LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 663, 24 September 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A supply of new books has been raoetved by the Gisborne Library, A united prayer meeting was held last night at the Church of England schoolroom. Mr Sceats has been chosen as the Gisborne delegate to the annual Foresters’ Conference. Sheepfarmers are reminded that the 30th September is the last day for the payment of the sheep tax, into the Post Office. The return chess match between Gisborne and Patutahi was decided on Tuesday night, Gisborne winning 12 games to 7 won by the country team. An inquest is to be held to-day into the case of concealment of birth of a Maori child at Waerenga-a-hika. Dr Innes made a post mortem examination of the child, which had marks as if foul play had been used. It is expected that the sale of the Land Company's properties next month will attract to Gisborne a large number of persona intending to become purchasers if they can procure lots satisfactory to them in price. The formal opening of the rowing season has been arranged for Wednesday, October 7th, when the launch Snark will he back after having been repaired in Napier. It is believed that a half-holiday will be agreed on for the occasion. An information for alleged assault, D. Ghuter v. P. Moran, was on the Court list yesterday morning, but Mr Jones appeared and said that an amicable settlement had been arrived at, and leave to withdraw the ease was granted. Much sympathy la felt with Mr and Mrs A. F, Hardy, in relation to ths death of their daughter Nellie, at the early age of 20. Miss Hgrdy had endeared herself to a wide circle of friends, but latterly failing health began to show its effects, and a critical illness ensued, from which the young lady was relieved by death'on Monday last A large number of mourners attended the funeral yesterday, The impounding case in Court yesterday hag a peculiar development. It was dismissad’qn feljet point that the cows belonged to the son of ths defendant. This not only led to a fresh information being laid, but the testimony was availed of by a creditor to make distraint on the cattle for a debt that had been owing by the owner of them.

While £4'l' represented all Sir George Grey’s expenses in connection with the Federal Convention, Sir Hqrry Atkinson’s expenses represented £139 and the Hon. Captain Russell’s £135. On charging their secretary to the Joint Account—Sir Harry Atkinson and Captain Russell’s bill amounted to £l9l each. Sir George con. aiders the cost of Royal Commission and similar enquiries scandalous, and far in excess of the actual expenses incurred by the members eppoitsted to them, The Trust Commisstoa oust £2.500 and ths Native Land Laws Consmisiibn £1,4Q0. A deputation comprising Captain Russsli, Messrs Houston, W. Kelly, Bwsa. and W. O, Smith, representing various County Councils, Interviewed the Premier, and asked that the Subsidies given by the Government to local bodies, under ths Local Bodies Powers and FinguM Aoi| should be pa;d on ths basis of the county rates instead of an the rates oil the Bead Boards, At present when a Road Board has struck a rate the subsidy is paid on that rate, one part to the Board and ths other to the County Council. The deputation complained that the Board rate is often too low for the wants of the county, and that some Boards did not apply for the subsidies, The Pretaisr replied that the Government would consider the application. He said that it was plain 'that fhb subsidies would have to be increased if they were paid on ti)e basis of tbe pognty vales, and in that case, if the revenue would bo seriously affected, ths matter would 1 bato to be bontideted Very WHiully.

Mr Oberlin Brown, the well known tuner ot pianofortes, arrives from Auckland to morrow.

Williamson’s Juvenile Opera Company has beeu drawing crowded houses at Napier. La Mascotte is described as having been better mounted than ever before in New Zealand.

The Cook County Liberal Association met last night, and it was decided that the session being practically over, the public meetings of the Association should be discontinued until further notice. The Association will remain in existence ready for any emergency. For the short time it has been in existence it has done much useful work, and has a large influence with similar Associations eleswhere.

As showing the vitality of the ordinary footballer (remarks the North Otago Times), and his evident freedom from pain, we may mention that one of the Timaru players qad two ribs broken, but continued to play throughout. Mr Shrimski’s efforts to legislate on the subject of minimising the accidents arising from football would be thrown away on a person of this kind. Nothing but an earthquake would put them down.

The box plan for the Juvenile Opera Company’s season opens at 11 this morning, at Mr Good’s shop. Those wishing to secure a choice of seats will be wise to attend to the matter at their earliest convenience. Country settlers may communicate with Mr Good by letter or telephone. Mr Lohr gives the assurance that no distinction will be made between Gisborne and the cities, in the attention given to the mounting of the plays.

At the Police Court yesterday, before Captain Tucker and Mr Matthewson, an information under the Police Offences Act was heard, Mr Peryer, the Whataupoko Poundkeeper, suing Mrs Searle for allowing her cows to trespass on the roads, Mr R. N. Jones appeared for plaintiff and Mr L. Rees for defendant, Mr Jones stated that the reason of the action being brought was on account of the numerous complaints made about these cattle being allowed to stray on the roads, advantage always being taken of the Poundkeeper’s absence—whenever he went to impound the cattle some one would make a pretence of driving them along. The defence set up was that the boy had been taking the cattle for a drink when the Ranger came up and impounded them, but in examination the boy admitted that he was a short distance away when the Hanger came up, and Mr Rees abandoned that plea. William Searle gave evidence that the cows were his and not his mother’s, he having paid for them with money earned by himself. Mr Rees rested the defence on the point that the defendant did not own the cattle. Captain Tucker said tho Bench was satisfied that judgment should be for informant, ex&epting on account the point raised as to ownership —the evidence on that point must lead to the dismissal of the present, information. Coats were not asked for. An information was immediately laid against William Searle. We have often repeated that the greateat danger to the Balance Government was the misuse of its strength, and the staunahmt supporters of Mr BU'auca must regret many features of the paat few weeks. A corres-pondent-hostile, but with *a basis of truth for his remarks —telegraphs from Wellington Their own followers are loud in condemnation of the inconsistency of e

Government in connection with the reinstatement of practically all the salaries that Mr Ballance and his colleagues out down when in opposition in 1890. If there is any period of their political lives that the Government would wish to blot out it would probably the period of the alliance with skinflints, and the economies effected as the result of it. The Opposition had armed themselves on the first evening wl f h the Han-* sard containing the remarks made by the various members of the Government when de- ; manding retrenchment, aud they hurled , these at the heads of the Government with biting criticisms, to which there was really no reply in the face of Ithe fact that all the salaries were reinstated. On Friday evening the Opposition found that all the Hansards that had been used with such effect the evening before had been carefully gathered up and stowed away somewhere out of the rosd. Mr Scobie Mackenzie de dared he had to send to the Legislative Council for a copy, The missing Hansards are said to have been discovered this morning under the bed occupied by Mr Saunders in the Parliament Buildings. It is not suggested, of course, that Mr Saunders had them, but it is suggested that they were deliberately hid under his bed by somebody who desired to save Ministers from the pain of hearing their inconsistent proceedings of last year quoted against them now. In one instance last year Mr Ballance and his party, in conjunction with the skinflints, succeeded in cutting down the salary of Mr Kennaway, the chief of the Agent General’s stafl, from £7OO to £5OO, and this year the salary is put back again to the old figure, £7OO, and Mr Ballance on being taxed with the inconsistency declared that he had altered it as he bad no information as to Mr Kennaway’s duties.