Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3461, 13 October 1913, Page 4

Local and General.

J he following was the revenue received at the Custom House last week:—Customs duties £1255 2s od, beer duty £96 18s, light dues £2 6s Bd, shipping fees £1 16s 9d. other receipts £2 2s—total £1258 os lOd. Tenders close at noon to-day at Messrs de Lautour, Stock and ’ Matthws’ offices for leases of Church of England sections in Derby Street. These leases are for 21 years, and offer a first-rate opportunity for tradesmen to acquire business sites. A first offending Maori appeared before the Court on Saturday and was fined the amount of his bail (10s). Albert Winn, alias Heswick, was fined 10s and costs (2s) or 48 hours’, and Andrew Jackson was ordered to forfeit his bail (£1). The Rev. Mr Bailey, of 'the Presbyterian Church, preached his farewell sermon at Whangamomona on Sunday evening, and left the district, so that (dolefully writes the Whangamomona correspondent of the “Taranaki Herald”) we are now without a parson. This is to be regretted in view of the large number of approaching marriages. Sawmilling is brisk and the local plant is kept fully employed (writes the Dargaville correspondent of the Auckland “Herald.”) The steamer Perth recently eased the heavily-stock-ed yards of 1,000,000 feet of white pine timber for Sydney, and the saws are now kept going in completing large orders for five Australian market. The supply of logs is good, and what is considered to be the largest raft yet handled by a launch, 300 logs, was swung into the looms last week. A sitting of the Native Appellate Court will be held at Gisborne to-day, over which Judges Rawson and McCormick will preside. Among the business to be dealt with will be an application for re-hearing regarding the relative interests in Maraeta'ha No. 2 block, a. certain amount being in the hands of the East Coast Commissioner for distribution among the beneficiaries. After finishing the work of the Court here, the Judges wall proceed to the Coast a sitting of the Court being fixed to open at Tuparoa on October 24.

A strong effort is being made by the A. and P. Association to increase its membership. The President (Mr Geo. ’Witters) and several members of the committee were out on a vigorous campaign on Saturday afternoon, and met with considerable suocess, upwards of 40 new members being enrolled within the space of a few hours. The Association is desirous of endeavoring to secure a fixed, membership, as this would give assured finance, and in view of the big hurdle which the Association, has in front of it in connection with the acquiring of a freehold property, it is hoped that the public will support the Society in every way it can.

A man and his wife and a motor car were yesterday afternoon the three chief participants in a swiftlyacted little scena, which amused a number of onlookers who had gathered. It occurred near the corner of Fox and Clifford Streets, and all through one of the rear, wheels of the car getting back too far and dipping into the deep street ditch. The driver got down from his precarious perch and in lifting his companion, overbalanced, and the two fell into the ditch. Many strong arms succeeded in righting the car, and it proceeded ( on its way.

Great interest is being taken in the Gisborne competitions; all cannot be winners, but those that are should not forget the privilege thev have in having their photos taken by the appointed studio, “Ellerbedc’s.” Mr. Ellerbeck would be pleased if all would avail themselves of the right, as !he is desirous of making up a complete set for Press purposes.*

A surveyor has been selectedto go to Motu with reference to the cutting up of Crown land at the township named and the setting aside of native bush as a reserve, but the epa / t J] c - n is holding off pending some decision with respect to the Motu railway line. Wairoa must be progressing, according to the following resolution passed at the last meeting of the Chmmbe of Commerce: “That proper s P taken to ascertain if the requisi thirds of subscribers to local telephone exchanges are in favor of a continuous service, which they are . titled to on payment of a slightly increased rental.

The mortality among calves winter has been jaJ (says the Akiaroa Mail _), , , some cases fifty per cent of large liave been lost during the > ter months. The oalves-fero put out to winter as usual in .cocksfoot paddocks apparently strong in constitution, a id the winter being a very mild one it i» difficult to guess. the cause ot tne mortality. The weather, though ni very rough this winter was, •much colder than usual, and this may account for the loss.

It is reported that the Big. River is eating into the land in the_ vicim y o Mr Wall’s property near the moutn. Already, it is said, 14 acres have disappeared lately. The erosion is attributed to the dry spell which hae kept the river low and allowed the t bank up slightly more towards the mouth. As a result the coach does not now run via the Beach road. It » the opinion of a resident of the locality that the river may again assuhie its original course near the mouth, 1.e., go back into the old lagoon, and come out under Nick’s Head, where it traversed some half century ago.

According to the Dannevirke paper the timber industry in that district has now given way to dairy farming, an factory returns show that there is money in milk. Last season go prices ruled, and dairy farmers were rewarded with substantial cheques. The following figures show tne pioductive powers of the immedia e neighborhood : Norsewood Factory £16,431 14s 9d, Tamaki £13,326 Is Id, Ormondville £8,618, Umutaoroa £ / <>so Matamau £5,515. Raumati £4,/91 10s, Weber £2,178 10s; total £08,210 16* Bd. To this has to be added the amounts paid out by the proprietary factories, bringing the total well up to £IOO.OOO.

A young Scotchman, who Lately returned to Dunedin by a barque from Malden Island, a guano lying close to the equator in the Central Pacific, tells a little story about the Cook Island and Savage Island natives who work the guano deposits in that tropic map-speck. “I had a phonograph, which captivated the n&tives,” he says. “I one day broke one of the records accidentally, and to my surprise an elderly native quickly cut the record into hundreds of pieces, to see if he c-ould find anything or anybody in it to simplify the mvstery of this "music machine. They loved to hear it, and listened always open-mouthed. "They were keenly partial to lively tunes and Lauder comics, and the Scotch bagpipes were causes of gratification amongst them.

The dwellings for Gisborne’s work ers, under the Labor . Department’s scheme, are at last within the view of the applicants, and a few months should see an appreciable addition to the community at Te Hapara. Mr Woburn Temple, the Department s architect, arrives from Napier next Saturday, and he and Mr Sadd (Commissioner of Crown Lands) will meet the workers and find what style of houses they require from the supplied selection of plans. Mr Temple will also make inquiries as to local price of materials, etc., before making his estimates. Tenders will be called for the making of the roads at an early date. On Monday next, Mr Sadd and Mr Temple will go to Tologa Bay in connection with the workers’ homes there.

To cav that the land- is flowing with milk is only half stating the case (says the Stratford correspondent of the “Taranaki Herald '). A cloudburst is more truly expressive of the situation. Cheese factory managers are wondering where the milk is to find vat-room next month. The remarkably favorable spring is, of course the main factor in the abounding productiveness of the herds, but there is reason to believe that at last results are coming from the preaching of the gospel of 'better cows and better feeding. Testing associations, breeders’ associations, the object-lessons of the shows and of paddocks enriched by basic slag are having effect. If farms swapping were out of fashion Taivsnaki would be another Denmark.

A somewhat remarkable accident, probably unique so far the nowexpiring Sydney dancing season is concerned, occured at Manly recently (says the. Sydney “Sun”). Once upon a time dancing programmes included the waltz, the schottisehe,, the lancers, the quadrilles, the alberts, the mazurka, the cotillons, and the polka. Nowadays the programme is made up of the two-step, the one-step, and the waltz. The trouble occurred in a twostep. The male partner to the compact was a head taller than his lady. Both danced in the latest style—close together. They had circled a couple of times —and then' the man retired with a cut throat. In the maze or the two-step his throat was torn by an ornament in his partner’s hair. Blood streamed from the wound, and soon his shirt front was drenched. If he had sustained the injury in a boxing inathh the police would have stopped the fight. As it was, he had to make hurried apologies and hasten to the nearest doctor.

No information as to the number of appeals that have been lodged by civil servants against the provisional classification is available, but it is stated that quite a number have put in appeals for the purpose of having minor errors, such as the dates of service, corrected. The impression prevails in some quarters that the right to appeal when any appointment or promotion affecting the civil servants’ status is made applies to alterations in the calassjfication which the Appeal Board any make. The Chief Commissioner states that this is not so. The lust as it leaves the Appeal Board is final. Whether the Act might be interpreted to bear this meaning is not stated —that, it was explained, was a legal question. In any case, members of the service have apparently taken care to appeal so that if a fellow servant's position is improved they will bo in a position to benefit aho. The Commisioner states that the Appeal Board will take into consideration, all the circumstances—such as the classification of a particular section—when, considering the appeal of an officer in that section. The success of one officer’s appeal will not have a detrimental effect upon the position of an officer who has not appealed.

When making a purchase you always go to the store that treats you best. This explains why the People’s Emporium has such a number of clients. There are some people, however, who think all advertisers are alike. They think catchy, advertisements are only put in the papers to gull the public. This is not the way the People’s Emporium do business. They sell what they advertise, and if the public study their own interests, they must deal at The People’s Emporium.*

Who’s Clarkie ?—W. R. Clarkson has now opened up in his temporary premises, Lowe Street, as hatters, mercers, and clothiers, awaiting the completion of his new shop, whicih is to take the place of the present Hotel Coronation bars, Gladstone Road. “The House for Men’s Wear.”*

a ms aenfe j The Commissionef' of Police, the Hon. A. L. Herdman stated in the House of Representatives, set some of the papers for the recent police examination.

A Greymouth nurseryman had the bad fortune to have a thousand tomato plants destroyed by the frost experienced last week. Oother plants suffered in a less degree.

The Native Land Court at New Plymouth has been hearing a case that is no less than 19 years old. It has nowbeen adjourned to Haw.era

Poultry is in demand in the Main Trunk line. At a sale at Matapuna the other day white Leghorns brought 5« 6d each, brown leghorns 4s 6d each, and barn-door fowls 2s 6d each.

The “Manchester Guardian says that the relatives of the Queen ot Spain have been shocked by the news that her second daughter, I nncess Maria Christina who was t*orn ui December 1911, is both deaf and dumb.

“Money will be .easier and more plentiful,” said the chairman of directors at the annual meeting of shareholders of the W.F.C.A. m Ma)ferton. “How I know is a secret, fie said, “but I may tell you that money is already easier.”

To a “Gisborne Times” reporter on Saturday Mr G. J- Small said that in the course of his recent holiday he went as far south as Dunedin and as far north as Whangarei If anything other districts which he saw nere backward compared with Poverty Lay. The onlv districts where he saw pasturage and stock looking really well outside this district were Wanganui and Norman by and around about Timaru. Poverty Bay, in his opinion, took the lead both a-regards the appearance of the stock and in t e spring growth.

During the hearing of a case affecting level-crossings, at Wellington, Mr Justice Edwards remarked that on one occasion he narrowly escaped co liding with a train while riding freewheel bicycle, it being impossible to see the train until he was almost upon it “Your Honor should have dusmounted ” jocularly remarked the Solicitor-General, who added thau His Honor was guilty of a breach of the regulations. “It would perhaps have been a~good thing iT I had dismounted,” was His Honor s reply, as l should no doubt have got run over.

A large crowd assembled at the Recreation Ground yesterday afternoon, and thoroughly enjoyed the open-air concert given by the Oisborne City Band. The programme submitted was as follows:—March, “The Cossack”; Spanish fantasia. “Under Sunny Skies”; cornet solo. “Roses Softly Blooming” (soloist, J. Davis); selection, “Old Favorites”; duet (trombone, euphonium), “The Moon Hath Raised Her Lamp” : variations on a Welsh melodv (bv special request), “All Through the Night”; march, “Back to Camp”; “God Save the King.”

The Mayor (Mr J. R. Kirk) who attended to give evidence in support of the Gisborne Borough Reserves Exchange and Empowering Bill before the Local Bills Committee on Thursday last, mentioned to a “Times” reporter on Saturday that the Crown law draughtsman had taken exception to the clause in the Bill giving the Borough power to apply any surplus money in respect of the McLean Street bridge to repairing the other bridges in the town. Mr Kirk said he had agreed that lean moneys should not be applied to maintenance, and had undertaken _ that any surplus should he applied towards sinking fund or other specific permanent work in the Borough.

“Stop! Look out for the engine,” is a notice frequently seen in the vicinity of level crossings, hut few people are aware that for suggesting this simple warning in America a New York Lawyer was paid no less than 20.000 dollars. This fact was mentioned in the Appear Court* in Wellington by Mr Justice Cooper, during the hearing of a case in which a Hawke's Bay sheepfarmer had been awarded £IOOO damages by an Auckland jury against the Railway Department following upon a collision between his motor-car and a train at a level crossing in the North. His Honor added that a number of designs were received, and this was adopted as the most effective.

At the Christchurch Police Station quite a lot of storage room bas to be found for bicycles picked up here and. there by members of the force. Hardly a night goes bv bu. one or more machines are added to the collection in store, and at the present time the total held awaiting owners is in the neighborhood of v-.-chty. Last month sixty-eight bicycles, of all kinds and conditions, were brouglit in, but fiftysix of them were subsequently claimed, so that only twelve were added to what might be called the permanent collection. Most of these stray machines are found outside busin s places, where absent-minded owners leave them. The police do not undertake to remove bicycles until after midnight. Then they take them into custody.

Holy Trinity Schoolroom was the scene of a happy gathering on Friday evening, when about 100 Band of Hope children were entertained f o tea bv the ladies of the TV.C.T.TT. After tea items were contributed by Misses Sievwright and McLeod, and Messrs Arlidge and Rowell, and Rev. W. Grant briefly addressed the effiidren. The rest of the evening was taken up with a temperance recitation competition, which was won by Miss Cissie Murray. The Union’s silver medal for essay on “Why I belong to the Rand. A of Hope”, was won by Master R«rel If Lochore. The essay was read >y M’s * Goffe. The prizes were presented t,y Mrs A. Graham, President <f the W.C.T.U. The essays were judged by Mrs Sheppard are the recitations tv Mrs Howard and Mr Rowell.

\\ hilst he was in Wellington rerecently Mr G. J. Small, formerly secretary of the Inland Railway League, interviewed Mr MacDonald and other members of Parliament in support of by the League that at least £30.000 should be put on the Estimates for the northern end of the Gis-borne-Napier railway, lie was sorry was not able to see the Hon. \\ . Fraser, Minister for Public Works, but it was impossible, owing to stress t als Optics. He said that from what he had been able to gather it was not unlikely that £.10,000 would he voted tor the work this year. Members to v horn he spoke were convinced that, more revenue would be derivable from -he northern end of the line than from the southern end. Mr Small also mooted the question of a Parliamentary party taking a run over the route during the recess, and he said it was very favorably received, and was likeiy to come to pass.

Elver since the boss got him his license, our poet has become quit;; imputable, and has taken to writing in dirt event languages. Of course he is a real live linguist, speaks fluently. «nd also writes in Scotch, Irish, and English. Here are some of his latest lines:—

They say in Auld Scotland, boos aw Wi yi IKK)— , That's Scotch, quite. Scottish ye ken 1 ; And parsley vous frogskins, wi wi la monsieur— That’s Frenchie, quite Frenc-hie, Ah—men. In Gisborne the Golden, there’s a man you all know, m For push and “Square Deals”' stands alone; Ho II sell you a section, or farm you can hoe, Will Harry—the naan thev calf sslSlsK JSlffci

A runholder at Glenorchy, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, states that during the past twelve months the number of rabbits taken on his station exceeded 100,000. .. ‘ \ \ / ••’ • *;. j;. ■v" The famous comedy, “The Holy State,” from the Gomedie Franc-aise Theatre, which caused so much 1 merriment at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night, will be repeated by Pathe Pictures this evening. Dr F. E. Clark, founder of the Christian Endeavor movement will v visit New Zealand in February en I route for Sydney, where the world’s r fifth Chistian Endeavor Convention is to be held, beginning on March 9, and concluding on March 14. Mr A. W. Hogg stated last week that he had not yet quite made up his mind, but in all probability, he would be a candidate for the Masterton seat iAb-the next election. He added that, u he stood, it would not be in the interests of either Mr Massey or Sir Joseph Ward. “The Holstein breed of cows,” remarked a speaker at the meeting of the Eketahuna Cow-testing Association, “are receding from popular favor with a great rush.” The speaker qualified this assertion by stating that the breed only thrived on rich pasture land, and that three Jerseys or Ayrshires could do well on land that would not keep two Holsteins. A Wanganui firm had just received a large consignment of valuable fancy goods, and on opening one large case found nothing but empty cardboard boxes and wrappings. The bottom boards of the case uad been removed, without breaking the hoop-iron bands with which the case was encircled, the zinc lining had been cut and the goods extracted, the zinc and boards being afterwards carefully replaced. A Scotchman and a Welshman once had to fight a duel. That they might have the better chance of missing each other, it was decided that they were to fight in a dark room. On the appointed day, both entered the prepared apparently. Shortly one pistol shot was heard, and a moment later the Scotchman rushed out of the room. “Ma conscience” he cried. “I fired the chimney, an’, hang me, if I Wdidna bring down the Welshman 1” The beautiful Spring-like weather which prevailed for the greater part of last week was rudely disturbed by a thunderstorm which came up suddenly from the west during Saturday afternoon. About 3 o’clock a fairly heavy shower of rain fell, accompanied by large-sized hailstones. Saturday night was fine, but rain threatened throughout Sunday, and at 5 o’clock in the afternoon heavy rain set in from the sou’-west, and continued throughout the night, there being an appreciable drop in the temperature. The rain, which is general throughout the district, will do a great deal of 'rood, as the pastures urgently require it after an exceptionally dry winter. A variation of the dramatic prohibition of the banns of matrimony, so dear to the hearts of writers of thirdrate melodrama, was heard in the Native Land Court at New Plymouth recently, says the “News.” An aged Maori,'who is stone blind, was asking for permission to adopt a. child, as he had no children, and desired an heir. The clerk of the Court made the stereotyped enquiry for objections to the . granting of the a„ ; >.-reation, when a young Maori girl promptly entered a j vehement objection on tbe grounds , that the ancient applicant was her fa- , ther, whereupon the wo old-bo adopt- , er retorted that lie never remembered , having had any children. The re- , sultant complications took some time ) to adjust.