The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING GISBORNE, OCTOBER 15, 1903.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1022, 15 October 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING GISBORNE, OCTOBER 15, 1903.

The telegraphic traffic for South Australia and Wostern Australia is now normal. .

Captain Edwin telegraphed yesterday : Moderate to strong westerly winds, glass rise, tides moderate. East Cape advised yesterday : —N.W. light breeze, barometer 30'10, thermometer 01, .foggy, good tides, moderate sea. A Sliding of tho Native Land Court will bo held at Gisborno on November 11th, 1903. i \

A sitting of the Native Appellate Court will be held at Tolago Bay on October 27, to hoar and dstermino several appeals against ihe decisions of tho Native Land Court.

Yesterday light variable winds and calms were experienced in the colony. Drizzling rain was reported at Thames, Tauranga, and Taupo ; fine at other places.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of the Gisborne School Committee was held at three o’clock to considor the position of the school, the attendance having fallen about 25 per cent, owing to the prevalence of measles. It was stated that the annual examination,would be concluded during the week. The Committee decided to close the school for a fortnight from tomorrow.

Mr Armstrong, DistrictEnginnor of the Public Works Department, has returned from his visit to Waikaremoana in company with Mr Perham, the officer appointed to obtain data for Mr Hancock, the electrical oxpert now visiting the colony. Messrs Armstrong and Perham called at Te Reinga Rails on their way, cud obtained complete data, which should ■be useful in the event of the falls being utilised for power purposes for Gisborne. It is doubtful whether Mr Hancock will be able to visit Waikaremoana, but the information collected by the investigating engineers will no doubt be placed in his hands. 1 Dr DeLisic, Health Officer of the district, has furnished a lengthy report to the Borough Council dealing with the Waimata river as a source of water supply for Gisborne. Ho criticises many of tho statements made by supporters of tho scheme, and doubts tho practicability of the supply on tho grounds of tho cost of pumping, quality of water, etc. He considers that tho Waihirero scheme would bo more within the means fti the borough, and points out that tho quality of the water is also much superior. Dr DeLisle refers to the Ngatapa scheme, but passes it over on the score that it would bo much too expensive.

At Haiti yestorday an old and much esteemed resident passed away in tho person of Mr W. H. Sceats. Deceased was engaged in military transport corps in Auckland in 1868, and was for several years at tho Thames and Coromandel. He arrived in Gisborne after the massacre, and was for some time in the employ of the late Mr W. King in bis .sawmilling operations, and afterwards in the employment of the Cook County Council. Mr Sceats was a member of the local Foresters Court for maDy years, and members of that Order are requested to attend the funeral this afternoon. Mach sympathy is felt for the widow and members of the family in their sad bereavement.

The members of the Operatic Society are making rapid strides to perfection in the opera " lolantbe.” Thore is less than a fortnight’s time now before tho performance, but everything points to a most successful production. Mrs Davis came from Auckland last week, and has taken l up her part of Phyllis.' Mrs Bucke.tidge as Queen of the Fairies and Mrs Kennedy as lolanthe are splendid, and the principals in the male parts are equally good. Mr A. F- Kennedy makes an ideal Chancellor, and Dr Buckeridge a debonair Strephon. The choruses are doing good work, and after two or three moro practices everything will go without a hitch. The society have perhaps never beforo had such' a wealth of talent engaged e.s they have in this opera, and there is no doubt their efforts will be crowned with tho. success they so richly deserve. A full practice will be held at 7.30 this evening.

Mr Leslie Reynolds and a party yesterday visited Waihirero, Dr. DeLisle returned to Napier by tho Westralia last evening.

Mr W. L. Rees left for Wellington last evening, and will be absent from Gisborne for a fortnight or throe weeks. The Hawke’s Bay Land Board yesterday arranged tho grouping of sections in the Takapau (Wigan) estate.

Letters of naturalisation have been issued to John Srnidt, labourer, Tolago

Bay. Important entries of sheep and cattle have been received for Messrs Williams aud Kettle’s stock sale at Matawkero on Wednesday next.

A pocket-book containing a cheque for £9, lost between Gisborne and Patutahi, is advertised for, also a purse lost on board the Waihi last evening.

Miss Lilian Edgar, a distinguished theosophist, will arrive from Auckland on Sunday, and lecture in tiro Theatre Royal in the evening. His Worship the Mayor will preside.

Our Tokomaru correspondent last evening informed us that the condition of Mr G. J. White, of Tokomaru, who met with an accident on Saturday last, had improved, and there were signs of returning consciousness.

Our readers are reminded of the Hibernian Society’s social and dance to be held in tho Academy of Music this evening. A capital programme has boen arranged, and an excellent evening’s amusement can be looked forward to.

The opening of the Thursday cricket season takes place this afternoon at the Victoria Domain, whore a match will be played between teams selected by the captain and the vice-captain. Afternoon

tea will be supplied to visitors free ol charge.

By advertisement in another column Mr T. Spiers, of Kaiti, requests the gentlemen who visited bis fowlyard last evening and carried off a number of his prize Plymouth Rook fowls to return the same today to save themselves further trouble. The Gazette notes the following non permanent appointments in the Post and Telegraph Department;—Agnes Broderick as postmistress and telephonist at Tuparoa; and Reginald Caulton, as telephonist at Tatapouri. The United Friendly Society Sports Programme Committee met last night and drafted a first-class programme for their sports to be held on the 9th November. Prizes to the extent of £SO will be distributed, and they expect to have a record gathering on the day. The Wairarapa Natives have received a reply to their petition that Mr Seddon be appointed to succeed

'Lord Ranfurly. The King states that it would be contrary to precedent to appoint anyone prominently, engaged in the politics o£ the colony. In a lengthy report forwarded to the Borough Council yesterday morning Dr DeLisle recommends Wuihirero as a source of water supply in preference to Waimata, As the Council expressed the desire to withhold all information on the water question from visiting Engineers, wo are prevented from publishing DrDeLisle’s report in full. The undermentioned rural lands will bo open for sale or selection on Friday, Nov. 20th : 870 acres in Ngatapa District, Cook County, and 776 acres in the same district. These sections are good undulating heavy bush lands, of good soil and well watered, and distant from Gisborne thirty-seven to forty-three miles; 672 acres, Nuhaka North, Wairoa, hilly forest land, good soil, twenty-eight miles from Wairoa. The Bishop of Waiapu, writing to the Napier Telegraph in reply to Mrs Sievwright, says:—" May I be allowed to assure Mrs Sievwrigbt that I bear no animosity towards that body, though some of their aims do not commend themselves to my judgment. To say that every position which is open to mon should be open also to women, is only another way of saying that a woman may fairly be called' upon to do anything which a man may bo called upon to do. lam free to own that I have no wish to soe women onlist in the army, handle the guns on board His Majosty’s ships of war, or even sign articles along with able seamen, to say nothing of various othor occupations which, in my humble opinion, though suited to men are not suited to women. Surely there are some women who need to be protected against themselves. The object of my remarks was not to disparage women in any way but to uphold their rightful prerogatives.” Yesterday afternoon photographs of the landing place of Captain Cook and tho proposed site for the monumont, on tho spur overlooking Boat Harbor, were taken by Mr W. F. Crawford. Tho locality was visited by His Lordship Bishop Williams, Rev. H. Williams (Chairman of Committee), the Mayor, Mr G. W. Sampson, W. Gaudin (hon. secretary), Captain Tucker, and Mr C. P. Davie 3, and these gentlemen wore included in the photographs taken. Tho site selected was roughly marked, and it is intended to place a flag upon it, so that residents and visitors can get some idea as to where the monument is to be placed. The visiting party were unanimous in the opinion that the monument should be placed as near to the actual landingplaee as possible, and the place selected is the most suitable piece of ground on the hillside. Captain Tucker confirmed his offor made to tho committee, and promised that .they should have aright of way to tho spot. The Gisborne Bowling Club open the season this afternoon, and a cordial invitation is extended to ladies and friends of members to be present, The Club’s grounds never looked better than they do at the present time, and great credit is due to the caretaker, Mr F. Tansley, for the eare and attention that ho has bestowed upon them. Play will take place on the new green, which is in first-class order, and members will be agreeably surprised to find it so keen. Everything points to a record season, and the President, J)lr J. A. Harding, and Vice-Presß dent, Mr J. Ponsford, are sparing no efforts to make this afternoon’s ceremony a great success. The ii.me-bonored match between sides selected by the officers referred to will be commenced at two G’clock and the opening ceremoDy will be held at three o’clock. At tho Amalgamation Commission yesterday evidence was given by Mr W. L. Rees, who stated that he paid rates to the Harbor Board, County Council, Borough Council, and Road Board, and ho did not got sixpence in return from any of the bodies, Tho boundaries wero fair as far as

they went, but ho thought they should bo further extended. The terms of amalgamation were fair to the suburbs and borough alike, and amalgamation was not only boneficial to the citizens of the town but the whole district because the opinions of a powerful body produced more good than when divided and more unanimity would result if amalgamation took place. As far as Stout street was concerned, the ratepayers outside the portion to be amalgamated were benefited. Amalgamation would be a benefit to these ratepayers, as it would give them direct power over their rates. There was a demand for more bridge accommodation, which amalgamation would bring. -Suburbs required water and drainage, which would Jje obtained for the whole district at a less proportionate e&fct than for a part. Ho would have to pay a rote for wator and drainage for the borough, aitboogh he would not benefit. Two chains of his property wero in tho borough, pud he would prefer to have the whole of his property in one district, Witness thought some proportion of tho licenses should be allocated to the other districts, as tbs residents in the suburbs frequented the places of public resort. He did not say the suburbs should have the same proportion as tho locus in quo, but they should have a sharo of the license fees. By Mr Chrisp : The streets in the thickly-populated parts of Whataupoko were fairly well advanced, and this might be an argument for the licenses being left to the borough to improve thejr back streets. With the exception of the hotel licenses he thought that the terms were fair. He was prepared to go very far towards bringing in amalgamation on the basis proposed. He had not heard any argument against amalgamation which would convince him. Nothing had been shown him to prove that amalgamation would not benefit the whole of tho com- J munity,

Messrs R. Robertson, W. H. Clayton, and T. Hood returned from Auckland by the Westralia this morning. Mr D. McLeod, Harbor Overseer, left for Wellington last evening on business in connection with the extension of the groyne.

Sinclair's coaches will resume the Thursday afternoon trips to Wainui to-day, coaches leaving tho Post Office at 2 p.m. Return fare is one shilling. The Sheridan Company concluded its Gisborne season fast night, there being a very enthusiastic audience to enjoy “ Naughty Nancy.” The interpolation of a haka by the baller-

inas proved a great attraction, and most .people would prefer the company’s style to the ordinary Maori ltaka. .

At the meeting of the Holiday Committee yesterday an application was received from the A. and P. Society asking that People’s Day at the forthcoming Show (Wednesday, 28th inst) bo proclaimed a public holiday, it bc-iDg a gathering of general interest to the community. The Poverty Bay Turf Club also wrote, asking that Thursday, October 29th, the first day of the spring meeting, be proclaimed as a half-holiday. Mr Garrett said the committee would have to grant the Show as per usual. Mr Ambridge said the question should be fairly looked at. Twelve months ago it was said that the granting of a full day for the Show was not to be looked on as a precedent. Mr Adams thought that half a day each for the Show and races was sufficient. The Mayor pointed out that with the railway people could get to the grounds quickly, and if tho town closed at 11 o’clock that would meet all requirements. Mr Pettis said that if tho Committee thought that a whole day was necessary for the Show it would be given, but last year they found that sevoral tradespeople opoDed until 11 o'clock, and complaints had boen made. By remaining open till 11 o’clock country people who arrived in town on the morning of the Show would bo able to supply their wants. On the motion of Mr Adams, seconded by Mr Garrett, it was decided to proclaim a holiday on the Wednesday from 11 o’clock. Mr Pettie thought that business people could not expect to do much business on the first day of the races, and on his motion it was decided to close at 1 o’clock on the Thursday.