The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 5, 1901. GISBORNE OF THE FUTURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 175, 5 August 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 5, 1901. GISBORNE OF THE FUTURE.

No matter what part o£ the colony one may go into, including the four chief centres, one will find groups of disreputable buildings standing on valuable sites, A stranger for thp moment is puzzled to know the explanation of this, but if he takes the trouble to enquire he will, as a rule, be informed that the land had in the past been let on long leases, and these leases have yet a little time to run; that the landlord is helpless, and it trill not pay the tenant to erect better buildings. Sometimes it is found that the owners of the land have not sufficient enterprise to see that it is to their advantage to have good buildings on good sites. In Gisborne we have to some extent the opportunity to prevent such a state of things, and we would suggest to property-owners the advisability of* guarding .against allowing buildings out of character with the situation, and altogether dispropor.tionate to the value of the land, being erected on the important sites of the town. The present is a most important crisis in the town, as there, is the immediate prospect of many buildings being erected. Mistakes made now r may take twenty, thirty, or forty years to remedy. To anyone who wishes confirmation of our views we would suggest that he should accompany the Inspector of Nuisances through the back premises of our principal street, and he will soon be convinced of the flimsy, disreputable and dangerous condition > of most of the' buildings. One has,’in fact, only to walk from the post-office to the Victoria belfry to be .convinced of the truth of our remarks. Buildings are. at present being erected in the main street on valuable sites, the plans of which the Building Inspector and Council had no right to pass. The time has come when the borough by-laws should insist that only substantial buildings, not a menace to the adjoining ones, should be erected. We cou-

tend that it is a matter for the serious consideration of the Council as to whether there should not be a brick area in tlxe borough. Within a certain limit, no buildiugs should be erected except in brick. Insurance rates are becoming more oppressive, and this is not to he wondered at when one considers the nature of the buildings that the local authorities allow to be erected. - Most of the buildings in our main street are courting disease and danger of fire. An honest attempt should he made by the Council to improve the architectural appearance of the town, and

we can not say that they are doing much in this direction at tho present time. We are not suggesting the passing of irritating bye-laws, which will hamper owners of property, hut rather that a broad principle should be laid down with regard to the class of buildings to be erected in tho main streets. Visitors to our town carry away such impressions as are formed by meeting with tho residents, and viewing the buildings of the town, and we trust that with regard to the latter for a time they will he conveniently blind, otherwise the impression formed must be detrimental to the place. It would, perhaps, he the most merciful' thiug that could happen to the community if portions of our town, after falling into tho hands of enterprising owners, were swept by lire of the buildings that are thereon. Good' business sites are surely worth more than a hoardinghoard sort of erection. The Council should see that there is, as far as

possible, a general uniformity in the stylo of the buildings, and shop windows and verandahs should be required to be a given height. It is certainly their duty to do what they can towards permanently improving the appearance of tho borough, and we trust that they will give this matter their early attention.

THE WAR The speech made by Mr Chamberlain, of which a report is given in our cables this morning, shows that it is intended to resort to drastic measures in South Africa. Mr Chamberlain states that tho third stage of fighting has now boon reached; that the Boers have taken to a worse class of tactics than of guerilla warfare, and that it is now “ ruffianism,” “ brigandage,” and “outrage.” He also made it clear that much stronger measures are to be adopted towards tho Boers. The discussion in the House of Commons was apparently a very lively one, an Irish member declaring that Mr Chamberlain had “ shed enough blood to swim in.” A suggestion has been thrown out that natives who were shot were armed, in which ease there would not he much room to complain, as the natives would be regarded as combatants. All must earnestly hope that tho unhappy state of things will soon be ended, and that amity will again be restored; but the message from Kruger shows that he is still, at a safe distance, seeking to fan the dying embers into a fiercer heat.

The annual meeting of tho Abercom Masonic Lodge takes place to-morrow night.

A hockey match between the Gisborne and Te Aral ladies’ clubs will bo played on Saturday next. A ball under the auspices of the Rugby Union is to be held on August 28rd, and will no doubt be a great success. It is not considered necessary to hold a magisterial enquiry into the striking of the Tomoana at Gisborne. Messrs Mackrell and Colley are the successful tenderers for tho erection of the Presbyterian Church at Patutahi. Tho Harbor Board notify that anyone desirous of obtaining sand from tho Haiti or Waikanae beaches must first got a permit from the engineer. The punt at Pakarae is undergoing repairs, and it is officially notified that al wheel traffic by the ferry service is sus pended until further notice. In the course of his lecture on Saturday night Mr Hyde, the poultry expert, stated that the buff Orpingtons on exhibition would do credit to any show in Australasia.

Three more largo whales have been captured at Whangammnu, on the northern coast, making a total of fifteen for tho season. This boats any previous record by four whales.

Betting houses in Sydney have long been a scandal. The police aro at last waking up, and on Friday night two betting houses were raided and one hundred and thirty-five persons arrested. In tho course of his lecture on Saturday night, Mr Hyde, the poultry expert, referred in very high terms to the quality of beautiful bronzewing turkeys that had been placed in the show by Mr 11. M. Porter.

At the Mutual Improvement Society this evening a very profitable subject to the members will be discussed, when correspondence will bo read on the question, “ What is the most important invention of the nineteenth century '? ” At the Poultry Show on Saturday prizes were awarded in the classes for cats. Miss Green’s handsome “Punga ” was awarded a first prize. Of the tabbies, Master Willie Attwood’s was placed grst, “Tommie” second, and Master G. Saywell’s ,l Hick ” third, The cook of the brigantino Aratapu’ who was rescued from drowning after a very perilous experience on Friday night, was so ill from the effects that he had to be taken to the Hospital for treatment. It is possible that when the unfortunate man recovers an action for libel will come on for hearing. Mr Thomas McGregor, the proprietor of the Kia Ora Butter Factory, has a letter in to-day’s Tains on the subject of co-operative dairying. He asks Mr Lysfiar to ansvvet several questions for the benefit of the small farmers who are desirous of information re co-operative factories.

Speaking on the subject of indenturing apprentices, Judge Cooper said that he favored t|jo pl'l English system of indenture. In his opinion it was not in the interests of the industry ns a whole for apprentices to be done away with until the colony had technical schools like those in America where tiie youth could learn a trade probably better than under a manufacturer.

Sir W. E. Gaston, Under-Secretary for Public Works in Egypt, has submitted to Lord Cromer a scheme for completing the irrigation of Egypt by artificially raising the level cither of Lake Isana, in Abysinia, or Albert Nyanza, in order to feed the fiile during the months of low supply. Lord Cromer has emphasised the recom-

mendation as one of urgency. With regard to the Khartoum-Red Sea railway, investigation as to the best route is proceeding.

The Licensing Bench met on Saturday, Mr Barton, S.M., Mrs Sievwright, and Mr James Macfarlane being present.—An application for transfer, George Brown Oman to Edgar Swinnerton, Oii Springs Hotel, Whatatutu, was granted ; also a temporary transfer, William Gault to George Brown Oman, Argyll Hotel, Gisborne.—An application for a conditional license at Matawhero saleyards on August 22nd to .John H. Aislabie was granted on the usual conditions. —Leave of absence

was granted to Maurice Hogan, Pioselftad Hotel, leaving W. Currie in charge, from 7th to 28th inst. ; John H. Aislabie, Royal Oak Hotel, leaving Allan Aislabie in charge, from 7th to 24th.—At) application by Mr Lysnnr, on behalf of Messrs Sher>-att and Williams, to alter the plan for the new Argyll Hotel, was held over till the quarterly meeting on September oth, the present meeting having no power to deal with the matter.

Mr W. Adair offers a reward to the finder of a bay pony that has been lost. Russia is actively trying experiments with submarine boats.

The gold reserve in the American Treasury amounts to one hundred millions sterliug. Trooper Hubbard, of Paeroa, has brought back from Africa a Boer cavalry helio, with which he intends to give instructions in signalling. Mr A. L. 1). Fraser, M.H.8., will act as confidential secretary to tho Native Minister when the lattar visits London for the coronation of the King next year. The annual meeting of shareholders of

the Gisborne Building Society will be held .a* the office of the Society this evening at 8 o’clock. The business to come before the meeting will be the annual report and balance-sheet, to elect directors, to elect shareholders’ auditor, and general matters relating to the Society. A piece of ambergris, weighing about ullb, was picked up on tho Otaki Beach the other day by Mr Heperi Paneta, of Kaikoura. Ho has arranged with the Loan and Mercantile Company to have it sent to England. It is said Mr Paneta refused an offer of £4OO for his ambergris, preferring to try the Homo market, and has been advanced £IOO by tho shipping agents.

Two deaconesses, belonging to an Order connected with the Presbyterian Church in Australia, who have been doing good gospel work in the South, are expected to arrive in Gisborne on Saturday morning. Wo understand from our contemporaries that they avo splendid vocalists, one Southern paper considering that they rival Sankey in being able to draw large congregations by their singing alone. The meetings are to be held during next week. A Sydney trooper writing from the Transvaal to his parents thus describes the Mounted lliiles riding test at Durban : —“ About 40 of us were placed in a line, and a horse was brought out, saddled and bridled. The first man was told to mount, then an officer yelled out ‘ Walk,’ next ‘ Canter,’ then ‘ Dismount,’ and soon everyone had ridden. No man was on tho liorsc luoro than two minutes, and as it was impossible to fall off everybody passed.”

A Taranaki paper says that the youth Arbucklc, who had such a narrow escape in tlie Lizzie Bell wreck, gave his experience of drowning. Ho says be fought first, but gradually weakened, and ho never thought of anything but going to sleep. “ I beard,” be said, “ tho sound of music strong and loud, like a band, and then I knew no more.” Arbuckle is the son of a widow living in Belfast, Ireland, and his great anxiety seemed to be as to whether she would think bo was drowned. The Wanganui Chronicle has the following : —A well-known financier of Wellington recently advanced £o to a man who had signed on to join the Lizzie Bell. Ho accepted the man’s signature to the shipping note, and then paid him over tho money, less a consideration. Tho man in question got drunk on tho proceeds with all possible expedition, and then. made matters worse by stealing wearing apparel from a public house. For this ho was arrested, tried, and sent on in duo course to the Terraco gaol, as a result of which incarceration he was unable to join the ill-fated vessel when she left on her last voyage. A meeting of the Young Men’s Society was hold in Mr Townloy’s Hall yesterday afternoon, Mr E. 11. Buckingham (President) in tho chair. It was resolved that the name of the Society he “ The Men’s Sunday Mutual,” and the Committee were instructed to draw up rules for tho guidance of the members. A review of hooks read by the members was then given, tho books reviewed being: “ Charles Dickens,” Mr F. Brown; “ Lord Rosebery,” “John Bright,” and “Lord Roberts,” Mr M. G. Nasmith (jun.); “Tho Story of Egypt,” Mr Nicholas; “From Boyhood to Manhood,” Mr Blair; Sclf-llclp, Mr Grundy. Next Sunday afternoon the Rev. B. F. Itothwcll is to deliver a lecture on “Amusement and Courtship.” i At the mooting of the To Aral Road Board, held on Saturday, there were present: Messrs J. Clark, C. J. Parker (chairman), Morrison, Jex-Blake, and Bilham (secretary). A communication was received from the Hon. J. Carroll, stating that he would endeavor to have a subsidy of £ for £ placed on the Estimates for the bridge over tho To Arai river. Members concurred that tho Board could not take steps in the matter until the Government subsidy of £OOO, on a basis of £ for £, was actually placed on tile Estimates. The total cost of tho bridge was put down by Mr Matthews at £l2oo.—Mr Morrison stated the settlors in his vicinity would support the erection of the bridge if the Government gave the subsidy. 3 Mr Jex-Blake thought they should get the bridge before they took up the question of metalling. It was decided to call tenders for formation and metalling 103 chains of tho 1c Arai-Tokonui dray road, specifications to he left at Mr. C. J. Parker’s.

At ten minutes to seven last night the firebells were vigorously rung, and lar ,r e crowds rushed hither and thither enquiring as to where the fire was. The brigadesmen wore out in very smart time, and quickly got the hose reel up as far as the Victoria belfry. There red-coated men were seen climbing up the tower with remarkable agility; but still there was no cluo as to the whereabouts of the fire. Various reports wore set afloat by irasciblo jokers, one being that the Salvation Army torches had been mistaken for a flare, but as at that moment the Army were calmly marching on to the sound oi stirring music, tho Salvation discipline was generally admired. _ Some people indeed seemed quite disappointed instead of pleased that there was no fire. What really did happen was that some flame was emitted from the chimney of ~jV£r L. File’s residence in Roebuck road. Someone rang the upper bell, and then the alarm was taken up on the lower bell.

The anniversary services in connection with r 'St. Andrew's Presbyterian Sundayschool wore held yesterday, and attracted crowded congregations. The church 'was tastefully decorated for the occasion, and presented a most pleasing appearance. Over the chair rails was a very pretty arch, composed of arum lilies, white and red camellias, and foliuge of a light kind, whilst the pillars and doorways wero also prettily decorated. The services wero conducted by the Rev. .X. G. Paterson, who was at his best, preaching two splendid sermons appropriate to the occasion. A special feature of the services was the music, which was under the supervision of j Messrs A. T. Hookey and A. -J. Massey, the former acting as conductor of the choir, and the latter as leader of the orchestra. Both gentlemen arc to be congratulated upon the artictic success achieved, the music being piuch appreciated by the congregation. The orchestra consisted of Messrs A. J Massey, H. D. Parker, Morgan, A." Fowlds, M. Foster, C. Adair, .J. Chrisp, A. W. Adair, James Brown and Palairet, who were specially thanked by the Rev. J. G. Paterson at the close of the service. In the morning Misses Heaney and Warren sang a duet, whilst at the evening service Miss Heaney sang the sacred solo There is a Happy Land,” in a most finished manner. The offertories were devoted to the funds of the Sunday-school. j