Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1889.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5435, 27 March 1889, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1889.

The Volunteer Fire Brigade will meet this evening for steam practice. Snow was observable from Patutahi on the hills at the back of that district yesterday morning. Mr Nelson is at present in the district with a view, we hear, of selecting a site for the erection of freezing works. " iri Supreme Court this morning, jnryii...i ..w v on the murder case were granted leave of absence till to-morrow morning. To day's mercury readings in Gisborne ;;L 9 and 12 a.m. were f>3 and 61. At 10 a.m. at Auckland 50, Napier f>G, Wellington 57, Cliristchureh iiG, Duuudin aO.lnvercargill ;>•_'. The proprietors of the New Zealand Cloth ing Factory direct attention to the arrival of their autumn shipments. Their advertisement will be found above the leader. Last night; the jury in the murder case were accommodated in a large unfinished room in the Albion Club Hotel. This morning before the Court opened they were taken for two refreshing walks on the Kaiti. The Borough ratepayers are reminded that the defa lter's list will be made out on Saturday next, those persons who value their votes will do well to see that all rates are paid before that date. They may also save law costs. To-morrow there will be offered for public 'competition, at the Land Office, Gisborne, at 12 o'clock, several pieces of land, the area of which, with other particulars regarding locality and terms, will be found in advertisement published elsewhere. Twenty-three witnesse? in the murder case have been examined up to the time of going to press. By the six o'clock adjournment the case for the prosecution will be well approaching a close, and the desirability of locking the jurymen up another evening or going on with the evidence will no doubt be considered. The Tent was favored with a fair attendance last evening, when spiritualism was discussed. No meeting was announced for tonight, but on Thursday Mr Hare intends speaking on future rewards and punishments—How are they to be determined ?

And will there be degrees in the suffering and the glory ? At a recent Wellington City Council meeting the question of public holidays was broached by the Mayor. His Worship stated that lie had been asked twice recently to proclaim public holidays, and had refused to do so. His opinion was unless the matter was one of importance, the citizens should not be called upon to close the business promises. It sometimes happened that the Mayor's proclamation was not complied with, and thus the office was brought in disrespect. In our advertising columns it is notified that the shooting season for native game will commence on Ist April, terminating on 31st July, and that the season for killingimported game, cock -pheasants only, and hares will commence on the Ist May, terminating on 3 ist July. The license will be £1. We have heard a number of jjersons are now killing game of all kinds. This is most unsportsmanlike conduct, and it is to be hoped that the Acclimatization Society will succeed in having the offenders punished. The St. Patrick's ball to be held in the City Rink on Friday evening promises to be a most enjoyable one, the committee expressing themselves satisfied at the demand there has so far been for tickets. This is the first time a ball has been held here in honor of the Patron Saint of " Ould" Ireland, and, as a glance at the names of the committee will show, Celt, Saxon, Sons of Scotia and Young New Zealand have joined with the intention of making this ball a big success. The promoters are carefully paying attention to the details that will promote the comfort of their guests and give additional pleasure to the evening's enjoyment. After the native constable Gerrard had given evidence in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, His Honor said : Constable, the English law does not allow people in authority to put questions to suspected persons. Even in Court here I cannot ask such a person a single question. Perhaps that gives the criminal too good a chance ; but our law prefers that a person should have a go-v.l chance rather than that he should be pestered with questions. In future, you must not interrogate persons you suspect in the way you have done this man. You are not prohibited from having a conversation with him, but you must not put questions to him like a person in authority. You have no right to say "stand up," "sit down," " take off your boots ;" that is not allowed, and you must not do it in future. You can obtain as much information otherwise as possible. It would never do for constables to put questions authoritatively, though in some cases it might be beneficial. In France constables have the power of bullying and intimidating, but that is not the law of England, and while it is the law we must uphold it. " Mr McClutehey, who accompanied Constable Gerrard to prisoner's whare, Avas being put into the box to repeat the conversation, Avhen Mr Gully said he considered it his duty to put the conversation in evidence. His Honor saidthe evidence wasnotinadmissable. The English laws Avere perhaps rather strict on the subject of interrogating. He did not want to discourage constables interrogating suspected persons in a proper way. The annual meeting of the St. Andrew's Literary .Society was held in the class-room of the Presbyterian Church last evening, Rev. J. McAra in the chair. .The report of the Society's work for the year Avas read by the Secretary, Mr E. Evans, and showed great variety in the subjects handled, prominence being given to the public lectures delivered by gentlemen outside the membership, and which Avere highly successful. The report Avas adopted. The Treasurer, Mr T. Adair, then read the financial statement, Avhich showed that the income had enabled the Society to pay £15 on account for enlarging the class-room. Only a small balance remains, which will be speedily cleared off, and then the members Avill set themselves to furnish the class-room so as to make it both comfortable and attractive. The report having been adopted, the thanks of the Society Avere aAvarded to the Committee, and especially to the Secretary and Treasurer. The following office -bearers Avere then elected for the year : — President, Rev. J. McAra : Vice- Presidents, Mr Ambridge and Mi.ss Sutherland ; Secretary, Mr T. Adair ; Treasurer, Miss E. Warren ; Editor of Journal, Mr R. H. Scott ; Assistant-Editor, Mr E. Parnell ; Members of Committee, Miss G. Adair and Miss I. Johnstone. It is expected the session Avill be opened on the )Bth April with a lecture by the Rev. J. G. Paterson, St. Paul's, Napier. A library^ of reference is to be organised in connection with the Society, and the annual social meeting is to be held about the beginning of May.