LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 200, 25 September 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ac the Mutual Improvement Society last night Mr F. Oatridge read an essay on Thought, which was favorably criticised.

As the lighter Iris was being towed into the river on Sunday evening the hawser snapped and the vessel was driven against the breakwater, her bowsprit being broken. A couple of performing bears were about town on Saturday, and judging by the crowds which gathered round to watch their antics, their keepers should have netted a respectable sum during the day. On board the steamer on Sunday one of the animals evinced a desire to embrace a local Salvation Army officer. The great Jones family to the fore. One of the fraternity is advertising in a Gisborne evening journal for cutting 100 “chords” of flrewood. The dignity and the refinement of labor should be unimpeachable after that. Our local Italians ought to have a good opportunity now. Several definitions Mve been given of a drunken man. One witness in a Gisborne Court thought a man was “ screwed ” when he sat on a flower bed to read a law book. A London cabman the other day told a magistrate that no man could be considered really drunk until he had been to a pump to light his pipe 1 The Presbyterian Literary Society closes its session this evening, when a concert will be given. A thoroughly good programme, consisting of songs, recitations, <tc., has been prepared, and a good audience should be enjMML The concert is to be held in St. . Church, and tickets may be obtained ®|HBKiembers of the Committee. Bgßpi the Appeal Court at Wellington judgWnt was given in the case Rangi v. Reeves, an appeal against the decision of the B. M. at Gisborne, disallowing damages for impounding the appellant’s cattle. Their Honors (Chief Justice Prendergast and Mr Justice Richmond) allowed the appeal with costs, and ordered that thp case should be re-tried. Some gay youths disported themselves merrily at a late hour on Saturday night. They went to a tenement known as a bachelor, dom, and blockaded every means of exit, including evan the gate. The “ canaries ” had lit ’ l * Prospect of getting to church that day had not 1118 industrious milkman put in a welcome appearu® oB ’ !•>* i’f had been bidden beneath thshou.— " breach of the peace ie anticipated. Increased interest continues to be taken i’i‘ the Binking Oarriyal to come off next Friday, at the City’fßW? Qn Saturday night sixty ladies and gentfeiprii took part in the grand march movements. The children are practising every afternoon for the grand Maypole dance, which will be a very pretty affair. The Kazoo band is tp surprise the onlookers—everything in fact is to be on a scale not previously attempted in Gisborne. Special sermons in connection with the Wesleyan Home Mission Society were preached in the Wesleyan Church on Sunday, in the morning by the Rev J. Ward and in the evening by the Rev J. McAra. To-morrow evening the annual missionary meeting is to be held in the Church, to be addressed by the Revs McAra, Wallace, and Ward, and Messrs Scott, Scotter, and Marcroft. The offerings received are in behalf of the funds of the Society.

Gisborne may shortly be visited by a celebrated lecturess, Miss Von Finkelstein, a native of Jerusalem, who lectures on Eastern life and manners. Miss Von Finkelstein is the daughter of a Russian political exile, for many years a prosperous merchant in Jerusalem. He gave his daughter a good education, she being able to speak English, French, Russian, German, and Arabic, besides several Oriental dialects, and having lived in Palestine and Syria until twenty years of age she is thoroughly familiar with the manners and customs of the many races which inhabit those countries. Miss Von Finkelstein has lectured with wonderful success both in England and America, while in Sydney and Melbourne crowds of the best people in the community were attracted by her brilliant revival of the old story. Her lecturee are entitled, “ Homes and Haunts of Jeeus,” “ The Bedouins of the Desert,” “ Life in Jerusalem,” “ The Jews at Home,” and “ The True Life of Jacob.” Mr B. S. Smythe, who has piloted various attractions through the colony, is Mill Finkelstein’* business,mauagCj.

The celebrated thoroughbred sire Dauiel O'Rorke is advertised to stand this season. Owing to an increased price of flour Auckland bakers have decided to raise the price of bread. The barque Deva, and the schooner Gisborne from Auckland, are expected to reach here this week. Mr Edward Orbell, late Sheep Inspector at Gisborne, is about to be removed from the Wairarapa to Southland. The football match on Saturday between England and Otago was drawn, neither side scoring. Twenty cases splendid new goods, just arrived, at J. Townley’s. Pay a visit and inspect them.—(Advt.) The Parliament of Cape Colony want the offices of High Commissioner and Governor of that Colony amalgamated. An exhibition of books, autographs, and other relics of Alexander Pope, the poet, has been lately opened near London. At Palmerston (Otago) a widow named Mrs Robinson has been fined £5O or a month’s imprisonment for sly grog selling. A clown while doing a hand-spring in a circus in Chicago, dislocated his neck, and received warm applause from the audience. Mr George Stevenson, of Makauri, has obtained second prize at the Melbourne Exhibition for honey in comb. A meeting of shareholders of the North New Zealand Woollen held at Auckland on Saturday, and a resolution was carried to wind up thejCompany. A very successful Rinking Carnival was held at Auckland last week. The famous skating donkey was brought out and created a great deal of amusement. In a recent breach of promise case it came out that five hundred letters had been written by each party, making a grand total of one thousand letters. The jury allowed £250 to the blighted maiden. “ Fancy ” writes: —You express astonishment at Mr Graham telling the ratepayers that they are all mad, and “ don’t understand, you know.” Why, a fortnight ago I foresaw the stand he would take. Turn to the first scene of my operetta, and there you will find Mr Graham addressing the ratepayers— Poor little denrs, you are too young To comprehend the tongue. I Yes, we must admit the sunny inventions of less earnest minds do sometimes hit the mark with astonishing precision.—Ed.) Our contemporary inserted a spiteful letter on Saturday, attributing shameful conduct to some ladies who had a narrow escape from being drowned through an accident which occurred whilst they were driving across the Waipaoa. The statements have since been denied, but the journal which gave them publicity has not troubled to take further notice of the matter. As many enquiries have been put to us as to what were the facts and who ware the ladies, we may say that we consider it a matter of journalistic courtesy to refrain from doing so until our contemporary has taken the opportunity either to apologise, endeavor to substantiate the statements, or it deceived expose the correspondent. We may add that the ladies cannot be injured by the statements, as the mere mention of their names would be sufficient to refute the slander.

Mr R. S. Smythe, who acted as bnsincse manager for Mr R. A. Proctor during that gentleman’s visit to the colonies some years ago, in a letter to the N.Z. Times says that when in London last autumn he received a letter fromjMr Proctor, who was living in St. Joseph, Missouri, asking whether it would be advisable to again visit Australia. Mr Smythe replied thatlhejwasjsure Mr Proctor would be warmly welcomed, but so far as Victoria was concerned, the Melbourne Exhibition might affect his business unfavorably. As regards the other colonies Mr Smythe thought the eloquent Eastern lady who had since come to Australia would hold the platform against all comers. This advice wrs good, but Mr Smythe thinks it painful to reflect that had he counselled Mr Procter to leave for Melbourne in the spring that gentleman might still be alive.

The egg and a haHjpuzzle originated by th® Wellington Press seems to have been th® biggest and most successful “ sell ” ever perpetrated in New Zealand—in saying this *muoh even we are laying open for a heavy libel action, but or.r own exasperation is so great un*ble|to"“ take a calm and dispassionate view of the affair.” After airing the replies ofj|thousands];of correspondents, the Wellington Press has quietly signified its intention of withdrawing the puzzle from its columns, as no one has been able to answer it. The journal will not even divulge what it assumes is the answer to the puzzle, thus giving cqjor to the suspicion that the public have been shamefully hoaxed by a mendacious rag. One man baa thrown down the gauntlet and offered to bet the Press five shillings that they cannot disprove that 28 is not the correct mathematical answer. The journal referred to makes the equivocal reply that if the five shillings is sent along they will be much obliged. After this it would seem that one would . never know where to discover the genuine article, but when we come to think of the substantial article that is sold by Messrs Garrett Bros., and at such low prices, we recognise that there are some wonders by which the work! may gain. If people would endeavor to save their earnings in this way, instead of by straining at a senseless egg puzzle, they would be great gainers.—Ad.