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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2184, 7 May 1908, Page 2

A sport meeting will be liekl on the Wliatatutu racecourse oil Empire day, Monday' 25th inst. A lengthy programme of sixteen events has been issued and good, prizes aro offered. Intending competitors are particularly requested to note that entries for handicap events close on Saturday next at 8 p.m. Entries for events other than handicap close on the ground.

•Chief Judge Palmer, of the Native Land Court, occasionally finds himself ill a peculiar position. Here is an instance, wrtes the Wellington correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times.” 'Being the only Judge of the Court in Wellington yesterday, he was Obliged to hear an application by Air " iHobair, solicitor of 'Christchurch, to amend an order made somo time ago by Judge Edgar with reference to the Wharekauri block, Chatham Islands, jby deleting certain .names and inserting others in their places. After hearing Mr-Hoban for an hour Mr Palmer, in his capacity of a Native Land Court Judge, said that 'he would not call upon the other side but would forward a report to the Chief Judge, recommending the dismissal of the application, as Judge Edgar’s order .was correctly made. In due course, therefore, Mr Palmer, as Chief Judge, will have to deal with a recommendation to himself, made iby himself as a Judge of tho ‘Lower Court. The procedure is -strictly in accordance with, the Native Laud Court Act, but all tho same.it occasionally creates an- extraordinary position.'

Three men were arrested for drunkjuoddiit |[i.w [>u.u ‘pjfihu TSiij Ksouuo at the Alagistralo’s Court this morning to answer lor their lapses from tho. paths of sobrioty.

Our AVellington correspondent wires us that sales on ’Change yesterday were Deposit and Mortgago at 9s, Taranaki Petroloum 8s Gil, and Talisman £2 10b. AVailiis were wanted at £9 10s Gd, but sellers asked £9 12s. Blackwnter (10s paid) wore quoted at £1 Gs.

Statistics bearing on the total exports of frozen meat from tho Dominion during last month show that while there was a slight increase in tho amount of mutton sent away, tiicro was a largo decrease in lamb and beef, in comparison with tho figures for tho corresponding month of last year. Tho totals are as follows, the figures for April last year being in parentheses:—Mutton, 157,264 carcases (150,142); liunb, 331.57 G carcases (441,297); beef, 17,090 quarters (18,253).

According to our Wellington correspondent tho Government nas changed its mind about celling Hie defence boat Janie Seddon, but will sell the Lady Roberts now in Dunedin. At the Gisborne Private Band’s social to-night, Mr. A. Rodgers will play, by special request, the triple tongue cornet solo, “The Village Festival,” and tho favorite intermezzo “Iobi” will also he played by the Band. A reminder is given that tho dross circle has been reserved for onlookers, while the cloakrooms will ho under capable supervision.

Two men in ail lowa town (wrote tho New York correspondent of the Lyttelton Times on March 30) aro engaged 'in playing a crib'bago game for a score of a million points. Their 6coro at tho present time is 040,234 to 455,234. Roth tho players, John C. .Loper and Alilo Ward, estimate that they will live to finish the exciting contest in 4915. Lopgr and TV ard play once a week froiii halfpast seven o’clock till eleven o’clock in the evening. They have played for 376 consecutive weeks and religiously keep their weekly engagement. The average number of points made each night of play .for the past seven years is 2150. Tho players havo worn out a number of cribbage boards and about 250 packs of cards.

A bookmaker who appeared as defendant in a case heard before Dr Al’Arthur, SAL, at Wellington last week, was asked by counsel in crossexamination how he was able to pay a certain debt when, according to his own evidence, he was “cleaned out” at the time. “Pay the debt!” repeated the metallician ill- pained amazement. “Why, I have £4OO owing me by various clients in 'Wellington and district. I havo money due to mo in every district in this island.” “Then you have been guilty of illegal betting,” suggested counsel. The exuberant penciller was taken aback. “Oh, no,” he replied, after an awkward pause. “Alost of the transactions date from tho days before the Act came into force.”

With reference to the'complaint of the AVellington Chamber of Commerce as to the condition of many bank notes in circulation in New Zealand the chief health officer (Dr Mason), in a letter to that body, says, “It seems a pity that the procedure followed at- Home by the Bank of England cannot be followed here, that is that every dirty bank not after being returned to tlie band is destroyed. I will draw the attention of the* bankers to your complaint. I think, however, much good would come from your approaching the various banks direct. The Public Health Act lias many drastic clauses, and the officers appointed under the Act have many powers, but the destruction of bank notes is not- one cf them.”

A feature of the Californian scheme ol agricultural education is tho reading courso for students in their homes. It was found that the ordinary lectures did not go far enough, and the reading courses were adopted in order to complete tho system. Young men working on farms, farmers, and orchardists attend the lectures, and are invited to write letters on the subjects under -discussion. These letters are posted to the lecturers, the students paying the postage. Standard- text-books are loaned to the students, who are thereby aided in their work during such hours as they may be'able to give reading. It is found, also, that good- use is made of the bulletins issued by the authorities of the Agricultural College.

At present the fate of a small gallery, reserved for members of tho Legislative CounciL -when visiting tho now Assembly Chambers -in Government House, hangs in the balance. It has 'been, found that when tho Speaker’s, the Press and “Hansard” galleries are taken o-ut the floor 6pace for the “Commons” will bo so small that the little comportment for the “Lords” may have to go. Tlie “Post” states that a few finishing touches to the galleries aro required to complete that portion of the chamber. Bellamy’s continues to receive careful attention. The wine cellar is undergoing a thorough -disinfection with carbolic acid preparatory to whitewashing. Hero -portly kilderkins of beer will bo deposited in the place of the carefully binned ports and burgundies of other days. Beer engines will be operated in the crimson -dining-rooms above, the pipes being led .through the vaulted ceiling of the cellars. -A bar will soon be put up in the dining-room. Here tlie walh have been bereft of the pictures. The Pressroom will be brightened and repapered, but newspaper representatives will - loss the large mirror at present hanging over the fireplace. 'The room for the “Hansard” staff will not be robbed of its kitchen range and crockery cupboards, but the wash-up sinks and water-taps have been removed. 'Much' decoration has yet to be done to various parts of the building before Parliament sits.

There is, says “Chamber's Journal,” probably no more acute question troubling those municipalities possessing public -baths than the economical 'maintenance of the purity of the water therein. A constant supply of fresh water, though eminently •desirable in the interests of those availing themselves of the facilities offered them, especially in the industrial quarters of a large town, is too expensive, with the result that the water is only changed twice or thrice a week. This difficulty, however, lias now been successfully surmounted by the engineer of a London Borough Council, and the baths in question have a constant and daily supply of fresh running water absolutely free from bacteria and other impurities. 'Nevertheless, the same water is used over and over again. The idea itself is very simple. Tho .water leaves the bath at the bottom at the deep end and .passes over a screen, by .which all impurities suspended in tlio water are arrested. It is then lifted by means of a double-acting pump to the top of tho building, a height of some 25ft, to a water-tower. Hero it percolates through a. series of three superimposed perforated large zinc trays, whore it is submitted to the beneficial influence of sun, wind, and air, which thoroughly oxidises the water and kills all bacteria contamination. This operation, completed, it .gravitates into large filter-tanks, where the water is thoroughly purified., finally being heated to a temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit before entering the bath at the shallow end, opposite to that from which it was withdrawn. This process is continued throughout the day, and a constantstream of fresh water flows into the bath, so that this practical municipal authority in London lias satisfactorily solved tho problem concerning the maintenance of a pure supply of water in the bath. As this filtration and aeration plant is designed .upon the most economical lines the purification process is effected very cheaply.

A meeting of -Urn lo Jvnraka school committee was held on 'Monday ovoning. Present: Messrs l&ponce (chairman) -Roberts, Lewis, Bell, Brown, Urahani, and Powell. It ■.was decided to apply to (.he ißoard for a set o'; drawing 'models, a blackboard and easel, and three window Blinds and roller':. The secretary was .instructed to advertise for a sclioolcloanor. Mecsrs Bell, .Brown and Graham were authorised to attend to necessary works in the school grounds.

“It would bo within scope of the Board’s inquiries lor it to state to tho Arbitration' Court or the Government,” said Mr. Jones to tho Arbitration Court last week, “the undesirable condition of the law that permits oven men outside our industry to cito 7300 farmers, in addition to sheepowners. The citations wero sent out from Christchurch and paid for by the Government. Mr. Acland says that tho work killed the old mail that sent them out.” Mr. Thorn: “Oh, he was in a weak health, anyhow.” Mr. Jones: “Oh, he is dead then?” Mr. Jones added that the law required groat alteration. Tho expense to the country in the farm laborers’ case would he from £30,000 to £40,000.

A good deal of grumbling has been rife among tho Ashburton farming community (says tho “Guardian”) regarding the large increase mado by the Government in tho recent valuations of .property. In the majority of cases, however, tho valuations have been guided solely by the prices paid for land at public auction. Hero is a case in point. A farm that has been valued at £l9 per acre in tho Wakanui district for many years was recently disposed of at public at oyer £3O per acre. Of course the valuators know of these sales and are guided by them when, they make a revaluation of property in the same locality. It is understood- that, the Ashburton County will, from this and other causes, carry at least an increase of over £3,000,000 for tho last valuation.

The proceedings of the Sumner Borough Councd were rudely interrupted the other night by a Pickwickian incident in which the chief actors were the members of the local fire brigade. The minutes of the previous meeting had just been read' when there came a deluge against the principal window of the Council Chambers, which the clerk stated was a “wet practice” by the fire fighters. Evidently the first window was invulnerable, for the men outside applied themselves to the window of the next room with better success, and a strong jet of water was heard pouring into the building. The Councillors were beginning to settle down to business again in the hope that tho Brigade would go away in a few minutes, but almost immediately the hose was dragged round to another window, and jets of water commenced to squirt into the room through chinks in the frames, drenching tho blinds, and causing the Councillors in the vicinity to retreat horridly. The clerk went out and asked the brigade to suspend operation. He told the Council that it had been intended to wash the windows, but it was agreed that a very unsuitable night had been chosen for tho purpose.

He went to tho butcher, also tho baker; He went to tho grocer and cabinetmaker ; He even inquired of the new undertaker; . • And asked the distiller and brewer! And all of them said That for colds in the head, And the best for the chest as proven by test Was Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.