YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2148, 25 March 1908, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS

Press Association. AUCKLAND

A gum store at Manawai, owned by D. Bowman, has been destroyed by lire. Tho damage was about £IOOO to £I2OO. Tho building was insured for £l5O in the Guardian, and the gum for £SOO in another office. MASTER TON.

Tho rumor that rye-grass is dying out in Wairarapa does not, after careful inquiry, appear to have foundation. Neither tho Agricultural Department nor tho Crown lands ranger consider it likely, and several prom incut farmers liavo confidence in rye, and know nothing of its dying ° UL TAIHAPE.

Tho polico raided a billiard room at Waiorou, on tho Main Trunk lino, suspected of .being a sly-grog shop. A prosecution follows. CHRISTCHURCH.

Rain moro or less heavy has been experienced daily since Thursday last, with but a few glimpses > of sunshjne. Tlio rain has had a very salutary effect on vegetation of every kind. Country reports are jubilant ovor tho change of weather, both pastures and feed crops showing an improvement. It was raining again this morning, with tlio sk- showing dense clouds. There had been no rain until lately of any consequence “““ O ” lol0r - TIMARU.

Tho ratcablo valuation of the borough (annual valuo system) is £90,-70-1, an increase of £7889 on last year. The appeals to be settled by tlio Assessment Court only total. £3O. WESTPORT.

Mr. A. C. Hansen has definitely decided to offer himself as a candidate for tho Mayoralty of Westport. Mr, Greenwood, tho present Mayor, will again bo a candidate. Resignations from the local railway service are frequent. Some half a dozen young men liavo their notices in. The present rate of pay appears to bo tho chief cause.of complaint. Colonel Davies has completed inspection of the volunteers in this district. . The Hawea loads Admiralty coal for Melbourne. DUNEDIN.

In the Divorce Court Mr. Justice AVilliams granted a decree nisi in the case Porteous v. Port-eons, wife’s petition, based on the husband’s noncompliance with an order for the restitution of conjugal rights.

Dr. Mac Car tliv, .Bishop ol Grantham, speaking a ta- prize distribution, said: “If there is anything I sV'uild like to be able to do, it is a little carpentering. I have had that ambition all my life. I can hardly hit it nail without hitting my thumb 1 Yet I have always had a sort of conceitthat 1 should make a most excellent cabinet-maker.”

Both Mr Joseph Chamberlain and his son, Mr Austen Chamberlain, are members of the ancient Cordwainers Company of London. It ifc hoped that Mr Austen’s little son will live to become also a member, thus continuing the connection of the Chamberlain family with tho company, which has existed since 1740, over a century and a half.

Mr Frederick Harrison, tho noted Positivist, when opening a book exhibition a- while ago, mentioned that Lord Beaconsfield once said to linn: “I never read novels. AA hen I want a novel I write one.” “Unfortunately,” added Mr Harrison, “1 was foolish enough to take Disraeli’s udr vice. I wrote a novel which nobody has ever readl”

Quite a uumber of living celebrities have statues of themselves erected in India. The King is represented in marble and bronze in several places, while at least one statue of the Prince of AValcs is to he seen. Then there is a- fine statue of Earl Roberts, who is shown on a charger, in Calcutta; while iSir George Birdwood, now living in England at the ago of seventy-five, is to he seen in statue form in .Bombay, where his popularity with the Farsbes caused them to erect the monument.

With twenty-two years’ service as a judge, Sir William Grantham is the “Father” of the Bench In a case once being tried before him it was mentioned that -Little Tich got £IOO a week salary. “Little what? asked Sir William. “Tich, m.v lord, murmured the barrister. ‘Trick? asked the judge, looking puzzled, and thou finally lie added: Oh, J (<VQ ‘Tick’ !” It was ex-pi-.lined to Sir AVilliam who this Little Tich was, who earned as much as a judge.

A correspondent gives a singular instance of the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties. He frequently noticed a young man after dark pausing under a lamp-post, drawing a book from bis pocket consulting nt, and then walking briskly to the next lamp-post, where the process was repeated, and this went on until the stranger was out of sight. Inquiry allowed that he was a student, who, after business hours, every day went to the Patent Office library for technical research. He was learning German, and the lamp-post- .interludes were part of a system which ho carried out for utilising every moment of his spare time,' 111 h-s pocket he carried a German phrase-book. AYlien he passed under the street li<rht. lie committed a phrase to memory, and. re.ueated it over and over as lie walked to his next stoppingplace, where ho absorbed a fresh