LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 471, 24 June 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There is a probability of the price of meat beldg raised in Gisborne from an early date. Mr W. L. Rees and Mr Ward arrived from South on Sunday morning. Mr L. Bees also returned on Saturday nigbt from a trip to the Wairoa, where he was very successful from a professional point of view. At the Mutual Improvement Society last nigbt, the question “ Which conduces the more to greatness of character, adversity or prosperity ” ? was debated, Messrs O. J. Veals and Jones taking ths leading parte, After a very good dßoussion the Society decided in favor of adversity |

The Napier people are organising a concert in aid of the survivors of the Balaclava charge.

The steps leading into the local port office are like the Government is just now—in a very ricketty condition.

Captain Thompson last night received the following telegram from Captain Edwin. North to northeast and southwest gale, with heavy rain, glass fall and warmer weather.

Settlers in this district will not be at all sorry if the Economist newspaper proves to be a dispenser of fiction. That journal has predicted a further fall in the price of woo 1 .

The Poututu enquiry was resumed yesterday, the counsel appearing being Messrs Sievwright, Chrisp, and L. Rees. There being no appearance of Mr Doull, who had been summoned by the Court, to appear yesterday, the case was further adjourned until Monday, August 4. At Invercargill a man answering to the sweet name of Tapper got let in for £5O damages, for writing on his shutters “ Broad, Invercargill, spy, and late poet office thief.” Broad wanted £2OO damages. He had formerly been in Tapper and Co’s employ, but left through a dispute.

Ths cry of the unemployed has been raised in Dunedin. Recently a number of men, most of them married, some with largs families, asked the mayor for work. The mayor sent them to the chairman ot the Benevolent Trustees, who eaw Mr Fergus about them, and Mr Fergus offered them piece work at Catlin’s river at rates which would enable them to make 4s a day. The majority of the men “ jumped at the chance.” Sir George Grey’s little freak in moving a hostile vote on the Governor’s Speech has brought a terrible storm of Press denunciation on the head of tha wily old political knight. His object is generally believed to be to harass Mr Ballance, whom he loves still less than he does the Premier, He must have known that it was out of order and could not be accepted by the speaker. The Wellington snobocrats do not like Lord Onslow, because he pays his way and doesn’t keep a contemptible lot of toadies guzzling at Government House ; nor does he rejoice in the slinks of Wellington. It is time someone taught these misguided beings that there is a higher aim in lite than swarming to receive the patronage of a Governor, and we admire Lord Onslow for his courage in letting these people know that he despises their toadyism, There was considerable discussion at tha Education Board's meeting regarding the desirability which existed as to unformity in school books in state schools. Tha chair man remarked that he noticed the question was beginning to be widely discussed and he wondered that the education departimnt had not issued a circular on the subject. The conversation rose through the reading of a letter from the Havelock School Committee, which pointed out the great loss, inconvenience and harm arising from using scores of different lesson books in the various schools in the district. The.letter was eventually ‘ received,’ no action being taken in the matter. An eminent lawyer in Melbourne was laid low with influenza, and a distinguished doctor prescribed for him a mustard poultice covering most of hie trunk. Next day, whilst the blister was still smarting, instead of the doctor coming, came a telephonic message—“ Dr. is so sorry, but he ha< got the influenza himself; what is he to do ?" (meaning, no doubt, would he send another doctor). “Ishe at the telephone !” growled the patient. “Yes.” “11l tell him what to do,” and he hobbled over to the instrument, and shouted through it; “ Put a mustard poultice all over your blessed carcase ; it will become your figure better than mine.” But it was the doctor's wife who was at the other end.

Amongst the petitions presented to the House was one from Mr Harry Hovell, late of Napier, who states that he claims £B5O compensation for losses sustained by him in consequence of being misled by certain reports to which he was referred before purchasing his lease of run No. 7, Sunday Island, and that unless this claim were settled by the Ist of May last he would have to add another £5O “as his expenses continued heavy until the claim is settled.” In presenting the petition Sir George Grey eaid that although it was not exactly in form he hoped the House would consent to ths petition being received, as he felt sure that the informality was done unwittingly. The petition was therefore allowed to be presented in the usual way. Another of the series of Cup football matches was played on Saturday. The weather was miserable and the ground slippery, but the great interest taken in the match was shown by the large number of spectators, many ladies even facing the elements in their desire to witness the match. Those whetook the risk of getting drenched by the rain could hot help feeling rewarded for the risk, the match being the most exciting one played this season, and being a very fast and game tussle throughout. The teams were Turanganui and Waerenga-a-hika. Wane of space prevents a detailed report being given. By a splendid run made by E. Matthews, who has developed into a very smart player, a trv was secure! for Turanganui, but the attempt at goal did not succeed. Later on Harry Maude made a flue attempt to pot a goal, but the ball struck the crossbar. The Maoris were given a try by the referee, the ball having been “ rabitted ” over the Turanganui line, but though the decision made the score hold good there is no doubt it was wrong. The game, which was partly played in the dusk, resulted in a drawin favor of the Turanganui team. Among the nice political proposals already made is one to promote Major Campbell to that haven of lucky old fossils, the Legislative Council. Major Campbell was formerly Clerk to Parliament, which position he had occupied for 35 years, having been 45 years in the public service. Seeing that he has done so well out of the colony, with a fat billet for 45 years, wo think that tha mere fact that he is a jolly good fellow is not sufficient justification for his being given an Upper House pension. The position of a seat in the Legislative Council should at least ba reserved for those who have at some time or other won the confidence of the electors. Major Campbell, we know, made an excellent Clerk, but excellent set vants have also been known in the form of /those who dust and scrub out the Parliamentary buildings. The satisfaction of having an easy and well remunerated billet is quite as much as most men would hope for. There could be as much logical reasoning in appointing to the Upper House some of the old compositors on Hanbard staff, as in the granting of such an appointment to a gentleman whose only claim is that he was once Clerk to the House. Great public satisfaction is felt at the prospect of an early and final settlement of the Whangara case, which has so long been mixed up in a litigation which seemed to be without end. Even the application to the Commission was only for a report, the hope, we suppose, being that Parliament would enact legislation to meet the case. At present Mr Seymour is in the position that he can do nothing in the way of improvements, and the natives are also unfortunately Situated, the perplexities and uncertainties of the law being a trying ordeal to all concerned. What the terms of settlement may be is a point of no direct interest to. the public, but any intelligent outsider nan judge that it would be the height of folly to go on fighting such a case when a little give and take on either side would result in an amicable settlement. If the counsel engaged—of course acting in concert with their clients—can arrange matters amicably, they will deserve not only the gratitude of their clients, but also the thanks of everyone whs desires to see the district progress. Every additional sheep that is put pn the Whangara block adds to the wealth and progressiveness of the community, but land affected by a title such 1 as that of the Whang rra block must, unless I there is some amicable settlement arrived at, be a bone of contention for years to come. I We sincerely trust that the good sense of the parties concerned will lead to the matter | being submitted to the Court this morning in a way that will justify us id congratulating all those aooMrneffi I