Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1889. THE CEMENT CONTRACT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5370, 22 January 1889, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVEN ING GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1889. THE CEMENT CONTRACT.

The Harbor Board acted wisely yesterday in rejecting Mr Matthewson's motion for re? grinding the cement contract witli McEwan and Co., of London. There was no honest retreat from the arrangement entered into with that firm. The negotiations had been conducted by cable, and as a matter of course the specifications submitted to the English tenderers weie of the briefest kind. One is not even certain now that the basis of the contract is thoroughly understood. Mr Sievwright calculates that a saving of sevenpencc per cask will result from the acceptance of McEwan and Co.'s tender. Approximately, the total saving amounts to £300. Captain Tucker is of opinion that by standing to the arrangement with the London firm the Board will gain to the extent of £50. There is considerable discrepancy between the estimates of the ex-Chairman and present Chairman.

In all likelihood the Board will not financially suffer through the rejection of the tender of the National Mortgage and Agency Company. The Board, however, has not acted in a business-like manner. Practically then? has been a breach of faith with the original tenderers, Tho

Mortgage- Company was the lowest, and consequently that concern has the principal reason to feel agrieved that its tender wa-s passed over. Had the tender been unreasonably high, the Board would have been quite justified in rejecting it, but nothing of the kind is alleged. It appears to us that during the time for tendering, the minimum tiguro at which cement could be obtained from a London house was ascertained by the Board. As the tender of the National Mortgage Company exceeded by some pence per cask the terms likely to be obtained in London, the colonial offer was declined without a dis sentient voice. This re*ers to the original

rejection of the lowest tender. On the second occasion the Board, having gone the length it did, was bound to accept tho offer of McEwan and Co., which, apparently at nny rate, was the lowest. The principal cause of complaint arises from the Board not observing ordinary business principles in dealing with the first tenders. The offers were inado

in good faith, the competing firms going to considerable expense over the matter, acting in full assurance that the lowest tenderer would get the contract. There could be no contention that tho National Mortgage Company was not in a position to carry out any arrangements which might be entered into with the Board. The Company is of good standing, and might be trusted to faithfully fulfil its engagements. The who»e matter does not resolve itself into one of £s. d. Let us give an illustration. Suppose the Borough Council called for tenders for carrying out a work, and after all^ the tenders were in, and opened, the Council invited a person who had not previously tendered to make an offer. There would be an outburstof indignation at such a proceeding, and that is precisely the kind of thing which has happened over the cement contract. When affairs had reached the stage indicated, the Board was bound to accept the lower tender on the second occasion. Two wrongs do not make a right, and it would have been a very unwise thing to have sent two sets of tenderers on a fool's errand. The Board cabled to McEwan and Co. that their tender was accepted, and practically that ended the matter. It afterwards transpired that certain charges had to be added to McEwan and Co.'s price, which considerably reduced the difference between that firm's offer and the offer of the National Mortgage Company. As the wired conditions were necessarily meagre, the London firm must be allowed the benefit of the fairest interpretation. The. bargain with MeEwan and Co. has been clinched, and the Board, without showing very strong grounds, could not annul it. Whether the contract involves loss or gain it must be carried out. That the Board has subjected the National Mortgage Agency Co. to useless expense is no reason why a positive unjustice should be wrought to McEwan and Co. , who are in no way to blame over the business. Had Mr Matthewson's motion been carried the Board would have laid itself open to a lawsuit, probably resulting in considerable monetary loss and most certainly in losa of prestige. The wisest course has been followed in finally disposing of an affair which speaks little for the business knowledge of the Board, but at the same time the ratepayers should not overlook- the fact that throughout the business the harbor authorities were influonced by economical reasons, and that no interested or unworthy motive was at tho bottom of their action. Economy in a public body, like charity in the individual, is an attribute which should cover a multitude of sins. The Borough Council meets this evening at 7.30. The schooner Gisborne arrived in Auckland last Wednesday from Gisborne. The adjourned meeting of A. Reynolds' creditors will be held to-morrow afternoon at 2. Mr C. C. Lucas returned this morning from a pleasure trip to Auckland in the schooner Waiapu. Mr Joyce announces that all accounts in connection with the Independent paper are assigned to him. An early settlement is requested. The wool crops between Ca%tle Point and Paliiser Bay totals 20,000 bales, valued at £240,000. An Aku Aku Maori named Mahariki Tautuhi partook of too much mripcro last night, and got into the clutches of the police. He was sent away penitent this morning by MiBennett, J.P. Yesterday morning divine service was hold on board the barque Lochnagar, preparatory to her setting out for sea. The service was conducted by the Rev. Mr Fox, who had an appreciative congregation in the ship's crew. At 9 and 12 to-day the heat in Gisborne was registered at 66 and 75. The undermentioned readings were at 10 this morning : Auckland 78, Napier 70, Wellington 72, Christclmrc-h 62,Dunudin 64, Inverciirgill 64. The crops about Lake Wakatipu are magnificent. The Mail says one large farmer anticipates getting 60 bushels per acre of wheat aud barley, and little short of 100 bushels an acre of oats. In a case before the R. M. Court the other day, a medical practitioner suing for debt 1 set out in the particul irs of claim each visit, and did not, as was stated by us, claim under the one head " professional attendance. " The returns sent in to the Melbourne Board of Health up to January oth with reference to the spread of typhoid fever show that the disease is now .assuming alarming proportions. No fewer than 51 oases are reported, and out of that number 16 proved fatal. The wool shipped last Friday by the Australia went to Wellington, where it was transhipped to the Willow Bank for London. Graham, Pitt, and Bennett were the consignors, and the shipment consisted of 122 bales (39,7881b5) valued at L 1492. An excellent line has been obtained by Captain Winter in the road that he is laying off up the Waingaromea creek. The road' will be formed from the hotel at Wha'atulu to a few chains beyond the South Pacitio Company's oil well. There will be four crossings of the creek, the steepest approach being 1 in 10. An interesting and instructive lecture was delivered in the school-house, Ormond, last evening, by the Rev. Mr Fox, the subject being "The Alphabet, its origin. " The lecture was received with great attention, and a vote of thanks, proposed by Mr Norris, and seconded by Mr Kempthorne, accorded the rev. gentleman at the close. Invercargill tradesmen are agitating against the procedure under the Act in judgment summons cases, especially with regard to tendering travelling expeuses. They say defendants having got this method of obatnictjng the course of justice, have reduced it to a science, and many plaintiffs abandon proceedings. It is understood that Ministers are of opinion that the Otago Central railway can only be made with the aid of pastoral and mineral rents, and such additional help from land contiguous fco the line as may be available ; but the revenue from pastoral and mineral rights amounts to some LoO.OOO a year. The whole subject will come before Parliament next session. The immigration and emigration returns for December show the arrivals to have been 2298 porsons and the departures 1250. There were no Chinese arrivals or departures repotted during that period. The principal arrivals were from the United Kingdom 6;IS, Vittoria 944, New South Wales 528. The departures for the United Kingdom were 67, Victoria 700, and New South Wales 386. The Maori footballers have been interviewed by a prominent paper and have given the world the benefit of their ideas on the lower institutions of England. They aro much disgusted at seeing women go into publlchouses and express their surprise at the existing state of the slaughterhouse^ law. Moreover they informed the interviewer with Maori naivete, that in New Zealand tho vendors of sensational news would not be allowed to hawk their waresaboutthe streets on Sunday. The first ordinary meeting of the new session of the Mutual Improvement Society was held last night, Mr M. B. Ford in tho chair. There was a fair attendance of members. The business of the evening consisted n the reading of an essay by Mr O. Veale on "Self culture." The essay was a common sense one, containing many excellent hints iuid much good advice, and it wsi* very favorably criticised by thos.: pr-js.v,r. '! ",w <• ■■ new candidates for ineinbei'ilii^ \vt.i<: i!>.,;iiualed. '

Last year's gold yield of Victoria showed ,n increase of 17,7680zs on that of 1887.

A station manager and his son died of thirst while rounding cattle in South Australia.

The question of sending an Australian eight-oared crew of amateur oarsmen to England to row in the principal English regattas and against representative crews on the Thames is being considered. The cost, £1500, will be subscribed.

A large amount of discontent prevails amongst the miners at several of the collieries in the Newcastle district, consequent on the largo reductions made in their wages by the new agreement. Some of the miners assert that their earnings have been affected to tho extent of 60 per cent.

A distiller named Hitchcock met with a shocking death at the Port Melbourne distillery on Christmas Eve. He was going along a staging to see that all was right before leaving, when one of the planks Rave way, and he fell 10ft into a tauk of boiling water. He was taken to the hospital, where he died the following day.

Just as a sentence of three months' imprisonment was passed on an old soldier named Patrick Murray, at the Invercargill Police Court, on a charge of vagrancy, the accused made one spring from the dock and, bringing his clenched n'st round with a powerful swing, struck Sergeant - Major Ramsay a violent blow on the bridge of the nose, causing it to bleed profusely. Before he had timo to repeat the performance tho constables laid him safely on his back on the floor, Murray meanwhile applying some vi c epithets to the Sergeant- Major.

That running a pap -r in Samoa has its perils may be judged from the following extract from the local Times :— " Mr Jones, the Government printer, paid a visit to our office yesterday. He represented to us that he was violently assaulted at the Occidental Hotel last Sunday evening by a party of the A dler's sailors who were under the impression that Mr Jones was our editor. Mr Jones, after a t'.issle, escaped into a room, the door of which our German friends besieged, but immediately left off when they were informed of the mistake they had made, and apologised to Mr Jones. The editor is really sorry for Mr Jones, but candidly speaking, he cannot regret the mistake."

For a long time the existence of a lode of manganese at Taieri North has been known. A gentleman who has been trained in a London School of Mines has lately turned his attention to the lode, and it has been opened out at three different parts, a quarter of a mile apart, and one lode found to be remarkably solid, close to the surface, with very little stripping. A quantity was sent home on two different occasions, and advices have been received placing a value on it that leaves a large margin of profit, though the sample was not so pure as some since discovered. In fact, the ore in believed to be the purest in the world. Arrangements have been made for working the deposits on an extensive scale. Other deposits of less value are known to exist within a radius of seven miles. — Dunedin telegram.

The schooner Rippling Wave has just brought to Plymouth the shipwrecked crew of the Dutch brig Dina. The Dma was from the West Indies with sugar. After being at sea some days she experienced heavy weather and sprung a leak. Notwithstanding all efforts at the pumps the water gained on them. As the vessel was in danger of capsizing the crew took to the long boat with a short supply of food and water. They had great difficulty in steering the boat, and after being out three days the rudder broke and they had to steer with two oars. The seas constantly broke over them, and they were in momentary danger of death ; but after six days of tins suffering they were picked up by the Rippling Wave. Several of the men had to be lifted on board, and they were thoroughly exhausted.

The following story is told by the wellknown sporting writer "Vigilant": — I was (he says) recently having a chat with a young, painstaking, and deserving young trainer. He told me some few years back, when he first started training, he bought an old steeplechaser for Ll7 and entered him for a steeplechase. The horse was heavily banked by the public in doubles, and shortly before the race a bookmaker came up to the owner and offered him Ll5O to pull out. A big temptation this to a young and struggling trainer .' He inquired whether it was to be a cash transaction, received an answer in the affirmative, collared the Ll5O, and scratched his horse. As a result probably of the scratching both the public and the bookmakers got the idea into their heads that the horse was a clinker, and a couple of days after the incident I have referred to, the trainer was waited on by a gentleman, who offered him Ll3O for the nag. Need I add that the trainer jumped at the offer, and sold the LI 7 horse. He lias never won a race since.

Wellington takes the cake for being the most windy city in the colony ; it has long been awarded the prize as being the place where the most talking is done; and now it is striking out iv a new lino and will soon be able to boast that it can turn out twice as many criminals as any other town in N.Z. The latest returns show an increase of 123 eases for the year— -not a bad record for the windy metropolis, The public will probably say, though, that a great many criminals are sent to Wellington from thisand other centres, and after their period of incarceration has expired they stay in the Empire City and commit fresh crimes, thus rendering the returns larger every year.. But this is not the case. AH convicts sent to Wellington from other places are sent back svheuce they came when released from gaol, otherwise there would be quite a collection of criminals there before long, and the police force would have to be trebled in order to look after them.

A touching story comes from Bruggen, in the Tyrol. Towards the end of November ft shepherd boy drove his flock up the J)c{e«gcr Valley to pasture on the southern slopes of the Alps. The lad and his sheep, of which there were upwards of fifty, were caught in a heavy fall of sn w, and up to a few days ago nothing had been heard of them. On November 3rd the flock was discovered in a Held in 3ft of snow. The sheep, which were nearly all alive, though they had been about a fortnight without food, were in a pitious plight, their woolly coats hanging loosely from their emaciated bodies, «nd their eyes protruding from their sockets. They were unable to move, aud had to be carried down into the valley. After a long search the lifeless body of the shepherd boy was found in the snow, while clutched fast in his hands was his rosary and a small puppy that had accompanied him from the village,

A case which could only take place in America, and which attracted a great deal of attention, was tried in the District Court at .Sherman, Texas, recently, aud contained features of sadness and romance. Several months ago James M'Cowan, a railroad man, while apparently in a spasm of rago, attempted to kill his young wife at the Blanchard Hotel, where they were boarding, by cutting her throat with a knife. He was lodged in gaol, and in a short time his wife obtained a divorce. He was arraigned in Court to have his case investigated, and while he was on trial his wife was married to another man, and a few moments after her marriage appeared on the witness stand, attired in her bridal costume, to testify against her former husband who had attempted to take her life. M'Cowan was remanded to prison to wait final trial on the charge of insanity, which will set aside the former charge af assault with intent to murder.

At the Charitable Aid Board meeting tomoiron- afternoon, the following motion, notice of which had beeu given by Mr Lucas, will be discussed :—-" That an Executive Committee consisting of five memhers of the Board be appointed. That the Committee meet ac least once in eacli month, this meeting to be considered the ordinary meeting. A special meeting may be convened at ituy time by the Secretary on giving twenty-four hours' notice in writing. At ordinary meetings the business shall be the receiving of reports, passing i-ocotmts, receiving applications for veloif, and tiny other business in connection with tho distribution of charitable aid. Three to form a quorum. Applications for relief to be made to the Secretary at his office. Enquiry and report to be made thereon to the Committee without delay : Committee thereupon may grant or refuse aid. A register to be kept containing a record of till applications,

the names and abodes of all recipients of aid and the nature of relief afforded them. Register to be open for inspection by ratepayers. *'

The statistics of the Auckland Crown Lands Office give the following figures showing the amount of land taken ixp under the various systems for the quarters named : — March, 1888—48 holdings were taken up, comprising 8421 acres ; cash receipts £1111. June— l 29 holdings, Iti.OOO acres ; cash receipts, £3040. September— 93 holdings, 8250 acres ; cash receipts, £3012. December—l7B holding, 19,673 acres; cash receipts, £5620.

The London correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes : " Mr Walter Johnston, of Wellington, who is still in London, lias been buying largely in Bank of New Zealand shares (on the London register). Seeing that Mr Johnston is on the London committee of that Bank, this proof of confidence in the future of the institution may be accepted as a very favorable omen, and the more so as Mr Johnston, who i 3 a large shareholder on the old list, is understood to ha%-e paid L2l and more for all the shares he holds on the New Zealand register."

A large butter and cheese factory is projected at Mount Gambier, South Australia. It is intended to start with a capital of £200,000, half of which is to be raised in London. It is proposed to purchase an estate of 60,000 acres good grazing country, to run 25,000 sheep or 1000 pigs, and to have a milk run for 2500 cows. Premises and factories for cheese and butter making are to be built on the latest and most approved principle, 90 that attention can be turned to whichever line is in demand and paying best.

Mr M'Culloch, ono of the second saloon passengers on board the Orizaba, on the voyage from Australia to Plymouth, was robbed of £1546. A ball was given on board the ship cat Naples, which was attended by all the passengers. Next morning Mr McCulloch, on going to his cabin, missed tho above sum of money, which was contained in a locked bag. Every inquiry was made, but the thief could not be discovered. At Plymouth a London detective was taken on board, but failed to throw any light upon the robbery. The bulk of the money was in two drafts of £1500.

At the Christchurch Police Court G. E. Hodson, who produced high testimonials of his character and conduct whilst in the Government service, was charged with stealing at Wellington £7, the property of Ada Cahill. The accused said that the case was trumped up, the charge being made by an immoral woman in a moment of jealous temper. Detective Henderson said that the police wore advised that it was a mean robbery and desertion of an unfortunate woman and an illegitimate child. Mr Carew, R. M., dismissed it on the ground that the prosecutrix was of questionable character, and the probabilies were in favor of accused's statement that the charge was trumped up through jealousy.

One of the strange chances of life cropped up in the Dublin Police Court the other day when a boy who should have had t'sooo to his credit was brought up as a thief. The little fellow, who is only 12 years old, was charged with snatching a cap from a draper's door. Mr Sinclair, solicitor, gave the accused a good character. He had been adopted by the late Captain Lawlor, who, in connection with the Joy will case came into a large fortune. Captain Lawlor prepared a deed of gift, giving the little fellow £5000, but before he could to go the solicitor's office to sign the deed of transfer of some railway shares to that amount he unfortunately died, and the siiares went to the estate, although the deed was actually prepared. The youngster was discharged, the draper not wishing to prosecute.

Mr Justice Grantham, in opening the last Manchester Assizes, said he had never seen a calendar in that district in which there were so few serious crimes. During the last ten years there had been a decided decrease in the criminal population of the country, and it seemed to be almost universal. The numbers had decreased from an average prison population of "80,800 in 1878 to an average of 14,536 in 1888. It was remarkable that the decrease had been greater in the case of women than of men, but why this was so he could not say. He believed education had had a great deal to do with the decrease, and that, in fact, it had been the chief factor. It had had this practical effect so far as Manchester was concerned, that whilst the use of one of their goals had had to be discontinued through being unsafe, it had not been found necessary to replace that prison by another.

Discouraging accounts have been received by the mail as to the financial prospects of the Midland Railway Company. It is. said that the undertaking is not viewed with favor by English capitalists generally, and that the depreciation which New Zealand's credit has undergone in various ways— the attack of the Financial News having undoubtedly helped to produce an unfavourable impression regarding this colony -has greatly enhanced the difficulties encountered by the London directors in floating the capital which is needed. It is said also that the very unfavorable accounts of the railway and its prospects of paying, and the country secured by it, given by the numerous colonists who have visited England lately, have seriously damaged the chances of the enterprise, which are now regarded as somewhat gloomy. On the other hand, it is admitted that Mr Salt and Mr Broadie Hoare, both experienced finanoiers, are still sanguine of being able to raise the needful capital and of a successful issue generally.

The following judgment is in marked contrast to that delivered in the Nelson libel case : — " In the Queen's Bench division recently the case of Venables and others v. Fitt and others came before Mr Justice Denman and a special jury. It was an action for libel brought by a firm of land agents and surveyors, carrying on business in Chancery lane, against the proprietors and publishers of the North Middlesex Chronicle. The defendants pleaded that the alleged libel was a report of certain proceedings at a public meeting, and therefore privileged. It was stated that other papers which had published similar reports had inserted apologies, but the defendants refused to do so, simply stating that their columns were open to any explanation or contradiction that might be offered. Evidence was given for the defence to prove the accuracy of the report of the speeches, and that the meeting was open to the public. The result was a verdict and judgment for the defendants. "

Charitable Aid Board adjourned meeting to-morrow (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. — H. McKay, .Secretary. — Advfc.

A good heart, a clear conscience, and a puir of Hennessy's perfect fitting Boots bring happiness which no riches and no circumstances alone ever do. — Advt.

On and after Saturday next the charge for lunch at the Masonic will bo 2s. Special arrangements will be made with regular patrons. — Advt.