PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MARCH 1, 1902. THE RECENT EIGHT.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 353, 1 March 1902, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MARCH 1, 1902. THE RECENT EIGHT.

The disaster to the Seventh Now Zealanders emphasises the fact that the Boers are not nearly done with yet. The number of men killed is not great considering the circumstances, but the affair will come home sadly to the people of Now Zealand, there being so many of our representatives at the front suffering in this fight. A list of the names of those killed or wounded has been awaited with the greatest anxiety, and the desired yet dreaded news is given in our cablegrams. The meagre details at least show that our men fought a brave fight, and though many of their number went down they courageously maintained their position until they had triumphed. The splendid work done by our men is a littiug though pathetic reply to the jeers of the foreigners. It is the first extensive disaster suffered, but when the time did come our men proved equal to tho task and acquitted themselves in a way that will bo among the glories of tho war.

The Committee of the Horticultural Society meet this evening at 7.30. The vital statistics for February Were : Births 13, deaths 4, marriages

A special meeting of the Fire Brigade will be held at 7.30 o’clock at the shed. •

A great surplus sale is announced by the New Zealand Clothing Factory. Reductions are being made in all'deuu Clients.

Messrs Clayton Bros, announce that during the closing of the Whataupoko bridge, supplies of timber, wood, and coal may be obtained from their .Whataupoko'yards, * Owing to the indisposition of the Chairman, the meeting of the Whataupoko Road Board to have been held yesterday was adjourned until Mon-, day,,

A sale of hooks will he held by Mtstlis Wyllie and Mason this morning at their'mart. The firm will also hold a large sale of ' drapery and groceries. ■ The services at Holy Trinity Church to-morrow will be conducted by the Rev. Mr Welsh, whose subject of sermon in the evening will be : “ And they Launched Forth.” The ’Frisco mail steamer Sierra arrived in Auckland at G.lo last evening, and the Gisborne portion of the mail will reach here by to-morrow’s steamer. The Castle Company’s teas arc held in high favor by householders throughout the colony, and for excellence of quality are hard to beat. The desire jf the Compapy is to supply a tea of highest quality at a moderate price, and this they claim to have achieved with (lie Castle brand. The Moa and celebrated Pplden Nugget brands' of lPa '.fid by the Company are also held in high favor. At the inquest on the llol *y °j; Crowtlier, drowned in the surf tit Napier, a verdict of accidental deatli was returned. A rider was added to the verdict in praise of Constable Oli—pliant’s gallant conduct, urging that more buoys should be placed along the beach, and that the Corporation should appoint a man to patrol the vicinity where the accident, occurred. Captain Edwin telegraphed yesterday : “ Moderate to strong westerly winds ; glass rise.”

The following Customs dues were col lected at the port during the month ol FebrvarySpirits £324 17s, cigarettes £37 os 9d, tobacco £207 14s 6d, wines £4l Os 4d, ale £2O, sugar £7O, goods by weight £l7 Os Bd, ad valorem £349 os 6d total, £IOO7 Is 9d. February, 1901 £lO4l 2s 5d ; February, 1900, £ll9l 3' lid. Beer duty, February, 1902, £69 2s The cost of establishing telephonic communication between Hangaroa and Tiniroto will, we understand, amount to about £SO. The settlers in the districts mentioned are contributing liberally towards the cost, and subscriptions from Wairoa and Gisborne are also expected. Mr Lissant Clayton, of Tiniroto, is interesting himself in the matter, and will be pleased to receive contributions before leaving town to-day. From a commercial point of view it will be decidedly to the advantage of Gisborne to have Tiniroto brought into touch by telephone, and we' hope to see a liberal response mado, j 1

Complaint is made that boys o£ older growth have taken to bathing in a nude state it the bathing sheds.

During the races at Pakarac some miscreant deliberately cut a piece out of a fine new English saddle that Mr J. Kennedy had left in the shade of a tussock.

A report reached town yesterday that the house occupied by Mr Oates, of Mr Hutchinson’s station, had been burned down.

The subjects of the Rev. Mr Rothweii’s discourses on Sunday at Wesley Church will be : Morning, “ A walk down to the potter’s house;” evening, “Two fishing stories without, salt, or the gloomy combination of might anil nothing.” Duct, “ David and Goliath”; anthem, “ Be Near Us.”

The great quantity of telegraphic news received by the Trans last night necessitated tho staff of operators being doubled. Mr Sigley, who had had a hard day of it, had to he called upon to assist Mr Green, the night operator, and both operators were kept hard at it 011 the duplex wires until well into the morning. When tho Wakapuaka cable station had bec-n cleared of the Times Press Association messages, instructions were received by* Mr Green from the Premier to stand by tho instrument so that if possible any further cable message from South Africa might he given to the public at the earliest moment.

The Borough Overseer (Mr ill. Morgan), and stall yesterday began the work ol completing the asphalting of the (leek of the Taruheru cart bridge.' Judging by the experience of yesterday the only way the work will ever he successfully done will he by absolutely closing the bridge against wheel traffic. Whenever the barrier is raised a long stream of traffic takes possession ; the vehicles may he light, hut they successfully spoil the work, and the hands have to stand idly by and see this damage done. Some are not content with driving at a walking pace, and when near the end of the bridge whip up their horses and make ’.a rush off. At the same time people who are ordinarily reasonable are ready to find fault with the Overseer, and complain because greater facilities are not given them for damaging the work. ■

The annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Gisborne Clas Company was held on Thursday evening, Captain Chrisp presiding. The chairman in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, congratulated shareholders on the success which had attended the operations of the company during the past year. Although a very much higher price had to be paid for coal, they were able to recommend payment of the usual dividend. It was to he hoped that in the near future coal would he purchased at a more, reasonable rate. The Company's mains had been extended in the suburbs, and further extensions were in hand and contemplated. The use of gas for cooking purposes showed considerable expansion, and during last year .the day consumption absorbed 44 per cent, of gas sales. The retiring directors, Captain Chrisp, Messrs .J. T. Evans, and H. J. Busiinell were unanimously re-elected, and Messrs J. IT. Evans and IT. M. Porter the retiring auditors, were re-appoint-ed. Subsequently Captain Chrisp was unanimously re-elected Chairman. A meeting of the Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union was held at the Masonic Hotel yesterday. In regard to the Executive’s request that a lecturer 011 dairying should be sent to this district, Mr Kinsella, Dairy Commissioner, promised that the request would he acceded to at some future date. Mr W. Hutchinson and tiie Secretary, Mr L. Clayton, were appointed a committee to meet the gentleman on his arrival in Gisborne. The Minister of Public Works wrote accepting the invitation to visit Gisborne at the opening of the railway if his ditties permitted him to, do so. The Farmers’ Co-operative Fire and Marine Insurance Association of Canterbury wrote forwarding a copy of a punted letter addressed to Mr Glass in regard to the insurance of members’. property at a reduction of 10 per cent, on existing rates. Consideration of the letter was held over pending negotiations by Mr Glass. A resolution was carried requesting the Government to remove weeds from their own lands and reserves, as specified in section 17 of the Act. It was also resolved that section 11 of the Act, dealing with weeds on Native lands, be stringently enforced without unnecessary delay in this district. The following resolution was passed for forwarding to.the Colonial Council of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union “ That the Farmers' Union approach the Government and ask them to so amend section 4of the Workers’ Compensation for' Accident Act as to distinctly show whether or not farmers are in,) eluded and liable under the clause.” Mr Lystiar moved a resolution urging that the Union should continue to support the Commercial Union Company, which had brought down the rates under the Employers’ Liability Act. The pioposal was heartily supported by Mr Clayton, seconded by Mr Hutchinson, and carried. A sub-committee was formed consisting of Messrs Macfarlane, 8011, Wallis, ami Acland Hqpij to co-operate with the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce in connection witli the invitation to Ministers, and attend a im. vo - meeting of the Union in Or- 1 month On (lie motion of Mr C. J.' Parker, seconded by Mr Clayton, it was decided that the branches should lie asked tp discuss the advisabiilitv of forming q Farmers' Club In (Oflaborne. ’