CRICKET. THE PLAGUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 265, 18 November 1901, Page 2

CRICKET.

THE PLAGUE.

EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS. There will be a feeling of much sympathy for the people in Cheviot and other districts in the South who have suffered from the oarthquako shocks. Last week it seemed that an all-round penalty was

! being paid. Off the coast of the United Kingdom fearful gales were raging, with the result that there was enormous loss of life. Then Australia gets its share with the cyclonic storm that swept over the laud. And now a small portion of New Zealand is suffering severely from the earthquake shocks. Throughout the colony the loss of the unfortunate peoplo who reside at Cheviot will be deeply deplored. 'The wonder is that only one serious accident or fatality occurred at Cheviot, though there were not wanting such graphic instances as that of the dead body being thrown out of a coffin. The damage at Cheviot is estimated at from 1110,000 to jE20,000. but if every chimney stack in the town has collapsed, the extent of the damage has not been underestimated. Those who have been rendered homeless will have sad cause to remember the , violence of the seisimic disturbance, j Further afield there has been a disastrous I earthquake, entailing much loss of life as I well as enormous destruction of property.

The scoring made on Saturday by the English team shows that the match has nothing of the one-sided nature about it. On the first innings the Englishmen had a lead of 38 runs, aud the position at pre - sent is that tlio Englishmen have a substantial lead with only one wicket down in the second innings. Cricket is a very uncertain game, and it is not safe to say much at present, hut even the most loyal colonials will be glad to know the visitors are making a more determined stand than was done in the previous match. Thero has boon so much unfair criticism of the team that the general sympathy will he with MrMaclaren. Ho acknowledged that he keenly felt the sting of the criticism, but now the sharpness will have been worn off, notwithstanding what the result of the match with Victoria may be. The description of the continuation of the match (which will bo given in to-morrow’s Times) will no doubt be read with the keenest interest.

Ouu cablegrams show that the plague has again broke out in New South Wales, in a suburb close to Sydney. This will bo most unwelcome news, and taken with the effects of the Federal tariff, it will be a severe blow to the intercolonial shipping trade. At present the steamers are practically empty when travelling to Australia, and if to that unpleasant fact is added the discomfort and expense of quarantine regulations, the prospect for the continuation of the present service is gloomy :it means a loss of money by every trip, and it is hardly to be expected that the owners will allow that to go on indefinitely. The fresh outbreak of plaguo will be a severe blow to Sydney, which had been priding itself on the belief that the plaguo had been stamped out. It is clear that ft is essential to be prepared in case the disease extends, and this district being a seaport town it is highly desirable that no chances should be taken by allowing insanitary surroundings.

Two severe hailstorms on Thursday morning did considerable damage to the fruit crops at Cambridge. Thero was an unusual amount of drunkenness in town on Saturday night, and six arrests were made. The attention of property owners is referred to advertisements in this issue from Messrs Barker and DeLautour. The Kahungunu bridge contract at Nuhaka has been passed by the superintendent, Mr J. Ollivier.

A correspondent writes asking the name of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter. The reply is Victoria Adelaide, afterwards the Empress Frederick. At Holy Trinity Church last night there was a very large attendance, and the l!ev. Mr Welsh gave one of the impressive gospel sermons that are much appreciated by devout seekers after the truth. There was a .large crowd at St. Andrew’s church last night, when the Rev. J. G. Paterson gave an effective sermon entitled, “ Let us alone ; or how God filled up the lines.” At the Police Court on Saturday a prohibition order was granted agaiust a Maori woman named Martha To Kani. Mr L. Rees, who appeared for the accused, advised this step being taken. An ambulance lecture is to be given tomorrow evening under the auspices of the East Coast Mounted Rifles, it being the first of a series of lectures that will kindly bo given by Hr. Craig. To facilitate the work that is being done on the Tarukeru bridge, the bridge will be closed from to-day until Friday next, but in the meantime provision will be maejo for light traffio at the risk of those owning the vehicles. On Saturday the Hon. J. Carroll, the Mayor and Mayoress and Miss Townley, Cr Cooper, and Mr Marshall (clerk of works) had a run on the railway line. Mr Carroll repeats that the line for the first sect section will probably he .opened in February.

In consequence of the Federal tariff the Union Company’s Waikaro, which passed through Gisborne on Saturday, had on board only ten tons of cqrgo, collected at Southern ports for Sydney. What with the plague and federation things look glum for the Australian trade. Next Thursday evening a moonlight concert that should prove a great .attraction will be held in the grounds of the Misses Morice, a delightful site for such a purpose. The entertainment is in aid of the funds of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union coffee and free reading rooms. A first-class programme has been prepared. During the evening selections will be played by the Gisborne Biflo Band. The gardens are at the corner of Childers road and Boebuek road, and are just a n * ce wa *k ft' olu t * le business centre.

One tender was u' iceived b -Y tbe Count y Council for completing tuctailing contract, Waimata road (Henderso.? 8 ’ - .® tender being too high was declined, an- lC was decided to call fresh tenders about Christmas. A tender for drains near the Ormond road was declined for the same reason. For filling depots with screened gravel, R. M. Shanks’ prices were accepted for 12A at 4s Sd per yard, 128 at 4s 2d, and 13 at 4s fid ; depots 11 and 12, J. Grayson accepted at 6s per yard. One tender was received for the depots on the Waimata Ormond road, and declined as being too high.

There was a large and interested congregation at Wesley Church last night. The Rev. Mr liothwell’s sermon was on Acts 27, verse 21 : “ Paul Stood Forth” The preacher said that men’shearts should not fail them because of such calamities as those reported during the last few days : it should be remembered that God lives and reigns. Ale contended that as Paul was in that ship so the Cnristian Faith ought to bo in the world, bold when everything else was seized with terror, when men were at their wits’ end Christianity should stand forth and take the helm of public affairs. What was wanted was a Christianity with vigor enough to go into parliament and save the ship of State when she was being driven on to the rocks by careless self-seekers and incompetent drones. The choir, under Mr Burrow, is making splendid progress, and rendered several anthems most efficiently.

A new torpedo, the invention of Mr J. F. Perkins, who claims Auckland as his birthplace, was tested in the San Francisco Harbor last month, with satisfactory results. Speaking on the subject, the San Francisco Call of October 23rd says : —“ Yesterday Mr Perkins gave his torpedo a trial in the qaiet water near the transport wharf. He handled the machine from a small flat-bottomed boat, and when released it went along as though guided by a controlling mind. When the motive power was turned on the machine disappeared about a foot under the water, and made a direct line for the vessel it was supposed to destroy. It made several trips to and from two boats at anchor, but collided with neither of them, as the guide line in the hands of Perkins brought it up with a round turn.” Mr Perkins claims that his torpedo excels the Whitehead. He is now negotiating with the Canadian authorities for a bonus of £30,000 for the invention,

The steamer Edderton, 5056 tons, is loading coal at Westport for China.

A special price list is given this morning, showing the bargains to be had at Mark Wav House.

Those desiring to purchase town or country properties are offered special opportunities by Messrs Peekover and Co.

Here is a gem of Arner m humor—only it was written a Persian traveller of the fifteenthc ary in description of the heat of Mu t. It is quoted in the Rev. Mr Zwem _s “Arabia”: — The heat was so intense that it burned the marrow in the bones, the sword in its scabbard melted like wax, and the gems that adorned the handle of the dagger were reduced to coal. In the plain the chase became a matter of perfect case, for the desert was filled with roasted gazelles. In connection with the complaints of sly-grog selling in the vicinity of the North Island Main Trunk railway works near Poro-o-Tarao, the Public Works Department has issued the following circular :—“ The Minister directs you (resident engineer) and your staff to render the police every assistance in your power to stop the traffic. All workmen on the line are to ho warned that if any of them are found either dealing or in purchasing sly-grog, or in any other manner whatsoever encouraging the traffic, they will be peremptorily dismissed from the works, without any hope of further employment under the Government.”

The High Church party arc not altogether satisfied with King Edward’s religious observances. A cable message in the New York Herald, dated London, October 16th, says :—The Church Times, organ of the ritualists, contaius a virulent attack on King Edward for attending the services at the Crathie Presbyterian Parish Church, “ The King.” declares this newspaper, “ is a Catholic Prince, and as such ought not to be found worshipping in ttio company of Presbyterians and conforming to a different religion in Scotland. Queen Victoria,” continues the Church Times, “ attended the Crathie Church because of her 1 Jacobite sympathies,’ and the King ‘ ought to know better than to follow her her example.’ ” During the running of the Steeplechase at Ellerslie an incident took placo which is rarely witnessed. In charging the stone wall opposite the stewards’ stand Straybird made a faulty jump, and his rider (R. Hall) was shot forward. Hall would in all probability have fallen from the horse had not Frank Burns, who was riding alonside of him on Voltigeur 11., with quick presence of mind, extended a friendly hand and hauled his comrade back to the saddle. Burns’ plucky act drew forth a round of applause from the stewards’ stand, and one of the first to recognise Burns’ quickness in taking in the situation was Sir Hector Macdonald, who was following the exciting contest with a keenness that showed him to be greatly interested. Shortly after acting the part of rescuer to the ridor of Straybird, Frank Burns’ own little troubles commenced, Voltigeur’s saddle cloth (heavily charged with load) worked loose, and Burns had to hold it on with his left hand. Nothing daunted, the plucky little fellow continued pegging away, and his gallant old steed, popping over the various obstacles with the utmost proficiency, he finished close up fourth.