THE Poverty Bay Independent. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, October 10, 1885.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 60, 10 October 1885, Page 2

THE Poverty Bay Independent. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, October 10, 1885.

Through pressure on our advertising space we have been compelled to hold over several interesting articles. Gisborne has had six Mayors up to the present time. The first one was Mr W. F. Crawford, who was succeeded by Major Porter, C. D. Bennett, E. K. Brown, Major Porter (who retained the chair for two successive years thus having been Mayor for three years), and lastly C. A. DeLautour. Who the next one will be may be learnt by a glance at the requisition in another column.

Vendors of poultry can find a ready market at the Masonic Hotel.

Messrs. Trimmer and Harding have several fine properties for sale. Mr J. Slater, P.G.S., S.C., arrived by the boat yesterday, for the purpose of dedicating and opening the new lodge of F reemasonry which has been inaugurated here under the Scotch Constitution. After the comp'etion of the imposing ceremony a banquet will be given at the Masonic Hotel.

We were shown yesterday a well-exe-cuted photograph of the monument which stands in the Makaraka Cemetry to the memory of the victims of the Te Kooti massacre, which took place on the loth of November, 1868. The photo is from a sketch by A. Y. Ross, junr. Underneath the picture is the names and ages of the victims. The picture will undoubtedly meet with a large sale.

For hardshell, old-fashioned Scripture sticklers Tasmania takes the buns. So as not to forget their religious obligations, they have dubbed three of their towns “Jerusalem,” “ Jericho,” and “ Paradise.” They possess also a River “ Jordan ” and Lake “ Tiberius.” There is an idea afloat in the “ Tight Little Island ” to expend /600 in widening the road to Paradise. This we consider, would be a flagrant waste of public money. The people who hurry along that tract now-a-days are not a bit crowded even though the road is narrow.—Sydney Bulletin.

i The beneficial effect of civilisation up- ; on the intelligent native was shown by the 1 action between Maria Morris and her ' brother and sister in the R.M. Court ! yesterday. Maria seems to have had a little tiff with her relations and at once availed herself of that weapon which, above all others “ cuts both ways.” Like a good many of her pakeha friends who are fond of playing with edged tools, the experiment has left her if not a sadder and wiser, certainly a poorer woman. Maria lost both cases with costs, but her trouble is not ended—her lawyer gave notice of appeal. The majority of our readers will be pleased to see that in response to a numerous and influentially signed requisition Mr Allan McDonald has consented to be nominated for election to the Civic Chair for the ensuing year. It Laving become known that the present Mayor. C. A. DeLautour Esq., had, on account of pressure of business engagements, decided to vacate the Mayoralty on the expiration of his present term of office, a requisition was put forth in favor of Mr McDonald, and the manner in which it has been received is the best test as to the popularity of the proposed Mayor. The following item should prove interI esting to naturalists. An important Maori meeting is being held at the foot of Tongariro, upwards of 800 being present. A story is current amongst them that a few days since a dog attacked a very large bird. The dog being over matched a wahina came to the rescue, and attacked I the bird. The bird struck out so violently that the husband had, in his turn, to ast sist his dusky spouse, and between the ■ trio the bird was killed. It is said by the i Maoris to have measured 7ft. in height, I the leg bones being as thick as those of a . human being. Maonganui-te-ao, where 1 the bird is said to have been killed, is I about the only part of the island where it is possible for the moa to be still alive. We give the story for what it is worth.” Speaking of the new central prison now being erected at Mount Cook, Wellington, Mr J ustice Richmond expressed surprise at its being placed there. He deprecated that view of penal discipline which confined men within such limits, and his own view was that it could not be carried out within such narrow limits. He had no hesitation in saying he looked upon the erection of this building with absolute disgust. The main thing he regretted in regard to the gaol was want of room and want of power of classification which want of room gave. That want made it, to his mind, inhuman to confine persons for life. Prisoners ought to be able to rise by good conduct to some of the comforts of exis< tence, and that might be managed if placed in establishments an ft sufficiently extensive scale.