Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1899. MINISTERIAL RECONSTRUCTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8411, 10 January 1899, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1899. MINISTERIAL RECONSTRUCTION.

With the Hon. Mr Cadman retiring, the Hon. J. McKenzio absent from the colony on sick leave, and at least one other Minister—the Hon. T. Thompson—in disfavor with the party, the Premier will he a brave man if he ventures to face the perils of another Parliamentary session without some attempt to reconstruct and strengthen his Cabinet. Even his best friends admit the uecessitj for re-forming the Ministry, and the Ministerial organ at Christchurch, the Lyttelton Times, candidly says, "It would be the height of folly for the Premier to attempt to carry through the business of next session without more assistance from the colleagues that will remain to him after the departure of Mr McKenzie and the retirement of Mr Cadman." In the opinion of the Times the necessity for reconstruction is urgent, but that journal despairs of finding men within the ranks of the. Liberal party fit to take the places of the absent and retiring Ministers. The Premier, it says, has a difficult task before him, and his best friends will hesitate to offer him any advice upon the performance. The Premier, however, is not a man that cares much for advice, and as he takes upon himself the control of practically every department of State, he would probably be quite prepared to run the whole Parliamentary institution on his own responsibility without Ministers wore it not for the look of the thing and for the certain amount of respect which is compelled to be paid to constitutional law. The difficulty, according to the contemporary quoted, is to discover among the rank and file of the party men with the necessary qualification for Ministerial rank. The Times then proceeds to sum up the qualifications of the members who so far have been mentioned as the men from whom the selection will finally be made, and its estimate is of especial interest as showing what a leading Government organ thinks of the capacity of the available men of the party it supports. Here is the Times' summing up : —" Mr McNab, the member for Mataura, and Mr Hogg, the member for Masterton, are reported to be the two most likely to obtain promotion. The former gentleman has a distinct claim upon the Liberal party, and in several respects would make a very admirable administrator, but he has neither the experiouee of Mr McKenzie nor the expert knowledge of Mr Cadman. As for Mr Hogg, he has, so far as we have been aole to observe, established no greater claim upon a seat in the Cabinet than is contained in a rather noisy advocacy of certain portions of the Liberal policy. Mr M'Nab would make an excellent Minister of Education or Minister of Justice, but the member for Masterton would not be so easily suited with a portfolio. It seems indeed that the only way open to Mr Seddon to strengthen his Cabinet is to recall Mr Ward and to admit one of the 'independent' members of his party. Mr W. H. Montgomery, who is unquestionably one of the most promising of the young members of the House of Representatives, would make a very capable administrator, and would add materially to the debating power of the Ministry, but it is doubtful if he would accept a portfolio, even if the Premier could bring himself to overlook his strong leaning towards the 'Left Wing.' Mr G. J. Smith and Mr J. Graham liave both been mentioned in connection with the prospects of reconstruction, but Mr Smith has offended even more greviously than Mr Montgomery in the assertion of his independence, and the member for Nelson has obtained no great prominence in the House." We are inclined to think that the most probable appointment will be that of the Hon. J. G. Ward to the portfolios of Postmaster-General and Minister for Railways, each of which positions he would fill with a considerable degree of business-like ability. Once again a Minister, Mr Ward would, if he does not at present, be able to lend considerable assistance in the manipulation of Ministerial finance, though Mr Seddon is hardly likely to run the risk of openly conferring upon him the title of Colonial Treasurer. Indeed, there may be a good deal of risk about including him in the Cabinet, for even amongst the friends and members of the Liberal party Mr Ward is held in some distrust. It may therefore be that, fearing the result of such an appointment upon the elections, the Premier will hold the position open for Mr Ward until the end of the year, and will struggle on with a short-handed Ministry in the meantime. But there are other members of the party than those already mentioned who have claims for consideration when good billets of ;£BOO a year and travelling allowances are going begging. One of the first of these is Mr Guinness, if he could be spared from the position of Chairman of Committees in which he is bo valuable to his party, and another is Mr Carncross, a- staunch henchman and a level-headed politician, but no orator, and therefore, perhaps, not eligible. Mr McGowan, of the Thames, is another silent politician, but a true party man, and probably quite as fitted for departmental work as Mr Hall-Jones or Mr Thompson. But above all others rise the claims of Mr Carroll, who has both ability and eloquence, an.l who if he was given full Ministerial status, and full pay, would work more energetically than he does at present, and make a capable administrator. Mr Seddon could well afford to hand over the position of Minister of Niitive Lands to our member, from whom the Premier has obtained long schooling in Native affairs, and there are several other offices that he could fill in addition to that of Colonial Secretary, which he nominally holds at present. The continued refusal to elevate Mr Carroll to the rank of other members of the Ministry can only be takeu by his constituents as a slight upon him and upon the district which he represents. The Borough Council and Charitable Aid Board meet this evening. A start has been made with the erection of the additional shed accommodation on the wharf. At a meeting of the Gisborne Cycling Club held last evening it was decided to postpone the road race until February. With this issue will be found an inset containingtheprogrammeof the Caledonian Society's annual sports gathering, which will be seen to be of an attractive nature. The Rev. Mr Allanson, Church of England missionp.r, is returning to this district, and will conduct a mission in Turanga church district, commencing about February 5. Messrs John Beaumont and McPheison, London director and general manager in New Zealand respectively of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency' Company, visited Gisborne on Sunday, and were met by Mr J. W. Bright, the local manager of the Company. (

The proposal to establish a horticultural society in Gisborne has been met with much favor by persons interested in the cultivation of flowers and plants, and we understand that a meeting will be called at an early date for the purpose of taking steps which will load to the formation of a society. Mr James Macfarlane, Chairman of the Cook County Council, and His Worship the Mayor have received a telegram from Captain Alexander, private secretary to the Governor, stating that His Excellency will (weather permitting) arrive in Oisborne at 15 p.m. on Sunday, March 19th, staying till Tuesday, the 21st inst. Messrs Williams and Kettle, Common, Shelton and Company, and the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company advertise that they will hold their next stock sale at the Matawhero yards on Thursday. The first-named firm, in addition to a large entry of sheep, cattle, and horses, have instructions to submit eighty fine rams from Mr A. McKenzie's well-known stud. Mr and Mrs Francis Scott have returned to Gishonie after a six months' sojourn in Sail Francisco, and have been welcomed back by a host of friends. Mr and Mrs Scott have not quite decided whether they shall settle in Gisborne again, but they are fully determined to remain in New Zealand, life in this colony being described as immensely more pleasant than in the United States. Mr George Howarth, of Ormond, writes with reference to the report of a fight at Ormond that it was evident the correspondent who gave the information could not have been present, and knew nothing whatever about what occurred. He denies that the men present took any prominent part in the affair, or that they encouraged the boys to right ; on the contrary, they advised them to make friends, and fight no more. The members of the Gisborne Rowing Cluh have commenced training fur a series of pair-oar races, to be rowed about the 23rd inst., and the following has been the the allotment : C. Adair (str.), A. Matthews (bow); J. Lee (str.), B. Bennett (bow) ; B. DeLantour (str.), A. Wallace (bow) ; G. Miller (str.), G. Buscke (bow) ; G. Holmes (str.), B. Barton (bow) ; H. Faram (str.), H. Graham (bow); A. Palairetjstr.), L. Sherriff (bow). At the meeting of the Loyal Gisborne Lodge, No. 6087, 1.0.0. F., M.U., held in the Oddfellows Hall, Bright street, last evening, the newly-elected officers— Bros. E. J. Wilkinson (N.G.), C. H. Hyett (V.G.), and B. Cox (E.S.)— were installed, Bro. P. Schwabe, P.G., being the Lecture Master. The literary evenings which were inaugurated by the Lodge some time ago, but lately discontinued, are to be revived, and a musical evening is shortly to be held. The final heat of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club's trial fours, for the set of medals presented by Mr R. Robertson, was rowed last evening between crows stroked by W. Hackett and A. Kirk. From an indifferent start Hackett got a lead of a length, but when the Hospital corner was reached Kirk's crew were within half a length of the leaders. After this Hackett's crew gradually drew away, and at the footbridge had an advantage of a length, and despite the efforts of Kirk they increased their lead, and won a good race by a length and a half. A Gisborne gentleman who intended making a tour round the North Island was one of fifty people, who by direction of the Customs officers, were ' turned off the steamer Takapuna at Onehunga on Friday last. More people wanted toleave by the steamer than her complement provided for, and fifty disappointed ones had to step off the steamer before she was allowed to leave the wharf. One man, who was particularly anxious to travel, to escape being put ashore undressed hiniLelf and popped into bed, but the Customs officers were firm, and he was forcibly dressed and sent over the side into the pilot boat. Two sample loaves ot Bermaline bread, Montgomerie's patent, for which Mrs Stevens, of Patntahi, anil Mr Oatridge, of Gisborne, are the local agents, were left at our office this morning. This bread is highly spoken of in all parts of the world, it being more easily digestible than the usual white bread, and very much lighter, this property being given it by the patent preparation of malt extract. It is certainly the lightest and most palatable artie'e of the kind that we have tasted, and should be in large demand as its merits become known. An inset will be found in to-morrow evening's issue which will more fully explain the nature of the bread, and give a number of valuable testimonials. A special meeting of the Kaiti Road Board was held at noon to-day, all the members being present, Mr Matthewson (Chairman) presiding, to receive tenders for works in the district. The following tenders were received : — For concrete culvert : Webb and Sons £58 10s, W. O. Skeet £58, P. Mclaughlin £45, Allan Taylor (accepted) £29 10s. For works in Darwin, Owen, and Pouawa roads (No. 2 contract) : Gallagher and O'Donncll £310, P. McLoughlin £30,5 2s 6d, T. Byrne £-204 10s, and R. Kuox (accepted) £169 15s 6d. It was stated that the Engineer was laying off other works, tenders for which would be called as soon as the specifications were ready. " The luck'of a Chinaman " is a saying oft quoted by colonials to express one's good fortune, and residents of Gisborne had strong evidence of its truth this morning. A Celestial named Chins Foo left his horse and cart in a paddock off Cliiklers road, and the animal being frightened by a bot fly bolted through the open gateway and came down Childers road at a merry pace. The cart was laden with vegetables, and John's consternation at seeing his wares disappear round the corner was very great. The runaway turned into Gladstone road and continued at a somewhat reduced pace down the main street. Constable Smith sought to stop it, but not being in his best running form was slow to get under way, and was soon left behind. Opposite Adams' two men brought the horse to a standstill and Constable Smith took charge of it. Subsequently John turned up, ami his face beamed with the blandest of smiles when he saw that the horse and cart were uninjured, and that there was not a single cabbage missing from his stock. The constable told him that he would have to summons him, but upon hearing the owner's explanation said he would consider the matter. It was suggested to John that he should give 10s to the Hospital as a thanks offering, and he replied "Alright, I give it in cabbages." Two well-dressed lads named Norman Law and William Bougen appeared at the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr J. Booth, S.M., to answer a charge of having, on the 27th December, at Ormond, used insulting behaviour, whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned. Sergeant Black represented the police, and stated that as far as he could gather from the circumstances surrounding the case, the accused were not so much to blame for the fighting that had taken place as were a number of the bystanders, who had urged them on. The boys had gone at the instance of others to a paddock, where they stripped off and had a fight. He had four or five witnesses in Court, but he did not think it necessary to call them, seeing that the accused had pleaded guilty. The Magistrate expressed regret that boys so young should be brought before the Court on such a charge. He wou'd not be severe on them, as he was of opinion that they were not altogether to blame. The couviction would be recorded against them, and they would have to come up for sentence when called upon. If in the future they behaved themselves well it would be all right, but if not then they would be doubly punished. Sergeant Black stated that four subpomas had been served, but he would not ask for costs against the defendants. At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr J. Booth, S.M.. Marcella Thorsen, a prohibited person, who was on the previous morning before the Court on a charge of drunkenness, was charged with being ft lunatic wandering at large, and not under proper care or control. Charles Thorsen deposed that the defendant was not his wife, but he had been living with her for the last ten years. He had taken out a prohibition order against her about six months ugo, which had caused her to keep, from drink until Christmas, when she had a relapse. The defendant had been attended by Dr Craig, who had told witness that she was likely to go out of her mind at any time. The Magistrate : What is her peculiarity now ? Witness : I cannot get any sense out of her. When she comes into the house she says, it is full of chloroform. She picks up her umbrella and leaves the house. The Magistrate : Is she not under proper care and control. Witness : I cannot stop at home to look after her. Mr Booth : Are you willing to pay os per week towards her support '! Witness : Yts, I shall do my best. The witness further stated that the defendant's name was Marcella Walker. Sub- , sequently the defendant was examined by Doctors Cole and Hughes, and on their ! testimony committed to the Auckland , Asylum.

Repairs beipg necessary to the Tolago Bay ferry punt, the ferry service will be discontinued on and after Friday next until further notice. A man named John McDonald was committed for trial from Tauranga on Friday hist on a charge of breaking and entering a dwelling house at Tepuna. He was only released from Mount Eden gaol on Christmas Eve. According to Butler, the man arrested at Auckland on a charge of fraudulently appropriating£37o at Newcastle (N.S. W.), prisoners on rem.ind at Auckland nre treated worse than Sydney convicts in 1861. They are shut up for 16^ hours out of the 24, and put upon half rations. An inquest has been opened at Wellington mi the body of a single woman named Ada White, 21 years of age, whose sudden death was surrounded by certain suspicious circumstances. Traces of phosphorous were found on the body, and the inquest, was adjourned for an analysis of the stomach. At the Christclmrch Magistrate's Court a lad named Eli Evans was charged with the theft of letters containing £2 15s in money, the property of the Christchurch Meat Company. Accused was employed at the works of the Company at Islington. He was also charged with stealing letters containing £n, the property of the Post-master-General. Evans was committed for trial on both charges. The juvenile branch of Oddfellows have made a brilliant start for the new year by informing all members of one year's standing and upwards that a bonus will be given in the way of remitting the whole of the first quarter's contributions, and members of less than twelve months' standing half contributions. The branch has now been in existence over three years, and during that time has paid away a good sum in sick benefit, beside medicine and medical attendance free. The secretary will be pleased to give parents information as to contributions and benefits. In connection with the subject of health (luring school life, Dr. Mnskett, of Sydney, recommends ablution (that is, the care of the skin and the use of the bath), bedroom ventilation, clothing, diet and exercise. On the topic of bedroom ventilation the doctor says that nothing whatever should be allowed to interfere with the free circulation of air all over the apartment. The space under the bed should be perfectly free, and not devoted to boxes, parcels, and other articles. It is always better to have the bed standing in the centre of the room, with its head against the wall. The window should be left slightly open, so long as care is taken that no draught is caused. In the matter of clothing, a flannel undergarment, reaching from the neck to well below the hips, is strongly recommended for growing children. The importance of exercise is pointed out, and Dr Muskett contends that physical exercise should form a part of the ordinary school work. The Educational Institute, which has been sitting lit Christchurch. has decided to accept the offer of a Dunedin firm to publish monthly a New Zealand Journal of Education as the official organ of the Institute. It was resolved that there should be a uniform series of school books for the colony, to be determined periodically by the Minister for Education in connection with the Executive of the Council. Motions were carried affirming the desirability of having a uniform system of promotion of teachers for the oolony, and of the issue of instructions as to examinations and inspection by the Minister to all inspectors It was decided to impress upon the Government the need for freedom of classification and the abolition of the individual pass system. The executive was instructed to make enquiries as to the basis and working of the teachers' superannuation scheme established in England. Mr J. A. Johnston, of Timaru, was elected President of the Institute. It was decided to hold the next annual meeting of the Council in Timaru in January, 1900. The surgeons connected with Saint Catherine's Hospital, New York, have in prospect a task which is likely to attract world - wide attention. John Wagenblast, early last November, while handling a shotgun, blew off the front and left side of his face. The doctors are planning to build him an artificial face by what is known as plastic surgery. The work' (says the San Francisco Chronicle) will be in charge of Dr J. C. Kennedy, visiting surgeon at the hospital, and Dr James S. Stavin, the house surgeon. Surgeon Stavin says: "The first step will he to replace the nose by one of rubber or celluloid. We shall draw up the skin on either side of the new nose so that it will slightly overlap the edges. The etieekhone and the bone over the eye will be replaced by plates of silver or platinum. We hope to be able to use the old roof of the month without any plates and to save the teeth. When once we get the nose and the plate in place and the process of healing has advanced we will begin grafting skin on the bare surface. The skin we will take from the man's thighs. It will require a long time and much patience on the part of the suffering man ; but we hope to make a respectable job of him before we get through. The last step will be to replace the lost eye with one of glass." Horse breeders in England are just now in a state of considerable excitement on account of a resolution passed by the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society announcing that no docked foals will be allowed to enter at the Royal Show after 1899, no yearlings after 1900, and no two year old horses after 1901. A shoal of letters appears in the Live Stock Journal denouncing this resolution, on the ground that it is an unnecessary interference with the liberty of breeders, and that it would be injurious to them to prevent them from docking their horse 9to meet the fancy of fashion. It has been well pointed out, however, that the stupid craze for mutilated horses would soon cease to be fashionable if it were understood that a docked horse was not the correct form, according to the best authorities. There was a time when horses' ears were clipped to meet a senseless fashion, and we can all remember when a terrier was hardly to be seen without clipped ears, but these abominations have been stopped, and no one would wish to revive them. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the Royal Agricultural Society will stand by the sensible resolution passed at the last meeting of the Council. Since Dr J. W. Carr's address on the subject of fashion in medicine, it has (says the British Medical Journal) been freely discussed of late, especially in papers which circulate chiefly amongst women. It is pointed out that only a few seasons ago there was a perfect mania for taking strychnine in the form of tablets or pellets, uuder the mistaken impression that periodical pick-me-ups were necessary in order to get through the daily round of amusements. Then came a reaction, and women were constantly dosing themselves with bromide of potassium on the plea that it was "soothing." A few months later arsenic was the fashionable drug, and society papers teemed with advertisements of arsenical granules which were warranted to improve the complexion, and do many other things besides. Coca wines, kola, antipyrin, ammoniated tincture of quinine, caffeine, and many other drugs have been " boomed " in a similar manner, and each still has its own special advocates. These popular nervine stimulants, many of them by no means destitute of poisonous properties, seem to have replaced as domestic remedial agents the comparatively innocuous sal volatile mid essence of ginger of twenty years ago. It is surprising that the ignorance and recklessness of fashionable ladies does not swell the death rate even more than is the case. Strychnine and arsenic are not drugs that can be played with with impunity. Whilst the Government aye trying to exclude decent, hard-working Austrians, they might also turn their attention to other undesirable immigrants. The London correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, writing on Nov. 25, says .-—There ought really to be some restrictions on the class of human rubbish which the dear " Old Country " shoots across the Beas to your hospitable shores. , Dipsomaniacs, divorcees, dunderheads, devil-may-cares, etc., cannot, one fears, be denied an asylum at the antipodes. But surely you should draw the line at convicted felons and declared lunatics. It is, as you know, quite usual now for magistrates to forgive first offenders and public nuisances "on the undertaking of the prisoner's friends to send him to Australia. Yesterday Mr Justice Wills was asked to do mure "than this. John Nyland (forty-two) got convicted of writing threatening letters to the publisher of the Daily Telegraph, which had savagely reviewed some books of his. The prosecution proclaimed Nyland mad, but the Judge declared the aggravating articles in execrable taste, and was not surprised that they had' angered the prisoner. After hearing medical evidence the jury found that the man was insane, and the Judge ordered him to be detained during Her Majesty's 'pleasure. Nyland (who was throughout composed and polite) then proposed to go to Australia, and counsel said his friends would only too gladly send him there. Mr Justice Wills said that was a matter which must rest with the authorities. It did not follow that because a man's friends wore ready to send him away that ho should be released,