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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8410, 9 January 1899, Page 2

Tenders for the Kaiti Road Board works close at 11 a.m. to-morrow. An interview between the deputation of the Chamber of Commerce and the Hon. J. Carroll has been arranged for Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock. Dr Henry Pollen, of Wellington, was a through passenger by the Flora yesterday, and came ashore for an hour to look up old friends. The genial doctor is looking well and hearty. In reply to strong inducements that have been offered to him to bring his opera company to Giaborne, Mr Pollard has said, "I will come to Gisborne when you get a railway or better shipping facilities." The Yen. Archdeacon S. Williams, of Hawke'a Bay, was a passenger by the Flora to Napier. A number of Te Aute boys, who have been attending the conference of the Students Association at Tuparoa went south by the steamer. At their meeting to-morrow evening, Borough Councillors will decide the day of the weekly half-holiday for the new year. There is not likely to be any change of the day from Thursday, which is found to be satisfactory to all classes. The annual tournament of the Northern Bowling Association will be held at Wanganui this week. Gisborne will be represented by one rink, consisting of Messrs Witty (skip), Dods, Humphreys, mid Muir, who left by the Flora last evening. There is a great exodus of holiday-makers from Auckland, and during the past week departing steamers have been crowded, accommodation in several of the boats being booked a week before sailing date The Flora, which went south yesterday, was a full ship, having in addition to a large Gisborne contingent ninety through passengers in the saloon, A meeting of the United Friendly Societies' Sports Committee was held in Mr Budd's rooms on Saturday evening, when the balance-sheet of their late sports was presented and adopted. It showed a satisfactory balance in hand of nearly £4, after paying off the loss on the previous gathering. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to all those who had assisted to make the picnic a success, and the meeting then adjourned sine die. By the s.s. Flora, which passed here last evening, Captain Russell's and Mr G. G. Stead's teams of racehorses, which competed at the Auckland summer meeting, and a number of the yearlings purchased at the Wellington Park sale, were conveyed to their several destinations. The horses were well looked after on board, and every care was taken to prevent them injuring themselves. Multiform and Altair were each allotted the space usually occupied by four horses. Occur da Lion did not compete at the Auckland meeting, having struck himself whilst training.

Amongst the yearlings that were submitted at the Auckland sales last week were a half-brother toPincpinetekura, who brought 13go, and a full-aister to Tauhei, who was knocked down to Mr J. B. Williamson for 27gs. A three-year-old half-sister to Huna brought 50gs at Messrs Allison's dispersal sale of breeding stock. Mr \V. A. Barton, Deputy Registrar under the Old Age Pensions Act, has already received twenty applications for pensions, and it is expected that the number will be greaLly increased during the present month. The applications are received by the Deputy Registrar and sent by him to the clerk of the Magistrate's Court at Gisborne. The Magistrate will then appoint a day for the applicants to attend in support of their claims. The event of 1898 in Australian life assurance is declared by the Australian Financial Gazette and Insurance Chronicle to be the writing of £1,000,000 sterling by the Citizens' Life Assurance Company in its ordinary branch alone. A million sterling of new ordinary insurances in twelve months is a record that will take a lot of beating. As a matter of fact, there is only one other office writing over £1,000,000 of new assurance in Australasia. Mr J. Gow is the representative for this popular life office, and reports a capital business in Gisborne and surrounding districts. Two heats of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club's trial fours were rowed on Friday and Saturday evenings. The first heat was between crews stroked by H. Warren and W. Hackett, and after a splendidly contested race the latter won by half a length. On Saturday evening crews stroked by A. Kirk and W. Warcup met, and a good race resulted, the former winning by a length and a half. The final will be rowed this evening between W. Hackett (str) W. Davidson (3), A. Clark (2), W. Turner (bow) and A. Kirk (str), K. File (3), I. Oihbs (2), and C. Kirk (bow). The crews leave the shed at 5.30. A concert was held on board the Flora on her voyage from Auckland on Saturday night, and the sum of £2 4s was collected for the Shipwrecked Mariners Society. The following programme was given with much success :— Overture, Miss Webb ; song, "The Mighty Deep" Mr Frost; whistling solo, "Blue Bells" Mr Hart; comic song, " The Masquerade Ball" Mr M. Lewis; song, " My Bonny Bark " Mr DeCosta ; whistling duet, Messrs M. Lewis and Hart. Songs were also contributed hy Mrs McAlister and Derrett, Miss Young, and Messrs M. Lewis, Frost and Scott. Miss Large, who was a passenger for Gisborne, was down on the programme for an item, but much to the disappointment of the passengers, was unable to appear. A vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Lewis and Hart, who promoted the concert and assisted greatly towards making it a success. At the Police Court this morning, before Mr J. Booth, S.M., a middle aged woman named Mercella Thorson, a proprohibited person, was charged, on remand from the previous Monday, with having been found drunk in Peel Street. Mr Lincoln Rees appeared for the defendant and pleaded guilty. He stated that the case was a rather hard one. The defendant, who was at present under a prohibition order, had remained quiet for period of six months, until this relapse had occurred. He therefore asked that the accused should be dismissed with a caution. There were certain expenses incurred which she would be willing to pay. The Magistrate said that the case was a very serious one, as the accused was a prohibited person. Under the circumstances he would dismiss the case upon the condition that the accused paid the expenses incurred for medical treatment, which amounted to 13s, and costs of Court 2s. With this issue will be found an inset of the programme of the Garden Fete to be held in Mr Humphrey's grounds, Waikanae, on Thursday next, from 2 p.m. till 10 p.m. It contains a varied assortment of amusements, which should attract a large gathering. The novelties in the way of decorated bicycles, vehicles, go-carts, etc., should add materially to the success of the Fete. Liberal prizes are offered in every class, and the lucky ones will have no cause to regret the trouble they have taken to prepare for competition. Amusenienls nre offered for old and young. These include swings, threading the needle, tug of war, races, bran pie, Xmag snow ball, tilting at tho ring, tent pegging, lemon cutting, and Aunt Sally. The City Band will be in attendance, and play selections for the amusement of the visitors up to 10 p.m. The Committee would ask readers to carefully look over the programme, which contains every information as to entries, prizes, prices of admission, etc. An unnecessary scare has arisen in Auckland over the purity of the lake water supply, caused by the Star's medical correspondent's alarming statement that the water vould be contaminated by the body of Mr Tracy Hall, who was drowned in the laUe. In some instances it is stated that visitors were so afraid last week of the contamination of the water that they left the district. One doctor writes : "It would be much more reasonable to compare the lake in its present state to an ordinary house tank containing the body of a fly, and I think that any objection to the use of the water must be one of sentiment rather than of sanitation." Another says : "Should even Mr Hall's body not'be recovered, the effect on the water would be absolutely harmless, for the dilution would be so enormous as to render the ill effects inappreciable. Those people, however, who feel afraid of the results should boil the water before using it. lam going to have a good drink of the lake water this afternoon at Devonport, and shall continue to drink the water during my stay there, and shall not boil it either." The local syndicate who have chartered the cutter Coralie with a view of salvage operations ac the wreck of the Tasmania have completed their preparations for the trip, and it is expected that the cutter will siil for the scene of the wreck tomorrow afternoon. Arrangements have been made with the Harbor Board for the hire of one of the Board's diving suits, and all other necessary gear has been provided. Messrs Pascoe and J. M. Arundel will accompany the cutter on her present expedition. The former will undertake the diving operations, whilst the latter has a Bchetne by which it is deemed probable that the boat will be raised. In conversation with one of the promoters this morning, our reporter whs informed that efforts of the syndicate to raise the vessel would greatly depend upon the condition in which the boat was found, and the present expedition was mainly for the examination of the wreck. Personally he did not think that the wreck would be found in any way silted up with sand. Gisborne will be made the headquarters of the syndicate. The scene of the wreck will be located by means of the bearings taken by the Government surveyor, the buoy which marked the spot having been recently carried away. Considerable interest is taken locally in the operations ot the syndicate, and it is hoped that their efforts will be crowned with success. With reference to the cabled announcement that Mr R. C. MacLaurin, of New Zealand, had won the lOOgns York prize at the Cambridge University for an essay on " Real Property," the Napier Telegraph states that Mr MacLaurin recently wound up a brilliant collegiate career at Cambridge by being elected to a Fellowship at St. John's College. He went Home six years ago, and was immediately awarded entrance exhibitions at Emmanuel College and at St. John's. He chose the latter, and at the end of his first year of residence was elected to a foundation scholarship. After the usual three years' course he graduated with first-class honors, taking the Mathematical Tripos and being 12th Wrangler. He was advised to remain in residence another year, with a view to continuing his mathematical studies and entering for the severest and final examination to which Cambridge subjects her mathematical students, viz., the second part of the Mathematical Tripos, an examination confined to those who have obtained first-class honors in the preceding year. Mr MacLaurin submitted himself to the test and gained the highest possible place, being bracketed with the Senior Wrangler of the previous year in the first division of the first class. He then left Cambridge and spent a year in Canada and the States, and while there occupied his leisure by writing a dissertation on a mathematical subject. This was submitted to the ViceChancellor of Cambridge, and gained for Mr MacLaurin one of the much-coveted Smith's Prize. Mr MacLaurin's paper had the special distinction of being preferred to that of the Senior Wrangler, whose essay, however, was officially designated as of very great merit and worthy of honorable mention. The New Zealanders thesis has since been published in the TransactionsoftheCambridgePhilosophical Society. Mr MacLauriu has also devoted time tb the study of law, and on his return from Canada last year was awarded the McMahon Law Suideutship, which is worth £150 per annum, is tenable for four years, and is the greatest legal prize the 'Varsity offers. Mr MacLaurin is a candidate for one of the professorships at tho Victoria College, Wellington.

A dairy cow at Woodville the other day gave birtli to three healthy calvea. Mr G. Hutchison, M.H.R., claims to have invented a new fire escape ladder, constructed of twisted wire, with wooden rungs, which can be folded up in a small compass, and easily attached at the top and bottom. Mr Angus Macdonald, born on December 24th, 1795, celebrated his 102 nd birthday at Rangiora last week. He arrived in the colony in 1864, and for a time managed a rnn for the late Sir J. Cracroft Wilson, in *, the Selwyn district. Up to the present ho ( ? enjoys capital health. ' "Though the Mayors of the outside boroughs do not seem to be in favor of the scheme of Greater Christchurch," said the Mayor of Christchurch a few days ago, ■ " there is no doubt in my mind that if we had that scheme we should be able to carry out our water supply schemp, complete the drainage system, and light our streetsby electricity. I don't think there would be the slightest difficulty at all about it." The strawberry crop at Birkenhead and Northcote (Auckland) has been so luxuriant this season that double the quantity of strawberries has come into the Auckland market than in the previous year. Many thousands of boxes were sent to Wellington, j and realised remunerative prices. The /$ strawberry-growers have every reason to . .-' be satisfied with the Auckland market, and the prices realised for this class of fruit. Some mild excitement was caused as the Rotorua was leaving Lyttelton for Wellington the other evening. Just after the steamer had passed out of the moles a nun was seen to jump overboard. A passing boat rescued him, and he was assisted on board by a boat that had been lowered from the steamer, but had no sooner gained the deck than he jumped overboard again, and compelled his rescuers to repeat their work. Not Ihe least astonishing thing in connection with the Melbourne " boot trunk mystery " is the number of young women generally resembling the victim whom it has shown to have unaccountably disappeared. Scores of such cases have berni I > reported to [he police by the friends of £3 missing women who have suddenly von- s* : ' ished without leaying a single trace. And all within a sufficiently short space of time to suggest identity with the victim of a recently-discovered tragedy. Great anxiety is felt in official circles at Wellington at the prospect of retrenchment caused by the Government determining the appointment of extra clerks as from March 3ht. The probabilities are, however, that there will not be much weediDg out, for in view of the general election next November Mr Sediluu is not going to throw many hands out of work. The notice has probably been sent to remind.,, them of their dependence on him. "^ , There is a probability (says the Auck-$* land Herald) of legal proceedings being taken against the Government in connection with the detention of the two Austrians who arrived by the Waihora on Tuesday. Since their arrival the Austrians have taken legal advice on the question, and it is understood that they have been advised to proceed promptly against the Government for false imprisonment. The ' ■ men have not yet decided if they will take any action, but should they decide to go into Court, they will have no difficulty in procuring legal assistance in the conduct of the case. The little valley of Var, in the southeastern France, is said to be one of the sweetest-smelling places on earth. The^fc inhabitants have been' engaged for' f* centuries in the industry of making perfumes from flowers. In the season the whole valley is a great garden of roses, orange trees, tuber-roses, violets, jonquils • acacia, and jasmine. Women and children are the flower gatherers. The people of Var have learned many of the flower world's secrets. Thus they learned that ' " the scent of a flower is not contained , in any gland or little sac, but is exhaled by the flower somewhat in the manner of breathing." Also, that "there seems a series of flowers, which by combining their perfumes, will make about every known odor in the world." These, they say, are the following seven : Rose; violet, orange, acacia, jonquil, tuber-rose, and jasmine. In a single season the valley has grown over 1,500,000 pounds of orange blossoms, J 500,000 pounds of roses, and nearly 100.000-xf pounds of violet and jasmine. <. Strange things happen at cricket, hut nothing stranger than an incident on the Melbourne ground recently has been reported in the annals of the game. Play was proceeding— not too briskly (says the Argus)— when suddenly Noble, who ' was fielding at point, stopped the bowler, and, extending his arm in the direction of the public entrance, indicated that something was amiss in that quarter. He walked over to Gregory, the captain „ of his side, and, still pointing, told him something which did not move that habi-. tually imperturable player. Then Noble ' returned to point, and play was resumed. After another ball, the batsman, Oilier, and the wicket-keeper, Kelly, took the infection, and pointed to the plague spot. The fieldsmen then besame interested, and , . so did the spectators, but whatever was the HS cause of the trouble it was soon removed. ff ; It appeared that Noble and the others were dazzled by what they thought to be the reflection of the sun. by a mirror held by some mischievous, person in the crowd, but when the matter was inquired into further it was found that the "mirror" was the nickel handle-bar of a bicycle. It will hardly be disputed at this date that electricity is the ideal power for use in the operation of mines (writes Mr John M'Ghie, in Cassier's Magazine for November), and that the advantages it offers, and the benefits which accrue from its use, can,, not be equalled or even approached by any j other known power, whether animal, steam, Jt| or air. A power that needs heavy piping ; r& that demands expensive protection in very cold weather, and constant expensive maintenance ; that cannot he transmitted satisfactorily over long distances; and • that operates machinery demanding con' ' stant attention, compares poorly with a power that requires two or three slender wires only for its transmission ) that gives off no heat, nor smoke, nor moisture ; that is unaffected by chango in temperature, however severe) that can now be transmitted over long distances, which, five years ago, would have been deemed fabulous j that can be em- ■ ployed indifferently above or below the surface, by day or night, or continuously the 24 hours through, and that drives machinery which demands the minimum of attention. To these advantages other economies are added. Particulars are to hand of theMahinapua- J Derwent collision at Melbourne. The s.s. Derwent was leaying the river in charge of Captain Chapman. The vessel was swinging in the basin, and when at right angles to the stream some mistake arose, and the vessel headed full speed for the Union Company's steamer Mahinapua, ' which was lying at the Queen's Wharf, preparatory to leaving for Strahan. A' large number of passengers on board the latter boat were watching ' the movements of the Derwent, and considerable excitement prevailed as the Derwent crashed into the forepart of the Mahinapua. There was immediately a rush for the gangways, and several persons were about to jump overboard when Captain World assured them that the daiiger had passed. The t Derwent rebounded about 20ft after strik- 1 ing the Mahinapua, and fittings splintered and flew in all directions. The Derwent was able to proceed on her way, but the Mahinapua was so badly damaged that her cargo and passengers had to be tran- • shipped into tho Penguin. The starboard main gangway was carried away, the bulwarks cut through, and the plates . doubled up like cardboard, while some of the beams in the hold were bent. The vessel made a great deal of water, and the pumps had to be kept going. The wharf was also damaged hy the concussion.