The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 6, 1905.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1372, 6 February 1905, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 6, 1905.

A lost cheque is advertised for. Furnished rooms are wanted by adver tisers.

Tho Nautilus will sail for Tolago Bay and Tokomaru to morrow. A signet ring lost between Matawhero and Gisborne is advertised for. Tho Sonoma left San Francisco on February 3rd.

The programme of tho concert to-mor-row evening, in aid of tho City Band oontest fund appears in this issue. Tho Mokoia brought a large number of rams for Gisborne, also half a dozen racehorses.

The borquentino Rivor Huntor was drawing lOf6 . lOin when she entered the river on Saturday morning. Large ontries have bean receivod for the stock sale at Puhatikotiko on Tuesday, 14th inst., and tho fair promises to be a great success. By the Mokoia yesterday Miss Large, of Hastings, arrived to take part in tho concert to be given by the City Band at His Majesty’s Theatre to-morrow night. Preparations in connection with Fitzgerald’s circus are proceeding apace, and there should be a record house on Thursday evening.

Messrs Dalgety and Co will hold a special sale of horses at the Masonic Btables on Saturday. A largo number of entries have already been received and more are invited. Mr Wachemann will conduot tbo solo.

An important sale will be held at Ormond to-morrow, when the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company will sell a large number of horses on account of Mr C. Noonan. There should

be a largo attendance of buyers. A lumper ■ named Gadd, working on the Bteamor Tarawera at Auckland on Friday, was knockod down by some bags of sugar which wore being hoisted out of the ship’s hold. One of his legs was badly broken, and his spine was found to bo injured when he was examined at the general hospital, where ho now lies under treatment.

The Urewera Native dancers attracted a large crowd to tho Victoria Domain on Saturday last, when a programme of poi dances, hokas and speeohes was given. The performance was highly successful, both in regard to merit and from a financial point of view. The sum of L 5 was handed to His Worship, tho Mayor, to go towards tho funds of the Beautifying Association. Mr Burke, engineer of the Waihi Beach mine, and four men, had a narrow escape from drowning on Thursday last. They had been fishing about half-a-mile from

land, and had turned tho boat towards the Bhore. When about 150 yards off the beach the boat got broadside on, and overturned in tho rollers. One of tho men, who was unable to swim, was rescued with great difficulty by Mr Burke. All were very much exhausted whon they reached the shore.

The band contest commences in Auckland on tbo 13th inst, and a considerable amount of interest is being manifested. The Wellington Garrison and Kaikorai Bands yffil all' compote. Messrs Buckly (Wanganui Garrison, also tho champion E. flat corm.'t playor of Australasia), and Parker Now Zealand’s champion B flat cornet soloist, are competitors in tho B flat cornet solo event. The Mayor of Auckland will give a garden party and reception to the judge (Mr W. S. King) and visiting bandsmen, on Wednesday afternoon, and on Saturday the military marching competition takes place on the Domain. At a meeting of the members of the Poverty Bay Bowing Club it was decided to row for Mr F, Harris’ cup in about two weeks’ time, and Messrs A. Pool, K. McLeod, and Fraser were appointed handioappere. The distanco will be from Mr Cussen’s wharf to tho shed, about a mile. Mr McLeod was elected on the committee in place of Mr V. Somervell, resigned. It was also decided that the club become a member of the Hawke’s Bay Sports Protection Association, the secretary being instructed to make toe necessary arrangements. It was also decided to have another series of trial fours as soon as ths sculling is completed, the distanco to be about 1£ miles.

A determined effort has been made in Victoria of late to eradicate the starling, on the ground that the bird destroyed fruit and crops. Opinion, however, is divided on the question. At tho Mirboo Sbire Council meeting, councillors were much opposed to the proposal to give a bonus for the destruction .of starlings. One councillor stated that a Hock of starlings had been around his place for months, but had not touched ths eherries on tho trees. In Harden, out of 29 birds shot and dissected, the food in each case Ca« found to consist of insects. Among the 'armors in South Gippsland the starimg is look'.'* l * l ’P oa as a great benefactor. Certainly, »06 advent of the bird there has been a a.". o ®!' . □utioa of tbs grasshopper pest,

Williom Bassott, a very old Now Plymouth settlor, passed away on Friday night at tbo ago of 89. Tho “ didn’t know it was loaded ” series of accidents, extensive us it is, is a mere nothing bcsido the sorios conscquoncos that have rosuitod since tho introduction of tho deadly pua-riilo.—Haworn Star.

The Hawko's Bay A. and P. Socioty has roooived replies from nine kindred bodies, suppprting thoir attitude on tho anthrax question. At Friday’s mooting mombors expressed themsolves very strongly at tho negligence of tho Government in tho matter.

Tho Wellington Trades and Labor Counoil has dcoidod to urge tho Government to prohibit tho landing of Asiatics in Now Zealand as a menace to tho mental, moral, physical and social welfaro of our people.

At tho Wellington Supremo Court John Kilmartin, charged with tho manslaughter of Michael Foloy, was acquitted. Accused and Foloy had been drinking togother and quarrelled. In tho struggle Foloy fell and died from tho effects, The Southland Times says that arrangements aro at present being made to secure suitablo candidates to contest tho Mataura and Awarua electorates. It is rumored that Mr McNab will bo opposed by a strong Oppositionist, who is at the same time a prohibitionist. A candidate with similar qualifications is likely to opposo Sir Joseph Ward, while Invercargill will be contested by an independent candidate who holds prohibition views.

Our Pakarao correspondent reported yesterday : —CrHarding and MrMoLoughlin, contractor for the Tolago bridge, passed through here yesterday on their way to Tolago Bay.—Mr and Mrs Langford. of Maugalu, passed hero yesterday | on their way homo from Waipiro Springs, whore they have beon spending a few weeks’ holiday.—Mr J. B. Shaw, who wont into town for medical advlco, has returned homo. —The Nautilus has been loading wool hero lately for transhipment into tho Star of Australia, at Gisborne. The Auckland Herald of Saturday has tho following “Mr Stophon C. Camming, of the local staff of the Telegraph Department, has been promoted to Bonior clerk of the Post and Telegraph Department at Gisborne, and leaves for his new sphere of duties by tho Manuka on Tuesday next. During the last seven years that Mr Camming has been in Auckland he has made many friends by his courtesy. All will congratulate him upon his welldeserved promotion, and wish him every success in his new position.

The steamer Mokoia left Napier at 20 minutes to 7 on Saturday night, and dropped anchor at Gisborne shortly before 2on Sunday morning. For tho convenience of those desiring to leave tbo wharf or return from tho steamer a special trip was made by the Waihi in addition to the one fixed for 6 o.m. The Mokoia was a fuli ship, and shokedowns had to be made up in tho saloon and social hall for a large number of passengers. The wharf was reached by tbo Waihi on return shortly before 4 a.m., as day was breaking. A Christchurch gentleman, recently returned from Europe, tells a good story of one of his experiences in Madrid. In company with three other colonials, bo visited a cafe, and coffee was ordored for the quartette. On its arrival futile endeavors wore made to got the waiter, who was as deficient in his knowledge of English es were the tourists in thoir acquaintance with Spanish, to bring somo milk. At last, whon every other method had failed, one of tho party produced a piece of paper, on which he drew a rough figure of a cow. This apparently had the desired effect, and away flew the waiter, only to return in a few minutes with four tickets for a bull fight that was to take place next day.

A large animal, supposed to be identical with the Tantaluna tiger, which escaped Borne five years ago, and was never recaptured, is reported to be on Merrin Green holding (says a telegram from Ungarie, published by the Australian Star). It appears that two children of the manager were playing with a cat, near the creek, when a large animal jumped out of the scrub, seized the cat, and made off with it. The children informed their parents of what had happened, and, a search being made, a track, presumably that of a tiger, was found in the soft earth, leading into thick scrub. For some days previous all the horses have been in a state of terror, for which the men had been at a loss to account.

A mooting of tho To Aral Road Board was hold on Saturday, when there wera present —Messrs C. White (chairman), H. U-. Smith, C. J. Parker, T. Jex-Blako and Clark. Permission was granted to Mr T. Daulton to put in a culvert across tho road loadiDg to the valley, a grant of 30s being made for the work. Mr Clark was authorised to see the work done. Mr P. McLoughiin wrote stating that he had completed his contract for metalling 13 chains on the Tokonui road. It was decided to pass payment. A letter was received from the Secretary to the Treasury stating that tho Board’s application for £7OO for metalling cuttings on Arai road from Reay bridge upwards to Tobonui had been provisionally approved of by the Colonial Treasurer, subject to tho Board taking the neceasary steps required, tho loan to bo for a period of 26 years, with interest at .5 per cent. Accounts amounting to £l4l 15s 6d were passed for payment.

.There Was always beau a tendency' in this colony, to favor the Canadian

[Australian line, partly because tho comp.ain.iea engaged in it are largely. New. Zealand concerns, and. partly on account of the trade connection it affords with the Dominion. Prior ibo, tjbo contract with 1 ;Q|uc©nsland,' -the service was used • by the New Zealand postal authorities as an alternative route with the 'A- and. A- As tauch it proved eminently unsatisfac-

tory, for not only was the time slow; (3a 'days to Wellington), but tho running was nfest unpunctual, ajnfl' the mails by the Federal route were fo.u.nd to arrive with greater, regularity. It may, ho well to recall at the

present juncture this colony’s experience of the .Vancouver service, for, it seems likely that the .Government

will again secure the connection. Assuming that a mail line via Vancouver is desirable, which we doubt

very much, a more business-like arrangement than was previously in force is imperative. If the colony.

is to pay mail-service rales a timetable that will stand comparison

with other, routes sho.uld he guaranteed, and strict penalties for lapses provided and enforced- Unless such an arrangement is made we cannot sec that any considerable subsidy is justified. For a leisurely service to 'Canada and through to London, *New 'Zealand should not find any subvention of £20,000. Direct communication with Eastern C (in ad a would corraiuly he of value to this colony, but it should bo established on a sound financial footing.,—Auckland Star. measures to. be taken.- >