LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 432, 22 March 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A middle-aged woman named Charlotte Westbury Atha is under remaud at the Water Polios Court, Sydney, charged with bigamy. Revenue and Customs receipts of Queensland for February show a comparative decline; territorial and railway iucomse have increased. The Taupeka Times professes to have excellent authority for staling that Mr James Fulton is to be called to the Council before next session.

Tbe decision of the Boundary Commission in regard to the East Coast comes as a great surprise, and is certain to provoke a bitter outcry. An affiliation case, J. Gordon v. T. Smith, was heard at the R.M. Court yesterday, but was adjourned for a fortnight, there being no corroborative evidence. The Wairoa Guardian of the 19th instant says : —“ On Monday a mob of 2,500 mixed sheep crossed the bridge en route to Tomoana ; they were from Mr Woodbine Johnson’s run, Wairakaia, Pivirty Bay.” The local footballers are waking up and we may expect soon to see the leather being vigorously hunted over the football grounds. The senior club—the Gisborne— hold a meeting at the end of this month, and there are signs of a lively soasou this year.

The Adventists have secured the use of the Congregational Church, and as Mr Hare is absent, attending the Napier Conference, Mrs Hare will conduct the meetings there during his absence. There will ba meetings this morning and afternoon. On Bunday night the lecture will deal with “ The Gospel of ths closing age—What is it ? ”

After the alarm of fire on Thursday evening, a boy rushed down to the ring of the Salvation Army (where the Misses Houlden were taking devotional exert ite) and excitedly intimated that it was Hotldsn’s house on fire. The sisters were singing a duet, " What shall you do?” and continued while the bell .was ringing until the boy gave word of the seat of fire. There was then a race, and when Miss Houlden got far enough up to be sure that it was their house she fell heavily in a faint, near Mr D. E. Smith’s shop, into which she was carried. Mrs Houlden, who had been to the telegraph office, hurried up the street, and on being told her daughter had fainted, -went into Mr Smith's shop. Learning there for the first time that tbe fire was at her place she ran off in a great state of anxiety about the safety of her children, but fortunately they ware all right.;

The members of the Wesleyan Chnrch Choir last night presented Mrs Reddell with

a handsome silver mounted out glass biscuit bowl and butter knife. The presentation was made by the Rev. J. Ward, who in a few choice sentences expressed the wishes of the choir for Mr and Mrs Boddell’s future happiness and prosperity.

“;Truth ” writies in regard to a paragraph in our last issue that the gambling among the young men in Wellington had made him b ush for tbe fame of that city. Our correspondent makes a comparative reference tochmch bazaars, mentioning a reprehensible scheme that was tried on at one for the purpose of making money. “ Truth ” concludes, “ Why did the Rev. Mr Berry blush ? Let people hear no more of that canting, whining nonsense from such super-sanctified sources.” A meeting of citizens was held last night to makej final arrangements in connection with the entertainment to be held on Monday night In honor of the Fire Brigade’s representative team. A good sum was collected in the room, towards the cost of new uniforms for the Brigade, and Messrs Dickson and Joyce will be glad to receive any further subscriptions for the purpose n entioned.

Among the passengers by last evening’s steamer was Mr E. 8. Goldsmith, who has received ths appointment of manager of the Hastings branch of the New Zealand Clothing Factory. Though Mr Goldsmith’s departure from Gisborne will be much regretted by a large circle of friends, they will be happy to hear of the appointment he has received, and of the bright prospect of future success. He will be greatly missed in local musical circles, and the Wesleyan Church especially will have reason to regret the loss of Mr Gold smith, who during about nine years’ residence in the district, has devoted much of his time to church work, the choir being an institution m which he took a great interest. Mrs Goldsmith leaves Gisborne next week.

The Melbourne police have a first-class mystery to solve, and are making little headway with the difficulty. On the night of Tuesday, February 25 last, Gerald Daly was attacked by two men in Little Lonsdale street, and robbed of a watch and chain. He reported the occurrence to the police. After giving some meagre particulars, he left, and has not been seen since. The same night Constables Herbert and O’Connor effected a very clever arrest in Collingwood of two men who admitted the assault, and upon one of whom was found a watch bearing the initials of Gerald Daly. The police arc anxious to get hia evidence, the parents a.re bewailing the disappearance of their lost Gerald, and society is becoming profoundly interested in the extraordinary case. Farther developments are being watched with unlimited curiosity.

A sitting of the Reaident Magistrate’s Court was held on Thursday morning, when the following civil cases were disposed of : — T. W. Porter v. Hara Rutu, claim £2O ss, for cash lent. Mr Nolan for plaintiff and Mr Watson for defendant; judgment for £l4, costs £4 2s 61. J. Mullooly v. E. Thompson, claim £23, for value of a horse given to defendant to break in, and not returned. Mr Rees for plaintiff and Mr DeLautour for defendant; judgment for plaintiff for £l5, costs £4 17s. W. Adair v. Thomas Nichol!, claim £3 8s Bd, for goods supplied; judgment by default, costs 7s. H. Marcroft v. J. Robinson, claim £4 13* 7d, for goods supplied ; judgment by default, costs 6s. Cunningham v. G. Priestley, claim £2, for amount of an order ; judgment by default, costs 6s. In the appeal case W. Adair v. S. Dodgshun, claim £6O, in which judgment was given for plaintiff iu September last, the judgment was reversed by the Appeal Court, with costs £l36* to the defendant.

An alarm of fire was rung out just before 8 on Thursday evening, and it was soon apparent that an outbreak bad occurred in Mr Houlden’s residence in Childers Road. There was a lot of sewing material in a cupboard in the front sitting room, and this had by some means ignited, and was smouldering until ona of the doors had been nearly burnt through, the great volume of smoke and smell of burning cloth soon giving warning of the danger. The room was suffocating with smoke, and at first it was impossible to tell whether or not the fire had got a firm hold, but it was soon extinguished by willing hands. Mrs Houlden and the elder girls were down town, the children being in the house. Mrs Houlden was unaware of anyone having been at the cupboard since the previous evening, when she herself had closed it, but a little girl admitted that she had gone to it, and the most probable theory is that the light had come in contact with a piece of cloth, and then had smouldered until the outbreak. The members of tbe Brigade had the hose on in wonderfully quick time.