LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 674, 20 October 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An ordinary meeting of ths Hasbor Board takes plane this evening. The Rev, Mr Gibson's lecture to-morrow evening will be well worth going to hear. With the exception o£ a few hours in the morning to-morrow will be a close holiday for the races, Mr Adair issues an advertisement this morning, calling attention to bis stock of new and fashionable goods. Borough rates must be paid by November 9, or there will ba some Birthday celebrations later on under the presidency of Mr Booth. One great attraction ot the week will be the entertainment in aid of the Band on Thursday night. Be wise and reserve your seats, Alfred Weston got let in for £5 yesterday for drunkenness and assaulting Constable Pardy, James Donelly also had to pay 10s for a spree. Over 350 entries have been received for the show on Friday. The energetic Secretary has succeeded in enlisting 189 members, representing the same number of guineas. Christie Murray says that he has. no assets, from which we infer that we have been mistaken. We thought he had a valuable asset in a supply of cheek which put the colonials to the blush. The cost of producing the Picturesque Atlas was £170.000. The lawyers will make the best thing out of the vexatious book, or rather nut of those who object to the book and those who are attempting to force payment. Last night was Magazine evening at the Mutual Improvement Society. Three very interesting paners wese contributed, on “ Shaking of Hands,” “ Digni’y of Labor,” and 11 Look to the Boys.” Two new members were proposed. The veteran Mr R. Harper—not Mr Pettie’s partner—sends ns along a couple of riddles, having to do with that wise old fellow King Solomon, and an indefinable somebody else who may not have existed. Vary much obliged, Mr Harper, but life is short, and the egg and a half puzzle still rings in our ears. The Herald devotee about a quarter of a column of small type to recording the fact that a country lad mistook the Hon. Mr Reeves for a Mormon. It is no wonder ouch inanities give Gisborne a bad name; at ths same time we might rise to remark that any conscientious man would sooner be mistaken for a Mormon than for certain individuals nbw absent who were prominent Conservatives at the last election. Further exolanations if desired,

Mrs Cox’s bright little son Alfy (who is a General favorite) nearly lost one of his hands last weak. He was about the teasing machine at Mr Whinray’s shop, and foolishly put his fingers on ths wheel. But in doing so hie hand slipped, and three of bis fingers got badly bruised. It was at first feared that they would have to be but we are pleased to learn now that the little fellow will probably escape this loss.

Mr Labeuohere oannot understand why Royal etiquette requires the individual to exchange garbs on meeting. For instance the Emperor of Germany made his appearance at Port Victoria in the dress of an English admiral, and the Prinoe of Wales donned the dress of a Bluoher Hussar. Mr Labouchere says he (Mr L.) would not put on a flowing robe and sheepskin hat if he went to Persia What would happen if the Prince visited King Tawhiao or that wily fellow Te Whiti ? By the bye it was not recorded that Lord and Lady Onslow observed Regal etiquette On visiting the raupo whares of New Zealand’s dusky celebrities. They got out of it, perhaps, by sending along their photographs.

A well-known visitor to this port, in the shape of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s clipper ship Waitangi, is again in the Waitemata Gays the Auckland Star), from Lendo". with fl * ull 03ra<l valued at about £22,000. The Waitangi was tor many years oommanded by fiapi, The’. Beeman, but that officer has naw left the Company's service, and bis place is taken by Cap). John Sinclair, formerly of the barque Waimea and ship Hurunul. A noteworthy feature in connection with the clipper is the fact that all her officers are colonial “boys” from the captain downwards. Cap'. Sinclair is a native of Lyttal ton [ Iris chief officer, Mr Robert Fraser, halls from Wellington; Mr John Wilkin, second officer, belongs to Christel,uroh ; while Mr W. A. Maokellar, third officer, is an Auckland boy, being a son of Mr Mackellar, of the local Customs Department. Mr Mackellar has seamed his certificate as second mate, and is malting good progress in his adopted profession. The Waitangi’s voyage out from London waa uneventful, for the loss overboard of the boatswain, and the time occupied was 94 days. After discharging her Home freight the Waitangi comes on to Gisborne to load wool for Londotii

Professor Channing remains in Gisborne for another week. The Poverty Bay Turf Ciub’s new course will be opened to-morrow. Mr Hall announces an auction sale of valuable properties on Saturday next. The County Council invite tenders for the right to collect tolls at Tologa Bay. Tenders are invited for the right to graze sheep on the Park Company’s grounds. There were a couple of shocks of earthquake at about ten minutes past XI yesterday morning, The steamer Tekapo arrives from Melbourne and Southern ports this . morning. She leaves for Auckland at 8. The Kawatiri came into port at noon yesterday ,Lom Westport. She returns South again this afternoon. An Alics Downs (Q.) shearer is said to have secured a four days’ tally of 826 sheep, and to have thus made £8 ss, The Kaiapoi Woollen Company is paying a dividend of 4| per cent for the half year, making 8 per cent, for the yaer.

The skill of Drs Innes and Heale has been successful in ensuring the recovery of the Heeney children, whose lives were nearly lost by poisoning through eating the rangiora plant, Captain Uiquhart, of the schooner Awaroa, informs us that on the passage from Tairau schools of whales were very common along the Coast, especially about the Bay of Plenty. The first race to-morrow starts in good time. There are eight events on the programme. The entrance to the course is by the Makaraka stockyard, thence round by the back of the grandstand.

The Park Company's handsome buildings are to be painted up for the racing season, which promises to be the most successful yet held in the district. ' Tenders for painting work are to be in by Friday. General Booth says reporters are too hard worked to have time to get saved. A sprightly contemporary goes one better, and solemnly records that the reporter is too busy to get lost, and therefore does not require the General's blessing. A scries of articles on Australia, appearing in the London Times, are wriiten by Mr F, W. Ward, (brother of Bev, J. Ward), formerly editor of the Sydney Telegraph. It is said that Mr Ward has accepted an editorial position on the coming London paper, the Chronicle.

At Holy Trinity Church on Sunday night the Rev, Canon Fox epoke strongly on the subject of people flocking to anyone in ths hops of getting their future told them, and said that it implied a want of faith in God on the part of anyone who believed in such things. He gave further force to his remarks by quoting words of the psalmist on the subject of superstitions. The many popular concerts that have been given in the Church of England Sundayschool room are to be supplemented this evening by a further concert, and one that is likely to ba equally as successful (if not more so) as its predecessors. The concert is in aid ot the organ fund, A firetolass programme has been prepared, and the charge to all parts of the room has been fixed at the low price of a shilling. The excellence of the entertainment is certain to attract a large audience.

On Saturday last Messrs Pitt and Davies offered the privileges in connection with the A. and P. Society’s Show. The following prices were realised :— Grandstand booth, £4 15s, Fergnsson; outside booth, £2 ss, Fergusson; grandstand refreshment booth, £4, Craig; outside refreshment booth, £5, Erskine; right to take charge of horses, £6, Morrison. The privileges in connection with the trotting club were also submitted, and realised the following prices:—Gates, £3O, T. Lesli -; liquor booth, £l, J. Bailey ; refreshment stall, £4, Erskine; right to take charge of horses, £1 X2s 6d, Peryer; cards, £llos, Hubble.

The domestic troubles of the Barry family again occupied the Oourt on Saturday, Mrs Barry applying for a protection order against her husband Thomas Barry, and also for a prohibition order, Mr Ohrisp appeared for complainant, and Mr Jones for defendant. After hearing evidence Mr Booth said he thought he would not be justified in granting the application, but the prohibition order might be granted. Mr Jones said defendant would consent to that. Mr Ohrisp said such an order was practically useless, and His Worship agreed with this view, saying that if a man meant to have drink he could always get it in some way. The order was issued by consent.

A correspodent writes contradicting the report that the eccentric Wellington man known as “The Whifflar ” ha'd any prospect of money being left him. The correspondent also writes of the deceased Notwithstanding his many eccentricities, vagaries, etc , Harris wronged no one in his business transactions. His Quaker honesty was maintained throughout. He was no man’s enemy but his own. It is sad that one. so efficient an accountant, and possessing a large share of humor, with many fine characteristics, should not have had a better balanced and more stable mind. One more victim to drink. Intemperance strikes at the very roots of health, damages the nervous system, and weakens the will power.” In acknowledging the receipt of a oopy of that excellent trade journal, the British and Colonial Printer and Stationer, a reference may be mads to the leading article on ths Old? England and the Naw. The writer argues that the position of the Flag (in promoting federation) depends on the oom. meroial relations existing between the nation and the oolony. The article concludes :—“ In issuing our Third Edition of the British and Colonial printer and Stationer's Bayers' Guide, we need only reaffirm briefly our belief that it does not contain the name of a single firm upon whose commercial reputation there is a stain. Where to our knowledge such a stain attaches to tbs name ot a trader, or where we have credible information of lack of true buaine?2 principles in the eenduet of oommsroial transactions, whether in the home qr export trades, our subscribers may rely upon if that no inducements will be strong enough to secure their inclusion in the Buyers’ Guide. This is our contribution to the Federation of the British Empire.” It may be added that the Journal isaj » splendid show of good trade advertisements.

Mrs Margaret Campbell, a widow, was relieved from her sufferings' by death early on Saturday morning. The poor woman has had a hard time since her husband’s death some years ago: She worked with a will for a time, being a most industrious woman, but bad health and consequent inability to work soon reduced her and the two children to low circumstances, and for a long period she has had to depend on the kindess of friends and the dispensation of charitable aid. It was thought that after surviving the winter the warmer weather would give her a longer lease of life The circumstances coansotjetf fifrs Campbell's death must have been shockiiitf to the children. There was no one else m the house hut little Mary Campbell, who slept with her mother, During ths sight the latter, who had her arm round Mary’s neck, woks her up, but pquld not speak, Xiittle Mary ooul4 not understand it, and heinqf frightened and apprehensive of eomathins seploiis she ran to the place of a neighbor, Mr Pick, Qn thej p B oin * to , th ? house they found that the poor hsd burst a blood vessel, and of course the Doctor was immediately sent for. The son James Campbell had been working at Tqrehan station, and word was sent up for tfie sad news to be broken to him, but the lady to whom this painful duty was to be entrusted was not there at tho time, and the boy had not been told the worst until ho reached the bridge coming into town. A boy then thoughtlessly told him the truth in a blunt way, and the shook to the poor little fellow ean easily be imagined, hft and Mrs O, P. Browne have kindly taken Mary to to their home. Ths funeral took place on Bunday afternoon, and was largely attended,

The Lyttelton Times thinks the Liberal Party can easily find six better men to put into the Legislative Council than the six the Atkinson Government, put there. The Greymouth Harbor Board have determined to let further work in connection with harber improvements by contract, and tenders will be called for the work ot extend ing the southern breakwater. The output of stone must, after the first two months, be at least 6,000 tons per month, and it is estitated that 150,000 tons of stone will be re quired. Another original liar has been discovered. The Queen of the Belgians recently had a fit, brought on by indigestion caused by eating too many stewed shellfish for supper. This pretty little lesson not to be greedy was converted into a story that the Queen had been thrown into fits by an attack made on her by the ex-Empress Charlotte of Mexico. Even in this little romance there was a woman at the bottom of it, but whether the perjuror was a male or female is not made known.

A country correspondent of the Marton Mercury writes :—A great many sheep have been lost throughout the district from that mysterious disease which no one seems to know anything about. Would it not be a good plan to get the Government Veterinary Surgeon to come up and hold a post mortem on some of the animals which have succumbed. At the present price of stock it is a very serious thing when a man loses from 30 to 40 sheep out of a small flock. One settler who made a post mortem himself on a ewe, declared that, from the symptoms, he was convinced it was “fluke” the sheep were suffering from. I think this must be a mistake however, as I have never heard of a properly authenticated case of fluke any where in this district ; indeed I do not think the disease has ever made its appearance in N.Z. Still this makes it all the more important that steps should be taken to ascertain what the disease really is, and what steps should be taken to prevent or cure it. It is no new thing either, as I have known of sheep dying the same way for the last seven years. The only wonder is that farmers have not taken more decided steps to try and put a stop to their losses. To-morrow, being the opening of the local racing reason, will be a great day among the many lovers of races. It will be a note* worthy occasion in the annals of the Poverty Bay Turf Club, being the inaugural meeting on the new racecourse at Makaraka. The racing promises to be of a good description, judging by the horses that are to take psrt in the contests, and there is reason to believe

that the patronage of the public will be shown by a large attendance The new grounds and necessary appointments will lend an additional attraction to the meeting. The Press representatives will perhaps be the only ones who will have cause to feel discontent with the provision made, the accommodation provided for them on -the little stand being quite unstrited for the purpose, and the reporters will bs no better served than they were by the primitive arrangements at Waerenga-a-hika. The Park has a big advantage iu this respect. An enquiry was held yesterday afternoon, before Mr Booth, into the cause of the fire which destroyed ths house being built for Mr Joyce by Mr Bobb, contractor. The following jury were empanelledMessrs Tucker (foreman), Ranger, Dunlop, Coleman, Quigley, and C, Lewis, Mr Bobb, in the course of his statement, said that ths contract was for £2BO, that the contract Would have been oomplctad in four or five days, that £lO worth ot ex’ras had basn done, and that the full total would have amounted to about £3OO. He had drawn £lBO. Was insured for £250 for a month from September 27th, Twenty pounds would have completed the work to be done. Had been in the house at flve o’clock on the evening of the fire, and passed jt on the way home at about 9 30. The men left the building at five when he himself did. The place was shut with the exception of a small sa-ih in the bay window. Had not been able to ascertain any clue to the cause of the fire Mr Bobb was then questioned at great length as to his business affairs, being in the box for over two hours, but there was nothing of importance elicited. Mr DaLautour watched the enquiry on behalf of the contractor.