Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3624, 10 September 1912, Page 4

Local and General.

A fairly long list of cjiscs is set down for the consideration of the Court to-day.

Our Rakauroa corresnondent writes that after a rigorous winter the grass is coming away we.ll, and lambing so far is very satisfactory.

Eugene McCarthy was arraigned before the Court yesterday on a charge of wife desertion, and remanded to appear to-morrow.

The Conciliation Court will commence its sittings in Gisborne this mor'ning. when the bakers dispute will be taken. Messrs. R, W. Barber and Co. were tin- successful tenderers in respect of the electric light installation for the Gisborne Laundry Co.’s premises.

It is reported that a strong endeavor is being made to get Mr. J. Colley to stand for the vacant seat on the Borough Council One first offender for drunkenness was fined os and costs 3s, or 24 hours imprisonment, yesterday, and another 8s and costs 2s, or 48 hours; while John Greenwood, for his second oifence within six months, was fined £1 and costs 2s, or four days. Staff Sergeant-Majors Bishop and Henry commenced the new Territorial trainin"- year at Matawhero last evening; to-night they go to Patutahi, aiid to-rrorrow Manutuke. The officers were highly pleased with the manner in which the cadets performed at Matawhero, the latest recruits drilling in a thoroughly creditable manner.

The Finance Committee of the Borough Council met yesterday morning. when the statements concerning the- expenditure of loan moneys compiled by the Engineer and Town Clerk, which were referred to by Cr. Collins at the last meeting of the Council, were considered. A report concerning the matter will be furnished at the next meeting of the Council.

The case will 1m heard at Court today of Charles Frederick Hillman v. the Borough Council, a claim for £2OO damages alleged to have been sustained by plaintiff on March 5, through the negligence of the defendants or their employees in bridging a road in Gladstone Road, whereby plaintiff was thrown to the ground and sustained serious personal injury and suffered monetary loss.

The annual sale of work in connection with the Salvation Army will commence in the Citadel this evening, and will be continued on "Wednesday and Thursday night?. A large number of stalls lias been erected, and these will be laden with goods both useful and ornamental that cannot fail to find ready purchasers. A large attendance of the public is expected. The doors open at 7.30 p.m.

A general air of calmness prevailed at the special meeting of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board at its last meetings, says the ■‘New Zealand Herald,” and all the members seemed bent on proceeding with the matters before them on busi-ness-like lines. On only one occasion did there seem a possibility of a little rift in the lute. 4'lk- matter of providing a second operating theatre was undc-r discussion, and Dr. Pabst was explaining the necessity for such a theatre. “Is there net a craze for operations?” asked Mr. E. H. Potter. The doctor mildly suggested that- the remark did not come within the range of the discussion. In answer to a question. Dr. Pabst s-dd more was twice as much operative work now than there was. say, twenty years ago. and more persons desired to be operated upon. "It depends on tiie patients' pockets, doctor,” interrupted Mr. Potter. The doctor smilingly informed Mr. Potter that the patients" pockets had nothing to do with the hospital, and. moreover, contended that a very large percentage of the operations were successful.

Thc secretary of the East Coast Trades and Lalwr Council (Mr. D. W. Coleman) received n wire yesterday from Professor W. T. Mill*. the national organiser of the .United Labor Partv. stating that Mr. J. E. McManus is c n his way to Gisborne for a stay of about a fortnight for organising purposes. Mr McManus is well known in Labor circles. He was a candidate at the last general ..election for the Dunedin South seat. He secured a verv large number of votes, •but was unable to unseat the sitting member. He was for -some years general secretarv of the Otago General Laborers' Union, which has a membership of about 2000. He is a member of the Dominion executive of the United Labor Partv, representing the Affiliated General Workers. Mr. Coleman expects Air. McManus to arrive to-morrow morning, in which case lie will attend the meeting of the Trades and Labor Council in the evening. Other meetings will be arranged. which will be duly advertised.

i It is not unusual for fish to be | scarce in Oamaru during the winter i months, but it is seldom that the scar- ! city reaches such an acute stage as j has been the experience this year (says Wednesday's ‘'Mail''). For two months past there has been little or no fish in Oamaru. even the frozen groper that has hitherto been made to serve when fresh fish had been unprocurable, being a back number. Fishermen report that there is no fish catching, and that it is the rule now. rather than the exception, for the fleet to return with empty bottoms, after having .been for some hours a distance of about twenty miles out. They attribute the scarcity to the discoloration of the water caused by the recent heavy weather. Local retailors have endeavored to minimise the effects of the deficiency by purchasing in outside markets, but without avan. ns the demand everywhere greatly exceeds the supply. Local fishermen incline to the opinion that a thorough test would reveal the fact that there are profitable banks in the vicinity of Oamaru, the position of which they have hitherto been unable to locate. They are fortified in this bv the enormous quantity of small fish found in groper when the hitter are catching freely.

Quite a stir has been caused in Gisborne by the low prices ruling at the People’s Emporium, the new shop next the Ivimpton Cycle Co., Gladstone Road. __ People are wondering how it can bo done. The explanation is simple: By dealing direct with the manufacturer, and giving customers the benefit of the “cut’’ which usually falls to the middleman.*

Literally hundreds of the very latest- styles in ladies’ untrimmed hats lor spring wear, and a choice assortment of trimmed models, are now on view at Messrs. C. llosie and Co.’s showroom. "You are invited to call in and have a look arcund.*

The finest baas voices and the finest choir Ringing in the world said the Hon, Maurice Baring at the New Zealand Club, Wellington, last work, were found in Russia.

True humor is one of the original qualities which give great minds vision,- poise, insight, and sympathy. The joke, as a rule, is the diversion of the small mind seeking a refuge from its own barrenness.

The marine survey in the vicinity of the French Pass by the Terra Xova Antarctic expedition crew i.s making good progress. Soundings are taken about even* 100 yards, these all being shown on the chart, together with the obstructions, etc., met with. The work will be completed about the middle of October, when the men will rejoin their ship and proceed to the Antarctic co bring back the Scott expedition.

A meeting of employers cited in connection with the drivers’ dispute was held last evening at the Employers’ Association’s rooms, McKee’s Buildings. Fourty attended, and :t was decided to appoint Messrs. Geo. Smith, A. M. Lewis, and \\ . F. Coder wall as assessors on the Conciliation Council to-morrow. Messrs Geo. Broc-klebank and A M. Lewis were appointed delegates to attend a meeting of employers to be held at the office of Mr. *W. Pryor, secretary of the Employers’ Federation, on Monday, September 16. at Wellington, when counter proposals which are to be presented to the Arbitration Court on the following dav will be considered. The Maori has often been called lazy. At any rate, there are many Natives who* do not take kindly to really hard work, but Bishop Crossley. who* has just. returned to Auckland from a tour through the Taranaki dis-

! trict, was much impressed with the S industry which i.s being shown by the j Natives in some parts of the dairying ! province. The Native land has in I many instances, he says, been individ- | ualised, with the happiest results. The i Maoris are building their own homes on their own land, and they are earj rying ,out dairying operations most j successfully. Their conduct and ooi eupations are testimcnhfls to the fact ; that in this district at least the Maori \ when lie works can be successful. j One of the most remarkable fainii- | ies in Australia—or anywhere else — 1 hails from the Parramatta district, j The Heekenb°rg brothers, eight in j number, are all over 6ft in height. 1 the tallest being Oft 7in. and their j weights run from 14st 71b to 17st. avei raging almost 16st. With the assistj a nee of two friends, who turn the j scale at lost 71b and 16s 91b, the ■ Heckenbergs have formed a tug-o'-j war team, to challenge the claim of j M. Fitzpatrick that his combination. I organised for the Stadium Carnival, i is best able to represent Australia. Speaking at an anti-military meeting at Greymouth, Mr. Semple, organiser of the New Zealand Federation of Labor, said that the forces were not required for the defence of this coun-

! trv. but the idea had come from the j capitalists. The forces would b? used j in the case of industrial troubles, and j the'- would be called upon to shoot- | their own fathers and brothers. Peri sonally he had a son who was just ! coming of age—i.e., liable to serve—- | and so far as he was concerned the I defence authorities would have to j walk over his own dead kedv liefore | they would get the boy. In regard to | the proposed military detention of I persons who did not register, he chaTi acterised this as worse than gaol It j was a perfect hell. He did net think I that they had anythin"- to fear from ; Japan, where there were nianv Sociali ists. Some colonial politicians had | gone Home and shaken hands with j Japanese statesmen whose hands were j dripping with the blood of feociali-ts ; executed in Japan. | The “Christchurch Press." which ■ has been dissecting the return of ; candidates’ election expenses the ! second ballots last December, obser- ; vos that Mr G. W. Russell includes ; in His expenditure two items which • will provoke interest, and possibly j amusement. They are I Printing—Spectator. £7 15s; adver- ■ using—Spectator £'!. Obviously. i says' the* “Press.” a candidate who | advertises his meetings in his own j paper and gets the Government to i n:iv the bilk" is. mo to speak. <>n a i particularly good wicket. Our coni temporary'was under the impression that Mr G. Witty lived m the district he represents, but m Ins detailed i list of expenditure during the second i ballot occur the items" Meals and I beds to various—For sell six days •it £1 per day. £6; for secretary, tour | davs at 12s "od per day. £2 10s; |or : chauffeur, live days and a-hali. at los ; ~er dav. £4 0s 6:1." 11m “Press ' re- | marks ': “Electioneering is - irenuous ; work as we know, but being at £1 ; a dav Mr Witty must have ‘done lnm- ; se ]f \ vo ll.- and cannot have lost much i wend it in the week, for the best hotel i in the city would have charged him : considerable .le. s. One is foiced to ’• admire, too. t : e careful grading of i daily expenditure on meals amljteds. i clearly in proportion to Mr 4\ itty s ; idea of the relative importance of tlie ! individuals : Candidate £1 a day. i chauffeur (.responsible for the eandi--1 date's safe carriage from point to . point) Iss. secretary (precise duties unknown, probably various) 12s 6d.