LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 379, 19 November 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is intended to hold a race meeting at the Karaka on New Year’s day. Jet d’Eau has been scratched for all engagements at the Exhibition Race Meeting. Section No. 39 of Hapara No 3 block was on Saturday purchased by Mr Von Pein for £2lO.

At the Mutual Improvement Society last night Mr O- J. Voale read an essry on “ The Pi araohs of the Bondage, ” in which he gave an interesting sketch of ancient Egyptian history, and an account of the recent finding of a number of mummies sup-po-’ed to be those of Egyptian Pharaohs,

The last number of the Melbourne Leader to hand contains a sporting almanac which is replete with information to which sporting renders may refer. There ia also a colored illustration of the “ Two favorites," Dreadnought and Sinecure, The Leader is a first, class weekly paper, Us sporting pages being an excellent feature,

A mealing of J the Hospital Sports Oom. m’ttee was held last night. Captain Winter occupying the chair, It was decided to sell the gates” and other privileges on Saturday next, but the Committee agreed to retain the grandstand and enclosure, the price fixed upon being Is, fid and 3d. The programme of the concert will shortly bo published. The Duchess of Fife (the Princess Louisa of Wales) is an envied woman. She has had a silk dress piece made expressly for her in a style something out of the common. For the past three months one of the few remaining old hand silk looms, brought to Bethnal Green by the Flemish two centuries ago, has been employed almost day and night upon a m&rvelloue piece of brocade. The pattern is entwined roses, shamrocks, and thistles. The piece measures thirty yards inlength by one in width, and has cost £l2O. It is the finest piece of brocade ever turned out of any loom. Those who intend competing at the annual Hospital Sports are reminded that ths entries must be in not later than 9 o’clock to-morrow evening at the Secretary's office, Lowe Street. As all the arrangements ought to be even better this year than on past occasions there should be an increased number of entries. Competitors of course have to bear m mind that in competing in these sports they are to an extent assisting a good object, as well having the pleasurable excitement that is derived from athletic contests. If all one hears is correct there will thia year be a large number of entries from different parts of the country, and it will not do for the townsmen to be behindhand.

As will bo seen by advertisement, the election campaign is about to be opened by Mr Rees, at McFarlane’s Hall on Friday night: what notion Mr Arthur intends to take as yet remains a complete mystery. The notice is somewhat short, but we do not doubt that there will be a good meeting. Although the election is but for one session, the politioal position is so full of importance to this district that the opinions of the two candidates should be intelligently considered by the electors. Our advice therefore to the electors is, attend all the meetings, and form your own judgment upon the utterances of the candidates, and then vote for the best man and the best measures.

A London correspondent writes : —lt is generally understood that the lawyers are hard nuts to crack, Novelists are fond of depicting the legal fraternity as sharp, shrewd men, up to every move of every swindler oq. earth, ,aqd it has always been accepted as hnnest truth that a man who could successfully get the best of a lawyer was a very smart man indeed, The records of the last London sessions, however, tell a different tale, A man described as a builder, 62 years of age, named George Booker, was proved to have swindled no fewer than 125 London solicitors. His mode was to take lodgings near a lawyer’s house and pick up all the local information he could. He then paid a visit to the lawyer, and, producing a long list of claims for moneys owing him by firms pf good standing, instructed the solicitor in question to recover them. He had also other work for the lawyer to do, and then came the old story—he was short of ready cash and wanted a small sum at once; and strange to say he found 125 smart lawyers ready and willing to hand to this entire stranger sums varying from 10s to £lO. The question is, was Brooker an extra smart man or were the lawyers flats ’ The result was Boolier got 18 months' bard labor. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather last Friday evening, the Matawhero School concert passed off successfully. The gahpolroom had been lavishly (Jeqqfated for the occasion, and excellent taste was displayed in the disposing of numerous flags, great quantities 0! flowers, and evergreens, so as to show to the best advantage. The school children were all dressed in holiday attire, and the whole scene presented a very gay appearance and formed a pleasing contrast to the dark and cold exterior which the audience had just previously been experiencing. The rain was sufficient to keep away some of the performers who lived at'long distance?, but the programme was supplemented by other items, and the audience, which filled the Schoolroom, expressed fb.w approval of all the numbers. The jpsjority of ths vocalists have sung on previous oceaiioSf; W® O”'? Voice being that of Miss Ford,a late SIPY 4 ’. wjjo received a favorable reception for her singing pf " Auntie.” The other singers were Mesdames Sunderland, Birroil, and Caldwell, Miss Rosina Adair, and Messrs Woodward and Birrell, —names which should sufficiently indicate the high-class nature of the vocal part of the entertainment. Miss McJTatlane, Misses Stephenson (2), and Mr James McFarlqne, all of whom acquitted themselves creditably, contributed the instrumental portion of tbe programme. Mr Birrell, with a Scotch reading delivered ip characteristic costume and with telling effect, and Mr R, Bruce (also in costume), whose dancing of the sailor’s hornpipe has been often praised, submitted to the audience, with the items already policed, an entertainment worthy of the cause in support of which it was held. But mention must glso be made of the songs by the school children, which were given in excellent time, and with the various evolutions gone through gave signs of assiduous practice on the part of the children, and much attention on the part of their teachers. The schoolmaster (Mr Harris) and the members of I the School Committee heartily combined in their efforts to secure the success of the concert, and they are to be congratulated on the outcome, although they were certainly unfortunate in the weather that they bad to Contend with. After the concert dancing was I indulged in and kept up till tn early hour on I Saturday morning,