LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 4, 16 June 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“ Our Letter Box ” is started this morning. We shall be glad to hear from all. So long as correspondents are not libellous their effu • sions will be printed. But when you write "cut it short ” and let not your calligraphy resemble the crawling of an intoxicated spider over a sheet of paper. Life is short, and our eyes are rather weak. The Liquor Bill in the Wellington Hospital has been reduced from £632 in 1885 to £127 in 1886, The Star states that the Council of the Otago University has abandoned the idea of asking for a new charter. The New York Caledonian Club has, according to a Reuter’s telegram, ‘forwarded £lOO “ for the relief of evicted crofters in Scotland.”

Members of the Gymnasium are requested to attend at the Drill Shed To-morrow (Friday) Evening, at 7.30 p.m., to Elect Committee. —Advt. Look out for the Grand Jubilee Fair, to be held in Parnell’s Hall on the 38th and 20th June. Prizes are to be presented for the best Jubilee Ode, and the best Conundrum.— Advt.

The Lynch Family had a capital house last night, Parnell’s Hall being well filled with an appreciative audience. Several items on the programme were encored, and deservedly so. The company appear to-night foe the laet time.

Mr Matthews of the Gisborne branch of the Bank of New Zealand, is expected to arrive in Gisborne about the 20th of next month, We are glad to learn tnat Mr Matthews’ health has been much improved by his trip. Mr Dobson, who is to act with the other Commissioners under the Represention Act, was at one time a bookseller and stationer at Blenheim, and engineered the Piston and Blenheim railway. Fiji is sending large trial shipments of tea to Auckland. The flavour is said to be good and the price moderate. Last year MiMason’s estate at Tavinori produced iO.OOOlbs—the yield is expected to be doubled within two years.

At the Salvation Army Barracks, Wellington, the other night they had a " Happy Married Couples’ Meeting,” when as a novelty, the meeting being public, the husbands were allowed to speak first. “ Safe in the arras of the policeman " was where Noel Peat, of Christchurch found himself the other day, when entering a chemist’s shop with burglarious intentions. The place was being watched, aud Noel’s intended little burgle did not come off. He “ came off "to the lockup.

As showing the folly of bringing an undesirable class of immigrants into the Colony, to be kept afterwards at the public expense, the total amount paid for the almost worthless labor of the unemployed for the years 1884-87, inclusive both by local bodies and Government, was no less than £22,246 18s 6d, Two men have been committed for trial at Dunedin, one for willfully setting fire_ to a bridge over the Silverstream at Mosgirl, and the other for being an accessory; From the evidence it appeared that the bridge was a nuisance to the accused and some of their neighbors, as it retarded the water, and in heavy rains caused their land to be flooded. There was a very fair attendance at the usual weekly meeting of the St. Andrew’s Literary Society on Tuesday night last. Essays were read on “ Phonograpy,” “ Spelling Reform,” and “ William Cowper ” by Messr A. L. Muir, Steele andF. Teat. Careful and considerate criticism made up a very pleasant evening.

According to the statement of the local Times, ten tons of rabbit skins passed through Lawrence last week from the Kawarau Station near Cromwell, and yet, possibly, bunnies are as plentiful on that same run as they were when the first skin of that ten tons was captured. The extermination of the pest seems as far off as ever.

Enterprise is always to be praised in what ever quarter it way be found, We must therefore tender our hearty congratulations to our local contemporary upon its enterprise in re-publishing yesterday evening, the 15th instant, two "special” telegrams relative to the Imperial Institute, and the Special Jubilee Service in Westminster Abbey, which appea. .d in the Standard on Saturday last, the 11th instant.

It is stated (says the New Zealand Hearld) that an attempt is being made to raise a guarantee fund to induce the Italian Opera Company, now playing in Sydney, to visit New Zealand. A gentleman who takes grer.t interest in theatrical matters is now in correspondence with the musical people of Du..edin, Wellington, and Auckland ; and, should the result be satisfactory, we hope to see the company through here early in the spring. The Otago Daily Times speaks with no halting voice its opinion of the Colonial Treasurer, and what he has done for the Colony, and trusts that the Wellington paper which declares that Sir Julius Vogel’s career is closed is right. Says our contemporary : —“ ‘Fatal and perfidious was the bark, built in the eclipse and rigged with curses dark,’ which bore Sir Julius Vogel’s to our shores nearly a quarter of a century ago, for he it was who first taught as the vices that have sapped the strength of New Zealand ’ ”

It is singular that the name of God should be spelled in four letters in almost every known language. It is, in Latin, Dens; in Greek, Zeus ; Hebrew, Adon ; Syriac, Adad ; Arabian, Alia; Persian, Syrs; Tartarian, Tgan; Egyptian, Aumn or Zeut; East Indian, Esgi or Keul; Japanese, Zain; Turkish, Addi; Scandinavian, Odin ; Wallachian, Sene; Margian,Eese; Swedish, Oodd ; Irish, XHoh ; German, Gott ; French, Dieu; Spanish, Dios; and Peruvian) Lian.

The Hon. Matthew Holmes, M.L.0., has written to the Australasian suggesting that an intercolonial or even international exhibition of live stock and of agricultural implements should be held in connection with the Victorian Jubilee Exhibition. Mr Holmes quotes several instances of a like experiment having been tried with marked success—in London and Edinburgh, for instance—and offers some cogent arguments in favour of the step. The idea (says ths New Zealand Times) is a very good one, and we hope that the Victorian Government will see their way to take it up. If so, we feel sure that New Zealand exhibitors will hold no mean position among the competitors. The impudence of our contemporary is really amusing. We don’t want to be always against advertising their moribund sheet; but we must protest a statementjwhich appeared in Tuesday night's issue re the Tologa Bay disaster. Referring to the news being brought to town of the safety of Stagpoole and Hautau the Herald says : " The news became known through the Lynch Family’s bellringer’proclaiming it through the streets.” The news became known through an extra printed at and issued from the Standard office within eight and a half minutes from the good tidings reaching town. As a matter of fact the indefatigable Mr Burch came to our office ten minutes after our extra was issued. The Herald may not like our opposition, but, in all fairness, ought to tell the truth.

We have had the pleasure of inspecting the new catalogues of Messrs Sutton ar.d Sons, the celebrated seedsmen, London, The reputation of this great firm is world wide, and is based upon the great care and ability with which their seeds are selected, and the successful way in which they result when properly used. The number of medals, certificates, and other honours showered on this firm is something tremendous, no less than 11 additional ones having been obtained last year. As works of art their catalogues are well worthy of inspection, the colour printing being very beautiful, but to the agriculturalist and horticulturist they possess greater and more practical worth in giving them much useful information. Messrs Boylan & Croll are the firm’s Gisborne agents from whom the famous Sutton seeds may be procured, and who will be happy to give all particulars to those interested. A special meeting of the Waimata Road Board was held yesterday, for the purpose of opening tenders for the undermentioned works No. 1, draining Stout Street ; No. 2, draining Clifford and Ballance Streets ; No. 3, draining Russell Street; No. 4, draining Clifford Street, lower end. Present : Messrs Gannon (in the Chair), Bellers and Croll. The following tenders were received : —No. 1, D. Courtney, £9 9s (accepted), M. Keily, £ll 15s. No. 2, M. Keily, £32, (accepted). No. 3, D. Courtney, £9 9s ; Geo. Rice, £7 7s, (accepted). No. 4, Geo. Bice, £9, (accepted). A letter from Messrs Talbot and Griffin was read from which it appeared that since their tender for clearing slips on the Pouawa had been accepted, several other slips had taken place. They offered to dearths same for a further sum of £l2. Agreed to, subject to a deposit of £2. The Board then adjourned.

The Napier Evening News has the following mysterious par ! The rumour which we mentioned in a local a day or two or two ago, that a deficiency of £2OO or so had been found in the accounts of a certain public office in Napier, has not since been proved incorrect. On the contary, we have it on good authority, a warrant has heen issued for the arrest of the person implicated. We have this on good authority, but not quite good enough to risk publishing the name of the person. If it had been any Tom, Dick, or Harry there wouldjhave been no delicacy of this kind, but while everybody seems to know all about it, there seems to be a determination to keep the affair hushed up as closely as possible, and “official”, information is not to e had

.Mr Willcocks, representing the N. Z. Shipping Company, is at present in town. He is endeavoring to arrange with the sheepfarmers of the district for the freezing and shipping of their sheep to London. The arrangements which he is trying to bring about will a-.’ nit of s-reap owners being paid 3d per lb, the sheep to be slaughtered in Gisborne, frozen in the Company’s shops in the Bay, and shipped to England. Of course the vessels will be sailing ships, and there are many difficulties in the way to be overcome. We understand that Mr Willcocks has, in company with Mr Reynolds of the Loan and Llersantile Agency, interviewed several leading flockow-ers. We shall be able to report more definitely on the matter in our Saturday’s issue.

The Council of Military Education in their redort is rather severe , on the education of volunteers, and says“ The Council regrets to have to report that instances have occurred in which officers of the volunteer force, although all have to pass tho necessary examination in general military subjects, were nevertheless deficient in ordinary elementary education, especially in writing and spelling, which were exceedingly bad. It may soon be desirable to insist on officers being required, before being elected, to pass at least the same standard as is laid down for the permanent militia.” . One of the Maori houses which wore exhibited by Sir Walter Buller at the late Indian and Colonel Exhibition has been forwarded by the owner to Wellington, sad has within the past days been erected in the Colonial Musnem. The exhibit referred to was obtained by Sir Walter Bulior at Rotorua just before the erruptions of last year, and was only removed from that place a day or two before the catastrophe occured, A number of other native curiosities which had been acquired by Sir W. Buller in the lake country for exhibition at Home were unfortunately destroyed at the time of the eruption, What an English society journal tells us about the Kaiser, William of Germany, is worth reading—that is, if it is true. Here is what is said on the subject :—“ The Emperor’s great meal has always been supper till this autumn, and most of his recent illnesses have arisen from indiscretion at table. He delighted in lobsters in every shape and form, especially hot with a rich sauce, and washed down by copious draughts of Rhine wine. Another favorite dish was crayfish soup, and also the Russian batwinia, a cold fish soup, in which beer, cider, and rancid herrings, and salted cucumbers are ingredients. The Emperor was also fond of veal stewed with cloves and cinnamon, and of pork stewed with nutmeg and marshmallow ; while a frequent sweet was a large sponge-cake steeped in rum. The physicians are of opinion that his Majesty may now live for some years longer, unless there should be very cold weather.”