LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 83, 22 December 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday was the longest day In the year. The election for the Gisborne riding in the County Council resulted in favor of Mr W. King. Further extracts in connection with the Beach-Kemp Championship scandal appears on our fourth page. A meeting in favour of the abolition of slavery was recently prohibited by the Government of Brasil.

Tenders are called for the lease of sections at Patutahi, to be in by Saturday next. Particulars may be had from Mr P. H. Bourke. The Steamer Ashleigh Brook left for South early yesterday morning. Her cargo of cement was discharged late on Tuesday night. She took away 91 bales of wool.

The annual, examination of the pupil teachers in this district was concluded yesterday afternoon, having taken three days. Mr D, Johnston acted as supervisor.

Fred Johnston, a son of Mr Johnston, of the tender Snark, had a narrow escape from poisoning on Monday from eating tutu berries. Dr. Pollen had to be called in, and the boy has now perfectly recovered.

Lord Middleton owns 1,005,741 acres of the soil of Great Britain, and the Duke of Sutherland 1,208,666 acres. Thus they, between them, own one-thirty-sixth of the whole land of Great Britain and Ireland, The annual muster of the Gisborne Volunteer garrison corps took place last evening. The J Battery mustered 63 men on parade; the East Coast Hussars, 53 ; and the Cadets, 50.

The prizes won at the late meeting of the Amateur Atheletic Club were uia.ributed in the Drill-shed last night by Captain Winter.

Mr Bright in a letter to Mr Arthur Elliot, M.P., strongly condemns the establishment of a Parliament in Dublin. Mr Bright hopes that Liberals will not knowingly make a surrender which may be fatal, humiliating, and ignominious.

A Victorian M.L.A. owns 10,000 acres of land in the Northern Territory. He will neither sell nor improve, nor let out the soil. He intends to realise on the boom of other people's industry, and is floating a land company on the force of it.

The 25 miles’ amateur bicycle champion* ship of Victoria was decided on the Warehousemen's cricket ground, Melbourne, on Dee. 3 when W. J. O, Elliot beat E. Elliot by about 2ft, W. Brown being a bad third. Time, Ihr 25mm 16'2-Ssec.

At a state ball in London the Grand Duchess of Meckleuburg-Streliiz wore a drees of ruby velvet over a petticoat of brocade, with raised velvet fliwers of the same shad- ; the front of the body being entiiely covered with diamonds and sapphires, tiara and ornaments of sapphires and diamonds. The Melbourne Argus figures in Francis Adams’ little shilling dreadful, »• Madeline Brown’s Murderer," as “ a British paper, run on British lines, in the British province of Victoria, by a little knot of played-oct fossiliferous British journalists, and is the most admirable foolish newspaper just at present in existence."

When the Chairman of ths Harbor Beard proposed on Tuesday night that the by-laws be al lei cd so as to make pilotage compulsory on steamers entering the river, Mr Town ey wanted to know how many English steamers would be likely to come in tha river ? Tie Chairman : We all have extraordinary 1 a ,es here just now. Mr Townley: The Act exempts all vessels under a hundred tons. Mr Chambers: We can knack the bottom out of the river. Mr Dickson thought they -hould get Mr DeLaulour’s steamers launched. Mr Townley : Oh, I give in. (Laughter.)

Tha Annual Hapara Fate in aid of Holy Trinity Church takes place next Thursday afternoon. This gathering has always been a great success, and thia time will be one of the chief events in tha festive season. Messrs Stevenson, Tansley, and Little have, with their usual generosity, undertaken the eon veyance of passengers to and fro, and the Garrison Bund will taxe part in the programme. It has been suggested (and in some other places, and also by the Post and Telegraph officials, decided) that Tuesday next should be recognised as a holiday. If this were carried into general effect it would no doubt considerably interfere with business, but as an alternative a half-holiday on Thursday afternoon ought to be a commendable idea.

In reference to the cement question referred to at the last meeting of the Harbour Board the following from a correspondent to an Auckland paper will be of interest:— For some years past it has been the custom in framing Government contracts for public works, to make provision whereby cemei t and other material can be imported duty free. It has just began to dawn on those in authority, however, that this system is open to great abuse, as there is nothing to show what becomes of cement or other material after its arrival, and there is no preventative taken against contractors selling the article and so making a good profit. Sir Julius Vogel has brought the matter under the notice of the Minister of Public Works, pointing out that there are two cement works in the colony which are likely to be much patronised if the duty were imposed all round, and he has received an assurance from Mr Mitohelson that in future cement and other materials required will not be brought in duty free, though of course this cannot apply to existing contracts.

Church of England country services on Sunday next—Rev. 0. Dean . Ormond 11, Te Arai 3, Patuahi 7.—(Advt.)