Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6894, 15 June 1892, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING

OISBORNE, WKDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1892,

MR KELLI'S VISIT.

A gentleman, who resides elsewhere but who takes a deep interest in the district, remarked to us some time ago, " Why does not the Harbor Board make a big effort to obtain assistance from the Go vernment 1 Smith of Taranaki got £3000 from the colony to dredge out the harbor lit that jlaoe. Your member is also of the ' right culor,' can't ho do anything for you ?" The reply was given that the local Board had been by no means asleep in that particular matter ; in fact, that they trusted too much, if they trusted to anything at all, to obtaining help from the Government. Both the Into and the present Ministry had been approached I on the subject, but Sir li. Atkinson and Mr Balhince professed they could do nothing in the matter, though both were personally favorable to rendering assistance to distressed Harbor Boards. They have eaoh had trouble over the harbors of thoir respective districts. Waiiganui is badly in need of futida to carry out a river improvement scheme. About £60,000 has been spent, with the result that the entrance to the river is worse than before the wori; commenced. The Wanganui is a tine stream, far superior naturally to the Turaiiganui for navigation, but probably far more difficult to improve upon. At any nite, it is believed even in Wanganui that the money expended has been permanently wasted — that in the matter of harbor improvement the port is no further advanced than at the outset. That 13 the case temporarily at Giaborne, but the prospect is much brighter than at Wanganui. Mr O'Connor, ex-Colonial Marine Engineer, said that for an additional expenditure of £20,000, including value of material and plant in hand, the past expenditure can be utilized, and the district provided with a small and convenient harbor. If tho Wanganui people had so good a report from so com peteiit a source, there is little doubt that they would le;r'e no stone unturned to u;ive practical effect to tho recommendations. Mr Townley has given notice of h motion to be discussed at the next meeting of the Board, to the effect that Mr Napier Bell be invited to report on the subject of harbor improvement. If Mr Bell contirtn in tho main Mr O'Connor's scheme, the cloud which overhangs harbor affaira should soon be lifted. It would be great lack of enterprise — not to say, gross cowardice — to refuse to undertake a work, involving only a moderate expenditure, which was endorsed by two of the most eminent marine engineers in the whole of Australasia. Both of them are men of high reputation and large experience. What folly and arrogance it would be for ordinary laymen to set up their opinion against two such authorities. The Government of West Australia is about to undertake costly haibor works designed by Mr O'Connor, who is now Engineer-in-Chief in that colony, whilst the advice of Mr Napier Bell hvs been soujrbt for and adopted for similar works in Tasmania and New South Wales. Maybe, Messrs O'Connor and Bell will not agree in essentials. In that case, we are afraid the district will probably wait a good whilo before the woolships and tho Union Company's steamers are brought alongside. Thero is the question of means as well as of engineering to take into account. Last year, the services of Mr Kelly were requisitioned to obtain assistance from the Government to enable the Board to carry out Mr O'Connor's scheme. We have no doubt our member did his best, but his efforts were fruitless. He offered to introduce a measure to release a portion of the Harbor funds now in hand to carry out the proposed work, but the Board did not avail itself of the offer. Ifc will have been gathered from the remarks which fell from the Chairman at the last meeting of the Board that he is in f.ivor of a portion cf the the locked-up loan money being rendered available, if necessary, for harbor improvement. We truHt his fel-low-members will give the subject their most earnest consideration. Mr Seddon said some time ago that the policy of the Government was to help those who helped themselves. It is quite possible that if the Board gave nome practical proof of their confidence in harbor improvement there would be a better chance of obtaining assistance from the Government ; though one must admit thac that has not hitherto been the experience of this district. The £3000 granted by the Legislature for dredging alongside tho breakwater at New Plymouth is not the only assistance the Harbor Board of that district has received from the Government. An equal sum was advanced by tho Atkinson Ministry to enable the Board to meet, interest due to the English bondholders. It was afterwards discovered that tho advance was not legally recoverable, and our Taruuaki friends do not think that they are in honor bound to repay the money. Again, the Board of that district receives about £3000 yearly from the land fund. At one time the income from that, source met the whole interest charge and left a surplus. In justice, Gisborne is entitled to quite as much help as Taranaki from the State, but as a matter of fact, this place has been treated to a long course of neglect and robbery. There is much to do in the district in the matter of public works, and the colony owes us a great deal.

At a meeting of the Presbyterian Literary Society on Thursday evening next a lecture will be delivered by Mr DeLautour on the Astronomy of the Bible. Friends are invited. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company have received the following London cablegram, dated 10th June, 1892 :— Beef market dull. New Zealand beef hindquarters are worth 3Jd per lb. N.Z. beef forequarters are worth 2|d per lb. Quotations nominal. The mutton market is quiet. Canterbury muttou is worth 4Jd per lb, Wellington mutton 3Jd per lb. The lamb market is quiet ; quotations unchanged since last telegram. Tallow market easier. Fine mutton tallow is worth 26s 3d per cwt, good beef tallow 24s 6d per cwt.

The application for a rehearing of the Puninga block subdivision haa been granted. In this matter an important question was raised as to whether on a subdivision an arrangomant could be come to whereby the shares of sellers could be granted to one individual, the object being that a tninfer should be obtained from the one to whom the shares were allotted. In the appeal case Munro v. the Gisborne Racing Club Mr Justice Conolly to-day set aside Mr Booth, the Resident Magistrate's judgment of nonsuit and allowed the appeal on the second clause of action. This was for a return of the horse Book as or his value £20. The appeal was conducted by Mr Cooper, instructed by Mr Chrisp. The brigantine Aratipu, which arrived here on Friday morning from Newcastle, with 175 tons coal consigned to Messrs Kennedy and Evans, completed discharging cargo and ballasting and waa ready for sea yesterday afternoon. This is remarkably quick despatch. During the time Messrs Kennedy and Evans took cargo to an from four steamers, besides landing seventy tons of coal from the Coquette. The firm has lightered nearly 400 tons of cargo since Friday morning. The tug-of-war competitions, to be held in the City Rink on Friday and Saturday, the 24th and 25th mat., promise to draw crowded houses. Several teams have already been formed, and several more are in the course of formation. Each of the football clubs will send a strong team. A Maori team from Waerenga-a-hika will be captained by "Mr Jacob Eau-de-vie," a well-known Maori wit. This team will be costumed in proper Maori styie, and will perform a war dance before commencing their tug. The management are arranging to have a contest between teams representing the different Friendly Societies. The monthly meeting of the Gisborne Library Committee was held last evening, present — Messrs D. Johnston (in the chair), Featon, O'Ryan, Pettie, and Lucas (hou. sec. ). The librarian reported the number of subscribers as 164, being an increase of 39 on the corresponding period of last year. Donations of newspapers and books were acknowledged with thanks from Messrs W. Cooper, Keefer, and H. T. Jones. Over 20 new books just received from England have been added to the shelves. Some discussion took place as to putting gas in the reading room, the decision being deferred pending further information that a saving of expense would be effected. The annual meeting was appointed to be held on the 20th July next. The depression in the maize market, which has so severely affected the growers in the Bay of Plenty, should lead them to find a new employment for their grain. AKaipara settler states that at that place they arc buying our maize to fatten their pigs for bacon ; they have to pay freight for some 40 miles of railway carriage besides the steamer freight for Auckland, and yet they find the investment pays them handsomely. Their bacon at au Auckland auction mart was put up with a reserve of 6d per lb, and actually realised 7£d. This being so, cannot our maize growers combine pig and maize farming with more profit than the settlers of Kaipara ? -Bay of Plenty Times. Some folks know how to make the best use of an official post, and one of them, I should imagine (writes " Atticus" in the Leader), is Dodds, legal manager of a Sydney mining company. According to a report of the case, heard in Chambers, Dodds issued a writ against the company for an amount owing to himself, accepted service of the writ iv his capacity as manager, said nothing about the trans iction to his directors, and allowed judgment to go by default and execution to follow upon judgment. Both have now been set aside at the application of the astonished company, who will thus enjoy their iirst chance of saying a word in their own defence. But a man like Dodds ought not to be allowed to blush unseen within the precincts of a trumpery mining office. He should be transplanted to Parliament, and made a Treasurer or AgentGeneral at the least. A meeting of the Committee of the Temperance League was held yesterday afternoon. Captain Tucker occupied the chair. The following resolutions setting forth the objects' of the organisation were passed — (1) To restrict the traffic in liquor ; (2) to support the police in the supervision of licensed houses; (8) to educate public opinion in the interests of temperance ; (4) encourage total abstinence. The following resolutions were also passed : ( 1 ). That the organisation consist of a President, Viee-Preßident, and Committee of seven. (2). That the officers be elected annually by the members. (3). That the annual subscription fee be 2s 6d. (4). That all persons over the age of 18 be eligible as members. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year : — President, Mr John Townley ; Vice-President, Captain Tucker ; Committee, Messrs Somervell, Morell, East, Stafford, Ranger, and G. H. Lysnar, (secretary). It was resolved that a copy of the following resolution be forwarded to the Colonial Secretary : — " That the Gisborne Temperance League views with great alarm the recent proclamation of a licensing district in the King country, and trusts that the oirginal understanding with the Waikato natives be adhered to. The Weather : — Weather forecasts for 24 hours from 9 a.m. to-day : Wind between south and east and north-east at all places ; barometer very little movement southward of Lyttelton and Hokitika, further rise elsewhere ; sea heavy on eastern coast. Warnings for southerly gales have been sent to places between Custlcpoint and East Cape, and telegrams to expect frost to all other places. Synopsis of last 24 hours : A falling barometer generally until about 3 p.m., and since then it has risen everywhere, especially southward of Kaikoura and Lyttelton. There has been a hard southerly gale on the coast between Bluff and Napier, and sharp frost in Canterbury and Otago.— R. A. Edwin*. A very enjoyable time was spent at the Wesleyan Sunday-school tea meeting last evening. The tables were tastefully arranged with tempting delicacies, and the needs of the numerous visitors were ably attended to by Meadames Goldsmith, East, Oxeuham, and Misses Thompson, Morgan, Reynolds, Spcnce, Williams, and Oxenham. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided in the school, a very interesting meeting was held in the church, presided over by Mr DeLautour, who gave a warm opening address, expressing his hope that the time would soon arrive when the State would not only attend to the secular but also to the religious side of education. Earnest addresses were also delivered by the Revs. Canon Webb and Gardiner, Captain Thomson, S.A., and Rev. Gibson, on Sundayschool teachers and teaching The Rev. Mr Gardiner delighted the congregation with an anecdote of "a larrikin class" and of a teacher "stumped," urging all teachers to get " boiling-over " in the work. Captain Thomson gave a very instructive story of a remarkable dream by a smoker, showing that teachers should be most exemplary in their conduct. The addresses were interspersed with musical selections by Mrs Goldsmith, " Absalom ;" Miss Green, " Between the Lights ;" Mr Ward, " Lady of Lea ;" Mr Searle, " Remember thy Creator ;" Mr East, " Sabbath Bells :" and a duet by Messrs East and Searle, " Love and Friendship," the same being ably accompanied by Miss Michell and Master Charles East. The usual complimentary votes of thank's brought an enjoyable time to a close. During Mr Snazelle's recent visit to Wellington the Evening Press, of that city, said : — " Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife " the entertainment provided by Mr Snazelle conducts us. It is a beautiful woven work of reminiscence, that cornea soothiugly after a succession of dramatic surprises. Certainly no entertainer has yet visited our shores who has given us such material for reminiscences and pleasant reflection as Mr Snazelle. We have trodden the beaten paths of dramatism, and witnessed a succession of plays diverting and exciting, but it has been reserved for Mr Snazelle to give us an entertainment full of domesticity. In his charming comedy we float quietly down the Thames, we look in at the - Village Smithy,' behold, the one Great Episode of history. With him again we turn to ssenes of mirth and jollity, and lau;(h at the portraits of human nature, which he admirably presents to us : and the whole is garnished with music and son;. A more delightful entertainment has ne er yet been seen here. The audience testifiet the liveliest/approval, and from beginning t" end the applause waa unstinted. In jonuli.sion we can only say that the excellence i nd refinement of this entertainment are beyond praise. j