GISBORNE NOTES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1618, 4 March 1903, Page 25

GISBORNE NOTES

(IA f ‘Harkoo/- > for ihe “New Zealand Mail.”)

GISBORNE, February 24

After attending a couple of -race meetings and being interviewed privately and publicoy oil all sorts and conditions of things, tne Hon. i'iini Kara (vide “correct” card) left for the North by last Saturday’s steamer accompanied by Ins secretary, Mr Poison. In the matter of the interviews aforementioned one in particular was very important indeed —that, of establishing a separate land board to administer the lands of the t ook and. \vaiapu Counties from Gisborne instead of Napier as is now done. The advancement of the district it is said lias not warranted tins in the pash, but this has been remedied —all agree —and the time is now ripe for the establishment cf a senarato board to sit here and so do awav once and for all with the farce of having to go to Napier to interview or make application to the Land Board. At least cue large station (Mr Jas. Macfar lane's; of Pakarae) has been secured by the Government in this district for closer settlement, and it is rumoured that other appropriations will be made in the near future. This taken with the big strides the district is making particularly in the dairying industry and the heavy work of determining native titles to lands in the Waiapu County will give the proposed new Board work for years to come —tvo-rk that will be greatly facilitated if done in Gisborne. The hon. member gave his word that strong representations would be made to bring this into effect, and the interview ended in a rosy atmosphere engendered by the pleasing expectancy of increased importance attained for the town and district. Representations are to be made to'have Gisborne made a grading pert in the matter of our fast increasing dairy export trade, which, if done, wiTl encourage local producers to greater effort in bringing their butter up to the highest standard of excellence, and so into cheerful competition with our favoured brethren in sight of Egmont. RACING. The Poverty Bay Racing Club held, its summer meeting at the Makaraka course on Thursday and Friday last, and securing two days made to order, made the best of them. _ The sport was good, and the tote investments fairly heavy. Mr Secretary Gumming is to be congratulated on the large number of acceptances secured, and the arrangements made for the comfort of his numerous patrons. An excellent luncheon was provided by Mr das. Craig, and the music (though perhaps not up to Mr Ord Hume’s standard) formed a pleasant accompaniment to the excitement provided.

CRICKET.

The talk or the week is the visit of the Hawke’s Bay representative cricketers who are to play against Poverty Bay’s best,at Mr Julius Ceasar’% ground at Ormond on Saturday next. The selection committee had a wide field to select the local team from, and as there

are a good many players- who boast a training on English public school grounds scattered over tliis big district the task was not a light one, and They have come through the ordeal fairly well. The following are in these gentlemen's opinion the elect of the Bay and the ones most likely to “knock Troll about” v. iiic-h seems to be the ambition of npt a few followers of the game in Now Zealand —Messrs Ludhrook, J. N. Williams, A. B. Williams, Beale, Do-nald Porter; W. McCTodio, W. Gibson, W. Hedge, Ivoscn, A. Crawic-rd, and il. Sharp, with H. Piimmcr, 11. Gibson and Barton emergencies. Writer takes exception to only two inclusions — MeO redie and Ives on. The former is said to be the only wicket-keeper available. and so gets a place oil that qualification alone. He has only played two games during the season and shown no particular form. Iveson is another twog anes-for-the-season man, but as he bowls slow breaks with his left hand and came off in the trial game (with the ball) was included against players who have shown more consistent form eight > hrough the season and in return for their enthusiasm have been put out of the eleven. If the County Club and Coast men are in anything like form the game should be a real interesting one. and though not in any way antic paling a win, I do not think the match will bo one-sided. The Hawke’s Bay players arrive next Saturday morning and return home on the Sunday afternoon.

Ms and Airs A. F. Kennedy intend, proceeding to Auckland next Saturday for the ostensible purpose of hearing Melba.. This is -outright. Several other Gisbornites leave for Auckland at the same time “on business” allegedly, but candidly afraid to acknowledge l hat they would undertake the trip for /such a frivolous pretext as to hear a singer of songs. I like the Kennedys’

avowal. They go to hear the greatest singer of the finest songs,- and say so. Writer would like to be able to say tho same. It is said that Mr John Sheridan’s name will appear among the -about.-to-be-ai) pointed Justices of the .Peace. Sheridan had a sound legal training, and retains most of it, so the appointment is a good one.

A ’BUS SERVICE.

“It grows more like London every day’’ was the facetious remark of a recent tripper on the morning or the inauguration of a ’bus service here this week. The enterprise cf Mr W. Sinclair,- of the Masonic Stables,. is responsible for the innovation, and the ’busses run from the Post Office to Te Hapara and Whataupoko each morning, noon and evening and the service is said lo be paying. This reminds me of a long-ago application of Air John Sheridan to the Borough Council for the right to run a tram the length of Gladstone roadf an application which was refused, tho Council giving as the reason that they intended to take the matter up municipally. Years have rolled on since then and the Council’s laudable intention has a long white beard and still in their few waking moments or wildest dreams are trams talked of. Sinclair has stepped into line, and liis enterprise all would like to see crowned with success. Writing cf coachmen, Mr J. R. Redstone has abandoned* the Whatatutu road and bought out McKinley’s interest in the Morcre service. The Macs have alsosold their Tola.go Bay service to the O’Reilly Bros., the death of McKinley senior being the cause of the changes mentioned. Since last letter Air F. J. Francis has taken over the Albion Club Hotel from Air T. Steele, and Air G. B. Oman has sold his interest in the Hotel Coronation to . Air Spiers, formerly of Heriot, Otago. There is evidently no fear of prohibition being carried here, as in both cases the amount paid is said to show no deterioration in hotel property. Mr G. Adams returned from a visit to Rotorua last Sunday, having derived much benefit from the waters. He states that tho new electric tram system places Auckland before all other New Zealand cities as a commercial centre and for convenience in transit, and business in Queen street is said to have largely increased with the new train system, which brings the suburbs into easy touch with the hub of the city.