LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 52, 11 October 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Messrs Milne and Poole have taken exception to our report of the last Borough Council meeting in which Cr. Lucas made some remarks relative to “ men of straw.” It will be remembered that on an application being made to transfer a Borough reserve to Milne ind-£oole Cr. Lucas said the Council should be careful to see that the transfers were not made to “ men of straw.” We do not for one moment say that Cr. Lucas meant his remarks to apply to the firm in question, but to the principle which the subject involved. It has been stated that Cr Lucas has denied making such a statement as reported by us. Our report was quite correct, and we still adhere to it.

The usual meeting of the Harbour Board takes place to-night. The Cadets mustered for a church parade on Bunday. There were only 32 present. At a meeting of the Kaiti Road Board yesterday Mr E. Harris was elected Chairman. The strength of the East Coast Hussars is rapidly increasing. The niembers now number 51.

The members of the Borough Council leave at ten o'clock to-morrow to inspect the stone at Mr Barker’s quarry.

The Union Company's new steamer, the Pukahi, has arrived at Port Chalmira from Glasgow.

A petition is being taken round for signatures in favour of Bible reading in schools. Up to the present 3(jo names hive been obtained. The County Council meet next Thursday’ The business will be to discuss Cr, Stubb's motion to borrow £12,000 under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, and arrange far the final meeting.

It is said that thirty members opposed to the late Government consider they have claims which oann at be ignored in any new Ministry that may be formed. “ Puff ” says that it would be easier for the Malagasy to conquer Franca, than for France to conquer Madagascar. It’s an exceedingly mountainous country in the interior, with u low lying fever stricken coast land, and if the visitor doesn’t die of ague on la iding, he gets lost among the precipices and ravines. Writing on the native land question a Napier paper says Everything is now at a standstill; Maori land is lying waste, uncultivated, and uniaxed, legislation having made it a sort of Tom Tidlerg ground. The Maori can neither sell or lease except through the Government, and with the Government they very properly will not deal. Some little time ftgo an application was made by some of the residents of Tologa Bay that the Royal Humane Society recognise the gallant efforts of Constable (now Sergeant) Stagpoole to save life at Tologa Bay, The application has been considered by the Society, and has been adjourned for further evidence.

Edward Jones pleaded guilty at the Weilington li.M. Court to stealing four pounds of sausages from the Wanaka on 30th August, and was sentenced to fourteen days hard labor. It will be remembered that in tlie attempt to escape after the theft, Jones hurt his ankle so severely as to necessitate his removal to the Hospital, and it was not until he was sufficiently recovered that he could be charged with the offence.

While a Wellington lawyer was trying to upset the indictment in the ease of William McCrossan, charged with fraudulent bankruptcy, Mr Justice Richmond remarked that the lawyers had been - wonderfully ingenious in finding holes in the Bankruptcy Act net by which the fish eould escape. He asked what was the date of the case the lawyer was citing, and when told “ 1814 ’’ “Ah I” said His Honor, “ that was a very strict time, of course 1”

A prominent Queensland politician had recently died, and a question arose as to adjourning the Court to allow the lawyers and others to be present at the funeral. The presiding Judge said that “attendance at a funeral was, after all, a hollow way of showing sorrow, and was simply one of ths hypocrisies of lite, and he did not think the stern old man who was gone would have cared much, it he Were alive, whether that I‘Ospect were paid him or no.”

The County Council should at once take some steps to prevent the Waipaoa river from encroaching on the Ormond Boad. Some time ago protective Works Were undertaken to divert the channel, but these have proved utterly-useless, for at every fresh the bank is washed away until it is now within a yard of the centre of the road. If something is not done at once the whole road will soon be gone, as it is at present most dangerous to ride or drive past the spot whore the bank has given away, at night time. TSince Writing the above we find that the County Council have let a contract for taking the road through Mr Gudgeon’s property, to the right of thtf present road.)

Ever since Thursday last the rivers inland have been in fresh, and it was not until Saturday that the Kaiieratdhi was low enough to be crossed, even then it was very high. On Sunday Mr A. Devery crossed in a trap. The attempt was very risky, and at one timi it was thought that the horses would not ba able to keep their feet, but although the body of the trap was covered, the other side was safely reached. The rain which fell yesterday will have caused the rivers to rise again.

The new Whataupoko Road Board met yesterday. All the members were present. On the motion of Mr Clayton, seconded by Mr _ Porter, Mr J. Coleman was appointed chairman. Mr Joyce regretted that numb-re had pledged themselves to -support any par-ticular--member- of the Board.fqr an office. He hoped that the proposer and seconder of the motion would pay more attention to the wishes of the ratepayers than they had thus done in pledging themselves to support Mr Coleman as chairman.

Dr Johnston, the District Coroner, in his opening remarks to the jury at the inquest on the late fire on Limbton quay (Wellington) stated that his invariable experience with regard to inquests on fires was that the result was nil, He was unaeqdainted with any at the evidence which it was proposed to submit to the jury, but he hoped it would be different in the present instance. In addressing the jury later on ha again remarked on the absurdity of inquests on fires unless the persons who opened the proceedings were prepared with evidence to prove attempted fraud. It was amusing to see the members of the several Road Boards, at a meeting yesterday, squabbling over tha “ plunder ” which was io be divided amongst them. Like a lot of vultures each one fought tooth and nail to get the largest share of the booty. Motion was met by amendment, and amendment by further amendment until confusion reigned supreme. When we state that there were five or six members speaking at the same time it will ba easily understood that the proceedings were not strictly in accord with the general run of discussions in public bodies.

In reference to the Powell caec in Dunedin, the Star says“ This failure of justice is so distinct that we feel it our duty to direct attention to the subject, and which, we hope, will not escape the notice of the Government. A helpless baba of two years old, beaten within an inch of its life, the head and face a mass of bruises, one arm broken; this barbarous treatment condoned by the two sitting Magistrates as if it were a-mere trivial offence, and the poor child left, wa presume, to the tender mercies of the unnatural mother. Such instances as this one are little else than a scandal, and cannot be too severely oondetned by public opinion.”

At the annual meeting of the Wellington Star Boating Club, there was much talk about blackballing certain members, but all of those nominated were elected. One member, Mr Campbell, enquired if the proposer of a certain candidate for admission to the Club was present, as he desired to ask a question as to the gentleman he had nominated. Mr Copeland said he had proposed the gentleman indicted. Mr Campbell then asked if it was true that the proposed new member had been seen throwing rotten eggs during the recent elections ? Mr Copeland said he could not possibly be aware of the matter, but he did not think the gentleman would be capable of such a thing. The reply was greeted with applause. “Common-sense” writes: —On reading your article on Saturday in reference to fires in theatres, I could not help pondering a good deal on the subject, but the conclusion I arrived at was that your views are of an alarmist nature, and that you are endeavoring to back up your case with arguments which cannot be made to apply in our circumstances. You should also bear in mind that the halls are not alone used for theatrical entertainments, but are of'en made use of for the purposes of charity, and it is not right of you to frighten nervous women and children in this way. I think it is absurd to put the proprietors of halls to all this inconvenience and expense with no conceivable object to gain. If you are so anxious about this mat'or why did you not bring it up long ago ?

The s.s. Waihora arrived from Melbourne via Southern ports at 7 a.m. on Bunday •vith a few passengers and a few tons of cargo.

On Saturday there was ft very good muster of cricketers at th« Hapara for an afternoon’s practice, and those who went up had a very enjoyable time of it.

The McKinley.Wairoa County Council mule case, for injuries caused to the mule through bad roads, claim £2O, was derided against the plaintiff without costs.

The amount realised by the Wesleyan Church Bazaar was between £6O and £7O. fhis sum with private subscriptions collected will, it is stated, liquidate all debts owing by the Church,

The Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society had again to postpone tha lecture on the “ The Panama Canal ” last night. The lecture will bo taken in a fortnight’s time when, possibly, the weather will have broken.

People are beginning to wonder if we are going to have any spring er summer at all this year, or whether the seasons are going to turn into ona, winter. A nice day is becoming quite a rarity now.

“ Athlete ’’ again makes his previous query as to what has become of the Amateur Athletic Club, In response to his former question We appealed to the Coniffiittee for information, but so far no reply has been received. The Milton Borough Council were desirous of paying Sir George Grey’s expenses during his recent vist to that township, but he declined, pointing out that the Borough could not legally do hoi

__ . 3. . The monthly meeting of the Hospital Trustees will be held to-niorrow evening, at which the principal business will be tne appointment of a matron to succeed Miss Guilbride who has resigned- There are numerous applications.

A Chinaman, who had an eye knocked out by the Dunedin larrikins, has been sent home. The Government subscribed £lO, and £fi6 3s. fid was collected the balance afser paying his passage having Been transmitted to China for use ou arrival at his destination.

The Native Land Court opened yesterday before Mr Booth and TutaNihoniho, assessor. Succession orders were granted to the trustees under the will of the late Hirioi Haereone in a number of blocks of land. As there are a large number of orders to be heard the Court will be occupied some days in disposing of them.

At the nomination of candidates at Timaru a Mr Mewis coaid not be nominated because he could not raise the sutn required £lO. He said he wks sorry to disappoint his supporters but he hoped to be able to raise the £lO by next election. The intending candidate therefore made an effort to raise the amount by subscription, but failed, and the country has thus lost the chance of securing his services.

A Taranaki paper says :—A ease of considerable importance to Oddfellows has cropped up at one of the local lodges. Some time ago a member of the above fraternity was committed to a lunatic asylum, and has recently been discharged as cured. The Public Trustee has we believe, sent in a claim to the local lodge of Oddfellows for sick pay during the period the man was in the asylum. The lodge at first resented this claim, but has since, we believe, paid it under protest, as it Contended the Public Trustee had no legal right.

The three newly constituted Road Boards (Waimata, Whautapoko, and Kaiti) met yesterday to discuss how the balance in hand (£214) should bd allocated between the three bodies. All the members were present, MrGray being in the ohair. After about a dozen propositions and amendments were put it was carried that Kaiti should have £2O, Whatau poko £47, and Waimata £147. There are rates outstanding to the amount of £3OO, and these Mr Warren was authorised to collect,

A gallant action was performed by a Sailor belonging to the s.s. Omapere. The cutter LeO had run into Hicks’ Bay for shelter from the late gales. Daring' the height of the storm she dragged her anchor and was being driven toward the beach and, destruction. Attempts were made by those on the Omapere to throw lines to her, but tha wind would not allow of this being done. A sailor from tha Omapere gallantly jumped into the sea oairying a rope with him and swam to the Leo, saving her and her crew from destruction.

Our correspondent in Wellington writes as follows Talking of Native matters, the following quotation from a recent issue of the Wanganui Herald (Ballance's organ) will be found amusing by Gisborne people, “ Thera is a great outcry on the East Coast and in the Waikato against tha present Native land laws. This outcry is the strongest evidence in favour of those laws, as those who are loudest in denouncing them are they who in the past plundered tha natives.right and left and demorialized them in every way, One town on the East Coast had its twenty lawyers and tha usual camp following of Pakeha Maoris, who preyed upon the native owners of land on that coast, but the passing of the Native Land Administration Apt cut these gentry off from their prey, and they had to disperse and try elsewhere for a living —a more honest ona we hope, as many of thsm Were openly charged with frauds of the most unblushing kind on the natives, who failed to get redress even when they went to ths expense of prosecuting their plunderers, against whom a jury could not be got in that part of the colony to return an adverse verdict.”