LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 192, 6 September 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Great sensation has been caused down South by the late earthquakes. The Borough Council invites tenders for carting stone. Tenders close on Saturday evening. The Manapouri arrives in Gisborne tomorrow at about midday. The last launch leaves the wharf at .5 p.m. Tenders will ba received up to September 29 at the Post-office for the carriage of rqails between Gisborne and the surrounding districts. The many friends of Mr Geo. Rogers, chief Steward at the Club, will be sorry to hear that he met with a painful accident at ths Rink last night. As the result of a fall, he had the sinews of one of his legs strained. The bore hole of the Minerva Petroleum Company, which was started in July, is going down rapidly, Indeed, the progress made in previous bores is being excelled. On August 28th. five joints of 8-inoh pipe were inserted, making 368 feet altogether, the depth of the bore being 425 feet. It has. not been found necessary to drive pipe in this bore, the hola being reamed out previously to the outside diameter of the pipa, At the B.M. Court yesterday afternoon John and William Searle were charged on the information of John Fisher, poundkeeper at Whataupo.kp, with unlawfully rescuing a bay mare which was being taken to the pound. Mr Macdonald appeared for the complainant and Mr Brassey for the defendant. Mr Brassey objected to the case proceeding as the summons was not properly made out. Gwing to Mr Booth being required as a witness at the Supreme Court, the case was adjourned until 10.30 this morning, thus also allowing Mr Macdonald to amend his summons.

In a small place like Gisborne, it is admittedly a difficult thing to get juries together who can "totally free themselves of the impression caused by their previous knowledge ot the facts of any case upon which they have fa give their decision. But during the course of tha late criminal libel action a map from whom better might have been espeited, was guilty of an act which is little short ot a crims. H.e was observed winking and making gestures to the jurymen, the object evidently being to induce some into a pertain line of action which only the initiated p.ojffd underBtand. The conduct of the individual referred to was simply disgraceful, and we are very much inclined to give his name. Jurymen have anything but a pleasant duty toperform, and it is shameful that a .man who claims to pass as a respectable citizen, dare attempt to influence them in such ap ppmanly way, We have more respect for the jurymen than to think they could have been in the slightest degree influenced.by such conduct—excepting to be disgusted with the individual—but that in no way lessens the offence.