LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 425, 6 March 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Waimata Road Board call for tenders for clearing and forming tracks. The Gisborne Harbor Board and Ormond Road Board this morning give peremptory notice to defaulting ratepayers. Messrs Kennedy, Evans, and Co. have purchased the timber, firewood, end coal business recently carried on by Mr J. A. Harding, and tbe business will be continued in the premises used by Mr Harding. The winding up process in connection with the harbor works is now proceeding, the hands engaged in blookmaking having been discharged. This throws nearly twenty hands out of work.

An influential Committee has been formed to supervise the arrangements for the Sr. Patrick’s Ball, to be held on the 17th March at the City Rink. Gentlemen's ticket are 12s 6s each. Messrs W. Parnell and W. 0. Skeet are the Honorary Secretaries, Meetings have been held of the recently organised branch of the Federated Wharf Laborers’ Union and communications ore being made with headquarters, but the proceedings are being kept confidential, and it hse not vet transpired as to wba* attitude the local branch of the Union intends to take UPThe concert at PatataW thia evening should attraat a iMge attendance, including many people from town- Among those who take part are-Mrs Wright, Mr Laugher, Miss Parnell, Mr Langford, Mrs Stewart, Rev. Father Kehoe, Mrs Sunderland, Mr Nook, Miss Langford, Mr Izod, Miss Adair, Mr Gillimore, and Mr Brace. Mr Tan«|«y‘a brake leaves the Masonic corner at 6 15 this evening.

A olever.’ookiag young man in the news, nuper line (but not on the Standard staff) was BS l iced on Monday copying from the STiNDAnn ffindow the account of a recent dhasteK ’parked that tbe incident wag & one, but the scribe was ids that he was the object of m '* a tl ? r _ V. was so intent on obtaining the ''•F own pacer that he could afford to i?’ l “ dignity in his pocket just for the occasion.

Some time ago a cable mesesge announced the destruction bv fire of one of the most remarkable buildings in the world—the Temple of Heaven, at Pekin. Thd temple, it seems, was struck by lightning. Sa untoward an event has created & profound impression upon the superstitious population of the Chinese capital, who declare it to be a mani« festation of Divine displeasure at the construe, tion of railways, espeocially as tha opening of the line from Tienstin to Kaiplng was followed by the burning of a portion of the Imperial Palace.

The Whataupnko Road Board met on Tuesday afternoon, when all the members wore present, ' The Ballanoa Street contract was nealn considered, and it was decided that the Engineer give the contractor nntlae to complete the work in accordance with the specifications, witbin seven days, Mr O'Neil, wbo was present, eaid he considered that he had put on all the gravel specified, and could not be compelled to put on more. If was decided that the work for clearing tbe slips on tbe Riverside Road be left until Ballance Street is taken over, and that all accessary repairs be let at the game time, Some other formal business was transacted, and the meeting adjoutned.

There seems to be quite an escaping rage now uiuimg prisoners, another attempt to bolt having been made by some of the Ripa Island prisoners.

The privileges in connection with the S’. Patrick’s Day sports are to be disposed of by auction on Saturday next. The proposed meeting is creating a wide interest in the country, and as the various contests are likely to bring out large fields, the privileges should realise a substantial 6 ura . At a meeting of the School Committee last night it was decided; to strictly enforce the compulsory clause of the Education Act, and make no exception of parents who are supposed to be teaching their own children. Accounts amounting to £5O were passed for payment.

A bit of by,play occurred in Court yesterday morning between Messrs Rees and Sievwright. The defendant in a case was telling his tale when Mr Rees stopped him at an interesting point. Mr Sievwright desired him to go on. Mr R. objected. Mr S. insisted, and thought it wasn’t right to stop the witness at that point. Mr R. was conducting his own ease and thought he was the best judge as to what was right, and Air Rees got his way. The Bench smiled.

The Poverty Bay Rowing Club’s representative crews have decided to have a friendly contest or. March 20, over a two mile course. Tbe winners are to be the recipients of trophies presented by Captain Tucker and and Messrs Joyce and Harding, while Mr McLernon will make a presentation to the unsuccessful crew, both crews having proved themselves to be very strong ones during their respective visits to Auckland and Napier. Two native women who were the parties in an assault ease which was dismissed yesterday met one another outside the Court and fought tbeir battle over again with their tongues. For a short period hostilities seemed eminent, and a crowd of both natives and Europeans prepared to enjoy the fan. The parties, however, seemed disinclined to meet one another in public and both sides moved up the street, still waging tbe battle with their tongues, and followed by an admiring crowd of friends and relations.

The Times, in on article on gambling houses in Wellington, declares that at "hazard” alone over £lOO a day changes hands in that city, and at c rds, among what are known as the upper classes, over double that amount is daily at stake. The usual charge made by keepers of gambling houses, it is said, is Is perplayer per hour, and the keeper of one particular room will think he has made a bad day’s work if he does not clear £4 to £6, besides what he may win from a throw in now and again. A youth named Jamis Fau’knor met with a serious accident on Monday, He was assisting his father to drive some sheep across the Waipnoa river, near the Karaka. and while tbe lad’s father went on ahead he dismounted to hold a sheep dog that was doing bad work. The horse must have kioked the unfortunate youth and dragged him a short distance as he was trying to mount. He was badly cut about the face. Assistance and medical attendance were procured as soon as possible and the sufferer is now progressing favorably. Mr S. J. Cole, a building contractor, was killed in Melbourne by falling from a height of 70ft. He was engaged superintending a gang of workmen engaged all night on his contract to rebuild the top story of the Adelaide Chambers, and about 2 in the morning he sat down on a window ledge, "Oft above the pavement. It is supposed he dozed oft, as he fell on to the pavement, and was killed instantly, his skull being fractured. His arms were broken, also his ribs, besides which the internal organs were ruptured.

People seem to be going holiday mad in Dunedin, and the Early Closing Association there is trying to secure as a permanent holiday the Saturday following Good Friday, thus having shops closed from the Thursday night till Tuesday morning. We have heard of many ridiculous propositions emanating from bodies of the kind, but the proposal referred to can rank well among tha most absurd. Instead of having a race of pushing colonials the Association would convert the people into a lot of giddy nincompoops with no higher object than to frolic through a continuity of holidays. How man can be so frivolous is what astonishes us.

The Australian Amazons Company had ano her big attendance, at their performance on Tuesday night. The various items were well received, and the performers much applauded. There was also a pood house last night, when a benefit was tendered to Miss Amy Vaughan, who has made herself a special favorite by her clever acting. She was so often encored last night, that it must have been very trying to her. Little Daisy, too, was repeatedly brought back again, and all the other items were very popular. The scene from Romeo and Juliet was acted with great effect, Miss Travers and Miss Amy Vaughan taking the characters excellently. Last week's cables stated that Lord Clifton had been sentenced to imprisonment for defying an order of the court. As far back as the beginning ot November the following paragraph with reference to the matter, appeared in a Home paper “ Lord Clifton is pitting himself against tha strong arm of the law, as’ represented by the judge of the East Kant County Court, and the result is awaited with curiosity. The judge has thrice cited the titled bankrupt to appear before him, and thrice has the summons been ignored. What the next step will be no one seems to know. If the delinquent were plain John Smith the minions of the law would soon haul him off to durance vile. But there is some advantage in being a real, live lord—at-least in East Kent—and, safe in his retreat at Cobham, tbe heir of Clifton defies the low-born (bailiff, and laughs to scorn tbe citations of the court. Tbe Rev. H, T. Robjohns had an audience with tbe natives at the Whakato gathering, through tha Native Church Board. The Bishop of V/aiapu presided. The rev. gentle* men gave an interesting account of the work of the Bible Society, stating that for the Maoris the Society had now provided 141,150 volumes, The time, ha considered, had come when the Maoris themselves could assist in the distribution of the work in heathen lands. The Bev. Tamihana Huata (Wairoa) proposed, and Major Ropata Wahaws.ha recondad, a oordial vote ot thanks to the Society and its representative, cordially approving of the work and promising monetary support. The Rev. Mr Robjohns addresses a meeting at the Presbyterian Church this evening, at 7.30. The Biphop of Waiapu will be present. Its funny when yog feel that way; but the funny man who plays up the game, and makeg a blunder, comes to grief. A Maori, with the astuteness of bis race (equalled only by an American Jew of Scotch extraction), tendered at the bar of a local hotel five coins —as he imagined—penny pieces, for a drink, and asking that he should be trusted with the balance, being as he termed it "poor ferra me.” On receipt of the “ stamps "—to gee an Americanism, the individual behind the bar discovered that “poor fellow me” had by mistake included a shilling, and consequently Indulged in a big laugh to the dhpoipfiture of the aboriginal, who up to that time had all the best of'lt.’ A? a lesson t 0 *ka Maoris or to others, it might be pointed out that ** they apt fMrly t they will be treated Lirly, but—iM inevitable I'bnt''—play "Silly boy with » nasty dog wd get hurt,” We yesterday had the extreme pleasure of an intervla'ff with the noted Sydney Taiwhanga. osq , In the course of an exceedingly entwasining conversation Mr gently uprfcHed ub because our " spsgial ■ at the great VVhanifo gathering had stated the natives enjoyed ?y“bey • presence as m>fo r > for the fun he gave them as for his extraordinary abilities. He tayH he onm« down from AUokJipd purposely tfi cheek Mr J, Carroll and Mejov and he asserts that succeeded splendidly, although counter teptlbs, In the shape of a huku, were employed to disconcert him. Indeed Sydney was very joylal, carrying his enormous brain power with £ very Tight heart. We haven’t heard yet of Mr (larroll or Major Ropata trying to release themsalvjs from connection with a world in which (according to Sydney) they are so little appreciated, or rather 1 in which he, their nolitioal opponent, is so highly appreciated, but we shall probably hear 6f something of the kind when Sydney is called upon form a Ministry,