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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2206, 9 October 1907, Page 2

Captain Cook Day was not overlooked yesterday, several of the business establishments sporting national flags and bunting. Gisborne was entirely tree of bankruptcies last quarter, as compaicu with two for tho April-June quarter. Tho last schedule wus filed in May. Members of the Loyal Gisborne Lodge, M.TJ.j have decided to celebrate the 33rd anniversary with a banquet in the Masonic Hall on November 4tli. . , •V concert under the auspices or tiic Bible in Schools Association is being organised for Show night, October 22. Unique items are to be announced later. * T ,„„,i Work on tlio. Esplanade Koacl, Ivaiti, is progressing but slowly, as very little gravel is, available. Stanley road, between Aberdeen and Gladstone roads, is being made passable, and a footpath formed. The surface water drain in Disraeli street, between Gladstone road and Childer s road, has been completed. At the meeting to' consider Lie matter of allowing Maoris _to exercise local option on tho drink question, which is to be held in His Majesty’s Theatre to-morrow evening, motions will be submitted by the Itevs. F. Bennett and E. N. Tautau. Mr Bennett’s deals with ifiie question of local option, and Mr. [lautau’s with enforcement of the Licensing Act, 1904, in regard to the supply of liquor to Maoris. The text ol the motions appears in an advertisement in this issue. . Mr. Millar, Minister m charge of tho Marine Department, writes to the Borough Council:—“l have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter requesting that the ‘Nora Niven be sent to Poverty Bay to test the fishing grounds in tho vicinity. I lie trawler has finished her work on tho East Coast of the Dominion, and as the time for which she is under charter to the Government is limited, I regret that it will bo impossible to comply with tlio request.” At the meeting of the Council last night the acting-chairman said tlio Council could do nothing further in the matter. lie believed tho results of a test would liavo been beneficial to the Bay. Yesterday being the 138th anniversary of the landing and taking possession of tlio country in the name of tho King of Great Britian. by the great navigator Captain Cook, some' members of tlio Rectification Committee decorated liis monument with a large Union Jack, covering for the day the names of tho troopers whose names were placed on tho monument. Mr. W. Eraser, the night watchman, had an exciting* chase after a supposed thief in the early hours of Thursday morning. Whilst passing the Gisborne Hotel about 4.30 a.m. ho noticed a man passing the Catholic Church, carrying three long plan’ks. This struck him as peculiar, _ and lie followed to* investigate, The individual did not wait for tho watchman to approach, but “lit out for the dawn” at a smart pace, and with a fine sense of humor chose the front of the police station as the place to drop his purloined timber. The fugitive disappeared round the corner towards tho Peel street railway bridge. Three young men in a spring cart were encountered in the chase, but they were of a sporting turn of mind, and wanted a fair “go,” refusing to aid Mr. Fraser, who was ultimately outpaced. The constable on duty joined in a search round the railway station and sheds, but the timbershifter “Jay low” and eluded capture. The boards were 13ft long,, and marked J.S., being evidently taken from Mr. Somervill’s contract at the club.

A letter was read at tlie Borough Council meeting last evening from the Matawliero School Committee (Mr. J. B. von Pein, chairman), asking the Council to reconsider the decision to charge £4 per annum for water service to the school. It was pointed out that (1) the average attendance is below 100, (2) the school •has no dwelling-house attached or any likelihood of there being one, (3) the water would not be used more than four days per week, (4) for at least two months of the year no water_ would' be drawn at all. As the committee's object w.as to ensure a pure supply for the children theytrusted the Council would view the’ matter in a more liberal light, and’ grant the service at a nominal rath. Cr. Bright said lie was still of the opinion that'it was scurvy treatment, to charge country schools £4, whilst 70,000 gallons- was given free for the town- school hatha,. .As there was no residence at the school the charge was excessive. He moved that £2 be the charge.—The Tonal Clerk said the minimum- charge under the bylaw was £4. —The Chairman did not see how the Council could'get beyond, the by-law. Perhaps a concession could bo made in some other form. — Cr. Bright: How can wo say we are bound' bv the by-laws, when, in the same breath we give the town baths a free supply.—Cr. Williams seconded the motion pro forma. He thought j the matter could be dealt with under by-law 24, “extraordinary supplies,” —Or. Whin ray: It is not an extraordinary supply in this instance. The amount used will bo very moderate. —Cr. Pc.ttie considered that the Council had dealt fairly in fixing the amount at £4. —Cr. Bright: The school committees have no funds to spare, that is the difficulty.—The motion reducing the charge to £2 was carried. Ayes: Crs. Williams, Maun, Bright, and Somervell. Noes: Crs. Miller. Pettie. and Sawyer.

Telephones exchange subscribers nro reminded, that rentals for the current

hiailf-yoar should. bo paid' not later than to-day. The Borough Council has received a credit of £IO,OOO from tho A.M.P. Socioty, being tho balanco of tho waterworks loan.

Beyond a holiday for tho banks .and ii section of factory workers, Labor Day lias no special significance in Gisborne. Tho business establishments observo Thursday afternoon as usual.

A discussion (reported on page 4 of this issue) took place at tho Borough Council meeting last night regarding holidays to be observed in connection -with tho conning A. and P. Show and races.

“i'llnds are getting low,” announced the Town Clerk at tho Council

meeting last evening. The Council took.the hint, and gave him the necessary authority to advertise /that rates must be paid by a centum date, failing which direful results would follow. Tho following telegram despatched from Dunedin from Mr. B. Couston, representing Mr. Hay, waterworks ongineor, lias been received by the Borough Council: “Trenches on main pipe lino filled in to Patutahi drain; section terminating at M'atawliero saloyards being tested.” A light agenda p:> per came before tho Council lust evening. Counoillors were not in loquacious mood, and by 9.30 t'lig whole ef the business had been concluded-. The usual “just one other little matter,” which Councillors delight in bringing •up at the eleventh hour, did not eventuate for once in a way. “This establishes a record,” announced the Town Clerk as he gathered up liis papers. The Painters’ Union has taken tho

initiative locally in proposing to invito Mr. Ben Tillett to include" Gisborno in liis tour of the Dominion. The feeling of the other labor organisations is being ascertained before any invitation is sent. The secretary has also been instructed to make in-

quiries regarding Mr. Iveir Hardie’s movements, many persons being desirous of hearing him on his arrival in New Zealand.

The contractor lias made very good headway with the Roebuck road bridge contract. Some difficulty is being experienced in obtaining the balance of kauri for the decking, although the order for it was placed fourteen months ago. The Borough Engineer hopes to see the bridge opened for traffic in about a month’s time. At the Council meeting last evening, Cr. Sawyer asked if it was necessary, now the work was- hung up, to keep on the clerk of works,

who is drawing a salary of £4 per week. The Engineer explained that the clerk’s services could not bo dispensed with for the present, in particular work like bridge construction. Tho contractor was doing all lie could to liurry supplies forward l . The chairman (Cr. Whinray): We can very well leave it to the discretion of the Engineer. At the Borough Council meeting last night a letter was received from Mrs. Elizabeth Sa mil ant, who- wrote in reference to t.lio dangerous- condition of the north end of Whitaker--street. The street is crossed by .a drain some 10£t or loft wide an,d about 4ft deep', she stated, leaving the street impassable for tmffic. A box drain put down years ago by private enterprise was now rotten and broken, and in a dangerous state. “In wet weather,” continued Mrs. SamlJwn/t, “you could ffoat.a ilat-bottcinied boat before my door. I li-ave paid rates for 24 years, but never received sixpence benefit from them. Gentlemen, I should like a little fair play if you please; I think it is time I got it.” —The Engineer said: the culvert should ho taken out and pipes put down. I.t was a simple mhtter.— On tho motion of Cr. Sawyer, seconded by Cr. Pet-tie, tho Engineer was instructed to do what was necessary.

A meeting of the Gisborne Harmonic Society was liekl last evening in Holy Trinity Schoolroom. The Rev.

L. Dawson Thomas occupied the chair. The attendance was small, i ipologies being received from, a number of members, stating their inability to attend. The report and bal-ance-sheet., as read by the secretary, Miss Fauhert, was adopted l by the meeting, tlie balance-sheet showing a debit balance of £2. On the motion of the Rev. Oliatter.ton it was de-

cided that the society suspend practice during the summer, and to make a vigorous start again ill March or April next. The members present were asked to inform their friends, and to endeavor to get as (many members as possible. In order to wipe off the society’s deficit, it was resolved to hold a social on November 7th, and tho following committee were elected to carry out the necessary arrangements: Mesdlames Olnircli, Biaty, and Sliierlaw, and Misses Wilson, Pillion, and Faubert. The committee decided to make the popular charge of one shilling for admission.

Tenders for tlie formation and gravelling of Abattoir road were opened at tho Borough Council .meeting last night. Mr. J. Brosiiahan tendered at £717 3s. Only one other tender was received, bub as it was not handed in until 3 p.m., the closing hour being noon, it was declared informal.—Tlie price mentioned was considerably in advance of tlie Engineer’s estimate, and Cr. Bright attributed this and tlie absence of tenders, to the fact that it was now the busy season for carters. In liis opinion it would be better to defer tenders to_ the autumn.—Cr. Miller favored £SOO worth of work being done under tlie Engineer’s .supervision, in preference to delay. Cr. Sawyer: We can’t spare tlie drays and the men. Remember there is 3000 yards of metal to spread —Cr. Miller objected to the work being left until the autumn. A promise liad been made to the butchers that the road would be formed this season. The Engineer said tlio Borough staff had too much work in hand to mitiGrtako the Abattoir road.—On the motion of Cr. Miller, seconded by Cr Bright, it was decided to call fresh tenders. It was pointed out that this would at least give the informal tenderer a chance of competing.