Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3996, 29 July 1913, Page 4

Local and General.

The English mail despatched via 'Frisco on June 18 arived in London on the 21th inst. three days late. Five old age pensions were granted hv Mr \Y. A. Barton S.M.. yesterday. The weekly Fire Brigade practice was held last evening and the engine taken out for a run. The down train yesterday morning was an hour late in reaching town. About a mile south of Otoko an accident occurred to the crank shafting of the engine and the train had to put back to the station named until repairs were effected.. For the week ended on Satimhr-. the Borough tramways revenue totalled £3O Os fid, compared with £2B Os Del for the previous week. Ordinary passengers totalled 4048, as against 4tdl fer tile previous week. There were 109 concession tickets sold. The car mileage' was 820, while for the last week it was 809. The Royal Artillery band, Woolwich. has been engaged to come to Auckland to provide the chief music for the Exhibition (says an Auckland P.A. wire). The band is reputed to lie one of the finest military bands in England.

At the next meeting of the Wellington Harbor Hoard the chairman, Mr R. Fletcher, will submit a series of proposed changes in the by-laws designed to effect an adjustment in the port charges on wool and hemp. He proposes to reduce the charges iY>r dumping wool and hemp by .‘ld per bale and to increase the wharfage charge on wool bv the same amount, leaving the wharfage rate on hemp as at present. During the conference between the Borough Council and the sports bodies last night, it was argued that unless the ground were fenced many people would view the games from the street. The Mayor suggested Hint the public should be tested on the matter. Mr H. Maude' advised the Mayor to try a similar experiment with the borough trams, and advertise that no one need par unless they wished to. If that were done lie 'was ofraid that, the revenue would show, a big shrinkage. One hundred and fifty of the. china mugs presented bv Captain Halsey to tlieTchildren of t'iie Dominion have been received bv the North Canterbury Fduvation Board, '(lie mugs arc of small size, and on one side have a representation of the King and. Queen, and on the other‘the words Tf.M.S. New Zealand under a crown. It has not yet been decided how the distribution of the. mugs sdia 1 ! bo made, but ,ns there are about 215 schools under the jurisdiction of the Board, it will bo difficult to make 150 mugs go round. The manager of the Union Steam Ship Company at Auckland was recently presented with a petition, signed by practically all tin' local export merchants and every bank, urging the Union Company to rearrange tlio Sydney-Vancouver time-table, so as to bring the Vancouver steamer, outward bound, one day earli or to Auckland. This is in order to give. New Zealand exporters two clear days for loading at the northern port, in vie# of the rapidity with which tlio trade with Vancouver is increasing. The petition was forwarded to the head office at Dunedin for consideration.

A letter from “West. Coaster” on the Grey election, together with some comments thereon, is held over. To Karaka is not to. remain, long without a hairdressing and tobacconist saloon. Mr C. Morse, of Gisborne, has decided to open a branch of his business at the progressive country centre. He intends to erect a handsomo billiard parlor and hairdressing saloon. Three Alcock tables will be installed. The Government is negotiating for a site in the Strand, London, nearly opposite the Charing Cross station, with a view to the erection of Dominion offices. The proposal, however, is only a tentative one, and the Government may elect to occupy a portion of the Australian building on the Aldwich site.— Correspondent. Our Napier correspondent _ telegraphs that the effects of vaccination are making themselves felt and several well-known Napier citizens are suffering considerable inconvenience, including the Mayor and the Magis-trate-(Mr S. 10. McCarthy), who was laid up yesterday and unable to preside at the usual Monday sitting of the Court. There was a short meeting of the No-license League last night. A deal of routine business was transacted. Reports were made on the progress of the majority campaign and on the League membership. The numbers in connection with such are steadily plowing. The League is keeping in cause touch with the Alliance in die expectation of needed licensing legislation during this session. Our Parliamentary reporter telegraphs the establishment of an Army Service Corps in connection with the Dominion Defence forces will be taken in hand shortly. Four non-com missioned officers are being imported from England to act as instructors in this branch of the service and the Minister for Defence (Hon. Jas. Allen) stated yesterday that if these officers had not already left the Old Country they were about to do so.

A black-edged postcard, addressed in red ink “To the Magistrates and Detectives of Auckland,” and sent from Guildford (England), is regularly received by the chief detective at the end of Ju'y. This postcard, which :« unsigned, has been coming for a good many successive years, and all it contains is the petition from the Litany asking that magistrates may be given grate to execute justice and to maintain truth. The 'Navy League in London has sent out t-o Mr Palmer, the 'Wellington secretary, a handsome poster issued by the aerial branch of the league. Tile poster is quite a work of art. Britannia enfolded in the Union Jack is depicted in mid-air, and surrounded by aerial craft of all kinds. She is gazing down at a bird’s-eye view of the British Isles, with English and foreign warships dotted round the coastline. 'Hie wording on the poster is: “The Navy League demands £l.000,000 for aerial defence—Britons, wake up!” A New Plymouth resident has samples of apples which he has preserved by a method peculiar to himself. Tim fruit had been kept outside, under the trees, and exposed to all weathers. Nothing ! more than a wirenetting hammock was used in this instance, and the fruit was in ex.el'ent condition. A shallow woodden box may be substituted, but on no account should til? fruit lie covered up. further than protection from the birds. The fruit lias been kept three months in this way, and will compare more then favorably, in flavor and soundness-, with any apples on the market. The following interesting cash statement of receipts received by the Gisborne Harbor Board from January 1 to June .30 for 1012 and 1913, was submitted as the meeting the Harbor Board yesterday: Wharfages, amount received, 1912, -CIO.OGS 11s lid. 1913 £10,541 3s 4d, increase £772 11s sd. Port charges. 1912 £1.609 13 4d, 1913 £1494 18s Cd, decrease £ll4 14s 10:1. Harbor Master’s fees, 1912 £696 9s Sd. 1913 £717 12s lOd. increase £2l 3s Id. Pilotages. 1912 £143 13 Sd, 1913 £63 2s 9d. decrease £73 12s lid. "River improvement rate. 1912 £223 3s Id. 1913 £413 7s 2d. increase £192 4s Id. Total nett increase £792 10s lOd. The Chairman ]x>inted out that this was the largest .increase yet made by the Beard in anv half-year.

The necessity for yetting: the best possible results from the dredger Maui during the good weather was voiced L\ Mr H White at the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday. Mr \\ iiite said she was costing a good deal to work, and he thought that during the summer months at least the dredge should be worked both night and day. The Chairman said that they could not very well go in for more expenditure at the present time, as they were beyond tile limit of tlieir overdraft. Mr Clark suggested that Mr White should move for a report from the Engineer. Cr. Brown said the trouble was to get men-. He had no objection to two shifts of eight hours each being worked, but it would be no good unless they could get two shifts of men, as to pay tired men time and a-half for overtime was not good business, it was eventually decided that a report should ho supplied on the subject by the Engineer.

The committee which lias in han 1 the organising of a monster tug-of-war tournament, to he hold on August 1-1, 1) and 16, has been successful in securing the spacious Garrison Hall for the _ event. Posters, containing full particulars of the tournament, are at present in the hands oT the printers, and will bo available this week. The lion, secretarv (Mr Cuth. Morse) leaves far Xapior to-morrow evening, with the object, if possible, of securing the gear used hv Messrs Thompson and Payne in the big tug-of-war tournament held in Napier a lew weeks back. Mr Morse will also make inquiries as to the most approved methods of conducting a tug-of-war tournament, with the object of having everything connected with the Gisborne tournament thoroughly up-to-date. The committee has "decided that, should the forthcoming tournament prove successful, a special pull will he arranged ior an open pull of ClOf) in October next. This handsome purse will, it is expected, produce entries from all parts of the Dominion.

_ The smallpox outbreaks have given rise to anxiety in some Quarters concerning the risk of infection through tho mails. Ju Sydney special receptacles containing cotton-wool steeped in formalin have boon placed in all postage-boxes and street pillar-boxes, so that each letter is disinfected as soon as it is posted. Formalin tablets are sprinkled freely .among any mail matter intended for oversea countries, and every letter-carrier has in his bag cotton-wool soaked in formalin. The fumigation of mails was under consideration in Melbourne last week, but the Chief Medical Officer of Victoria declared that further precaution was impossible, and that in any case it was unnecessary. The spread of tlm disease by means of mail matter, he said, was very unlikely, and in nearly every ease infection was communicated from one person to another. People who were nervous could disinfect their own letters bv snipping of!' i corner of the envelope and pouring in a few drops of formalin. An hour later tho letter could he opened and read with perfect safety. A most acceptable present for a lady friend can now bo procured at M. Neill’s, who has jnst opened up a large, set of samples in linen drawn thread work. Tho variety consists of doyleys, tray cloths, runners, duchess sets and supper cloths. Come barly before the best have gone.—M. Neill, the fashionable ladies’ draper, Gladstone lioad.*

A new enterprise is to be shortly started at Waipiro Bay (states our correspondent). Mr F. feweeneyiE having an oil launch built in Auckland, and intends to establish a fishing business.

During the past mouth 39 steaTfiers arrived, at the port and a similar number departed. JAuring the same penoci twelve sailing vessels arrived and 11 departed. The lighter dues amounted to £7 2s Gd, being 57 vessels at 2s txi. The delightful Lubin comedy, which shows how" a cruel father was clapped into quarantine during a smallpox scare, will be repeated hv lathe 1. ictures at His Mapesty’s theatre tonight.

Hon. Jas. Alien (Minister for France) stated yesterday to our lailiamentary reporter that the I. 1 inancia Statement might be introduced on Friday next, but that it was moi e probable that it would make its appearance early next week.

“A great many demands for loans m both the Advances to Settlers and Advances to Workers brandies are coming in at the present time, H° n Jas. Allen told our Parliamentary reporter yesterday, “but I think tha we are meeting the great bulk of the legitimate demands in both classes.

Our Waipiro Bay correspondent states that the moving of the local hotel on to a more elevated site lias been completed and the inside fittings are now bing put in. . There seems little hope of the land slipping, which was the cause ofremoval. 3 lie building now commands the best view m the Bay.

A defective chimney in "Mr R. J. Reynold’s residence, “Sundown, Childers Road, was the cause of-an alarm of fire being rung about 3.5 U p.m. yesterday. The brigade proceeded oiit and on their arrival it was Sound that the occupants of the house had quelled the outbreak by playing a garden hose down the chimney. Tile Harbor Board has decided that in future a charge of 5s an hour or part of an hour be made for the use of the Board’s oil launch between the hours of 8 a.rai. and 5 p.m., and .Os per hour between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.. and on Sundays and statutory holidays. the ship to provide any extra hands required for handling lines.

Our Parliamentary reporter te.egraphs that no word lias yet been received hv the Minister for Defence of the despatch of the gift aeroplane from England. The latest information on the subject is that the machine is being submitted to further tests.

In. future vessels taking water from the Harbor Board's mains between the hours of o p.m. and 8 a.m.. and on Sundays and statutory holidays shall pay* to the Board an overtime rate of 2s Gd per hour or part thereof in addition to the ordinary charge for water, this extra charge not to apply to the fishing boats. A meeting was held at noon yesterday in Redstone’s Hall of shareholders in the John Bannister and Co., Ltd., when there were forty-six present, the Rev. Ward (chairman of directors), presiding. The motion for the raising of additional capital, on being put to the meeting, was defeated by an overwhelming majority, and it was decided to adhere to the resolution carried at the previous meeting. Last Wednesday was the 67th anniversary of the capture of Te Ruapara ha at Porirua by HALS. Calliotve, under instructions from Captain (afterwards Sir George) Grey. Governor of New Zealand. The old warrior, who was asleep at the time his mi was surrounded by the troops, was taken on board the warship and by her removed to the North, where he lived fo- ‘-mm months, after which he was returned in another man-o'-war. He di d three years later and was buried at Otakit

The mi ! understanding between the Harbor Board and Mr King, surveyor, regarding the survey of the Tauwhareparae block, was gone into at length at yesterday’s meeting. Mr King appeared before tho Board, and stated that lie had based liis estimate for the contract on the assumption that the boundary surveys had already been compleod. While engaged on the work, however, lie had found that it would be necessary to re,survey two boundaries. After a lengthy discussion. it was eventually decided, on tho motion of Mr Smith, seconded by Mr Brown, to refer the matter to arbitration. as provided for in the eoni raei.

The third-; lass British cruiser Pvrnnnis, which arrived at Auckland from Noumea last week, was still living the yellow flag at the foremast, which indicated that the vessel is strictly isolated from the shore. During the week no communication whatever has been allowed with the warship, the ship’s letters and papers being put on board from a launch. Five New Zealanders, who were formerly seamen on H.M.iS. New Zealand, were taken on board on Thursday night, but otherwise the quarantine, has been rigidly observed. The Pyramus was coaled on Thursday from one of tho Westport Coal Company's hulks, the works being performed' by the ship’s company. The cruiser will probably sail to-day. her reported destination being the New Hebrides.

An elderly man named Charles Catton appeared before Mr W. A. Barton. S.M., yesterday, charged on the information of Inspector Kingston, with having on July IS sold milk other than that obtained .from a registered dairy. His Worship, after hearing the statement of the Inspector, said to defendant, who pleaded guilty : “It is very necessary, in the interests of public health that dairies should be licensed, so that inspections can u? made. I cannot think that you carried on this business in ignorance. On your own admission, you nave been in the business for four months. You must have known that it was ; ccessary to register. The maximum penalty is £SO. You will he fin .1 ,12 and costs (,'s), and in any case of this kind in the future I will inflict a much heavier penalty.’»

“I can guarantee that nine out of ten bicycles that the police do not recover nrc altered beyond recognition by dishonest dealers,” said a police officer to a Christchurch reporter. The remark was apropos of a sugostion that it would be opportune this session for Parliament to amend tho Sec-ond-hand Dealers Act to include cycle dealers. He said that if a cycle dealer wore compelled to keep a record of all cycles bought or exchanged the police would have no difficulty in tracing the numberless lost cycles reported daily in Christchurch. Two or throe losses wore reported every day, and the police wore continually on the hunt. The suggested amendment wouldi protect In-nest dealers and uncloak those who were making a busines of stolen cycles.

A conversation which took place between some fanners on the Matawai and Motu train, which, when properly construed, form a splend'd treatise on the “Road to Business Success.'’ The subject was the present amount of exchanging and coding of property that was going on in practically every part of the world to-day. “Yes,” sa:d one of the party, .“we aiv all on the track of the almighty dollar, and I have studied the matter carefully, and decided, not from what I have read or heard of him, hut purely from an entirely business point of view, 'Squaro Deal Jones’ is my agent from this day henceforth.” On this print everyone was unanimous, and just as the train was pulling up at Te Karaka one old farmer, thinking to crack a joke, exclaimed, “He Stands Alone.” (To be continued.)*