LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 231, 6 December 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At Coromandel on December 2G a footrace for £lOO takes place between Peebles, of Mercury Bay, and Culpan, of Coromandel. The Coromandel News, in referring to the fire at Broken Hill, compares that mining district to Coromandel. The comparison is certainly “ rich.” Mr C. C. Lucas has resigned his office as Hon. Secretary of the Gisborne Library, and also as a member of the Committee. It is understood that Mr W. G. Cato, who for some time occupied a position in the Napier and Gisborne branches of the New Zealand Shipping Company, and later on was transferred to the Auckland office, has left the Company’s service for the purpose of proceeding to Tonga, where he takes a responsible position in the Customs Department of that island. His Gisborne friends will wish him all success.

The Gisborne Irishmen—many of whom did not care a rap about football—took great interest in the football match between War brick’s team and All Ireland, and their opinions were very mixed as to the resuit Some were highly delighted at Warbrick’s succt Bs, but others could not at all appreciate the truth that the .Emerald Isle had been beaten by the “ colored New Zealanders.” There was quite a rush for the Standard extras, some f those who have friends and relations in Ireland wishing to send Home the extras to show how the victory was relished in this part of the world. The Idea of “ Paddy succumbing to the colored New Zealanders,” and of “ Warbrick lowering the Green,” —Black versus Green, in fact—was the cause of much friendly banter. We will give a penny each slip to anyone returning to this office copies of the extra referred to, before the English mail closes on Friday.

Speaking of the drought in Australia, Puff ” says:—But can anything be done with water over such a vast expanse of torrid country ? The Chinese make much worse country wonderfully fertile under much greater difficulties! But then the Chinese are a horde of Mongolian barbarians, while the noble white man in Australia is only a little lower than the angels ! According to an Auckland paper flower stealers in that city are playing it very low indeed. The other day the modest garden of Mr W. G. Garrard was entered during the temporary absence of “ the missus,” and a number of plants stolen. Things are coming to a pretty pass when the flower garden of a humble dog catcher is not secure from the raids of depredators. An exchange narrates how in a church not many hundred miles from Gisborne, on a recent Sunday, when a local preacher occupied the pulpit, one of the congregation missed the number of the hymn that was given out, and naturally leaned forward to a neighbor who sat in the next seat and queried, ‘ What is it ?’ The questioned one, whose family circle had that day or the day before been increased by the advent of another child, and upon which his thoughts must have been running at the time, replied, ‘ It’s a boy.’ The Rev. J. 8. Hill, being interviewed in Auckland on the question of Sunday observance, strongly expressed his opinion that there should be neither work nor recreation on that day, but with regard to children he said:—l think that by making the Sunday too severe a day for children, by making it too Puritanism to them, much harm has been done. I think that it should be bright and happy, cheerful and musical. In our household we have special books for the children on Sqnday, and we have music on Sunday evening, so that the children look forward to the Sunday. In my young days it was considered very ay/ful to do things which are now allowed, and the Puritans’ method of keeping the Sabbath has not proved to ba Wealthy owing to its restrictions, A boy cannot be made into a man all at once, aud this should be kept in mind by bis elders. Some of those young gentlemen who amused themselves so much at other people’s expense at the Concert the other night would do well to make a note of the narrow escape which an Auckland boy had the other day. During the course of a Church entertainment a small boy tried o vary the programme witn a tune from his own bctle thumb supker. The Rev. Mr Calder immediately got on the stage, and asked someone to point him out the delinquent and pass him up to the pl *tform, aud “ he would add as nice a piece of tanued hide to the exhibition as they c »uld wish to see,’ They were disappointed, for the youth hurriedly departed, having sudden y rem mbe>ed that he Had an urgent appointment elsewhere. Even if the ** tanned bide ” portj »n were lef out it would be an effiuaoious remedy in Gisborne, perhaps, for a few names to be occasionally chanted out from the platform, The Napier correspondent of the Wairoa Guardian writes:—Poverty Bay is now being talked about all over the colony, and thia not because she has harbor troubles, but because Mr H Hill has been ‘'geologising” in that district. At Ormond Mr Hill found some fine fossils in sedimentary deposits of the pliocene period, and among the fossils were some feathers pronounced to be those of a moa. From this arises the talk, as the scientific men of the colony, and almost of the world, had agreed that the mqa did not come into existence in this colony until the period subsequent to the pliocene, while Mr Hill’s discovery puts back the origin of the moa goodness knows how many centuries. Hence Poverty Bay is to the front among the savanis t anl will shortly be trotted out as a geological example all over the continent of Europe. Tliis ought to be a good opportunity for pushing a judicious assortment of oil scrip, a production far more interesting to its people thAii any munt el foon

The late Library Exhibition resulted in a loss of £lO. The Fire Brigade had a very successful practice last night, all the members being presunt, with the exception of one man who was up country Wellington tailors are dissatisfied at the prices paid for the finishing various kinds of of clothes. A couple of meetings have already been called with reference to the matter. About 8 o’clock on Tuesday morning the barque Deva got under weigh for London, but, owing to adverse winds the vessel did not get clear of the land till late in the afternoon. The Australia arrives from north this afternoon. The Maitai is due here early on Friday morning from Napier. Last launch 8 a.m. The Wairarapa leaves Auckland at noon to-day and should reach here about the sanie hour on Friday. Her outward passengers will leave the wharf at 7 o’clock.

The Thames justices are practical men. A few d ys back they sent a fellow named Joseph Fry to Dunedin with the following sentences*—2os and costs, or 48 hours’ imprisonment, for drunkenness; 12 months for obscene language ; six months for begging ; and £5 and costs, or a month, for resisting the police. Fry elected to take all the sentences out. He told some of the Auckland police that he would give the Thames a wide berth after this. Probably that was what the Bench was wanting to secure, as Joseph has about 40 aliases, and has been in nearly every gaol in the colony.

It is told of a popular solicitor in Darga ville, that he recently called upon a brother in the profession in Auckland and asked his opinion upon a certain point of law. The lawyer to whom the question was addressed drew himself up and said, ‘ I generally get paid for what I know.’ The questioner draw half-a-crown from bis pocket, handed it to the other, and coolly remarked. ‘ Tell me all you know and give me the change. Francis William Ogilvie Grant, tenth Eail of Seafield, died at Oamaru on Monday of heart disease, aged forty-one. His son, eleven years of age, succeeds to the title. Deceased came in for the title on the death of the Earl of Seafleld a short time ago. Previous to this ha had been employed as a bailiff at Oamaru. He contested a seat for the House of Representatives at the last general election, but was unsuccessful.

There is some danger of the Auckland regatta failing through this year, *nd the Herald thus urges courage in the matter:—For the honor of Auckland, and for the fair fame of the harbor that we p'ide ourselves in regarding as peerless in these waters, and <lea tined to yet comm <nd the commerce of the South Seas, we earnestly hope that no one will for an instant indulge the thought that our annual regat a might come to be abandoned. Tell it not in Wellington, publish it not in the streets of Dunedin, that the thought of dishonor was even dreamt of, and let our yachtsmen and citizens be invited to put their shoulders to he wheel, and their hands in their pockets, and we venture to think that in January next and thereafter we shall see as b> illiant regattas aa ever we did in the harbor. A meeting of creditors in the estate ef A. Reynolds was held yesterday afternoon, about a d >zen persons bning present. The debtor said he filed from preasu e of creditors, and <>n account of bailiffs being put in possession of his auction rooms. He started busi UQSB on January 1, 1888, in partnersnip with R M. N'coll. He had a guarantee of £3OO on starting business. The business expenses amounted to £2O per week. He sustained several losses, among them £B5 on the Tologa Bay hotel, th ou«h McClutchey £32, and about £ 150 through Muldoon. He hid never drawn out a bal mce sheet. When Nicoll left the firm no money passed between them, but Niooll was indebted to the firm. Nicoll did not put any m >ney into the firm, but had drawn out £350. The fi m at the time of dissolution was insolvent. The assignment of £2OO against the Karamu costs, which the Bank of New South Watea held, was held aga’nst advances m «de. He had a lien over Mu'doon’s ciops of £3OO. The secured liabilities are £1582 ; unsecured £853 12s 9d ; and assets, £225. The meeting was adjourned for a week to allow outside creditors to prove.

The members of the G arrison Band have not been unmindful of the long and popular connection which Mr H. Clayton (who recently left the district) had with that institution. On their behalf a handsome gold locket has been made by Mr W. Fraser (and is now on view in his window), for presentation to Mr Clayton. On the front of the locket there is a nicely-engraved inscription—“ Presented to Bandsman H. Clayton, as a token of respect from the Gisborne Garrison Band—31st October, 1888.” On the reverse side there is a beautifully-engraved euphonium. The presentation, accompanied by a suitable testimonial, will be forwarded to the intended recipient, by to-morrow’s mail, and he may certainly feel that he has earned for himself a very high compliment, both in regard to the gift and the cordial spirit in which it is given.

The death is announced of the once wellknown member of the prize ring, Tom King, which took place at his residence Clapham Park. He was born in Stepney in 1836, and was brought up as a sailor, but he left the sea to work in the docks, where his frequent fights with his mates, brought him under the notice of Jem Ward, who introduced him to the ring as his novice. He soon made a name for himself within the ropes, and he was taken up by Nat Langham, under whose tutelage he challenged and fought Jem Mace for the championship. He was defeated, but ultimately again met his old opponent, whom he, in turn, defeated and deprived of his title as champion. King relinquished the belt and declared his career as a pugilist at an end. He retired, but was induced to withdraw from his retreat by a challange to fight Heenan for a thousand pounds aside. The two met at Wadhurst on December 10th, 1863, and after twenty-four rounds in thirty-five minutes, Heenan was defeated. This victory brought King prominently under public notice. Next trying his hand at sculling, he beat Ted May, of Lambeth, and James Percy, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. On February 23sh, 1805, he rowed Oaffin from Putney to Mortlake, and, after a foul, the umpire decided that the race should be rowed over again, on which occasion King was beaten for the first time, and with his

defeat withdrew from aquatics. Ha subsequently became a well-known man among the racing fraternity. At the last Harbor Board meeting the Ohairipan (Captain Tucker) brought before the notice of the Board that at least three workmen had gone to hixp asking for some writing to the Engineer or Overseer ; otherwise, they said, there was no possibility ot them getting work. He had referred the workmen to the Engineer or Overseer, but they said the Engineer was already well acquainted with their qualifications, but they hud been told there was no use of them applying unless they had a letter from some meiaber of the Board. Oie man had told him that Mr Bichsno h&d pulled a lot of such letters out of his bag and said to look there

and see the number he had received. He (the Chairman) said the npen might have been mistaken, and he only told the stories as he had heard them, but if such a thing existed, be thought it was not proper and that men should be engaged only on account of their workmanship and character, and without any semblance of patronage frbm members of the Board. If such a thing had been done through good heartedness he thought it would lead to unsatisfactory results.—-Mr Clark said he had also been informed that such a custom prevailed, and had refused to be a party to it.—ln reply to Mr Clark the Engineer said he was not aware, nor did he believe, that anything of the kind had been done; all that had been received in the way mentioned were the ordinary recommendations.—Mr Chambers said the same question had been brofight up a considerable time back and it was understood then that the Engineer and the Overseer should be free to choose suitable men, uninfluenced by the Board. He himself had been appealed to by several men, but all he had done was to affirm from his own knowledge that a man was a good workman,—On the motion of Mr Murphy it was resolved that Mr Bicheno be asked to attend next meeting and produce any of the letters stated to have been received by him. A barque, name unknown) etruok on the ttoodwta taut*' and all eu Hart were biti