LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 573, 21 February 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Borough Assessment Court sitting has been fixed for Monday, March 2. Mr William Woodyoar, the well known circus proprietor, has died from cholera. James Little, aged 26, died at Sydney the other day from a blow from a cricket ball. Ths trotting match on Monday week is between Mr Adeline's Arnold and Mr Harding's Spinner. Professor Archibald is grandson of Canada’s most gifted orator, the late Hon. 8. G. W. Archibald, Master of the Rolls.

A big mushroom which may be seen at Mr Budd's dining rooms weighs 1J pounds, and measures ten inches across. Such a monster will take some beating.

The reason why the welcome banquet tendered to the Premier was presided over by the late Mayor of Wanganui, and not by the present one, was because the latter was not well enough to attend. At a County Council meeting near Masterton, one member—named Vile, by the way—gave it as his opinion that a certain other member could not discern any difference between a human being and a sheep. At the meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Land Board on Wednesday approval was given to the transfer of Waimata section 7, block 7, from Mr McNair to Mr Bellerby, and Air Robert Sloan’s application was granted for 857 acres at Nuhaka, sections 4 and 7, blocks 14 and 15.

The other day a. correspondent said the people of Poverty Bay would soon bo agitating for a change of the name to Prosperous Bay. Things certainly saom to be drifting that way. There was not a single case down for hearing when the time for opening the B.AI. Court came round pq Thursday morning. This fact is deserving of a good place among the district’s records.

Owners of horses are reminded that nominations for ths Tologa Bay race meeting on St. Patrick’s Day must be in by thia evening. A figure by some means got misplaced in the advertisement on Thursday morning, and the Hurdle race was mads t-o read as if It was for £3O, instead si for £2O, but the sporting paragraph would at once show the compositor's error, as also would the official programme. The meeting will give a good chance for some of ths competitors to “pick up their winter oats?’ A good patty of visiters will probably ride up from Gisborne to witness the day’s sport. Apropos of the severe weather in the Northern Hemisphere, a most affecting story is told by an American gentleman, whose home was once in Alaska. He had some poor neighbours—a man, bis wife, and a baby. Tbe winter came upon them when they wore unprovided with fuel, and they were snowed up. It seems that the man went out to grope in the snow for wood, and that he was caught by a ‘ blizzard,’ and so perished. The sight in the house, when the inmates were at last discovered, was as pathetic as well can be imagined. The mother—what a wonderful thing is a mother’s love I—had tried to keep her baby alive by putting it in the oven and burning her own clothing in the grate. But the cold killed her, and when she died the baby soon perished. The Australian Star says !—■“ The pub® lioation that has risen on what Captain Fisher would call the obscene ashes of another weekly arrangement is to be sued for libel by the Postmaster-General. The first issue of the paper contained a paragraph headed ‘Dan’s Cramey,’ the Dan, of course, being the Postmaster General. The paragraph starts off by informing the readers that ‘ the Postmaster-General is a familiar figure in Sydney in the buggy drawn by a cream pony (her Gracious of course, drives the same colored class of steed), but it is not generally known that this said ‘ cramey ’ is nicely stalled on the Post-office premises, and fed at the cost of the country.’ It is then stated that it is a mail boy’s duty to look after the steed, and some lines of alleged warbling fill up some space at the tail end. Wo are informed that Mr O’Connor has instituted an action ft 2 libel, claiming £2009 damages, against tbe proprietors of the sheet, Mr O’Connor also has an action for libel ogalnst another ’ pSper >8 dW feota the »&m6 ollioe. 11

A Sydney paper has the following suggestive itemTowi.sviile is ia flood, O.her times it is in ,

The proprietor of a Misterton boarding house made application the other day to a visitor for a “ settling up ” of bis board bill, but in response received the full weight of the latter’s fist upon his right eye. The visitor then “ sloped.” The young man Davies still maintains his roving disposition. He called in at his brother’s place at Ormond at 1 yesterday morning, got some provisions, and siii he would return when the stock ran out. The police would not be entitled to arrest the wanderer unless on a charge of lunacy (for which sufficient reason has not yet been shown), or for trespass. A meeting of those interested in the formation of a Swimming Club was held at the Carnarvon Street bathing shed last evening, Mr W. L. File presiding. After the subject had been discussed in its various phases, it was decided to form a Club, and if possible to arrange for the opening competition to be held early on Sb. Patrick’s Day. Messrs Pile, Haye, and F. Faram wore appointed a committee, and the 1 itter was subsequently appointed hon. secretary. Notice will be duly given when the next meeting will be held.

According to a Wellington paper, “ a plan is being devised for the State to acquire all Native land, allowing suitable reserves for the M ions, and recompensing them for the land by way of annuities payable out of the assessed value of the land. It is further proposed to cut this land up into workable areas, to have it surveyed, bridged and roaded,. and ready for settlers to take possession of at once. It is estimated that 10s per acre will pay the costs of surveys, roads and bridges. This scheme, if well carried out, would throw a vast area of land into the market, and as much of the land occupied by the Maoris is some of the best in the colony, there will be no difficulty in finding settlers for it. The promoters of the scheme are sanguine that the plan they have in view will add considerably to our population, and make soon a great difference to our exports and imports.”