LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 492, 12 August 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Vivian theatrical company left for Auckland by yesterday’s steamer. They did not discover a gold mine in Poverty Bay. Civilisation advances. Two more natives have taken the seemingly fascinating step of going through the bankruptcy mill. The Waimata settlers have now finally decided to erect the proposed public hall on the section kindly offered by Mr McPhail. Among ths motions to be submitted to His Honor Mr Justice Conolly this session is one for the admission of Mr B, N, Jones to practice as a solicitor. Mr J. H. Stubbs yesterday returned from Invercargill and Dunedin, where hs has been arranging matters in regard to baring for water wells and for mineral prospecting. The compulsory clauses of tbe Education Act are being rigorously enforced in Auckland, several parents befog brought before the Police Court last week. The plant owned by the Southern Cross Petroleum Company has been purchased by Mr Trent and others, of Christchurch. Mr J. H. Stubbs has been entrusted with the arrangement of transport. Our Waimata correspondent informs us that the bacon-curing industry is being skilfully carried out in that district by Mr Richardson, who has had experience which specially qualifies him for such work. The bacon cured is of an excellent description, and should command a ready sale at top prices.

When tbe first case was brought on at the Supreme Court yesterday, a native bsing charged with forgery, the prisoner appeared in the dock his face lighted with sheepish smiles. He pleaded guilty. On being sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment his lip immediately dropped, and ha looked quite sullen. He is a fine athletic built young fallow.

The member! of the fire brigade at St. Michiel, France, were photographed a fewdays ago (says a correspondent) and were grouped together in most artistic fashion. On receiving the negatives, however, they were horrified to notice that thoy had unwittingly seated themselves under a no*ice board, which, with its inscription "Fat Stock Show,” was faithfully reproduced in the photograph. The concluding performance of tha Vivian company was given on Saturday night. There was a fair attendance, and the entertainment would have gone off very smoothly only that the casual pianist seamed to have had an attack of la grippe, or to have been under some influence nearly as bad. One of tbe audience was so disgusted that he went out to try and discover a remedy. He directed his steps to a greengrocer’s, and purchasing a bunch of carrots, went back to the Theatre, and on a favorable opportunity offering, aimed the bunch at the musician's hud.

A Suva correspondent says Fiji is a veritable niggers' paradise. Mr Miln says that if the theatres were shut up more mad houses would have to be built. • There is a good chance of the School Committees Election Bill being passed this session. The 1890 football season in Auckland has been productive of an unparalleled number of accidents in that district. An Auckland journal fell into the amusing error of saying that Judge Conolly would sit at Gisborne on the 10th instant—a Sunday. Alate number of the Wellington Press has a clever skit on “ Retrenchment—A Civil Servant's Dream; respectfully dedicated to the ‘ Skinflints.’ ” “ Hansardise ” is a word that has been coined by Mr Beetham, and means to confront a member with his statements previously recorded in Hansard. The Auckland Seamen’s Union banner for Demonstration Day will hive in the centre a design cf the Calliope leaving Samoa during the great hurricane in 1889.

Mr Miln, Shakesperian actor, departed from the usual course, in Auckland. Instead of pretending that the season was profitable he said he had lost £l5O iu Auckland, and he wanted to make it up before he left. Dr Bakewell, of Auckland, says no man ever did any good iu this world unless he made up his mind to be a bore. He says it is impossible to keep secret the fact that there is leprosy in New Zealand. The next general election promises to bring out a large number of candidates. Our Tauranga correspondent, in his budget of news notes, states that there are likely to be three candidates (including Mr Kelly) from that district.

A cablegram received by the L. and M. A. Co., dated August 8, states that there is a good Continental demand for lower and medium sorts of tallow, and beef has advanced 3s per cwt. The frozen meat market is unchanged. It is stated by the Lyttelton Times that when the Ellis liner Jubilee arrives at Sydney this voyage she will be docked for cleaning and painting, and her place in the New Zealand trade be taken by the Tanais, a vessel of much the same class as ths Jubilee, but larger. It is also stated that after the Jubilee has been docked, a fortnightly service will be commenced.

At the Trust Commissioner’s Court yesterday morning certificates ware granted to the following deeds:—Transfer from Piriniha te Eka and others to S. R. Coooper, of Kaiti sec. 279; deed of sale from Otene Pitau and others to Ka’e Gannon, of Waiwhakaata ; transfer from More Maki to R. Harper, of Kaiti section 8; transfer from Hani te Auraki to Richard Loudon, of Kaiti section 70. At the Mutual Improvement Society last night the MB. Magazine was read and the articles criticised. Ths subjects ware —“ A few thoughts on selfishness in connection with the solution of social problems,” a very thoughtfully written paper ; “ Love, courtship, and marriage,” treating them from an elevated standpoint; “A short lesson in geology,” a practical paper ; “ A class for girls,” describing a class held at Holy Trinity Parsonage, and speaking highly of the kind efforts of the Rev. Canon and Mrs Fox; “ Our muddy roads,” an amusing satirical skit.

Only two criminal oases now remain for the Supreme Court to deal with this session — a charge of sheepstealing, and the murder case. We understand that the application for a change of venue will be mainly founded on the reports in the local newspapers, which will be produced in Court this morning by Mr Rees, who will argue that such reports are calcu'atod to prejudice the public mind. A change of Venue will probably be asked for to Auckland, whither witnesses and othere connected with ths case would ba required to proceed when called upon, in case the application was granted. Prior to the Kremler execution capital punishment had been abolished in the State of New York, not because the majority of the people believed that such a step was wise, but in order to help the State Legislature out of a dilemma. Last year they changed the death penalty from hanging to death by electricity, aqd ever since a grim fight has been waged in the courts on behalf of the condemned men, on the ground that “ electrocution ” was "* cruel and unusual,” and therefore prohibited by the Constitution. As they had voted against hanging they could not with any self-respect revise it, and therefore the Legislature has abolished the death penalty altogether. Mr Justice Conolly did not get on at all smoothly yesterday afternoon. The native charged with horse-otealing had an impediment in his speech, and Mr Brooking had great difficulty in his interpretations, which served to irritate His Honor. The Sheriff also came in for one rasping, while Mr McFarlane was not allowed to repose on a bed of roses—at least not roses without thorns. The old gentleman is rather dull of hearing and is not so agile as he used to be, and when His Honor wanted the gas lighted, Mr McFarlane started from the wrong end. His Honor quickly showed his non appreciation of the slowness in meeting with his desire, though it is only fair to assume that he did not know Mr McFarlane was hard of hearing.

Mr Seddon believes New Zealand to be the finest country under the canopy of heaven, but one of the worst governed on the face of the earth. Sneaking at Wellington he said Sir John Hall, the knight of " gridiron ” fame, had 33,000 acres of the richest land in Canterbury, with an unimproved value of £84,000 and an improved value of £7,500 and this was the wet nurse of the present Government—(a voice, “ Tne Bank of New Zealand") — who told tbe House the House the other night that it was to the benefit of the colony that people should leavs it. In giving statistics as to the large property-owners he mentioned an absentee who was drawing something like £2OOO per annum, bnt who only spent £75. In conclusion he urged upon those workingmen who held Liberal views and believed Liberalism was for the benefit of the country to combine and put tha rieht men in tbe right place, and N ew* Zealand would prosper. (Cheers).

As an Instance of bad government fn this country (said Sir George Grey in Wellington) immense runs were held, which ought to be occupied by men, and they found rabbi's increasing and multiplying instead of sheep. It really seemed as if Heaven were visiting the sine of the runholders upon themselves, for their hearts were filled with dismay at the rate at which rabbits were increasing. These runholders were determined to do something; but how ’ They actually attempted to bring in a Bill which at one fell swoop added 20 new crimes to the statute book of New Zealand. Fancy a boy being rendered liable to a long term of imprisonment with hard labor for having a rabbit in his possession I This was only one example of the law which was attempted to be brought into this bright young colony. It really seemed as if men were to be placed at the mercy of rabbits. (Laughter.) In Englanl it had taken 160 years to place 180 new crimes on the statute book, but here an attempt was being made to add 20 in one night.

When Mr Verrail assailed them the other night, the lawyers were as meek as lambs whose skins are not yet fit to make parchment. If they bleated at all, it must have been outside the Chamber, round an Order Paper, on which were inscribed some mystic words—the words of a Ministerial motion conveying the pleasing information that private members' days are numbered. The bleating probably took the form of a chuckle. They had not slonewallad. It was a Bill which threatened their very existence io Parliament. It proposed to thrust them forth with contumely. An arbitrary assertion of their unfitness for work of legislation was actually in the air. They ware branded as psople who make laws in order that they may make money by them out of a well-shorn public. Yet they had remained silent. Who could ever accuse them again of stonewalling ? If any rash editor, ” the disgrace of journalism,” ventures to make such a charge, they will Hansardise him by triumphantly (quoting a blank. The wisdom of tbe serpent is often enclosed in tbe skin 0! a sheep.—'N.Z. ®inWB.