THE HOLIDAYS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1964, 27 December 1906, Page 4

THE HOLIDAYS.

POST AND Tf LI GRAPH DE« PARTMEI.nT. Pi stal branch.—Tuesdays, tho 25 h Dvcomhor and Ist January (I'hristmßS Pay and New Year’s May) "ill bo oh* served as c-loso holidays On VVeduis day, the i’Gthinst. (Bexing Din) tlo post i fficu will bo open in all i'B hrai.dies, excepting money older and savings ba Ic, from 1) a m. to 10 a m Receivers and posting lnx<s will bo clou ed on Ihe oveniugs of Mondays the 24th and B Ist inst. Mails usually despatched on Tuesdays the 25th December and Ist January will c.loso at 7.30 p in. ou Mondays tho 2‘lth and JLetinst. On Boxing Day, ilio 26;1i inst, the usual despatch of mails up to 8 a.m. will be mado. Posting boxes and receivers cleared accordingly. On Monday evenings Iho 24;h and 31st inst., a delivery of town letters (including regisioied' will be made between 7 aud 8 p.m. at the post oflico wicket.

Telegraph office. On Tuesday (Christmas Day) Sunday hours will bo observed, via, 980 to 10 a.m., ami 5 to 530 p.m. On Wednesday (Box ag Day), and Tuesday (New 5 ear’s Day) the cllico will be open from 9 a in. to 4 p m. and 7 p ru. to midnight. Telephone) exchange will obseive special hours on Christmas Day viz , 9 a in. to ] 0 a.m. only.

i n Boxing Hay and New Year’s Day contii ujus attendance as usual from 7 a.m. to 11 p m.

The Bight Hon. Henry AVccdon, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, will arrive in Christchurch on January 10th.

Handel’s “ Messiah” is shortly to be rendered in aid of tho Instrument Fund of the Masterton South Brass Band.

The bank is advancing 18000 on the “joint and several guarantee” of the farmers of Tarilti (Taranaki), for the establishment of a cheese factory

“ No good lining for sly grog selling ; that day is past,” remarked Mr flyer, S.M., at Auckland, in imposing a sentence of four months’ imprisonment with hard labor.

A proposal is mooted in Feilding for the local Borough Council to grant a X'aO bonus to Mr Webster, the borough engineer, for his energy and skill in carrying out Borough works.

The spectacle of one of New Zealand’s justices of tlie peace wheeling a barrow opposite Tnihapo’s Temple of Justice is creating considerable merriment in the minds of the passers-by (says the local News). From “ early morn ” until “ dewy eve ” this doughty capitalist is to be seen wheeling bis barrow and shovelling like an ordinary navvy. Recently Ins presence was

required to adjudicate in a case of obscene language, and, wiping the heads of perspiration from his forehead, lie donned his coat, and in a few seconds was translated from navvy to a presiding justice. At the close of the case lie made for the scene of his labor, and doffing his coat, resumed wheeling operations.

The Laborers’ Union of Nelson lias lost its employment book, which was kept at the local oflice of the Labor Department, The union suspects that the book was stolen, and in a letter to the Wellington Trades Council conveying this allegation, states further 'that the book was to have played an all-impor-tant part as evidence in several breach of award actions instituted by the union. What shall we do without that book was the anxious question put by tlie union to the council. The latter body is advising the union to proceed with its actions, inform the Arbitration Court why the book could net be produced, and ask the Minister of Labor for safer and better accommodation for employment books.

While lie was in the North recently Mr T. E. lAinuc, Superintendent- of the Department; of Tourist and Health Resorts, visited some Underground caves about twenty miles from Rotorua to wards the East Coast, it is supposed that these excavations were made by old-time Maoris, “ escapees from Hougi's massacres or something of that sort," says it r Donne. He found ten of these caverns, which were cut- out of soft rock, evidently by Maori chisels, for the walls were all scored with chisel marks of various sizes. The largest of these ancient habitations is about 12ft long and Bft wide. Only one relic of the old dwellers, a stone lamp, was found. The caves are interesting etlmologicall.y, states Mr Donne, but are of no great value from the general tourist point of view. They are too far away from Rotorua, and the way to them is rather arduous,

Not long ago the German Empress was conversing at a reception in the Berlin Palace with a baroness whose luisba iicl is very ricli. The baroness asked the Empress w-liat things in the world she liked best. ‘Your Majesty must excuse my question,” the baroness added, “but it would be a great honor if 1 could do something to please you.” The Empress smiled in her motherly way. “My dear,” sho replied, “it .vould not be possible for you to give me the things I like best, for I already have them.” Indeed, your Majesty?” said the baroness. “May i make hold to ask what they are?” “I can toll ion very readily,” said the Empress. “There are four things I. prefer to all others, and they all begin with ’k.' Thy are my Kaisor, my kinder, niv ki'relie, aiid my k'icho. This may bo ’My king, my children, niv Church and my kitchen.” ' ‘ ’

A characteristic storv is told of Abe Gruber, a well-known New York _<i" yer. Milieu lie was a boy looking tor something to do be saw the sigm 'Boy Wanted,” hanging outside of a .tore, in Wow ork. He picked up die sign and entered file store. The iroprietor met him. “What did you iling that sign in here for?” asked he storekeeper. “Yon won’t need it my more,” said Gruber, cheerfully, ‘l’m going to take tire job.”