LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 54, 15 October 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The s.s, Australia should put in an anpearance early this morning. r

Thes.s. Waihora arrived from Auckland at half past twelve yesterday afternoon.

The annual election of members to the County Council takes place on November 16th instead of the 9th.

The Thames Harbour Board is applying to the Government for a vote of money for harbour Improvements, or an endowment, A number of natives are at present in Wellington bolding frequent meetings with the Maori members to consider what action to take in relation to native matters.

The unfortunate woman Sarah Thornton who was drowned by the capsizing of a boat at; Hobsonville on Saturday last, was the wife of Mr Thornton, scenic artist,

The County Engineer went out to Waimata yesterday to inspect the road. As there are a number of slips on it he will call tenders for the work, and two Councillors will open and consider them, r

Much damage has been done in the Wellington districts by the late rains. At Fielding, Wairarapa, Palmerston North and other places many of the people had to leave their homes and remove to places o f safety. Ayoub Khan is tu the front again. He has during the last few months, according to reports, escaped half a dozen times and as i fien been captured, and three out of the six times the whole story has been contradicted Now he is reported to be killed. We hope this report is true.

King Milan is going into bondage again, He is reconciled to Nathalie, his wife. Poor fellow, Milan rules Servia, Nathalie rules Mil»n, Nathalie will no doubt accord to Milan the retribution he is so justly entitled to for the manner in which he spoke of her when he fled to the Austrian capital, In accordance with the resolution passed by the Borough Council the gallery of MeFarlane’s Hall was closed to the public at the meeting on Thursday night. This was not done witboiiL & demur from the proprietor WHO was about to show some ladies up the stairs wh u he was warned by a member of the Fue B.igaJe present not to do so. At toe County Council meeting on Thursday the Cuainuan, Mr G. L. Sunderland, in moving ihai steps should be taken to clear away the thistles on the County roads, said a combined effort was being made throughout the country by the settlers to eradicate the thistle and Bathurst burr from off their lands, and he had heard that it cost some no less than £4OO to effect a satisfactory result He considered that it was from the County roads that the seed of the thistle was carried on to private land.

A telegram from Auckland says:— A fraud is suspected in connection with the Waitoa gold find. At a meeting of the Waitoa Prospecting Company held on Thursday afterMr gave a reBult his test of stuff from Waitoa. All showed traces of gold and silver, but experts declare that the gold is not wash gold, and assert that its character leads them io believe that its is filings from a sovereign. Mr Pond advised the Association not to prospect any further.

Miss Swain, the newly-appointed matron of the hospital, has testimonials of a very high older from the resident and visiting medical staff of the Auckland hospital, where she has for the past three years held charge of oneof the wards. Miss Swain forwarded with the testimonials a photo, of herself. The photo, was passed from band to hand so that each member of the Board might carefully examine it. One of the members was evidently deeply impressed with it for it mysteriously disappeared, no doubt finding its way into a coat pocket.

The County Council transacted some rather important business on Thursday. It was decided to write a strong letter to the Government urging them to open up the Crown and Native lauds. One member was taken from the Gisborne riding and given to a new riding to be called Kaiti. lh e Tu ranganui Road District was abolished on a petition from the ratepayers. The proposal to borrow £12,000 was allowed to stand over till the new Council was elected. In reference to this question Cr Gannon said he would not be surprised to see the Loans to Local Bodies Act repealed, and Major Atkinson revert back to the Boads and Bridges Act.

The Poverty Bay Turf Club’s Spring meet ing takes place on Wednesday next.

Another chapter on the Hugh-Hallett scandal will be found on our fourth page. Major Atkinson tried to get the member for , ew *?. n t 0 move ‘he Address-in-Reply, but Mr Withy was too wary a bird to commit himself.—Bell. It is stated that Sir G. Whitmore has had £3OOO a year left him, and thia it said to be the reason why he is wishing to hold office without pay, “ Tollence " enquires whether it is true that the Head Master of the Gisborne school has threatened to. punish children for following in the Salvation Array processions. The man, George Richardson, who met with the accident at the harbour works on Thursday afternoon, is progressing favorably and Will be about in a tew days,

A correspondent st Rome telegraphs If there is one feeling dominant in the mind of Leo XIII, beyond the immediate interests of the Church of which he ia the head, it is the immediate desire to contribute to the peace of the world, and to give his influence to the reconciliation of political and national antagonisms. What nobler and more lofty sentiments, it may ba added, could be desired in the present crisis in Irish affairs ?

The Auckland Herald correspondent says One reason for the exclusion of Mr Scobie Mackenzie from the Cabinet was his heir g a freetrader. It is intended to cut the ground from under Sir Julius Vogel’s feet in this direction, and I understand a Royal Commission will be appointed to investigate the condition of each industry on its own merits. There are 26 Freetraders in the House or thereabouts, and they intend to have a banquet during the session, and to air their views thereat.

In reference to the petition from a number of Coast people to have the telephone extended to Pakarae the Clerk of the County Council stated to the meeting on Thursday that he had forwarded the request to the Government, Since then he had learnt that as far back as six or eight months ago corres pondenee had parsed between the Govern ment and the Post Office relative to the matter, and from what he could learn it appeared that if a sound-proof room were erected without cost to the Government the instruments would be fixed.

In the new Bankruptcy Act passed at Sydney the following clause appears:— “ Where an undischarged bankrupt, who has been adjudged bankrupt under this Act, obtains credit to the extent of £2O or upwards from any person without informing such person that he is an undischarged bankrupt, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and may be dealt with and punished as if he had been guilty of a misdemeanor under section —, and the provisions of that section shall apply to proceedings under this section.” We would commend this to the consideration of members of the N.Z. Parliament.

It will be 33 years ago, on the 18th of December next, since a Government proclamation was issued stating that £4OO would be paid to anyone furnishing such information as would lead to the apprehension of “ two persons of the names of Lalor and Black, late of Ballarat,” who were accused of “ using certain treasonable and seditious language, and inciting men to take up arms with a view to make war against our sovereign lady the Queen.” And last week the Legislative Assembly of Victoria voted a sum of £4OOO to the first of these “ two persons ” in acknowledgment of the valuable services he had rendered to the country as the Speaker of that House.—Sydney Mail.

Elections in Bulgaria have a deal of spirit infused into them. With General Ernoth using his influence to incite the people against the Government, and to put in candidates favourably inclined towards Russia, and opposed to him and his party a body of patriotic Bulgarians who hate the Russians, it is no wonder that before starling for the elections a Bulgarian pays particular intention to his firearms, and does not forget to -use them if opportunity occurs. Twemy-eight persons killed and thirty-five injured is the result of the elections that have just taken place in Bulgaria.

Presbyterian Church services to-morrow: Te Arai 2,30, Rev. J. McAra ; Matawhero 2.30, MrR. H. Scott; St. Andrews 11 and 7, Rev. J. McAra.—(Advt.)