The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 21, 1901.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 296, 21 December 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 21, 1901.

Applications for enrolment in tile Eighth Contingent will be received until Tuesday next. At noon to-day Messrs Wyllie and Mason will sell the privileges in connection with the Cycling Club Spurts, to be held on Boxing Day. Separate tenders will bo received until noon to-day for the privileges m conneetion with tiie sports to be held at Kanaka on New Year's Day. Entries for the running events at the Cycling Club’s Spurts on Boxing Day close with the Secretary, Mr Cruikshank, this evening.

Thore were many queries yesterday as to what had became of the watering cart, clouds of dust blowing and damaging the goods in the shops. “ A Sufferer ” writes making complaint as to Sunday trading by certain hotels. The charges should bo referred to the police, and hardly come within our province.

Oapt. Edwin telegraphed at 1.20 p.lll. yesterday: “North to west and south gale; glass fall, but rise aftor tea hours from now ; indications heavy gale after glass rises, and tides high. An attractive display of Christmas novelties is announced by C. Rosie and Co. For convenience of customers their business premises will be open on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

A Sydney journal states that of the 107 men who went to South Africa in the second contingent of Australian Bushmen, only eight are left fighting, sixty-eight having been killed, and the rest invalided home.

Those intending to compete in the forthcoming Lawn Tennis Championship Meeting, to be held under the direction of the Gisborne Lawn Tennis Club, are reminded that entries close with the Club’s Secretary at 6 p.lll. to-day. A special meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday to appoint a custodian of the Old Men’s Home. The Mayor, and Messrs Whim-ay, Miller, Hepburn, and Jones were present. Five applications were received, and Mr Robert C. Vigis was appointed. A concert and magic lantern entertainment is to be held on Monday evening next at the Waerenga-a-hika College. The proceeds are in aid of the Turanga Church fund. It is to be hoped there will be a good attendance. An excellent programme has been arranged. Captain Edwin's forecast of unusally cold weather ia Gisborno was fulfilled in the wrong direction. Instead of a taste of invigorating cold, high and enervating westerly winds set in, much to tho discomfort of people, and a parching effect on the pastures, which have been so well clothed with verdure for the summor season,

The despatch of the Eighth Contingent has caused a strong demand for remounts, and the Government is advertising for an immediate supply. The height of horses must be from 14.2 to 16 hands, and the ago from five to ten years. The horses must be sound. Grey horses will not be accepted. “P.S.A.” moans pleasant Sunday afternoon, and is used to describe the service announced for Wesley Church on Sunday at 3 o'clock, when the scholars will repeat some of the anniversary hymns. Several sacred solos will be rendered, and the Rev. W. Day, Congregational minister, of Auckland, will give a short address. Floral services will bo held at Wesley Church on Sunday. The scholars will repeat the anniversary hymns. Rev. B. F. Rothwell will preach in the morning on “ The Rose of Sharon ” ; Rev. W. Day in the afternoon, and in the evening Mr Rothwell’s subject will be “ Humanity’s Choicest Fruit, the Choice Young Man.” Young people specially invited. Referring to the recent strike on the local railway works, the Minister of Public Works says that his instructions to the Engineer are that rates for co-opera-tive labor are to be fixed so that men of average ability can earn the-average wage ruling in the district. Then, if the men choose to exert themselves, they could earn more than the average wage, whilst on the other hand if they are indifferent in carrying on the work their wages will consequently fall below the average.

Attention is directed to the advertisement of Mr J. Lewis, confectioner and fruiterer, Gladstone Load, appearing in this issue. An excellent assortment of confectionery for Christmas and New Year has been opened up, and should be in good demand during the festival season. Fancy boxes of Rountree’s, Cadbury’s, and Fry’s chocolates are stocked in great variety, as well as all kinds of colonial goods. Fresh shipments of cherries, poaches, raspberries, and all other sorts of fruit are received daily. Mr Lewis has a new summer drink known as pineappleado for sale, a beverage which lias become very popular in other places during hot weather.

A meeting of the Caledonian Society was held last evening in Townley's Hall, Mr R. Robertson, Vice-President, being in the chair. Later the President, Mr Spence, arrived from Toiago Bay, and was present at the latter portion of the meeting. The annual report and balance-sheet was read and adopted. The election of officers rosuited as follows : President, Mr G. Spence; vice-Presidents, Lieut.-Colonel Porter, G. Grant, A. F. Kennedy, R, Robertson, A. Sawyer, and J. Nisbett; Treasurer, Mr J. Rosie ; Secretary, Mr R. N. Jones. All members of the executive were re-elected. It was decided not to hold a sports gathering next month, for the reason stated in the report. It was resolved to continue the Society’s educational gold medal. Votes of thanks were passed to the outgoing officers.

An incipient lire was the cause of some alarm last night. Messrs Frank McCabe and J. H. Hogan were in Bright street, when Mr McCaoc nuiu-cd a flare in a side window of Gladstone House. They ran to the house and alarmed the inmates, and thinking that it was a big fire Mr Hogan then weut to the bell and gave the alarm, while Messrs McCabe, Adams, Reynolds, and Watson quickly quenchc-d the fiame. The fire occurred in a verysimple way, in the smoking room. Mrs Adams had been using it as a sewing room, there being a candle on the sewing machine table. During the couple of minutes that Mrs Adams was out of the room the wind caught the curtain and blew it against the candlelight, with the result that the curtain was soon ablaze. The window had only been open an inch or so, but there was a very strong wind j blowing at the time. The damage to the | room was not great. A valuable lot of i sewing material and fancy work was j destroyed.

The to; Twine tU?veil will represent United iu trie cricket match against County

Fairiie. Baker. Burin. Gioso.i, Seymour, ; Lyttleton, Hill, McCreule, H. Ferris, J. j M’. Gouldsmitii, and Haworth. Euier- | geneies : Witty and Clare. j Mr A. Y. liusu, jun.. of Waihi, is on a I visit to his old noun- at Gisborne, and is accompanied by Mrs Ross. Mr Ross has ( been on a mission to Wellington in connection with the formation 01 a borough I at Waihi. He is confident that tile reasonable reque.-t of the people of Waihi . will be granted. i

It is good to be a member of Parliament nowadays. Last week two members had presentations made to them. Now we learn by telegraph that Mr Jackson Palmer,"member for Ohiiieinuri district, has been presented by tiie miners with a handsome- sovereign case and a purse of sovereigns for services rendered, partieulariv in reference to a recent important mining dispute.

The result of the two weight-guessing competitions ut the IJioiy Trinity Church fete is announced. The weight of the large cake was 191 b, and the winners were Mrs Pal tiret and Messrs J. Y. MacDonald and L. T. Symes, all of whom guessed the exact weight. The small cake weighed riib box, ami the correct weight was guessed by Mr G. H. Lysnar. There were fiftyseven guesses for the small cake, and eighty-five for the large cake.

Yesterday morning, Mr J. L, Perry arrived from Napier with a splendid consignment of rams. They are from Hawke’d Bay and Palmerston districts, obtained by Mr Perry on his own behalf and for other sheepfarmers, including Messrs W. 1). Lysnar, Partridge, Oldfield, Perry Bros., and Ngatapa station, consisting of 170 Romney and oU Lincoln rams. The Romneys, two-tooth, were bred by Messrs 11. Tanner and D. Rowlands. of Jackytown, and the Lincolns by Mr Douglas McLean. The purchase was made by Mr Perry through the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company.

A correspondent writes : —A fire took place at Makauri on Wednesday afternoon at Mr W. Turnbull's residence. There were two little children in the house at the time, and they observed smoke issuing from over the mantelpiece. Though the children were very small indeed they had the good sense to throw water over it, and thought that they had extinguished it, but later on it broke out higher up in greater force, and within a short space of time the whole building was in a flame. The neighbors hurried to the scene, but were impotont to do anything, as the flames had got a firm hold. It was a marvel how the children escaped, as tho two little ones now and then 'ran in to save something as the building was in flames. They managed to save only their mother’s photo, losing everything they had, except what they had on. Mr Turnbull was away at the time, and returned only to see everything he had got a heap of ashes, ft was fortunate that the fire did not take place at night, as Mr Turnbull has sometimes to be away on committees. Tho children only a short time ago lost their mother, and now it seems hard that tho cruel flames should deprive them of their home. We hope and trust that something will he done to assist them in getting a covering over their heads, as there are four small children, tho father of whom has to bo away daily working. There was no insurance on anything. The monthly meeting of tho Waimata Valley branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held in tho Waimata flail last Tuesday evening, Mr IT. Kenway presiding. There was a good attendance, and about 20 new members were admitted, making the total membership up to about (50. Several matters of local interest were discussed, and it was resolved on the proposition of Mr Manders that Government be urged to proceed with the erection of the extra telephone wire from Gisborne to Ormond, to connect with the Waimata Valley line. It was pointed out that it was now nearly eighteen months since tho extra wire was promised. Mr A. L. Bellerby suggested that as there was a. likelihood of stock sales being held in outlying country districts, it would bo a fitting time to urge upon the auctioneers the necessity of reducing the rates of commission in accordance with the present prices. This was heartily supported, and it was resolved that the secretary should at once communicate with the other branches in the Bay; asking them to offer an expression of opinion in the matter. Many points in connection with the platform of the Union were fully considered, Messrs McPhail, Stevens, Akroyd, Bilham, Martin, Bellerby, TI. Kenway, and L.ysnar taking part in the discussion. The Secrefcary, Mr H. N. Lysnar, has received a communication from Mr Glass, organising secretary, intimating that he will hold a Gisborne conference about tho ‘2oth of

January next if possible. A special committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 13th, at 7 o’clock, for the purpose of electing a delegate. Roman Catholic Church Services, to-morrow (Sunday 1. Gisborne, Mass B and 11 a.m., Vespers 7 p.m.; Makaraka, 9 a.m.; Ormond, Mass 11 a.m. —liov. T. Mulvihill.

Holy Trinity Church Services, to-morrow (Sunday). 8 a.m., Holy Communion; 11 a.m., Morning Prayer; subject, Advent Voices, “ For What is Your Life'?”; 7 p.m., Evening Prayer, subject, “ The Will of Man.”