The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2097, 4 June 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1907.

Spurious half-sovereigns are in circulation in Dannevirke.

A cook for a country station is advertised for in this issue.

There are 305 fisheries in New Zealand, employing 782 persons. \

The Borough Council has a notice in this issue regarding rates to be struck for the year.

School gardens in the Wanganui district earned a capitation of £lO2 9s last year.

There is a total of 1162 pupils attending the classes, at tlio Wanganui Technical School.

Notice of the commencement of the second quarter in sundry • classes at the Technical School is given in our advertising columns to-day.

Cancer accounted for 23 deaths in the four centres of New Zealand during April.

A number of town and country properties are advertised for sale in this issue by Mr. W. L. Clayton. Among the .number is a sheep station for immediate sale.

During tho first week in May nearly 1000 bags of Hour, 52 bags of barley, 35 bags of poas, 587 bags of onions, and 650 bags of potatoes were shipped from Melbourne to New Zealand.

An advertisement appears elsewhere in this issue from a new dressmaking firm, whoso address is Excelsior House, Grey-street. The new firm will make a specialty of scientific dresscutting.

The cold weather is driving rats and mice into winter quarters near inhabited parts. A weka was killed yesterday in Alexandra Park, an unusual visitor of late years, and thencries can bo heard along the river.s at night. The natives consider this an augury of a particularly severe winter.—AVairoa Guardian.

In consequence of the Government holiday yesterday the Tai-Rawhiti District Maori Land Board was merely formally opened by the President, Colonel T. W. Porter, C. 8., and adjourned to this morning. There is a good deal of business to be transacted, including some applications adjourned from last sitting. The Board will also meet on the 17th inst.

Under the Hawke’s Ray Land Board settlement is proceeding apace. The ballot in connection with the Waimana estate will take place at Whakatane on August 7, and •on August 14 a ballot will be conducted at Opotiki for the 27,000 acres opened for selection in that district. The Teasdale estate, • near Te Awawutu, will -be balloted for on August 28.

An appea) is being made to increase the. Waiapu Bishopric Endowment Fund to £25,000. Nearly £14,000 is still needed to ensure an adequate stipend for tho Bishop and to 'build a suitable episcopal residence. During the present Bishop’s occupancy of the sec from 1895 to the end of the financial year in 1906; the average sum paid to him was less than £277 per annum, out of which ho lias had to pay rent for residence.

A stranger who was in town yestorday marvolled that no holiday was being obsorved, and' asked, “Why didn’t tho Tradesmen’s Association decide upon a holiday ?” ‘‘There are too many holidays alfeudy,” replied his informant; “and, besides, Gisborno can’t boast of such an association; it died a natural death.” “And the reason?” pursued his questioner. “Olf, the usual,” came tlfo rojoindor, “internal dissension.” Now, is this a libel on the place?

Our correspondent’s letter drawing attention to the necessity for putting down the filthy habit of expectorating on the footpaths was brought under the notice of the Borough Council authorities yesterday. . Our reporter ascertained that despite the lack of prosecutions in the past, there is a by-law on the subject reading: “No person shall spit, or expectorate, or discharge, drop, or place any spittle or other offensive matter upon any footpath.” As there is no responsible officer of tho Council to sec to ifs enforcement, tho duty devolves upon the police. The guardians of the law have, as a rule, plenty to occupy . them without worrying about mere by-laws, nevertheless they do a great deal towards maintaining go.od order in the streets. The ‘‘spitting” fraternity have received warnings from time to tjme and no doubt a word in season will have a good effect. As a heavy penalty can be imposed, thoughtless smokers had better gxercise more care in the future. . The correspondent’s suggestion to -have a few notices conspicuously placed, as in other towns, should commend itself to tl)o Council. \

Tho olomonts have had their effect upon some of the bad piocos ol road out-baclc, and already there n*e some spots which sorely tax the vocabularies of teamsters. A countiy storekeeper in town yesterday prophecies considerable difficulty in procuring supplies during the wiritoi, tho only medium of carriago being pack-horses. On the stretch between ltakauroa andPulia “bogs” have been frcqnont, and tliore are quagmires that dofy tlio staunchest teams. Even ompty waggons ore stuck up. An order for horses and pack-saddles was eloquent testimony of tlio visitor’s pessimistic views regarding tho impossibility of wlicol traffic for months to come.

That tho potato blight is confinod to wot seasons is a common belief, but a wrong ono, says tho Southland Nows. Southland has experienced ono of tho driost seasons in its history, yet there have been considerable losses from this causo. A Waianiwa settlor put 20 tons into pits, which liuvo all collapsod, tho loss being a total one. A blight specific was used on tho growing crops. As seed ruled at a vory high price in tho spring, tho grower has boon out of pocket ns well as getting no return for his labor. On last yoar’s market his crop would have been worth fully £2OO.

According to a contemporary, a lady had an amusing experience in a Ponsonby (Auckland) car. Tho car was empty, with the exception of ono man, and bo was the rovorso oi tho car. As she entered ho rose, mado her an unsteady blit magnificent bow, and said: “Madam, please be kind enough to accept tliisli plusbe.” Bather than offend the man, there was nothing else for her to do, so she thanked him and sat’ down. And for sovon blocks he liung from tho strap, swaying in the breezo, with not a soul in tho car but tho two. Tho lady said that she had frequently been taken for other women, but never boforo had any ono thought she was a carfull.

Oliakuno, which will soon bo tho head of tlio southern extension of tho Main Trunk line, is (according to the Taranaki Herald) extending like a gold-mining town during a rush. The Government cut up allotments in the township about a year' ago, and £SO was the average price paid for quarter-acre sections. Shop sites have since grown so desirable, that some have changed hands at £350. Sawmillers, anticipating good times for tlioir industry, are making Oliakuno a centre, and no fewer than six mills have started within six months. Owing to scarcity of land many business people have to carry on trade in a tent.

Some time ago tho Wellington City Council was urged to make better use of the city organ by arranging a series of recitals by well-known organists. The suggestion was adopted and the series, which began in February last, has proved a failure. The gross takings averaged slightly over £lO, which is not nearly sufficient to pay the expenses of the rent of the hall and the lighting. Each of the four organists received- £5 a recital, in addition to which the City Council had to pay advertising, printing, etc. A Christchurch organist gave a couple of recitals recently on his own responsibility, and lost money.