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Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 146, 2 July 1901, Page 2

There is, we arc pleased to learn, only one case of fever in the Hospital. A late cablegram states that Maclaren’s cricket team leaves England for Australia on September 27. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Hospital Trustees takes place at the Hospital to-morrow night. Captain Edwin wired at noon yesterday: “ Nortli-cast to east and south gale ; glass fall; sea heavy; tides very high; moro rain.”

A cheque for T6O, drawn on the Bank of Australasia in favor of Mr PI. Swainson, has been lost, and the public are warned against cashing the same. Our telegrams state that the Government have purchased a hundred acres of Sir Westby Percival’s property, near Papnnui, for workmen’s homes. The schools throughout the district reassembled yesterday after the midwinter holidays. Considering the miserable day the attendance at the different schools was fair.

The boys who tried to wash a certain Kaiti individual in honor of the Duke’s visit, will bo brought before the Court to-morrow morning. They have been charged with insulting behaviour. A supplementary English mail, via San Francisco, was sent by the Waihora yesterday morning. The mail will he taken round by the West Coast, and notwithstanding the delay will, the post-office officials inform us, be in time for the mail steamer.

The concert to ho given at Patutahi tomorrow evening in aid of the funds of the Presbyterian Church which it is intended to erect at that place, promises to ho a great success. A first-class programme has been provided, and most of the leading musicians in the district arc assisting. At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday a young man named Alfred J. Weston was fined £2 or in default seven days’ imprisonment. for disorderly behavior on Saturday evening, when he had got into a pugilistic mood. His Worship said that such disgraceful conduct must be put a stop to. Two first offenders, for drunkenness, were admonished and discharged. Though the steamer Waihora was so late in arriving yesterday morning, she did a smart trip from the East Cape to Gisborne. As anticipated, the vessel had very heavy easterly weather from Auckland to the Cape, that portion of the voyage occupying over 24 hours. The run from that point to Gisborne was done in a little over six hours. The Waihora reached Napier from Gisborne at 4.10 yesterday afternoon. The rainfall averages at Gisborne for the past six months of the present year show that during the first three mouths of the year wo had 14-96 in, or S 3 per cent moro than the average, compared with last year's 7'73in, or 30 per cent below the average; while during the last throe months the fall has only totalled O’llin, or 41 per cent less than the average, as against 21 - 71 last year, which was 40 percent above the average ; over the whole six months this year is 10 per cent below, while last year was 11 per cent above the

average. The steamer Omapere, which arrived at Gisborne yesterday afternoon, and later on proceeded to Napier, had a rough experience from Auckland. She got off the East Coast last Tuesday morning, and all the time had been battling to got her cargo landed. She was only partially successful, though every effort was made, and the bulk of the cargo for coast ports had to be carried on. The vessel had quick despatch at Gisborne last evening. The cargo for coast ports will bo taken to Napier, and there discharged. The Omapere then goes to Westport for a cargo of coal, and will return direct to Napier, where the coast cargo will be taken on board again and another effort

will be made to land it. The mail bags were duly delivered, but some loose letters (consignees’) will havo to be despatched overland from Gisborne. A trip like that experienced by the Omapere must bo very unprofitable for the company, and vexatious for Coast people, but when the weather takes a turn man has to submit.

s file Borough Council is now enforcing shopkeepers to keep the place in front of their premises swept clean, but it is desirable that some further provision should be made to cope with the nuisance that is caused bv crowds of men loitering about and expectorating over the footpaths. “ A Passer-by ” writes complaining to us of this abominable practice, and asks: “Why should men be thus allowed to I infringe on the rules of decent society I by carrying on this disgraceful practice tin the most frequented thoroughfares? Xf they must spit about a place they could easily spit over the culverts, but they are apparently too lazy to do that, and while the Council is concerning itself about backyards, the footpaths pf the main street are in some parts in a condition of filth. Shopkeepers havo to submit to this kind of thing as well as being called on to sweep the footpath each morning. It would be easy to deal with the matter, and I hope that in the'saTiitation crusade it will not be overlooked.”

As showing what can be done by organisation and a capable and willing staff, the whole of the varied stock of Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. was “ listed ” between business hours Saturday and midnight Saturday, and between 8.30 yesterday morning and four that afternoon—a record of which the staff ljjay be proud—and thecustomer.s of the firm have suffered very little inconvenience. All the accounts of the firm to the end of the year were finished and in the post at the time we are printing, a fact which speaks highly for Mr Pasley’s office management. This is the twenty-fourth annual stock-taking this firm has had in Gisborne. The business of Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. has very much altered in the interval since its first stock-taking head, and the regularly extending trade of Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. has been of singular benefit to the settlers all

round. We wish them every success in their future career, a wish we are sure will bo echoed by many who have received

benefits from the trading capabilities of the firm during their past connection with the district,

The monthly meeting of the Gisborne 1 School Committee takes place to-night. Mr P. M. Thomson, Inspector of tho Equitable Life Assurance Company, arrived by the Waihora yesterday morning, and will remain in Gisborne for some days.

Acceptance- .‘or the Gisboruo Racing Club’s Stee; base Meeting first dayclose to-m—- , ,v, [Wednesday, at 9 p.m., when cut s for the Maiden Hack and Hack Han.heap will also he received. The telegrams in regard to tho Auckland fire enquiry omitted mention of the fact that Jessie Minn, the pantrymaid, was on Friday arrested on warrant on a charge of not obeying a subpama to givo evidence at the enquiry.

A very interesting letter from Mr Harry Holford is given in to-day’s Times. The simple but graphic narrative of adventure should be . pecially interesting to the old schoolmates of Mr Holford.

A boy employed by Tanner Bros., butchers, at Waihi, indicted a severe gash to his left hand, severing an artery, while attempting to sharpen a shop knife on a steel. The cut was so had that the bleeding could not be stopped for close upon three hours. Tho Eyreton murderer, McLean, said he had received a letter from Australia which had unhinged his mind, and caused him to commit the crime. He was quite ready to dio. A large crowd, which assembled at tho station, as ho left Ashburton, in charge of the police, hooted the prisoner.

Encouraged by the success of thoir performance at Ormond the Mohawk Ministrels have decided to give an entertainment in town on Monday evening next. A first-class programme has been arranged, and a good evening’s amusement is promised. Tho performance being on the night before the races there should oe a large attendance.. Thero is very little water in the Pareora River just now (says the Timaru Herald),

and gulls and hawks are having great sport among tho young trout. Recently a hawk was seen in tho act of taking trout.

He perched on a rock in tho gorge quite close to a shallow l-ipple, and as the trout came close to him he struck more deadly than a human fly-fisher, and flew away to the nearest spur of the range adjoining to enjoy' his catch. The prcscut season, so far, has boon one of tho best experienced for many years for eating off turnips (says the Clutha Leader). In some fields in tho vicinity of Stirling we notice the farmers are turning over the turnips with tho plough, practicallycovering them with the mould. This is somewhat in the nature of an experiment, but it is said that stock thrive best when the turnips are turned over and covered in this way for some time boforo eating off. Turnip feeding is very scarce this year.

Returns of a splendid potato crop are to hand from tho farm of Mr William Brash, Mataura Island (says the Wyndliaui Farmer). From one and a half acres (actual ’ measurement) have boon this year taken no less than 350 sacks of potatoes, weighing 29 tons. Of these, 300 sacks (25 tons) were first-class marketable potatoes, and 50 sacks (4 tons) pig-feeding sorts. Tho soil on which these tubers wove grown was hush land, stumped and ploughed deep, and worked with a disc harrow; no manure.

A very satisfactory mooting of the committee appointed to consider tho question of tho amalgamation of the suburbs with Gisborne was held in the Borough Council Chambers last evening. There was a full attendance of members. A definite programme was drawn up, and this will he submitted to the the Borough Council this evening for their consideration, tho Council being asked to fix a time to meet the Committee and discuss the terms of amalgamation. When the feeling of the Council is obtained on the matter, it is intended to take a vote of tho Kaiti and Whataupoko ratepayers. An interesting debate upon the subject “ Should Girls l’lay Hockey?” was held at the meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society, in tho Wesley Hall last evening. There was a crowded attendance, standing room being at a premium. The debate was opened by Mr 11. 11. Armstrong, who handled the subject very ably, making out a splendid case for the followers of the game. Ho was followed byMr B. Grubb, who in the course of his remarks gave some sound and logical reasons why girls should not play hockey. He contended that it was too rough a game for tho fair sex, and, further, that it detracted from their gracefulness. Messrs IV. Driller and M. G. Nasmith made excellent speeches in favor of tho game, and Mr J. Peckover, whilst admitting it was a useful game in the matter of exercise, did not altogether approve of it for young ladies. Miss Heaney, captain of the Ladies’ Hockey Club, championed the cause in good style, and won many of the waverers to her side. Mrs Sampson also made a strong speech on the affirmative side, maintaining that hockey tended to tho physical and intellectual development of young ladies. The leaders of the debate having replied, tho President, Milt. N. Jones, summed up, and a vote was taken, resulting in an overwhelming majority in favor of young ladies playing hockey. The debate was carried on with the best of feeling on either side, and was one of the most successful held by the Society.

News received in Auckland by the yacht Southern Cross states that the Itov. Percy Williams, at Guadalcanal", has had a trying time of it. A party of bushmen raided one of his schools, and beheaded one of the boys, but the plucky missionary is holding his own, and is determined not to be ousted. Siota is healthy again and ready to bo reoecupied, so" Archdeacon Comins says, but Dr. Welchman is very much missed. At Santa Cruz matters are not what they might bo. The Bishop said that all those obstacles only make one long for further help and a hotter vessel, so that the stations could be visited oftoner, and as a matter of course the work carried on more efficiently. Whilst at Atta Cove (Malayte), Captain Huggett was informed by some natives that the boat stecrcr ot the labor vessel, Fearless, had boon killed by some of the bush natives about a fortnight previously. The cable steamer Britannia, which is engaged in surveying the route for the Pacific cable, left Norfolk Island on June 21 for New Zealand, and expected to reach Auckland about a fortnight later. On .Tune 12th the s.s. Jlambara arrived at Vila, New Hebrides, with her propeller working loose. She left for Noumea to have repairs effected. The Southern Cross leaves for Norfolk Island on July lOch, and proceeds thence to the Islands. It is the intention of the Bishop to make an inspection of his diocese on the next voyage of the Southern Cross from Norfolk island.