council this weak. At the Mutual Improvement Society last night, Mr M.B. Ford contributed an essay on “ Oliver Cromwell," which contained a thoughtful and favorable estimate of bis subject's character. Several changes in the ownership of hotels in the district are likely to take place. Among these changes we believe that Messrs Currie and Hogan (of the Chandos Hotel, Ormond) take over the Roseland, and that Mr 8. M. Wilson will become licensee of an hotel in Gisborne. Waerenga-a-hika is shortly to havs an addition to its business premises, Mr Albert Pritchard having decided to start a bakery near Mr Colebrook’s store. The timber is on the ground, and no time is to be lost in commencing to build, As there is no opposition at " the corner ” the enterprise should prove successful.

It Is a strange coincidence that just after another batch of settlers bave been induced by Mr Rees to come to Gisborne, that gentleman has shifted his own family from the district. This no doubt is an age of wonders, but even the knowledge that such 1j the case does not make us less curious to know what is to be the outcome of all Mr Raes’ schemes. The other day the Harbormaster took upon himself to deny, through a Gisborne print, that the depositing of tons of mullock m the river did not damage the harbor. Our information came from Mr Chute, whose practical experience makes him quite capable of giving a trustworthy opinion on such matters. The dlslodgment of earth into the river has now been stopped. Who was right— Mr Chute or the Harbormaster ? At the Land Court yesterday morning Mr Gannon made application for the completion of the survey in the Whangara Block, but thia was opposed by cartain Natives, Judge Barton however allowed the survey to be completed, on the understanding that the surveyor charged the cost to those whom Mr Gannon represented. A similar application In the Potu Block was granted on the same conditions. The Potutu B case will ba heard this morning, and on Saturday an application for a lease order of seotion 303 Haiti, will be made. The Waipawa Mail says ’> We have been served with a writ at the instance of Rudolph von M rbaoh, claiming damage) at £lOOO for an alleged libel contained in the Waipawa Mail soma twelve months ago. This may be quoted as an instance of the necessity for the introduction of a measure such as that at present before the House of Representatives. Without attempting in any way to comment upon the matter, we may say that we shall cheerfully defend the action, feeling that we have justice on our side, " Mr Mogridge, the printer of the Mail, was formerly a proprietor of the Gisborne Standard.

At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce the retiring president, Mr John Roberts, in his address to the members, said he regretted that the grain producers had not accepted the advice he gave at the last quarterly meeting to take advantage of the good prices then current. He thought that a serious loss had been sustained by not excluding others from the Sydney markets. He expressed a hope that considerable benefit would be derived from the commercial congress shortly to be held. Referring to the exhibition, he said that the support it had received would result in an exposition of matters colonial on a scale never before attempted in New Zealand. Such a movement must of necessity have a marked influence for good. Mr Roberts referred to the progress of the colony, land settlement, the frozen meat trade, and the development of gold mining as shown in the discoveries at Nenthorne and the improved returns from the Shotovar district. He expressed a hope that ere long the Government would see their way to abolishing the property tax, as he was certain it was a constant and permanent scarecrow to outside investors. Mr J. M. Ritchie was appointed preaident for the next year.

At the annual meeting of the Waerenga-a-hika Jockey Club held in the Masonic Hotel , on Saturday afternoon the balance-sheet and Committee’s report were adopted. The i former showed the Club to bave a credit ■ balance in the bank of £93 8s 104. The report mentioned that a alight loss had occurred on the year's transactions, but that , the weather and other drawbacks had militated against the Club’s aucoea«, Votes of thanks were passed to C. D. Bennett, Req , , (handicapper and judge), and to Captain Winter (starter), for their services during the December and May meetings, After some additional business had been gone through the meeting adjourned unlit August 81st for the election of officers, etc, Notwithstanding the fact that there has been a slight loss the Club has every rea-o~i to feel satisfied that such a tidy little nest egg remains. It would appear from the rrport, and also from the opinions of members, that the May meetings are principally, if not altogether, responsible for the deficiency in the receipts, It is not unlikely, however, ffiat they may be discontinued and that the Club will' rest satisfied with one day's racing during the year. This we think would be a move In the right direction, and would tend to make the gathering on Boxing day more attractive and a greater financial success. Jf ever there was a deserving case in whose favor the bend of the generous might be extended, it is that' of Mr George Banks and hi" family, Mr Banks, as nearly every resldaht of the district knows, has lorfg been afflicted with a most painful affection of the eyes, which places one who would otherwise be the hardest of workers, in a most disadvantageous position in the struggle for existence. His honesty of character and uprightness of principle have earned for him very general respect, but a good tiatjja is pot alone sufficient to place in a comfortable position a man who is otherwise sprely afflicted, and one from whom no camplaint i? ipade. Mr Banks is fortunate in having two sens who would be a credit to any father. The lads work in Napier, but are well known in Giaborne, and every penny these promising young fellows can spare is sent home tor the help of their parents, To save household expenses, Mr Banks desirous of going to Napier so that the family may npt bs divided, and with that object in view, a few friends have taken up his case and hope to place him on a footing thijt, though it gannet be equal to what would ba attained if he was capable of ordinary work, will at Ml events be some help towards It, and for that purpose a subscription list has been opened at Mr Adair's shop, Mr Banks, only the other day, lost his horse, which had been of much service to him. The boys are getting on well in Napier, and Mr Banks feels positive that the family could manage all right there if they were fairly started ; but the subscription list has been taken up by friends who lament his position, and it is in no |way his suggestion. A laborer named Ryan was arrested in the Manawatu Gorge last week charged with the larceny as a bailee of a horse, the property of .Mr J, Lucas. He arrived in Gisborne overland on Bunday, and was brought before Mr Booth yesterday, who remanded him till S-riday, / I

Woolsely's sheep-shearing machines are being largely used in the Liuth district, N.B.W.

A telegram from Ormondville, Hawke's Bay, on Saturday states : -An old and deaf Maori was run ovsr by the mid-day train to-day at the same place where MoJury met his death a few months ago, between Tekapau and Kopua. The body was brought on, fearfully mutilated, to Ormondville, where an inquest will be held.

The Matawhero schoolboys evidently wish to take a " rise " out of the Gisborne football representatives. Whether or not it is thst the hardy country boys think that the fact of their being in the pink of condition will enable them to defy the “ reps ” after the latter’s experience in feeding the finny monsters of the deep, aggravated by a short existence on aldermen’s fare, it is not for us to say. The challenge is made, and a team has been duly selected, being the second fifteen. The average weight isaaid to be BJst, average height 3ft, and age from 4 to 11 years. The names are W. Caldwell, full back ; G. C. Johnstone and C. Coppin, three quarters; F. King, S. Pardoe, G. Bougen, half backs; E. Sargent and W. Pardoe, wings; forwards—P. Stevenson (Captain), W. Smith, P. Aislabie, O. Richardson, A. McPhail, S. Jones, and H. Bright. The emergencies are—P. Malone (three quarters), F. Wilson and G. Steggall (forwards). The cutter Goldseeker, which left Nelson for the Oroixellcrs on Tuesday night, was caught in a squall off Walker's Bay and sank. The two men on board bad to swim for the shore. One of them, a Swede named Branksman, succeeded in landing, but oculd find no trace of the other (Joseph Spiers). Branksman being a stranger did not know the nearest settlement, and experienced great difficulty in reaching the Maori pah at Wakapuaka. He started at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, and being overtaken by night slept on one of the surrounding hills quite without shelter. The night was sharp and the frost severe, and his clothes were frozen on him. At day-break he started again, and reached the Maori settlement at 8 o’clock in the afternoon in a state of bitter collapse. He was brought into Nelson in the morning and taken to the hospital. No trace of the other man having been found it is deemsd possible that he landed and went to an outlying pah near the Orolxelles, It is impossible to recover the cutter, as she is lying in 16 fathoms of water,

A loud explosion was heard in Adelaide Road, Wellington, about 880 o'clock on Thursday evening, and for some time the residents of the immediate vicinity were unable to divine the cause. An explanation however soon revealed the fact that a passing tramoar had run over some explosive matter on one of the rails, This was found to be an ordinary dynamite cap, the tin portions of it being found blown into irregular shapes near the side of the rail. The fores, which must have been very great, fortunately caused no damage either to the oar or the rails, and the former proceeded quietly on Its way, The portions of the cap, which consist of three flat tins similar in shape to the top of an ordinary jam tin, were taken possession of by the police, who are now endeavoring to trace the perpetrators of what may possibly bo considered a practical joke, but which it cannot be denied might very possibly have been attended with the moat terrible consequences. It is thought that the act was simply the work of larrikins, but it is hoped that whoever put the cap in that position may be found and speedily brought to justice.

A correspondent writes to a Napier paper: Sir, —In your report of the meeting of the Hawke's Bay Education Board on Tuesday I notice that Mr Sidey pointed out that the overdraft of the building account is £1632 ; also, that applications were made for various sums for repairs, <fco., which had to be refused because there were no funds. Should the Board receive £lll5 thia year or thereabouts, an overdraft of over £517 would still remain, and again "nofunds” for necessary repairs, naw schools, or teacher’s houses, and so for another year the efficient working of our educational system is to be sadly interfered with. It is truly pitiful to read the reply given from time to time at the Board's meetings to applications for money for work urgently needed to ba done—“ No funds I ” (Just as if it were a proper thing to say 1) j have gone through the list of persons named in this year’s directory and flnd there are 3220, consisting of bankers, merchants, solicitors, clergymen, storekeepers, sheepfarmers, engineers, builders, settlers, who if they were to give 10s and the fraction of a penny each, would relieve the Board of its difficulties—save interest on the overdraft—and would leave the incoming amount to be appropriated to the requirements of the present moat urgent cases without incurring further debt. It appears to' me that if the aforesaid 8220 persons were each to give 10s the overdraft would be cleared off, and as this is a matter that affects the well being of the whole community, I will gladly send you this amount if the matter were taken up generally and at once, so that we might remove the disgrace of not being able to pay our way. If all heads of families were to give, 1 have no doubt the sum realised would be much greater. With regard to the future, something should be done to supplement the Government grant, as it is wholly insufficient to meet the wants of the district, and place it—ln Funds.