LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 654, 19 March 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At 12.30 this day, the thermometer stood at 122deg., which has been the hottest day but two, since the present summer solstice. The dismantling of the Bank of New Zealand building is proceeding with great rapidity. The contractors expect to have cleared the brickwork to the foundation by ; Saturday next. The accommodation of the Gisborne Jail is likely to be put to a severe test, five prisoners having been committed this morning, for two months, with hard labor, for broaching the contents of a hogshead of beer, placed on the wharf on Sunday last. Would it not be as well if this prison labor was turned to account in cutting channels, and filliug up the many hollows in the streets of Gisborne ? The number of iron rails for the Gisborue and Ormond Tramway, now stacked and ready for use, is 7211, independently of the spikes and fixings necessary to secure them in place on the sleepers. The whole has been done under the superintendence of Mr. T. Bryant. The rails are stated as being of superior quality. While the paper is going to press, the return match between the heavies and light crews of the Gisborne Rowing Club will be rowed. We regret that it will be too late for us to wait for the result ; but as the betting is odds in favor of the heavies, avc must not be surprised to see them defeated, as a hard tussle is anticipated, and accidents may happen. j

We beg to remind all who may feel interested in the drawings for the valuable prizes in Mr. Good's Art Union, that they will be made this evening in the Masonic Hall. Messrs. Coombs and Co. aunouuee that having completed their arrangements for the Autumn season, they claim to have the best assorted stock of drapery, millinery and clothing, ever offered to the Gisborne public. We refer readers to their advertisement in our third page for all particulars. An extraordinary sight was witnessed this afternoon. A team of sleepy bullocks, attached to a dray, took alarm at something not understood, when they set off at full gallop up the Gladstone Road, and in their wild career nearly caused the death of Mr. Donahue, who was crossing the track of the team at the instant of their passing, when a horseman blinded no doubt, with the dense clouds of dust blow- i ing, came with full force against Mr. Donahue, knocking him off his equilibrim. After a long chase the bullocks were j brought up all standing at about half a mile's distance from the original starting ground. We suppose it is the only instance on record where a team of bullocks has been guilty of such an act as that of getting out of a walk while yolked up. The Age says that at the Police Court, Dunedin, the other morning, a middle-aged woman was charged with using indecent language at her residence. The constable stated that he recognised the author of the indecent expressions by her voice. At this stage Mr. Turton rose and said : "As amieus ciirke — I have a right as a barrister-at-law to speak — you cannot convict on the voice unless you see the person. It is not right on the voice of a policeman to convict on her voice. I can have one voice in the morning, another during the day, and another in the evening. Ido protest as a barrister-at-law and an Englishman." Inspector Mallard replied that it was frequently the only means that the police had of detecting offences, of the kind. Mr. Eliott : " ' Notwithstanding what Mr. Turton says, I know that persons are easily recognised by their voice. Only on Saturday night I recognised a person I had not seen for years by his voice." The woman was convicted.

According to the Bay of Plenty T'mvis, Te Kooti has had a vision to the effect that there is to be fighting in the Waikato, and that the cause of the dispute will be brought about by the Government support of Rewi against the King. He also states that three murders are about to be committed in consequence of certain land sales, one by a Tauranga native and two by a Arawas. The latter portion of this dream is implicitly believed in by the Maoris. As prophecies sometimes bring about their fulfilment it migt not be a bad plan to make Te Kooti answerable for the consequences of his vaticination.

The Auckland Free Lance, in answer to a correspondent, says : — "There is not the least danger of a run on the bank here. What people dread is the bank making a run on them."