LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 864, 15 August 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Woodbine Johnson will address the electors to-night m the Masonic Hall. CaptainJMorris m the sameplacejto-morrow. Mr. Allan McDonald as soon after he arrives as can be conveniently arranged. The Gisborne Rifle Volunteers are reminded that the usual weekly instruction parade takes place this evening, at McFarlaues Hall, at 7 p.m. It is imperative that members attend to pass through the regular course of drill, so as to obtain that state of efficiency requisite to entitle them to claim the capitation grant for the current year. They must bear m mind that unless all the requirements are met they may never hope to enjoy the priveleges appertaining to an efficient Volunteer. The Government have signified their willingness to subsidise a Volunteer Drill-shed for Gisborne, provided the amount of such subsidy does not exceed £300. As a vote of the House will have to be taken, it is necessary to furnish the authorities m Wellington with the information as to what amount can be raised here without any delay, to enable them to place it on the estimates at an early date. We hope now that the public will take the matter up, and assist the Volunteers to raise £150 so as to enable them to claim a | like sum from the Government. The want of a Drill-shed has long been felt here, and as it would be available as a gymnasium, it is to be hoped that the local athletes will assist with their mite. 43* Read the new Price List m Gakrett Bros.' Advertisement, of New Goods just arrived direct from Home, per late arrivals via Auckland, and just landed per Pretty Jane and Haioea. A much more inauspicious honeymoon was probably never entered into than a loving couple, named Henry and Grace Evans, are now commencing, says the New Zealander. It seems that they were only united m the bonds of Hymen on Thursday last, and on Friday Evening they Avere arrested by Detective Sullivan, for obtaining money by false pretences. The second night of their married life was spent by them under one roof, it is true, but m adjoining cells. From a statement made by Sir George Grey m Parliament, it appears that the total number of properties m New Zealand is 87, 105, but some persons own as many as 100 of these. There are 67,000 properties under £500 m unimproved value. The revenue to be derived from the Land Tax is estimated at £100,000. The totfal expended value of property, is £99,566,676, and the amount of mortgages £21,764,292, including a large sum leut on security of live stock. It is believed that £10, 123, 586 may be estimated as the foreign capital, and £11,640,712 colonial capital. At 8£ per cent., the total interest is £1,845,676. The expenditure of the Land Tax Department to June 30 was £17,073, and the liabilities at the same date due principally to valuers was £6,021, making a total of £23, 094. It is estimated that the expenditure for the current year would amount to £8,500. It is stated m a Castlemaine paper that a person is engaged m collecting native cats to send over to New Zealand, for the alleged purpose of killing rabbits. A correspondent desires to caution the New Zealand people agaiust admitting any such importation to their country, as, he says, the native cat is a most destructive animal to quail, chickens, young turkeys, and a devourer of cheese, butter, eggs, bread, bacon, candles, &., but it will not kill rabbits. It actually nestles with rabbits m their burrows, and does no injury to them, and he points out that if native cats did kill rabbits, there should be none of the latter animal at Leigh Creek, Barwon Park, and many other places where both rabbits and cats are to bo found m thousands. He recommends foxes as the right animal to introduco as a rabbit destroyer, and concludes by saying that one fox will destroy more rabbits m a week than all^iho native cats m Victoria would m a year. .