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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2096, 23 January 1908, Page 2

At the deputation yesterday afternoon to the Minster for Lands about Hospital representation, Air. Cecil Lewis pointed out that the lodges did x lot of good outside their own members, when a deserving ~. case came before them, and sometimes responded to requests from places fiiito away from the district. Circulars came from lodges in other places, and sometimes donations were given out of a benevolent fund, which was quite separate, from the funds necessitated by the actuary.

No less than twenty Gisborne people have hooked passages by tho Orient steam Asturias, leaving Sydney on March LStli.

Very little interest was taken in tho poll yesterday oil the question as to whether the half-holiday in factories should bo held on the day tin which the shops close. The proposal to make a universal Imif-iioli-day 'was lost by 103 votes to 87, the informal votes numbering six.

The newly-formed Gisborne Itriek Company has acquired thirteen acres of I mil near the Haiti school lor tho site of the works. The .first instalment of the machinery is to arrive in Gisborne next week. The kilo is designed to hold ,12.0)0 brick* .in eneli of its fourteen chambers, and tile plant throughout is of the most up-to dale pattern. It .'s expected that brick-making will commence within three months.

Specimens of the stone in the Wailii and AYailii East Gold mines have been received in Gisborne and are at present on view at Air George Smith’s shop. The W’nilii East Co.v. liavo secured the services or one of the Government drills; and boring is to he commenced at the end of March, under the .supervision of a Government oflieer. Claims have boon pegged out on both sides of the AVailn East claim by a strong \n.'iland syndicate.

A remarkable incident occurred recently at Olniluuic, the present rail head of the Alain Trunk line. I, or residents were standing outside the refreshment room at the railway terminus when a limb measuring three feet fell from an adjacent pine tree, some SO feet high, and struck the ground in their midst wii.li a noise resembling that of a cannonade. A number of travellers who were inside the refreshment room including Sir John Madden, Chief Justice of Victoria, rushed out on hearing the noise made by the falling limb, and the party received many congratulations on their narrow,escape from instant death. Had any of them moved in position he would have been killed instantly.

In reference to a letter appearing ill yesterday’s “Times’’ referring to a statement by the Minister' of Lands, which was not reported by the press, that under the i 19.2 Act. tenants of grazing runs had a ; <■;- jietual right of renewal, Air. AleNali states this is incorrect. He in i lino such statement and no wonder tho press did not mention it. What he really said was ,that some of lho leading authorities of the Bar held that the 1892 Act did not spve a porpotual right of renewal, but lie bid no doubt that before the h.;'idterm expired that the Governincuv, of the day would pass legislation putting it beyond the possibility of a doubt if they were entitled to rein - wals. Tin's is exactly opposite to what was stated in tho letter.

The Oatna.ru Mail says some hard tilings of the liquor bill of the Wellington AVorking Men’s Club, which it assumes runs into between live and six thousand a year. “Of course,’’ continues the 'Mail, “as the opulent have clubs, so must the worker. It is so glorious to be able to walk up to a counter one may call his own and order his own bottle-wash-er to dispense glass after glass of bitter. 'But it is no mere sentimentality to declare that those several thousands which' were expended at the AVellington AVorking Men’s Club, in addition to subscriptions and oilier expenses, were 'filched from the family bread fund for the. sake ot a worse than useless selfish indulgence. And yet the men who thus wastetbeir substance eoiitiiniallv complain that they experience a difficulty in corning enough to keep the wolf from tho door.” :

Air. AY. Aliller reports the following bookings through Messrs Thos. Cook and Sons’ (local agency:—For London: Air. and Miss Christophers, Air. and Aliss Bailie, Mcsdames Dinan, Pardou, Hills, Sargent, Gregson, Mr. ,T. AlcJDougall, per Asturias, leaving Sydney Alarcli 18th; Air. Aides Altrley, per Oroides, leaving Sydney 19th ; Air. Clifford Hood, per Asturias; Mr. and Airs. Harrison, per Aloldavia, leaving Sydney Alarch 25th. For Alareeilles: Air. and Airs. L. Hausen, per Vera, leaving Sydney February 24th. For Genoa: Air. H. Parsons, per Scydlitz, leaving Sydney April 18th. for Hong Hong: Air. F. Williams, per Kumaro Mara, leaving March 18th. For Yokohama: Alt' and Airs. H. Burgess, per Empress of India, leaving Sydney April 19th. For Capetown: Air. AA’. Johansen, per Marathon, leaving Sydney February 28t,1i. Air. Aliller informs us that this season lie has already definitely boo'lced over 90 passengers from Gisborns to Home ports, and expects to complete bookings for another 15 tjuTi"ng’Ylhj Tfext'-fCV—dgpEL-.

A gentleman interested in fruit celling informed a AVellington Post reporter recently that great annoyance. was felt amongst importers over the delay that had taken place in the gazetting of the regulations to admit of the importation of Australian grapes. This thing had been discussed for yours, ho said, and' lie thought the mutter was at an end when the duty was imposed last session, it was a most extraordinary state of things, and, according to Sir Joseph AVard’s statement, it looked as if advantage could not bo taken of the )iresent South Australian season. Tho speaker went on to say that the (South Australian season was three weeks earlier than usual this roar, and unless the notice was gazetted a + onco the season would be- over. Importers bad been expecting the notice every day for a long time. The excuse that the delay was owing to too prevalence of phylloxera was a Farce as it had- been proved that this disease was not carried in the fruit, but only in the timber and leaves of the vine. New Zealand growers were very wroth at tho prospect of South Australian grapes being imported, and he thought that had something to do with- the delay that had taken place. As it is, the price of locally grown grapes is prohibitive for general consumption, whereas Australian grapes could be imported and profitably disposed of by the retailer at sixpence per lb.

A reporter interviewed a local land and estate agent yesterday on ■he subject of land values in- Gisborne and its -prospects. “Some are inclined to think,” said, our informant, “that the price of wool will affect town values, hut as far as I can see, judging from recent sales, the values are increasing rather than decreasing. Although in the holiday time very few people were "inclined to operate, their minds being bent on pleasure more than business, I could report no less than lix'e sales since the first week in January and the prices obtained show :i marked increase on the. prices I had .them on sale for, 12 months ago., and an iucreaso of 25 per cent; on last year’s authority for sale xvas realised. This will give you an idea as to whether values .are going up or down. Sections that 1 considered’ almost top prices last- year have all gone up and another thing is that there is an exceptionally keen demand for houses to let- and the demand is almost entirely from nexvcomers, showing that people are arriving hero in large numbers. At tile same time, I have had a. large number of inquiries for businesses. One man in business at Wellington, ami doing very well, too, is trying bis utmost to secure a suitable lease in the business portion of Gisborne, but so far I have been unable to secure it. If outside people have such confidence in the town, and they must hive some grounds for starting here, it means that business is good aiul solid and if the business xs good and solid, the values of land will increase instead of decrease. Of course, bankers will sound notes of learning in regard to advances, but I do not think, after comparing the values here with those down south, that they are abnormally high. Only the other day, a man in one of the large centres sent me a few thousand to invest for him in Gisborne town property as he considered it a very sound and progressive district. There is plenty of money to invest on mortgage. Imt no one wants it. and few seem to be requiring the cash,

Work on tho Haiti wharf is at present suspended.

Afternoon tea will bo provided today at the Gisborne Bowling Green.

A mail, for Napier, AVellington, ami South, per the s.s. Opawa, closes at 5 p.m. to-day.

It is expected that the new wooden deck on tho John Townloy will lie finished in about a week.

The Kanaokanao settlement him been withdrawn from selection, in order that the subdivision scliomo may bo revised.

Dr. Coker has been appointed surgeon to the Court William Gladstone, A.0.F., vice Dr. Collins, who (has resigned.

A meeting in connection with the formation of a plumbing class at the Technical School will he held in the school on Friday evening.

Bollard’s Opera Company is still playing to crowded houses in Wellington. Tho company opens in Gisborne on Wednesday, February sth.

Tho adjourned annual meeting of contributors to the Hospital will he held to-night in the Farmers’ Union Clnh rooms at 7.30 o’clock. A good attendance is expected, as it is anticipated that there will he an election for the contributors’ representative, a lady and two prominent gentlemen being mentioned ax likely candidates.

There has just been completed for the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Co. a handy little oil launch, which is to be used by Captain Sewell in visiting ocean liners in the Bay. Tho boat is a .surf boat, originally made for the Coronation, and is 25ft long by 711 Gin wide. The deck-house is 9ft by Oft, and in it is the engine, a 10-h.p. Monarch.

Air. F. J. Rowley, headmaster of the Gisborne School, has been notified floin the head office of the Education Department in AVellington that a t for £ .subsidy has been granted on funds collected for the school hath. The -amount collected with subsidy leaves about £IOO needed for the whole work, which moans lhat only £SO has now to he collected. As soon as the .school reopens the bath committee will’ meet . and decide on future action.

The secretary of tho Harbor Board, Air. Witty, lias received a communication from Afcssr.s Coodo ami Sons, who were asked to furnish a report upon the scheme for a Gisborne harbor, stating that tho report is being forwarded under separate cover as a registered document. Air. Witty lias not yet received the document, which may come to hand to-day, hut. which, on the other hand, may have been forwarded by another steamer and thus take longer in transit.

At present there is being erected at the Gisborne Sheep fanners’ Frozen Aleat Co.’s works a Crossley coal gas producer plant, to generate 400-horse-power in two units of 200-horse-ijower each. This power is to drive a 230-horse-powor gas engine which is to be installed in addition to the engines now in the works, which require lOOdiorse-power. The plant will burn either coal or coke, but it- is intended to use bituminous coal, and experiments will be made with Auckland and Newcastle coal to ascertain which is the most suitable.

The following visitors were at Cooper’s private hotel, Aforere, last week:—-Air. _E. Baker, Aliss F. C. Newfotild, Aliss Balfour, Napier; Airs. Gerald Crawford and child, Mrs. Redstone, Airs. Claude. Slie.rriff. Air. Thos. Adams. Ronald Redstone, Air. T. M. Brod-rick, Mr. O. Redstone, Air. Thos. Dalrymple, To Rangi Pai, Aliss Redstone, Air. T. A. Coleman, Gisborne; Air. H. Piper, Aliss Fleming, London; Airs. J. J. Chapman, Aliss Beth Sargisson, Aliss Black, Aliss Chapman, AVairoa ; Aliss A. Af. Candy> Christchurch; Hon. R. AicNah (Minister of Lands), Doctor Chappie, Air. Black, 'Wellington; Mr. and Airs. A. Rattraz, Air. .M. Simonds, Tarewa; Mr. R. AT. C. G. Sprott, Wanganui; Aliss AlcDonald, Eskdale; Mr. F. E. Gaddum, Air. R. W. Coop, Air. AV. Coop, Alahia; Air. E. At. Shanahan, Alessrs. Hallv (2), Cambridge; Mr. Alfred Dillon. ALU., Patangata; Air, and Mrs. E. Coop, Hineroa; Air. D. Cameron, Waerenga-a-liika; Airs. Bendal, ,Aliss Daisy Bendal, Opout-ama; Air. AV. Richmond, Air. Beeeroffc, Air. Geo. Elliot, Hastings; Mr. A. sS. Welsh, Scotland; Air. A. AlcLean, Mr. J. S. Thomson, Alangaone; Mr. Lane, Napier; Air. G. AV-ilson, Air. B. Winter, Opoiti; Aliss Alaultsaide, AVharerata. Alosfc of tho oat crops In the AYaitara road district have now been saved, and the yields are satisfactory (says the Taranaki Nows). There is still a great -dearth of 4abor, and

another in turn. Some people -are slioririS'd.WgL. enough to complain that tho invention of labor-saving machinery rolls tho laborer of his dues. How would the present -harvest be saved within t modern- (appliances? Alen -are 'almost unobtainable. But fewer men per acre are required than in years past. A fanner with a hundred acres under crop had in the old days to pay and feed a small- army of reapers, who afterwards set to work to “carry in” -and thresh out the' grain. A 7 ory often some of the gang would pass on to tho next farm f o take part in tho -reaping there, leaving the first employer to -arrange •is best ho couhl for the threshing. Now a handful of men with up-to-date reapers and binders make very diort work of a big field. -But -ail the fun of the harvest is- a- thing of the past. No longer do the womenfolk bare their arms and take part in the tossing of. tho hay, -and tho “harvest home” is now but another stage of ia -business transaction. The sentiment lias been left behind- with the scythe -and the sickle.