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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6900, 12 February 1894, Page 2

Wednesday, the 14th inat, will be the last day for paying income tax without the 10 per cent, being added. Thomas Barry, charged with drunkenness, was this morning admonished by Mr Johnston, J. P., after promising to take a pledge to abstain from drink for two years. The Gisborne School Committee have decided to vote for Messrs Carlile, Sutton, and Tanner, the three retiring members of the Hawke's Bay Education Board. A start is being made to-day to re-build the premises in Gladstone road destroyed by fire some weeks ago, and soon the unsightly gap will be filled with a substantial building. A child named Duncan strayed from home at Napier, and getting on to the launch at the Spit was put on board the Te Anau and brought to Gisbornc. Mr Quigley, architect., has received the following tenders for re-building the Royal Hotel for Mr F. Martin :—W. O. Skeet £1289 (accepted), T. Morrison £1495, and J. W. Mackrell £1539. The Collector of Customs woxild nob allow the Snark to le«ve the wharf on Saturday night until a good many of those on board had gone below, the launch being only licensed to carry a limited number on deck. At a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Gisborne High School, held on Friday last, it was decided to award a scholarship, value £10 4s per annum, and tenable for two years, to Cella McLernon, she having passed the scholarship examination held in December last. There were present at the meeting—Messrs Morgan (chairman), Lucas, Coleman, DeLautour, and Warren. This afternoon His Excellency the Governor was to have been driven from Ham, near Christclmrch, where he has been residing, to the Chrischurch railway station, proceeding thence by rail to Lj'ttelton, where he joius the Government steamer Hinemoa. Lord Glasgow will only remain a few hours in Wellington to-morrow, and is expected here early on Thursday morning. From Gisborne he goes in the Hincmoa to G?auranga, and then on to Auckland, where he is due on Saturday. Special attention is directed to the sale to be held by Messrs Common, Sheltonancl Co. at Waerenga-a-hika yards on Wednesday, 21sb February. There being a demand at present for strong pack horses and hacks, a horse sale will be held on the same day as tho cattle and sheep fair. As entries of both sheep and cattle are numerous the sale will commence with the horses at nine a.m., to enable the auctioneer to get through. There being already 14 horse3, 100 head of cattle, and close on 20,009 sheep to be offered, the sale will require to start punctually at the hour stated. There was a large congregation in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church lasb evening, when special mention was made of the death of Mr J. R. Johnston. A number of Oddfellows and personal friends of Mr Johuston attended the service, which was a most impressive one, and conducted by the Rev. Mr Griffin, who took for his text 2nd Timothy, iv., 5. "For lam now ready to bo offered, and the time of my departure is at hand." The preacher referred to Mr Johnston as one who, having early accepted the Saviour, could all through his life say with Paul " I am ready," and with him it was nob death bub "departure." The preacher impressed upon his hearers the uucertajuty of life, and made an earnest appeal to then) all bo accept the atonement of Christ. There was only a moderate attendance at thft Theatre Royal on Saturday evening to witness the performance of the Donald Dinnie Step Dancing and Variety Company. This, no tloubfc, waa owing to the plethora of amusements which have been provided the public here of late. We trust that the famous Scotch athlete and world's champion will be greeted by a much larger audience to-night. Those who attended on Saturday were well pleased at the entertainment. The step* dancing was remarkably fine, whilst Air Dinnie's feabs of sbrength were marvellous to witness. Gold medals will be awarded this evening for step-dancing and feats of strength. The champion offers £500 to anyone who will defeat him in tho dumb-bells contest, and we learn that a local Samson has determined to have a try for the money. He is assiduously practising for the event,

A trades and labor conference is to be held in Auckland at Easter. The Taranaki County Council is about to resort to toll gates for revenue purposes. The " Stray Leaves " Combination Company announce their opening performance for Saturday evening. During the present season South Australia has exported £25,000 worth of butter. The Countess of Glasgow on Thursday entertained 600 members of the Mothers' Union in Christchurch at afternoon tea. Hone Taipua, formerly M.H.R., informs the Woodviile Examiner that he expects to be appoiuted to the Upper House. Down near Gore the other day a man thrown out of a trap broke a fence rail in two with his head. After that he got up and led his horse and trap away for repairs. The Salvation Army started a camp on the American plan at Sumner, Christchurch, on Friday. About 200 have gone into camp, and a big time is expected. Three constables left Christchurch for Cheviot the other day, as escort with some £1300 to be paid as wages to the men working on the Government contracts. Owing to the great scarcity of water in the Yilkarn district, West Australia, the Government is putting in the district, at a cost of £15,000, tanks capable of holding 13,000,000 gallons. The widow of the late Premier will shortly visit England. She has made a present of Mr Ballance's Library, which was very valuable, to the " Women's Political League " in Wanganui. The Poverty Bay Rowing Club have selected the following men to go into training to row for the Club against the Napier and Union Clubs : J. Thomson (stroke), T. Brosnahan (3), E. Rodgers (2), R. Jones (bow). Emergencies : K. Forrest and C. Taylor. The crew is considered a very fair one, and with judicious practice and training should be able to give a very satisfactory account of themselves. Although the crew is a light one, they are all strong and wiry, and should be able to last the whole distance. The undermentioned crew has been picked as a reserve : — E. Forrest, P. Georgensen, C. Taylor, and Jas. Thomson. A report was submitted to the Gisborne School Committee at their last meeting, showing the results of work of the secondary classes for the year 1893. As a whole these results were considered very satisfactory. In the upper division six candidates were X>resented for matriculation, and the following four were successful : — G. Stewart, A. Parnell, J. Rybnrn, and Nesta King. During the five years that a centre for this examination has been established in Gisborne 33 have entered from the school and 29 have been successful. Hedley Thomson took a good position on the list of the University junior scholarship examinations, being well up in the "passed with credit" division. In the lower division exceptionally good marks were obtained by the first seven pupils. The best (Charles Buscke) obtained more marks, and the second (Lulu Morgan) as many as the best in any previous year. It was resolved to award prizes to the following : — For matriculation : G. Stewart, A. Parnell, J. Ryburn, and Nesta King. Junior division : C. Buscke and Lulu Morgan. It will be remembered that some years ago a Crofter settlement was contemplated in this district. Within the last four or five years attempts bave been made to carry out a scheme of colonisation in the Dominion oi Canada of crofters and cotters from the western Highlands and the islands of Scotland. The fourth report of the Commissioners appointed to carry out the scheme has recently been issued concerning the settlement of Saltcoats, in the North-west territories, established in 1889. It appears that only 18 families but of the 49 originally sent out now remain upon the land, the result being attributable partly to unavoidable misfoituue, but in a still greater degree to want of energy and enterprise on the part of the settlers. Some £7500 was granted by Parliament for further experiments in colonisation, but in view of the difficulties in the way, the Secretary for Scotland decided not to arrange emigration during 1893. The annual report of the Auckland Savings Bank shows that though a number of old accounts had .been closed there was a gain on the year of nearly 1000 additional accounts. The withdrawals exceeded the deposits during the year by £15,032, but the added interest to open accounts being £21,931 gave a net gain upon the year's transactions to the credit of depositors of nearly £7,000. Ou the Ist of January the depositors had £512,261 to their credit, while to this large amount had to be added £30,000 as the reserve fund, £10,000 as the investment fund, and £4397 credit to the profit and loss account, so that the bank at the above date had funds in hand amounting to £556,658, more than £44,000 in excess of the total indebtedness to depositors. Hitherto the rate of interest paid by this institution has been 5 per cent, but it is understood that before the present year has run its course it is probable that the rate will be reduced at leasb one-half per cent.