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Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 383, 7 April 1902, Page 2

The Weka arrives from Napier this morning, with mails for Gisborne. Tho Supreme Court sessions open on Thursday morning next. Tho Auckland Star states that Mr Tom Mann will shortly pay a visit to Gisborne. A lively meeting of creditors was held at Christchurch last week. One of the creditors present expressed a wish to be alone with the debtor in a room for a while. The Assignee said tho meeting room was not available for the purpose.

There is a humorist with the Ninth Contingent. He writes: One, a noncommissioned officer, it is said, deserted at the last moment; ho had only been married three days, so what else could be expected ! When they have had a honeymoon he may be glad to get away with the Tenth 1

The following gentlemen have been proposed ns directors of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Company : Messrs Frank Barker, Walter Barker, W. K. Chambers, John Clark, William Cooper, 0. A. DeLautour, G. E. Eliott, James Fitzgerald, Frederick Hall, Thos. Holden, E. M. Hutchinsfln, P. T. Kenway, W. D. Lysnar, M. B. Mander, Geoffrey S. McLean, F. Pattullo, 0. J. Parker, J. M. Ritchie, M. H, Strachan, W. F. Somerville, R. Sherratt, W. Tombleson, W. H. Tucker. Thp number of directors to be elected is not to exceed ten nor be less than four. The statutory meeting is to held next Saturday. Mr Schmidt desires us to explain, in regard to the accident which occurred last week, that his horse was standing quietly in front of Mr Colebrook’s store while he went inside to get the mail. When in the store ho heard some one call out; he rushed outside, but before he could get to the horse it had cleared off, having been frightened by the mad career of a Maori horse and buggy passing at the time; there was a child in tho Maori buggy. Mr Schmidt’s horse galloped across the river, and was found quietly grazing a quarter of a mile away.

A wedding of considerable interest to Gisborne residents took place recently at St Clement’s Church, Capetown, the contracting parties being Nurse Nellie Dean Redstone, eldest daughter of Mr J. R. Redstone, of this town, and Captain Hogar Wallace Thomas Wilcox, youngest son of Henry Wilcox Esq., of “ Wilton House,” Ilford, Essex. The happy couple are at present spending their honeymoon in England, and they shortly leave for India. Amongst the New Zealand young ladies who volunteered for service in South Africa few are so popular as Nurse Redstone, and her many friends will join with us in offering congratulations to herself and husband, Wo understand that Captain and Mrs Wilcox are likely to visit Now Zealand in the near future.

At the meeting of the Te Arai Road Board on Saturday a letter was received from tho Cook County Council, giving information as to the Karawa bridge. The Chairman (Mr C. White) said they had more than paid for the bridge, yet the Council demanded £lO per annum. Mr Clark was under the impression that, having paid the principal, they wore free from tho interest, or that the Government, under tho Roads Construction Act, paid half tho cost. At the end of the term the Board would have paid £5lO for a £385 bridge. The bridge had been constructed upon a county road, and was used by the mail coach and all traffic to Napier. He thought they had paid as much as had been expected of them —the County Clerk having stated so two years ago. The Chairman agreed with Mr Clark. It was decided to go into the matter with tbe County Council, “ to see if common-sense would not bring them to the same opinion."

At tho meeting of tho To Arai Road Board on Saturday, Mr Parker stated that he had met the lion. Mr Carroll when last in Gisborne in reference to the Government supplying a subsidy of £ for £ in connection with the proposed bridge. Mr ■ Carroll had said he thought there would be no difficulty in obtaining the money. Mr J. Clark moved that the Clerk be instructed to take tho necessary steps to complete the loan of £6OO for the proposed Te Arai bridge. This was seconded by Mr Parker an! carried. General business was also transacted by the Board. Tho Board refused to fall in with the Health Department's suggestion that the County Council appoint an inspector for the whole of the district, to be supported by constributions from tbe Council and Road Boards.

A ceremony of an exceedingly pleasing nature took place at tho Masonic Hotel on Saturday afternoon, when Trooper C. Parker, a popular young Gisbornite, was presented by his fellow-employees of Messrs Archibald Clark and Sons, with a handsome pair of gold sleevo links, as well as a cheque from the firm. A number of business people witnessed the presentation, which was made hy Mr A. T. Hookey, manager for Messrs Clark and Sons. Mr Hookey said Mr Parker had been over seven years with the firm, and half that time under himself. He had never had anyone work so faithfully and well for him as Mr Parker had done, and he hoped that he would have every success in South Africa. Mr W. Pet-tie made an excellent speech, in the course of which he referred to Trooper Parker’s many good qualities. He had, he said, watched him grow up almost from childhood, and had always found him most respectful, courteous, and obliging. Wherever he went he would carry with him the best wishes of the people of Gisborne. Messrs F. A. Ford and C. Adair spoke in terms of the highest praise of the manner in which Mr Parker had acted towards them during his service at Messrs A. Clark and Sons, and Mr J. A. Harding also endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers. In returning thanks Mr Parker expressed his appreciation of the kindness shown towards him by those present-, and also thanked them for the presents which he had received. The health of the departing trooper having been drunk, tbe gathering broke up,

“ The Premier of Federated Australia” was a recent description of Mr Seddon by the London Daily News, To-morrow is the last day for receiving shares for the Gisborne Sheepfarmers 1 Cooperative Association.

The Cornwall Family, aiter a successful country tour, take the boards at. the Theatre Royal to-night, and should have a hood house.

There should be a large attendance at the Gisborne Mutual Improvement Society’s meeting to-night, when Mr W. L. Rees will lecture on “ Builders of the Rmpire.” A sudden death occurred at the Thames on Thursday night. Mrs Inglis, wife of Mr James Inglis, an old Thames resident, was suddenly taken ill in Pollen street, and carried •into the Imperial Hotel. She was attended to by Dr. Bond, but died within a few hours. Mrs Inglis was SO years of age. An officer of the Wellington Rille Battalion lias made the statement that on Easter Sunday, just before (lie night attack, in the Wairarapa district, one of the mounted men found a ball cartridge in his pouch. In tile ordinary course he would have drawn on his bandolier first, and then his pouch. Yesterday afternoon, fifty horses for South Africa wore shipped by the Te Auau to Wellington. They were despatched by Mr Campbell Thomson, tlio work of shipping the animals being carefully carried out by Mr J. It. Redstone and staff. The horses wore of good quality, the prices paid ranging from .£l2 to £2O.

Last evening Mr Bertie Bright, a passenger on board theWaihi, had his pocket picked of the sum of twenty-one shillings. The money had been given to him by Trooper Parker to pay an account, and was extracted from Mr Bright’s trouser pocket, between the time of the departure of the launch from the Te Anau, and the arrival at the whaif. In futuro the old time-table for the steamer service from Onehunga to New Plymouth and vice .versa will bo reverted to, and mails betweeii those two ports will only bo sent four times a week instead of daily. As recently, the time-table will bo: Leave New Plymouth, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays ; leave Onehunga, Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. The daily train between New. Plymouth and Wellington will continue to run.

A good deal of amusement was occasioned on board the Waihi last evening on account of a number of the passengers paying tribute to Neptune. The launch, after leaving the Te Anau, went out to the Star of Australia to get a southern mail, and several fairly good sailors were anxious to see the end of the journey. A wag on board suggested to tho sick passengers that they should call at the office on the following morning, and ask for tho return of their passage money, or else receive a free ticket for the following week.

A' narrow escape from drowning occurred to a Native woman and child yesterday afternoon. They were walking on the western groyne when by some means tiiey fell into the channel. The accident was observed by several persons, and a rescue was effected by two gentlemen, who by lying on the groyne, were able to reach a helping hand to the woman and child, and assist them out of the water.- The accident was observed by passengers on hoard the Waihi as that steamer was reaching the wharf, but the prompt action of the gentlemen in question made it unnecessary to send assistance.

On March 16th, Messrs'Nelson, Moate and Co.’s head office and packing warehouse at Wellington were destroyed by fire. In a little over a week from that date the firm had settled down to work again in very commodious new premises on Jervois Quay. As a matter of fact there has been practically no suspension of business, as, notwithstanding the great loss sustained, the firm having immenso stocks of tea in their Wellington bond, and at their Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, and Hobart branch warehouses, have been able to fill all immediate trade .orders as usual. The firm were very fortunate in having duplicates of the most important machinery stored in bond, which enabled them to have the necessary plant again speedily at work.

A meeting of farmers was held on Saturday to form a Gisborne branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union. Mr James Macfarlane presided. Mr R. M. Birrell was appointed secretary. The Chairman

stated fifty members were necessary to form a branch. He thought the list would show they had over the required number. Mr Bell said that Mr Li3sant Clayton, the provincial secretary, who had all the information, had written regretting

his inability, owing to-Biiortness of notice, to attend the meeting.- He would be

down on the 15th. Messrs Morice, Fraser, Ross, Harris, Ferris, Little, Wade, and Robson were appointed a committee, four to form a quorum. The following notices of motion were given:—By Mr Jas. Macfarlane: “That this Union considers that all loans to local bodies should be relieved of the mortgage tax’’; "That the clause in the Maori Councils Act, 1900, relating to the registration of brands is not compatible with the Stock Act, 1893, and is calculated to cause confusion, and should be amended.” By Mr A. Y. Ross : “ That this branch of the Farmers' Union is of opinion that the ratepayers should have the appointment of at least one expert valuator 'to sit on the Assessment Bench.” At a meeting of the committee a vigorous canvass was determined upon, as one of the Government Dairy Experts, Mr Ouddie, is expected to arrive on the 16th inst., and Messrs Birrell and 801 l were deputed to receive him and to make arrangements for his meeting those interested in dairying. The Government is going to hustle the Tenth Contingent off to Africa in record time. Mr Seddon is afraid if he dallies too long the men will not get there before peace is declared, and so miss the fighting; therefore, he is making the most remarkable haste ; moreover, in its anxiety to get men, the Government has reduced the minimum height from sft 6in to sft 4in. We are not inclined to disagree with either

resolution. He who gives quickly gives twice, and if the men are mobilised by the end of the month they ought to acquire a sufficient knowledge of drill in a fortnight to make them presentable. The sending of lighter men must be regarded as a Seddonian experiment. We fail to see why a small man should not be able to ride and shoot as well as a big one, and he has the advantage of presenting a smaller mark for the other fellow to fire at. Neither is there any imputation against the small man's bravery. On the other hand, light men can travel further and faster than heavy ones. While we applaud the Government’s energy, we hope that the rumors of approaching peace will not deter men from volunteering under the mistaken impression that the fighting will be over before they get there. It is possible, but not very probable, that peace will eventuate from the Conference proceeding at Kroonstad. The Boer is not beaten yet- Meanwhile Canterbury must not let the impression that they are not going to see any fighting dampen its enthusiasm about the despatch of the South Island section of the Tenth.—Truth.