LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 205, 6 October 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

So far only £2OOO has been contributed ot the Newcastle miners’ relief fund.

The football match between England and Wanganui resulted in a draw, each side scoring a try.

Messrs Graham, Pitt and Bennett will hold an important sale of furniture at 11 o’clock this morning. The band to play at the Masquerade Ball will give some of their musical selections at the City Rink to-night. It has been definitely decided to hold the annual Hospital Sports on St Andrew’s Day, so that pedestrians may now go in for active training.

Messrs Brassey and Day will leave for the coast this morning for the purpose of attending the usual quarterly sittings of the R M Court,

Another trouble will be ventilated in the R M Court on Wednesday morning next when W Searle will be charged with assaulting Mr D Murray. Letters posted up to this evening at 7.80 for Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and Baratonga will catch the steamer Richmond, which leaves Auckland on Tuesday next.

The coal importers of Melbourne have reduced the price of coal from Wollongong, Kiami, and Bulli, from 35s to 32s 61 large quantities, from £2 2s 6d to £2 for small.

Two Sydney inventors have patented a process for making gas from cocoanuts. The product is said to be better and cheaper than coal-gas. A company is being formed. Our contemporary last night evaded making the slightest reference to the Kenilworth accident, though it noted that she had floated out of the river. Has it coma to this ?

The Presbyterian Assembly of Victoria has been so far moved by the growth of nationalist and independent sentiments amongst the native born population as to set aside a week's prayer against this tendency.

A series of special evangelistic services is to be held in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, beginning to morrow evening, and continuing during the week. Ministers and others wil. give short addresses, and Sankey’s hymns will be used.

“ Sixteen years ago,” said Mr Curley, secretary of the Miner's Union, in Sydney, recently, “Many of the coalmine proprietors were in a state of bankruptcy, and now they were in the proud position of being millionaires. ”

Our respected fellow townsman Mr James Erskine was married to Miss S Megay yesterday afternoon and proceeded south by the Rotomahana, to spend a short honeymoon. We wish the newly joined couple every happiness and prosperity.

A London correspondent writes by last mail:—Mr W L Rees is enthusiastic in his praise ot New Zealand as a field for colonists. Its climate is, he says, perfect. He complain! of being knocked up by the heat we have had in London during the last few days.

At a recent election for the Wairoa Town Board one lady applied to be allowed to vote for her husband, who was absent in the country. Another ratepayer wished to know from the returning officer if he could receive a vote by telegraph, while several, who possessed the franchise for the first time were at a loss how to make use of the ballot papers.

A Chinaman named Ah Tin was fined £5O, er two years’ imprisonment, at Goodooga recently for crossing ths border from Q seensland to New South Wales without paying the poll-tax. Tin is stated to have been living in Queensland and New South Wales for several years. Ha never paid the poll-tax, and had no exemption ticket. A Wellington correspondent telegraphs :— " I have reason to believe that the Commission to inquire into the incompleted sales and purchases of land on the East Coast, between natives and Europeans, will be appointed in the course of a few days. It will be in the recollection ot your reafers that this Commission was promised during the late session, as the condition upon which certain clauses of the Native Land Bill were accepted. There is some speculation as to who shall be Commissioner. I have heard two or three names mentioned, but it would be manifestly unfair to anticipate the decision of the Native Minister in such a matter.”

Since her arrival here the saooner Kenilworth seems to have been exceptionally misfortunate. The last mishap occurred on Thursday afternoon as the vessel was sailing out of the river. The schooner had just got abreast of the Hercules when she suddenly lost her headway and together with the strong westerly current that was setting in at the time it drove the vessel with great force against the breakwater, with the result that her port anchor stock wag smashed and the mainsail which came iu contact with the Hercules was split. The vessel wag however, with great difficulty got clear of the breakwater, and after taking in her cargo ehe set sail in the evening for south. The following paragraph from the Diamond Fields Advertiser is significant of a gruesome aspect of life at the South African diamond fields “We learn that only eleven dead bodies of natives have so far this month been found lying about in different parts of the township and mining areas. Usually between thirty to forty natives, oftentimes more, lose their lives every month through drink and exposure, and their bodies are removed from the streets and byways by the police authorities to the mortuary at Du Toil's Pan ; so there has been a marked falling off for this month. One oauss of this better state of things ie attributed to the scarcity of native labor at present.” Our Melbourne correspondent writesl would like to warn my readers, if it would not be thought outside my prerogative as Miisew, anent a coming evil. The time is now on for the “Melbourne Cup Consultation " swind'es, and as usual at this time sf the year Melbourne, Victoria, Indeed the whole of the colonies, Is being flooded with olrculare oonoirniag the toggs sweeps being promoted. Thank heaven I we haven’t the consultation swindles this side of the Murray, as they were banished by leglilatars, but their prospectuses come over from Sydney in shoals. I have received no less than five myself. I suppose the promoters think all pressmen must be'gamblers, hut fortunately for my pocket, lam not. One Iweep promoted by a certain " James Wallace” I know to be a downright swindle. I daresay some of njy readers nave received this creature's circular, and my advice to them is—keep your money in your pocket and tear the prospectus up. ' J ’ ■ Five days' spacial services i,i Sf Andrew's Church will commence on Sabbath evening'; special choir; Sankey’s Hymns.—(Adv.) Mr Ratcliffs begs to intimate to those interested that he is prepared io fill up Property Tat relutus. Office nest Loan and Mercian. He buildings,^*Advt.

The Napier rowing season opens on Octo bsr 13th.

It costs Pears, ths great soap manufacturing firm, £lOO,OOO a year in advertising, “ not one penny of which,” said Mr Pears, “ do we consider thrown away.” The diamond drill at Black Creek, Wairarapa, was down thirty feet this week, the formation being hard papa. A six inch Beam of good lignite has been cut, and must be entirely different to any seen at the surface in the neighborhood.

Judging by the spirited bidding at a sale of educational reserves in Hawke’s Bay last week, the public seem to think land a good investment still. The attendance was large and the competition in bush lands at Takapu and Danevirke was very keen.

The cost of charitable aid for last month was £B6 less than for the corresponding month of last year, yet if anything times are worse. The cause of the saving is undoubtedly the application of a labour test, which drives the loafing element away from the Napier refuge, which was once regarded by them as a very comfortable free residence. —H. B. Herald.

The following is one of the funniest winters’ errors we have come across for a oug time: —ln a obituary notice of a lady the editor wr. te : “ It is feared that her husband will not be able to bear her demise, ” which the careless compositor, with but a change of two letters, transformed to : “ It is feared that her husband will not be able to wear her chemise.” The horror of the be reaved husband, and of the editor, and of the mourning relatives may be imagined.

The story of the Chinaman in Otago who tendered for, and secured a contract by giving his name as Macpherson, has often been told. The Western Star says:—“Mr Macpherson is now a somewhat prominent resident of the Round Hill. He was a witness at au inquest last week, and the coroner was somewhat surprised when he appeared to answer to his name. When a«ked his real name he gave it as George Ah Fu Macpherson. The Star gave the name as M’Pherson, and was waited upon by the gentleman, who asked that it should be spelt correctly.”

At a volunteer alarm in Christchurch last Saturday morning four companies were in charge of sergeants, not one of their officers having turned out. The Lyttelton man who was to give the alarm there overslept himself, and consequently the Lyttelton men did not turn ou t for more than anjrour after the Christchurch Volunteers had been bmily engaged in repelling the invaders. The Heathcote Rifles, who were to have held the bridge leading from Sumner to the town, did not turn out at all, and the imaginary enemy came up to Christchurch without the least interruption.—Post.

One of the persons who were summoned as jurors to a Petane inquest last Saturday, Air James Conneff, failed to appear until aft r the jury had been sworn and had viewed the body of the deceased. In the meantime the Coroner had recorded against him a fine of £5 for non-attendance. On hearing Mr ConnefFs explanation, however, his Worship remitted the penalty, but in order that he might not escape altogether, he directed the Constable to consider Mr Conneff the first person to be summoned when next he has to empannel a jury. Sergeant Bullen, in view of recent circumtances, will no doubt take a note of this.

At the Glasgow Small Debt Court, before Sheriff Mair, Nelly Docherty, a farm servant sued William M’Gowan, farmer, Cardowan, Hogganfield, for £5 as damages for defamation of character, she being charged with the theft of £1 when she was innocent, and for £7 for half a year’s wages. The evidence showed that the girl, who was only eighteen, was expected to milk 17 cows, attend to five horses, work in the fields, fill drains and rise at 3 30 and work on to between 6 and 7 at

night. Besides all this the poor girl did uot get sufficient food. No wonder she felt the work “gey sair.” She won her case. King Milan of Servia is a most despicable creature. Some years age he wont to Vienna for a brief stay, and on the first night of his visit he lost £24,000 at the Nobles’ Club. The money had to be paid within twenty-four hours, and as the amount was not in his reach he went to the Palace and reque-tei a loan from the Emperor, who gave him the money, on condition that he would not play again; -and yet, the vary next night, he was found at the table, and did not rise until £3,000 more had gone. No application could be made this time to the Emperor, so Milan raised the amount on the security of a splendidly-jewelled scimitar, his most valuable hereditary possession, which had been pre. sented to the late Prince Milosch by the Emperor Nicholas. This scimitar has never been redeemed, and it is now in the possession of Herr Bleichroder, the Barlin banker. Some journalists do not mince matters, and the editbr of the Waipawa paper is certainly one of that class. This is bow he does it: —ln every community their exist objectionable characters, but in Waipawa we have one at least whose actions, wo believe, would take a lot of beating even by the worst specimens to be found in the whole colony. The creature we refer to is a slanderer of every m-n whom he dislikes. He will hatch up the most villainous of lies and. put them into circulation ; he will by every means in his power eudeavor to blast the fair fame of even the best of our citizens; and while doing so will prate of“ the good of the place.” He is so despicable that not much notice need be taken of him, but it is as well to let him know that one or two residents seriously contemplate prosecuting him for criminal slander and are only held back for ,tho respect they have for the family connections of the person in question. One may bar the door against a thief, but a liar and caluminator none can deal with. Such an one is a curse to any place or people. Judgments were entered up for plaintiffs in the following civil cases heard at the R,M. Court on ThursdayJ. F. Innes V H. Reardon, claim £lO, costa £1 12s ; Teat and Friar v R. Armstrong, claim £1 Is 7d, costs 6s; E. Yardley v T. Andrews, claim £1 4s 6d, costs Bs. In the case E, Thompson vJ. Pattarson, claim £2O or the return of a mare, judgment was given for £8 and costs £1 3s. Judgment summons Gisborne Harbor Board v B. Sheriff, claim £3 18a, the defendant being ordered to pay the amount by monthly instalments of J 10s. Harbor Board v \y. Knights, claim £1 <s 8d; ordered that the amount be paid forthwith or in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. Harbor Board v O. Smith, claim £lO 2s 4d; defendant was ordered to pay the amount on or before tha 3rd January, 1889. Harbor Board vW. Coopsr, claim £2 16s 8d; an order was made that the amount be paid forthwith or in default three days’ imprisonment. Harbor Board vW. Wilson, claim £1 Ik ; ordered to pay the amount forthwith or in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Harbor Board vJ. McCormack, claim £1 Ss 6d; ths defendant was ordered to pay the amount within one wesk. Adeane and Primrose vT. Andrews, claim £1 19s; ordered to pay the claim within one week or in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. J. Allen v Thelwall and Staples, claim £1 5s ; ordered to pay forthwith or in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. This morning we publish an advertisement which will undoubtedly attract rqqch interest in this district. A Matrimonial Bureau has been initiated in Napier, and its special feature is that those availing themselves of it can rely on perfect secrecy and honesty. Conducted on those lines there is no doubt these institutions supply a great want. The principle was once thus logically summed up by an elderly Quaker" This is precisely what I need. I have seven daughters, able and willing; I gave them an education Ur shove that of the young men of our village, whom fear, ' lest their dehoient education might cause their rejection! has kept aloof, till evory daughter has grown up uncourted—save ona, who accepted a proffer from a city coxcomb and has been miserable ever since. They remain on my hands for life, suffering from want of companionship, while there are Unmarried men in abundance just adapted to make them the best of husbands and they the best of wives, it they had been onceintrddudefi. Now such an institution, conducted with intelligence and truth, and every way reliable, would have enabled me by consulting its records to have introduced my daughters to one and another, till just the right one for each was found; and these daughters, instead of being doomed to die old maids, would have been happy as wives and mothers and made others happy, and blessed the world with , families ot children," The Napier Bureau is said to have already met with great tucoeas-. I