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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2251, 24 July 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Harmonic Society held a practico in Holy Trinity Schoolroom last evening. About thirty members were in attendance, and rehearsed Glode’s “The Erl King’s Daughter,” under the baton of Mr. M. Foster. The Rev. F. AV. Chattorton acted as accompanist. A most successful social was held in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening in aid of St. Dominic’s Convent. About 150 couples were present, and danced to music supplied by Messrs Vita Brothers’ orchestra. Messrs J. and M. Doyle and A. Town ley acted as M.-C.’s, 'and a committee of ladies provided an excellent supper. At a meeting of the Everitt Benefit Committee /held in the’ Cosmopolitan Club last .evening, the secretary (Mr. C. J. Bollen) reported that a number of subscriptions had been received, and further, assistance promised for the concert to be held in His Majesty’s Theatre on Monday, August 3rd. Mr. T. Holdsworth was appointed stage manager, and, with the secretary, was delegated to prepare the programme. It was decided to ask the Salvation Army Band to assist in the massed band’s’ concert to be held in the Trafalgar Rotunda on Sunday week, the “bands to march from Carnarvon (Street along Gladstone Road to the river. On a recent evening a young lady employed in a shop in town was proceeding homo along Stout Street when she was accosted by a strange man who made an effort to take her purse. The young lady struggled with the man, and said, “I will .know you again.” The man, evidently _ afraid that a passer-by might arrive "on the scene, then at once made off. A similar case occurred on Read’s Quay on Wednesday evening,: when a young lady was followed by a strange man to a friend’s house. The man had the temerity to knock at the door of the house-, and 1 ask for the young lady, wli 0 had gone in, but on being told there was no one there who knew him, hurried away. Sitting in civil jurisdiction yesterday morning, Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., granted judgment by default in the following civil cases: Sargood, Son and Ewen (Mr. Stock) v. Rlioda Parker, claim £47 Os 4d, and £3'6s 6d costs; Common, Shelton and Co. (Mr. iStock) v. F. Frewein, claim £4 6s Id, costs 10s; W. A. O’Meara v. Geo. Pevreal, claim £l7 15s 7d, 15s costs. A number of cases listed were struck out, and several were adjourr ned.

The sue red concert to ho given by tho Gisborne City Band next Sunday evening, promises to bo u big success. Tho .Concert Committee. liavo rest oo time in an endeavor to secure good and popular talent, and with valuable assistance an enjoyable programmo will bo put before- the public. The Post and Telegraph revenue for the Dominion -for -tho quarter ended Juno 30th last was £228,020, as against £212,301 for the corresponding quarter of 1907. Tho amounts of deposits in -the Savings Bank during the same quarters were, 1908, £2,607,657, anil 1907, £2.422,4-10.

'The argument has frequently been put forth, both inside and outside Parliament that the Grown should provide prisoners with- counsels, in cases where they cannot afford to onongago -a solicitor, just as it provides counsel to prosecute. Mr. Hunan tho member for Invercargill, asked the Minister for Justice, the other day, whether ho would introduce a Poor Prisoner’s Defence Bill on the lines of the Act in force in England and other places. The Munster, m replying, pointed out that the judges already have power to assign counsel for tho defence of a person with means, if they think such a course necessary, and while the suggestion made was worthy of careful consideration, it did not appear that sufficient cause had yet been shown for the .introduction of legislation of this character.

“Lotus eaters” is the latest term applied ;to New Zealanders. And the House of Representatives heard Mr. Malcolm's strictures in that direction (states the “Post”) without a* murmur. He regretted, ho said, to notice the tendency among people in Now Zealfind not to see how .much they could do, blit how little they could do. “We aro becoming lotus enters,” declared Mr. Malcolm with a noto of deep gloom in his voice, “having as our motto, ‘Let us eat mid drink,’ with the mutual corollary, ‘for to-morrow wo die.’ Instead of ceasing our activities,” ho resumed, “and thinking it desirable that anyone should have his activities limited, we should give full scone for the activities of everyone, realising that the more eacli ono does so much the better it will bo for the employment of the whole. So long, as wo make sloth our ideal, the colony cannot expect to prosper,” said tho member for ulutha in conclusion, apparently more in sor-row-than in anger.

Tho death of Sheldon Collins in the Ruamahanga. River, near Martinborough, on Tuesday flight was pitiful (writes tho “Dominion’s” WairalLpa correspondent). The poor fellow was stranded on a creaking wire fence, three hundred yards from the shore, half up to his chest in water, and in tho midst of a swirling flood. It was night-time. Finding that lie could make, no headway, nor even go backwards, for fear of being swept from his little point of vantage by the storm water, ihe cried for assistance. Two young girls heard the appeals foil help ,which, came along in the darkness above the roar of the flood-, and soon a party of residents were in attendance. A boat and ropes wore procured' after some trouble, but it appears that the unfortunate man ■hung on to the fence for nearly, -two hours after tho rescue party arrived, and then -lie dropped, spent -and exhausted-, into the stream. When the boat had eventually put out it was too late —the waters had- claimed their victim.

There has been considerable agitation in -England for some time in regard t 0 the impurities that are frequently found in wool shipped from New Zealand and other countries, and a portion of the hlaino has been laid on -the wool -packs. It- has been admitted that bits of fibre from tho packs get into the wool, and are difficult of removal, and a representative body of wool experts recently met in England with a : view to devising a new kind of bale. It was found difficult to suggest a material which, from the point of view of cheapness and general -utility, equalled the jute at present used, but experiments have resulted in some 'excellent alternatives being discovered. Some samples of one of tho -new varieties of packs have been received from their London representatives by Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. They are quite different to the ordinary pack. The outside is of canvas-dike material, whilst the -inside is -a stiff paper composition. It seems evident that wool packed therein,. I would ho kept absolutely clean and free from external fibres. ,It is -intended that Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. shall, due in <s the coming season, have- wool shipped Homo in theso samples to assist tho practical experiments that are being made. The new bales can now be seen -at the firm’s store in Peel Street.

Tho boisterous weather and the difficulty of obtaining supplies in the south is -accountable for a. great lack of enthusiasm an that district amongst the housekeepers there, but we are pleased to note that such is. not the case with us when best quality black lead polishing brushes are eigbtpence each at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sales, 25th inst. only.