LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 859, 9 August 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Jas. Woodbine Johnson announces through our advertising columns that he is a candidate for the East Coast Electoral District. Mr. Johnson hopes shortly to have'an opportunity of explaining his views on local and general topics. A declaration has been 'filed in the District Court of Gisborne, by Alexander Gillies, of Ormond, that he is unable to meet bis engagements with his creditors. The first meeting will be held at the Courthouse on "Wednesday, 13th inst., at halfpast two o'clock. A rate of 3 per cent, on the annual value of all property in the Waikohu Highway District has been struck. The rate is payable in two instalments, the first of which is due on Monday, August 25th. The rate book is open for inspection at Mr. Barrie'a store, Ormond, where rates are payable,

Through the day, and opposite our office, there has been a " sound of rivelry ;" although assuredly not from the " beauty and chivalry of Belgium's capital." The sounds as they penetrated our establishment came from twenty and more of Mr. C. D. Berry's carpenters, who, with patent cramps, were laying the boards for the ground floor of Mr. Adair's new warehouse. There appeared to be great competition among the hands as to who should drive the most nails in the shortest possible space of time— and who should make the greatest row.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of E. V. Luttrell, livery stable-keeper, will be held ct the office of Messrs. Bourke and Smith, on Thursday next, 14th instant, at 2 p.m.

The hotel-keepers, in the supply of drinkables, are not to have it all their own way. Persons who require the milder and more palatable drinks in the form of tea and coffee, either or both of the best, can now be supplied at Mr. Allanach'^ confectionary establishment, Gladstone Road, where light refreshments in the way. of edibles may be procured. There is a pleasant, well-furnished, private room for ladies, where they will meet with every attention ; while orders for bread, pastry, and refreshment supplies, arejforwarded to any part of the town and suburbs, in the shortest notice. The above is a want which has long been felt in Gisborne, and we have no doubt Mr. Allanach's efforts will be well appreciated;

The establishment of a Free newspaper reading-room in Auckland, (says the Star) ia worthy of notice, and Mr. Bartlet Langbridge has accomplished this desideratum in connection with the " Associated News and Advertising Bureau," Stichbury's Buildings. Although only about nine months in existence, the Bureau, by the energy and enterprise of its manager, is regularly supplied with every paper of repute published in this and the neighbouring colonies, and also a large number of Californiau, American, and .European journals. These papers are on tile and free to all coiners. Mr. Langbridge, who has had long journalistic experience, acts as the city medium between advertiser and publisher, and registers every advertisement (forwarded by the "Bureau") in order to ascertain whether all the conditions have beer, complied with as to term, number of insertions, space, displays, and position in the paper. Tlie manager supplies carefully prepared lists of leading papers, with valuable information as to circulation, scale of charges, circuit, &c, bo as to enable advertisers to select without difficulty the mediums best suited to any particular purpose. Mr. Langbridge has been appointed agent for the Poverty Bay Herald.

«& Mead ilia new Price List in Gahrett Bkos.' Advertisement, of New Goods just arrived direct from Home, per late arrivals via Auckland, and just landed per Pretty Jane and Haivea,

The North Ofcago Times say3 :— All people, but especially those who aspire to address public assemblages, should be careful to mind their stops. One of the candidates for municipal honors in addressing the ratepeyers at the nomination yesterday gave utterance to this remarkable sentence : "Gentlemen, the ratepayers of — Ward are in great danger if I get elected — . " Shouts of laughter prevented the worthy aspirant proceeding farther with his har--1 rangue, but his intention was evidently to make a full stop at the word '• danger," and to proceed in the following sentences to enlighten the ratepayers regarding the course which he intended to pursue should he be returned to repreaent their interests. Some months ago a digger named Stanley was admitted to the Hokitika Hospital, where through indisposition, he was obliged to remain for several months. When leaving, he stated he was without funds, but he desired to pay for the medical attendance and board provided him while in the hospital, and requested that the same should be rendered to his friend and relative the Earl of Derby. The secretary of the institution, acting upon the directions given, though not without some doubt at the time of any successful result, posted the account mentioned, which amounted to £20 os. By the last English mail, a remittance was received for the amount, and a receipt lias been forwarded to the "cousin of the Earl," who is at present at work in the Kanieri district. A comparison of the vital statistics of New Zealand with those of England gives some rather astonishing results. In England the birth rate is 35 per 1000 of the population yearly, and the death rate 23 per 1000. In New Zealand the birth rate is 41 per 1000. And the death rate 12 per 1000. The excess of births over deaths in England is 55 per cent. ; in New Zealand, 230 per cent. The difference between our colony and other European countries is far more marked. In France the birth rate and death are about the same — 30 per cent. In New Zealand the mortality in all classes is about the same ; in England it is 8 per cent, in the first year of life in the upper classes, and 30 per cent, among the children of the poor. The average life of the wealthy classes is 55, and of the working classes 35. The following very extraordinary story is told by the Clutha Leader: — "A curious discovery in connection with saddlery was made by a Clutha settler the other day. He had occasion to send his riding saddle to a local tradesman for the purpose of being stuffud. Upon getting it back he saddled his mare and I'ocle off. The animal seemed unusually restive throughout the journey, and upon being unsaddled her back was observed to be considerably swollen. It was thought, however, this was only the effect of the new padding. Upon saddling the mare a few days after she trembled all over, and displayed a strong disinclination to submit to the- operation. When mounted she shewed signs of pain, but it was put down to groundless fear, and the journey was proceeded with. On being again unsaddled, her back was seen to havo been severely injured. The saddle was then examined, when a hard lump was felt in the stuffing. 'Clio cover was cut, and upon the hand being thrust in there wa3 dragged out a smoothing iron ! The iron weighed five pounds, but how it got there seems a mystery to the saddler and all concerned." The Wellington correspondens of the Auckland Star writes : — " A nice Vogcliau secret has come up lately. It has leaked out of the official prison. house that Sir Julius Vogel, in his usual plausiblo style, proposed the. establishment of a great central emigrant depot at ■■Falmouth, with grand office and attractive surroundings. The Government was not enthusiastic, expecially Mr. Macaudrew, who would prefer some Northern port in the British Isles ; and inquiry disclosed the fact that Sir Julius Vogel meditated representing Falmouth in the House cf Commons, and desired as a preliminary step to earn the gratitude of the Falmouthians by establishing a great emigration depot in their town, with the project of making it the starting-point of all emigrants for the British colonies. The result is that the Falmouth scheme hangs fire, and will probably go to the limbo, with reams of other brilliant paper schemes of Sir Julius Vogel's."