LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 225, 22 November 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Owners of horses and others interested are reminded that the nominations in connetion with the Waerenga-a-hika Jockey Club’s Boxing Day Meeting, close on Saturday evening next, at the Masonic Hotel. On the arrival of the schooner Comet, from Greymouth, on Tuesday afternoon, tfie Shark went off for the purpose of towing the vessel into the river, and on reaching the schooner it was found that the centre board was jambed in the centre case. The Comet could not be brought in until the necessary repairs were effected yesterday. The Snark went out again last evening and brought her in, The Secretary of the Charitable Aid Board has received a request from the Wellington Board for repayment of money paid for the passage of Mrs Hearn and son from Wellington to Gisborne, amounting to £3. A reply is to be sent declining the request, as funds are only available for maintenance purposes, It the Wellington people are not capable of dispensing their funds properly they must bear the consequences. The Gisborne Board would be guilty of dishonesty if it submitted to this sort of thing. The local Exhibition which opens to-mor-row afternoon is entitled to. the largest support, and we believe of its own merits will well deserve that support. Mr Lucas and the other promoters have been working very hard to make the affair a success, and their is every reason to believe the result of their labors will be eminently satisfactory. The Exhibition is to be held in the City Rink, and will be open each day from 2 until 10 p.m. The showers of rain yesterday ought to have a good effect upon the flower show, and if the assistance is general this portion of the Exhibition can be made of a very pleasing and pretty description. The City Bink will be open all day to-lay and up to 12 to-morrow morning for the reception of all kinds of exhibits.

A splendid supply of artesian well water has been struck on the Wcrribee station] near Bonrke (N.S.W.), giving 356,000 gallons per day. Mr John Duthie has been elected Mayor of Wellington unopposed, and Mr Devore has been re-elected Mayor of Auckland without opposition. It is expected that the Government will declare to-day the names of the Railway Commissioners and the successor to the late Mr Justice Johnston. The reduction of rates made by the insurance companies ou properties in the Eden Terrace district, Auckland, since the introduction, of the city water supply and the establishment of a fire brigade is expected to save more than the interest on the loan of £2750 for the waterworks. Great preparations are being made by the Dunedin wool brokers for an active season. In view of the approaching wool season the charge of Is 8d hitherto made on wools delivered for auction has been abolished, making the charges lower than in Christchurch and much lower than in Melbourne.

At Bald Hills, near Cheswick, Victoria, the other day a young man named Woods while at work threw his coat on a stump. It was soon alive with bull-dog ants, which Woods did not notice when he put the garment on again. The result was that he was dreadfully bitten by those ferocious insects. He swooned away, and for a long time did not regain consciousness. His life was in dauge ■. A telegram from Wellington states: — Judgment was delivered in Chambers by the Chief Justice in the the case N.Z. Native Land Settlement Company v. Rhodes’ Trustees,sa claim for calls. Judgment was given for the plaintiffs for £345 10s, together with interest at 10 per cent up to 15th December last, and 16 per cent from that date up to the present time. In the case of the same Company v. Mcßeth, judgment was given for £166 Ils sd, including interest at the same rates as above. At a meeting last week of ths Napier Fire Brigade it was stated that the team sent to Palmerston North to compete at the fire brigades sports there had been successful in appropriating each of the three events on the list for which they entered, the amount of cash they received being £6, which amount would be handed over to the funds of the brigade. Besides this money they had won special prizes, which consisted of 500 feet of timber, a sack of flour, and watch chain ornaments, which could be realised in Palmerston, and the brigade’s funds be augmented with the results. It. was decided that this course be pursued. Engineer Holland, who won the one-man manual event at the competition, had his special prize presented to him. A few weeks ago a dreadful ocoure.nce took place at Sandhurst, Victoria, at half-past three on Sunday morning, by which two children were burnt to death. The fire occurred at the house of Mr Thos. Treloar, the manager of the United Ulster Company’s mine, and was caused by the wind blowing the curtains against a lighted Jcandle whilst Mrs Treloar was getting a drink for the children. Mr Treloar was absent in Melbourne. On finding the house on fire Mrs Treloar took the children out and returned to save some furniture. The children, unnoticed by the mother, followed her into the house and both were burned to death. The remains were so charred that identification was difficult. The children were Clarence, a girl aged five, and Thomas, aged three years. Mrs Treloar has been very unwell since the occurrence. A good story is told at the expense of parties well known in this district. There were two officers of the law, whose duties are of a kind which do not always ensure popularity. They had to serve a writ on a country resident, and accordingly went to that perron’s house. He was not in, so the senior officer left his man in charge, and then walked ou about a mile to a place where he was told he could find the party required. So far ha was successful, and then the officer communicated the nature of the business upon which he was bent, and told the principal that a man had been left in charge. The principal was naturally wrathful, and said that some mistake had been made. Both were returning to the house, when the officer was delayed by a little other business, and the principal (whom we shall call Smith for the occasion) proceeded homewards. The officer stayed too long to enable him on foot to catch Smith, but experience had taught him that it would be well to get to the house at the same time as Smith did. Seeing a horse and complete outfit at a store near by he asked the owner of the store if he could have the loan of the horse for five or ten minutes. “ Oh, that's Smith’s horse,” said the storekeeper. “Is it ?—then I'm in it,” said the effiier, throwing himself astride the horse, and chuckling at the idea of Smith being so foolish as to walk the distance, and allowing somebody else to ride his horse. The house was duly reached and matters fixed up, and the officer went out again to get the horse, but the animal had disappeared. On being questioned Smith stated the horse was not his, and the officer retraced his steps, feeling somewhat perplexed at the new side of the joke that was dawning upon him. Directly he got back the storeman said, “ You’ve gone and done it; that’s Mr 's horse you took!” (Mr being a much-respected Gisborne business man.) On explanations following, it appeared the storeman had been mistaken as to the ownership of the horse, and the rightful owner putting in an appearance shortly afterwards, he had to start for Gisborne on foot,' when he discovered his property and took possession. It is said that man of business has changed his ideas about a “ free country.”