The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE JANUARY 3, 1901.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 2, 3 January 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE JANUARY 3, 1901.

The position in the late Transvaal and Orange Free State Republics is, so far as the permanent occupation by the British forces of these comprehensive and valuable districts is concerned, a somewhat serious one. We can ill afford to spare men, particularly mounted infantry, from South Africa at the present time, and we regret to note that the intelligent Intelligence Department are countenancing the proposal to recall some of the most valuable adjuncts to the forces engaged in South Africa- -the colonials. Per contra we note with satisfaction that Lord Kitchener, late Chief of Staff to the Field Marshal, Lord - Roberts, resents this proposal on the part of the military departments at Home, and appeals to the colonies to allow their representatives to remain in South Africa until further orders. Doubt has been cast in many quarters as to the efficiency of the colonial regiments —when referring to colonials we speak not only of New Zealanders but of Canadian and Australian representatives—but with confidence we refer our readers to the official despatches of Field Marshal Lord Roberts, General French, and General lan Hamilton, as to the invaluable work performed by our repre-

sentatives in South Africa. The testimonies of these distinguished leaders speak for themselves, and should serve to satisfy the most captious as to the efficiency or otherwise of the colonial representatives in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. But while this perplexing and annoying guerilla system of warfare is adopted by the Boer irregular forces; while our lines of communication are daily threatened as they are at present; while scattered and disconnected Imperial forces are suddenly attacked and forced to surrender as hundreds of our men have been compelled to do ■.-ithin the last few months; while the figh mg strength and capacity of the Boers are hardly realised by our War Office and Intelligence Departments at Home, we think it advisable to retain the full complement of our fighting forces in South Africa. The recalling of mounted men only serves to make our task in the Transvaal more difficult.

The public of Gisborne and district will, wo are confident, learn with feelings of satisfaction that from tho period of the issue of the Times the telegraph office is to be kept open until midnight for ordinary work, and later for important cable news. A. striking instance of the effect of this change was the fact that Gisborne people had a report *of the Commonwealth celebrations at as early a period as it was given in the Sydney morning journals. Not only was tho information given to the Gisborne people, but travellers by the steamers from north and south were delighted to obtain the news directly the vessels entered the port of Gisborne. The Times proprietary has of course had to. give a guarantee to ensure the midnight sorvice, but judging by the support already accorded to us there is not likely to bo any sacrifice required on our part.

Ax last there is hope of a solution of tho difficulty in China. Tho Chinese have notified their acceptanco of the terms offered by tho Powers, and that is an impoiiant stop towards clearing up a situation that lias become very “ mixed,” and not at all creditable in some respects. From the reports that come to hand, it is safe to say that a ll , the blame does not remain with the Chineso. The acceptance of tho terms may not mean a great deal, but it at least gives a very hopeful aspect to tho situation.

Some letters are unavoidably held over. A sad tale is being told in Wellington of a man who at one time received over £OOO in salary having recently walked. from Napier to Wellington in a state of utter wreck. Wanganui people are very proud of the fact that they may shortly have a Young Men’s Temperaneo Club, conducted on temperance lines. Gisborne has long had two clubs conducted on those lines, one being the New Zealand Natives’ Association Club.

A four-handed cribbage tournament is [taking place at tho Natives’ Association rooms, and the contests excite great interest. The tournament commenced last night, tho results at close of play being—G. Maxted. and W. Andrew boat H. Miller and S. Parsons; and P. Maher and J. Blair beat W. Webb and H. Henzler, leaving eight other fours to play. In tho course of a chat with a Times representative Mr G. W. Tift's 1 related an instance of sharp practice he had noticed in Australia. A rector being superannuated tho curate under him had also to leave when the new rector was appointed. There was a farewell meoting r,t which the retiring rector was presented with a purse of sovereigns, and a presentation was also made to the curate, the latter’s portion being handed to him in two envelopes, one containing the amount collected by the ladies of the parish, and the other the money supposed to be presented by the vestry—the vestry were really offering to him as a present the mo rey that was duo as salary. The curate thanked the ladies very much for their present, but when it came to the vestry’s “ present ” he told them that he had preached straight to them before, and had offended some of them; now he told them the plain facts, that this was not a present, but his hard-earned wages that had been handed to him, and he advised them to be honest in tho future. The vestrymen showed by their countenances that they felt they were deserving of the rebuke. In the course of his sermon at the Holy Trinity Church on Sunday last the Rev. Canon Webb made reference to the fact that in the New Year the Church would be free of all liabilities. He said: “As a parish we have undertaken to pay off all our debts before the close .of the year, that we may enter upon the 20th century free from all embarassments as a church —and having once got out of debt it is our firm intention to keep out of it. By the hearty co-operation of our members, and by their liberal response to the appeals of the Church officers, and with the invaluable help that the ladies of the congregation have given, we have succeeded in our effort. During 'the past six months, by a special fundjfor extinguishing the Church debt, we have raised the sum of £430, .and we are now in a position to pay off all our liabilities of every kind. And so we wish this evening to offer what we have done to God; We wish to thank Him for having put it into our hearts to do this, and for having enabled us to effect our purpose. And so when at the close of this service the offertory is brought up to the communion rails that which represents the special fund collected will be deposited by the churchwarden in the alms dish, and I shall present it before the Lord as a solemn offering from this church, offered to Him for Bis honor, that His service may henceforward be conducted in this parish under proper conditions unhampered by debt. The To Dcum will then be sung to a familiar chant by all the congregation standing, and thc-n our service will be brought to a conclusion by the usual hymn and benediction.”