Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1896.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7533, 20 January 1896, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1896.

HEW ZEALAND STATISTICS. A comparison of the statistics of this colony for 1884 and 1894 enables us to form an approximately correct idea of the progress made during a period of ten years. Population, commerce, revenue, expenditure and indebtedness, cultivation, live stock, and production of gold aro the most important subjects for comparison. The population on tlio 31st December, 18S4 and 1894 was 564,304 and 686,126 respectively, showing an increase of 2316 per cent. Births, deaths, and marriages compare aa follows : —19,846 births, 5,740 J deaths, and 3,800 marriages in 1884, as against 18,028 births, 6,918 deaths, and 4,178 marriages in 1894. These figures show that with an increase in the number of marriages there has been a decrease in the birth-rate, for in the first instance the proportion of births per 1000 of population was 35'!)1, and in the latter only 27-28. The number of deaths, though greator, is not so largo as it would have been if tho rate of 1884 had been continued as the population increased. Tho 6,918 deaths registered, when spread over the entire population, gives a rate of 10"19 per 1000 in 1891, as against 10 76 in 1884, showing that the health of tho people has improved. The imports for tho two years show a decrease for 1894, but the exports an inoreaso, the figures being : — lmports L 7,663,888 and L 6.788.020, and exports L 6,942,480 and L!), 085,141. This shows that tho people are becoming more careful in their domestic and general expenditure, but that tho producing interests upon which the oxport trade is based have expanded. The aggregate figures prove this by themselves, but in order to further substantiate the statement it is only necessary to point to tho immense Jincreaso in the volume of tho wool and frozen meat exported. In 1884, 81.139,0281bs of wool of a value of L 3.267.527, and 254,069 cwts. of frozen meat valued at L 345.090 were exported. In 1894 the figures were: Wool, 144,295,1541b5, valued at L 4,827,016 ; meat, 1,020,243cwt., valued lit L 1,194,545., 194,545. The public revenue in 18S4 was L3,707,'J88, and the cxpr-nditiiiv L.4,101,318; in 18!)4 the mnnmils wimv L 4,288,716 and L4.;i!)8,9:>0, showing rh>it in neither year did the Government, contrive to live within its income, mid it may be expected that what h;ia happened in tho past will continue in future, nlmtever r 7overninenc may be in power, and tin matter how readily the people respond to die demands of the taxgathurer, (ho '' coat will never bo cut according to the cloth," tn use it homely expression. The public debt, which in 1884 stood at L 32,860,982, had in 1894 mounted to L 40,386,964, and it (aa is suspected) the present Government propose to go to the London nmket for a loan next year, wi may expect that before the closo of this century tho public debt will not be far short of L50,000,0U0-a heavy Vmrden for a population of less than three-quarters of a million to bear. The annually increasing interest will necessitate the expansion of production, and, provided t}ie market re-

mnina satisfactory, no inconvenionco may bo experienced. Bub, if increase in the volume of staples results in a fall of values, the prospect will not be reassuring. The condition of agriculture is not so good as it might reasonably be expected to be in a young country. In 1884 the area sewn in wheat, oats, and barley was 664,540 acres, but in 1894 it was only 536,946— » decrease of 127,594 acres. The low price obtained for cereals is no doubt the cause of this falling off, fanners having no encouragement to increase their extent of land under crop. In 1884, nearly five and a half million bushels of grain were exported (value L 766,824) as compared with two and a half million bushels in 1894 (value L 226.183). There has been great activity in the graziering and pastoral industries, which more than compensate for the retrogression in agriculture. In 1894 there were 08,573 more cattle and 6,174,563 more sheep than in 1884. The pr -duction of gold shows a falling off of 24,7780zs in 1894 as compared with the amount obtained in 1884 (246,3930z5). From the foregoing it will be seen that with the exception of imports, agricultural and mining pursuits, there has been substantial progress. Mr P. Malone's stables at Makaraka were destroyed by fire yesterday morning. Mrs Oaro, surgeon dentist, of Napier, arrives here oh February 2nd. The Harbor Board is calling for tenders for the construction of a dredge punt. The racehorse Mahaki, which was to have been sold by the bailiff to-morrow, has been withdrawn from sale. Except for urgent messages, telegrams for Christchuich and south of that place were refused to-day, owing to an interruption to the wires. A large fire of scrub and fern at the back of To Arai sent vast volumes of smoke into the air yesterday morning. New Zealand is shortly to be visited by the French warship Scorff and the Austrian warship Albatross. j A fire at Tomoana on Thursday night destroyed two cottages, and for some time endangered the freezing works. The yacht Darling, from Gisborne, was submitted to auction at the Spit, Napier, and passed in at £22 10s. A sharp earth tremor was felt in Gisborne at 4.25 thia morning, and another lesser shock about an hour later. Moonrakcr and Scquah, two of the horses engaged at the Giaborne Racing Club's Summer Meeting, arrived by steamer yesterday. The ladies of Holy Trinity Church congregation have decided upon giving a Garden Fete on Thursday, 13th February. Full particulars will be advertised in an early issue of this paper. It is understood that the Hon. B. Blake is to take the leadership of the Irish National Party immediately after his arrival in London, Mr Justin McCarthy resigning in his favor. _„ The s-s. Manapouri (had on board yesterday some Jersey cattle, consisting of a bull five cows, and four calveß, which have arrived from Home to the order of Mr F. A. White, of Auckland. A gentleman who saw them at llobart offered £30 for one of the calves." Owners of horses engaged at the Gisborne Racing Club's Summer Meeting should bear in mind that acceptances for the first day's racing close this evening at 9 o'clock, when also entries for the Hack Data, Hack Hurdles (both days), and for the Shorts Handicap will be received. Referring to the proposal to amalgamate the Hawke's Bay and Cook County charitable aid districts, the Napier Telegraph says: — Surely the Hawke's Bay Board have a sufficiently large area to look after already, extending as it does as far south as Woodville. The ship Wailangi (Captain Forsdick) was cleared at the Customs for London at 3 o'clock thia afternoon, and will sail this evening on her homeward voyage if the wind is favorable. Her cargo consists of 5362 bales of wool, includiug 1279 bales shipped at Napier, and 3389 bales greasy, 29 bales slipe, 130 bales scoured, and 405 pockets greasy wool shipped at this port. The annual sheep returns for the year ended April 30th, 1895, have just been published. In Cook County the total number registered was 691,388 sheep, as compared with 677,164 in April, 1594. la Waiiipu County the total was 185,976, as against 193,119 in April, 1894, and in Wairoa County the totals are 456,761 in 1895 and 461,535 in 1894. The passenger list of the Tarawera for the firßt Sounds' excursion is full, and that for the second nearly so. The bulk of those down for the first excursion are tourists from Home and Australian colonies ; 79 are non-residouts of Now Zealand. Tho last opportunity of joining the excursion from here will be by the s.s. Waihora, which leaves Gisborne ou Wednesday. On Saturday evening the sky darkened, and there was every promise of an abundant fall of rain. People who had paid for carting water during the day began to wish they hadn't done so, and everybody else was glad because the rain was come at last. Just sufficient drops fell to say that it had rained, but the " droughty " tanks were in no way replenished. To-day again the sky was cloudy, but rain seems almost as far off as ever. Mr Philip Newbury writes Mr Miller, stating that owing to the remarkable success he has met with in tho South he will bo compelled to re-arrange his North Island dates, and according to present arrangements will reach Gisborne in about four weeks' time. He adds : "We are having a splendid trip through New Zealand from every point of view. lam in better health and spirits than I have ever been, and business is splendid, far exceeding anything we ever hoped for. Our houses are packed nightly with most enthusiastic audiences." Mr G. 11. Wyllie reports that at his saio of wool, sheepskins, hides, tallow, etc., held on Friday last, competition under the hammer for all lots was dull, bub most of the lots offered were sold privately immediately after the sale at satisfactory figures. The prices realised were as follows: — Fleece wool (dingy), 6Jd to 7d ; Qoeco (fair), 7}d to Sd ; lambs, 6^n" to 6.fd ; pieces and bellies, 4|d to 4;,' d ; locks, 2d to Sjtrt ; sheepskins, 4Jd to s:'d ; hides, up to 3(d ; tail tips, 4d ; horns, 3s per 100. At a meeting of tho Insurers' Protection Association at Auckland, Mr W. A. Nathan, the President, in tho chair, it was resolved — "That a meeting of delegates from the various Insurers' Protection Associations and other kindred Societies in the colony be held at Wellington on the 29th of January, for the purpose of discussing the new insurance tariff, and to decido upon what steps should be taken to obtain a reduction in rates considered by the Association to be exorbitant." Two delegates worn appointed to represent Auckland, aud tho Secretary was instructed to communicate with other centres. At the meeting of tho Crown Lands Board in Napier on Thursday, there were present Messrs T. Humphries, Matthewson, Groomc and Hyde. A certificate was granted to the Cook County Council for thirds and fourths accruing from sections in the Hangaroa district. - Tt. was resolved to recommend the Minixti i 1 nf T.unds lo accppl. R. St. I.egfir's »iir ■ ctiili-i- iif liim p.TKlnr.'il luaae in Hangaroa, .mi! rrnpi'ii il in two portions as small gnizii'g i tins. 50(10 ii::res improved nt an annual m~ii.il "f £{>'>, lojrl,.rl. will, £2000 for impiovonu'iits anil 5010 nc.voa at, £70 per minimi — Agreed to rescind forfeiture, of F. Moicl.iml's lease providing rent is pnid up. Messrs T).uul nnd O'Neill allowed till March Ist in which to pay rent. A mooting of tho Holiday Committee was I held this morning. Present, : Messrs Townley, Bright, Friar, Petlie, Dunlop, and Arlnir —A letter was read from the Secreinry, Gisborno Ruoing Club tcqupsting the Committee to grant two half-holidays this >v<-ek (on Wednesday and Thursday), for 'he races. The application was refused, mdit was decided to declare a holiday on Thursday, from 11 o'clock. — Tho Secretary c nf tho Caledonian Society wrote BBking that ' Tuesday, February 4, should he observed as c ii holiday from 11 a.m., for the! Cale- ( doniun Sports, in place of Thursday in that) c week. — The request wrs granted. t

In Braidwood district (N.S. VV.) fully 5000 i cattle have been lost in consequence of the drought. i The police made a raid on the baker's ; shops in Napier on Friday, and the result i will be a number of prosecutions for short- ! weight bread. The N.Z. Times sa,ys that if there had i been anything better than a stable lantern I on Soames Island, the barque Halcione i would havu been now lying alongside Wei- . lington wharf. I A memento of the Oamaru hailstorm is to i be presented to the Christchurcli Museum. - It is a piece of ordinary corrugated iron i about 2ft by 2Jfb, and has in that limited \. area eleven distinct fractures. In many (. cases the hailstones have gone clean through, j leaving holes from an inch to two inches square, in others they have simply fractured the iron. In addition to this the iron is j dented in all directions. 3 The Otago Daily Times reports that two j boys named Reid found a coiked bottle floating about the harbor near Anderson's Bay on Monday afternoon last. Opening it ■ they discovered a scrap of paper — portion ' of the outer margin of the first page of the I Dunedin Star of the 25th ult.— on which - were rudely scribbled in pencil the words " I was tired of my life and drown myselt. January 12th, 189G.— H.G." The bottle was handed by the boys to Constable Boddam. In reference to the Wanganui seat at the ' general election, the Chronicle mentions the sitting member (Mr Willis), Mr J. W. s McLarin, of Raetihi ; Mr Marcus, stationmaster (it Wanganui ; and Mr Ueardon, who c opposed Captain Russell for Hawke's Bay, a at last election. The same paper says that another candidate will be Mr Carson, who has established a record in the number of r defeats he has met with, and who is not yet c dismayed by his prospects. The correspondent of the JLyttelton Times at Wellington states that New Zealand has, k like other countries in which wisdom is cultio valed, made preparations for defence, not defiance. The Martini-Henri rifles ordered y by the Government have come to hand and n are being distributed. The stocks of ammunition, both for artillery and small t arms, are greater than they ever have been '' in the history of the colony. As for the stores for submarine work, torpedoes, mines, dynamite, guncotton, and electric attachis ments, the supply is more than sufficient ■ , for auy possible emergency. The hard-cash barometer is very low in ie certain quarters of Napier just now. The :r other day (says the Herald) a big local firm wrote reminding a long-winded customer ;s that he must really send along some cash. j. The debtor turned down a corner and rej t sponded as follows :— "Dear Sirs, — Sorry I really can do nothing for you. At present I *■ am a wreck monetarily, and hold nothing but in a full hand of pawn tickets. If you will r ' hold over your account and refrain from le worrying me nntil the next race day I will try and win enough from the totalisator to is square you up." l'ruly s, consoling outII look. ; n A Home Syndicate is negotiating with the lD Waimea Couuty Council, Nelson, for the reclamation of the mud flats which are r- veßted in the Council as an endowment. II Provided satisfactory arrangements can be r- made, the Syndicate will undertake the i. reclamation of the eastern and western porw tions of the mud flats— an area of about ie 12,000 acres, including the Rabbit and other islands. Plans of the proposed work preie pared by Mr Climie, are known to be in existence, and these are now being hunted , up. Mr Climie's estimate of the cost of the a work was about £5 an acre. It is under- , Btood that the idea is to reclaim the area . for use as grazing land. They were practising with the Fire Brigade reel and hose on the beach te recently (says the Napier News), and the ' c spectators included a number of open- - mouthed Maoris, who, upon occasion, got a too near to preserve themselves absolutely Y> from moisture. It is apparently easy to *' hold a branch and shoot water into the air. At least so thought an aboriginal, who, at l £ > the invitation of a fireman, seized and held xl a nozzle, much to the envy of his dusky is brethren. His triumph was short lived, le however, for just as he had struck a mag3 j nificent attitude, the pressure was turned og on at full. Immediately there was a spec- " tacle of a somersaulting Maori, a writhing Jg branch and water, a daylight Catherine wheel, Maori on top at one moment, branch victorious the next, and the whole enir shrouded in a deluge of water. When they b- turned off the water something gathered 3r itself together and crawled away without a id word. 111 There is a lad in Wellington, says the 3t Observer, with a singular deformity. In ■y early childhood he was dropped to the v ground by a nurse and the lower part of his spine was permanently injured. There iq has since been no growth about his nether >r limbs. He is now seventeen years of age, ie and though his body has the nominal t3 development of a boy of those years, his :e legs and feet are those of an infant. His 3t only means of locomotion are the palms of , n his hands and his tiny stumps of legs. For li some years he has attended the Mount Cook Boys' School, and here a beautifully sympathetic vein iv the character of his ', schoolfellows was developed. Every day 't the boys used to organise themselves in g parties of four, and carry their afflicted y fellow-student to and from school. Of late d they have gone further, and subscribed for 't and purchased a little go-cart, by means of 'i which they have conveyed him either to y school or down town as he might desire. '8 The lad has shown himself particularly >s bright at school, and instead of going back after the present holidays, he is~to be put under proper traiuing to become an artist, ,g having already shown considerable aptitude 0 with brush and palette. d The Otago Daily Times reports that two !- men burglariously inclined created something r of a sensation in Watson's Hotel the other a night. One of the boarders on going to his n room found the men ransacking the place, li Ho immediately gave the alarm, and half a - dozen men were stationed at various points c along the stairway. Presently the two in--1 traders made their appearance and were speedily pounced upon, and despite the formidable resistance they offered they were ? overcome, and a few weighty boarders sat on them to make things doubly Becure. The ! two men were then closely questioned, and explained as best they could the awkward position they found themselves in, and, 7 having been carefully searched, they were ] allowed to depart. Subsequently, however, I " mine host " found that his room had been ' honored with a visit from the strangers, and 1 with wrath upon him he hastened downstairs to tell the news. The men by this time were a good distance 'away, and- a i policeman, who was neat at hand, started , in a fruitless pursuit. On Sunday, however, 1 Detective O'Connor and Constable Main ari rested in a boarding house in Princess street I south two men on a charge of committing I burglary in the hotel. In the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on j Friday, the Hon. J. Carroll was sued by Robert Ahearn, his former private secretary, i for balance of salary alleged to bo due Plaintiff was nonsuited on the ground that the claim should have been brought against the Government. Mr Carroll, in his evidence, said when ho loft Wellington in December, 189 i, he told plaintiff their connection had ceased, but he would do what ho could for him if there was anything further for him to do Ahearn asked for the use of his office, which ivitness granted, and told him that if he could oblige him in any way he would do so. Ahearn posted witness papers and correspondence, and out out extracts from newspapers and entered them into a scrap-book VVitness ako telegraphed him to forward some deeds. He was not employed by witness ,it all. When be (Mr Carroll) returned Ahearn told him he could not get a voucher settled, that during his absence he had done work for other departments, which he expected to be paid for, and witness cti'tifieii to the voucher. On March 6 witness again impressed on Aheai n that their connection had ceased, but thought he gave him certain wrappers to address Abciirn always made use of his office, but from the time he recommended i ho final payment on February 2Sth Ahearn hud certainly not been in hia employ. Tlu £6 he gave plaintiff on July Uth was purely v friendly matter, and not on account of his claim A hearn said he was in want of money, Watness said he would rather removo any claim plaintiff had against the Government out of his own pocket, if ho could not get it any other way, but Ahearn jsiud ho would not have him do that.