LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 26, 11 August 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Civil business at the R.M. Court ie in future to be taken on Thursdays only. The County Cotlricil meet to day, when Mr Barker’s oiler re road ftietal will be considered.

A supplements# San Francisco mail wi’J be made up for Sunday's boat, the mail closing at 7 on Saturday night.

Further news as to the fire at Whiteley’s is to the efieot that three men have perished in the flames and several others have been seriously injured. Mr Whiteley loses an enormous sum as the premises and stock were almost entirely uninsured. He considers that the fire was the result of incendiarism, caused by trade jealousy;

The only civil business on Tuesday before the R.M. Court was a judgment summons, Allanaoh v. A. Matthews, for £ll3s 6d. The defendant was ordered to pay the amount before the 16th Inst, or be imprisoned for 24 hours.

At a meeting of the Public Works Committee of the Harbour Board yesterday the following tenders were recommended for acceptance :— Lighterage.—Joseph Kennedy £69 10s. Two boats.—Charles Bailey £lO6. Cement.—Wingate, Burns and Co., (Alsen’s brand) 14s 6d per cask. The Garrison Band concert, which was postponed a week or so ago, is to come oft on Friday next, the 17th inst., at Parnell’s Hall. The services of some of our most popular amateur musicians have been secured, and an excellent programme drawn up. Seeing that the object to which the funds are to be devoted is such a worthy one. we trust there will be a big house. The monthly meeting of St. Andrew's Literary Society was held in the class room of the church on Tuesday evening. Three capital papers were read, by Miss E. Evans on “ Little Things,” Miss M. Forsyth on “Books,” and Mr Thomas Adair on *• Companions.” The papers were freely, and on the whole, favourably criticised. It was decided to resume the discussion on “ Which does the most to suppress crime, law or education,” on the 23rd. Messrs Smail and Scott leading off. Referring to the resolution ot the Borough Council on Tuesday night to have the repairing of Cook street attended to, a correspondent “ hopes there will be no more dillydallying in the matter, and that the work will be done forthwith.” It is only natural that there should be many complaints after the late rough weather, but the repairs to this road are no doubt urgently required. Of course persons buying sections on a private road must trust a good deal to the benevolence of the Council. The country is beginning to look nice and fresh again after the late rains, and with feed getting more plentiful a good spring season is anticipated. Beyond Makaraka the roads are now in a very passable condition. The country settlers deserve a good harvest this year to make up for the drawbacks of the last few years. On Tuesday morning, at an hour much too early for sensible people to be abroad, a trio of youths in upper Gladstone road were the cause of an unusual affray in our quiet town. One of the youths happened to remark that a passing horseman was evidently not running on the blue-ribbon ticket, whereupon the object of the remark wheeled round and charged his detractors. The action was so sudden that a partial retreat was compelled, but with the assistance of a stout slick and missiles fired from behind the poplar trees, the de fenders soon assumed the aggressive, forced the assailant to evacuate the footpath after a determined resistance, and eventually completely put him to rout. He was, the nariator of the scene adds, followed by missiles and jeers till out of reach and hearing. It is said the unfortunate horse was the greatest sufferer.

The Mayor has nearly recovered from his protracted indisposition, blit was not able to attend the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday evening. ! The. good young men of Wellington must be going to the bad, for the Ideal branch of the Y.M.C.A. is to be wound up. This is a pity for the Associations do very good work.

Mr W. ft. Clayton, who met with an accident ’on Saturday, is able to get about again, but the effects of the accident will be felt for some time. In our report of the occurrence it was not mentioned that Dr Pollen attended to the patient and dressed his wounds; We hear it rumoured that a well-known exnewspaper proprietor hnd old salt is td, tettpt fortune in a hew line shortly, being about it is eaid, to become the lessee of the new Albion Club Hotel. We give rumour for what it is worth,

Some Vemarks on education by Mr Ivesa, One of the Napier candidates, appears in another column, and are worthy of perusal. It behoves every elector who wishes t<J see his children properly equipped fdr the battle of life, to see that the man he votes for, supports the “ hands off ” policy with regard to the standards. At his last meeting Mr F. McGuire, the opponent of Major Atkinson for the Egraont seat, received a vote of confidence by a large majority, and a resolution Was passed that the meeting had no confidence in Major Atkinson. Mr McGuire advocates retrenchment and liberal land laws, and is opposed to interference with the education vote.

In London recently a very modest curat e preaching about Jonah, said : “ Jonah, my brethren— well, Jonah—spent three days and three nights in the whale’s—society.” A French lady who had been present asked those who surrounded her wliat wks the meaning of thia phrase “ society ’’ which the preacher had used. The company was em{he query, but a gentleman who was predßg* Solved the difficulty by saying quietly,. I "TVs a sort of corporation, madame.” Arrangements have now been concluded for a fight between Richard Matthews, Auckland, and Harry Laing, Wanganui, for a stake of £5O aside and the championship, fight to finish, Marquis of Queensbury rules, the match to take place at Wanganui during the first Week in January; the winner to take the money. Matthews desired meeting Laing sooner, but Laing declined, as his hand is not in sound condition. 11 The Prince of Wales,” writes a traveller in Europe, in a recent letter to a New England periodical, “ is very commonplace looking, stout, and is becoming bald. He looks as if he might be a prosperous Chicago pork-packer rather than the first gentleman in England.” An American paper commenting on this says:—lt is long since we have seen so gratuitous and unkind a fling at Chicago pork-packers as the foregoing.

At an electoral meeting held at St. Heliers, Jersey, the Mayor, advocating the adoption of the ballot, stated that in the recent election shoes had been bought from voters at £35 a pair, and eggs at £5 each. One man received £2O from each opposing candidate, and on the morning of the election sent a medical certificate to both to excuse his absence from the poll. The London Globe remarks :—“ We admire the audacity of the disciples of stenography in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the invention of that mischievous art. It is entirely owing to their diabolical discovery that the eloquence of members of Parliament and Town Councillors is inflicted day by day upon a too patient public. May the roof of their banquet hall come down upon the lot of them, and may their works perish with them I”

Since the last war between France and Germany immense improvements have been made in the fortifications in and around Paris. A new line of torts, far outside the old ones, has been erected. In all, 24 forts have been built, and these contain all the improvements of modern warfare. Their barracks and magazines are all below the ground, and they form such a wide circle about the city that it will hardly be possible to beseige it in future. It took 300,000 Germans to encircle the old lirie; it ought to require an almost incalculable force to invest the new. The walls of Paris have been demonstrated to be useless, and th; French do not rely on them in any way as a means of defence. It is not often that Auckland is favoured with the visits of royalty, but His Honor Mr Justice Ward, was visited by a lady claiming to be a sister of King Alphonso ot Spain. Amongst other things elicited in the interview was the statement that she herself had at one time command of the Spanish squadron. A variety of other deeply interesting and astonishing statements Were made, but When we state that the lady was Mrs Shiers, and that she visited Justice Ward to petition for her release from the Lunatic Asylum, our readers will realise that we have just had a change of moon.-Bril. Here is a Southern writer's opinion on the meaning of the words 1 ‘ menial aud manual. ” It is neither servile nor low to wash and dress a child, nor even black a grata if necessary, and that because a servant does these things therefore it should not be impossible for a lady to do them; whilst she may with ad. vantage cringe to a duchess for an invitation to a ball, cheat a dressmaker for a dress to wear at it, and finally marry some man whom she loathes, just because she wishes to be kept, while she would ‘ rather die ’ than make a bed, scrub a floor, or even cook the humble but necessary dinner,

” A large number of the electors are to be influenced by a timely pint of beer,” says a Conservative organ. The Conservatives have tried it and proved it, but have not perhaps exactly proved to what extent. For insiance, the other day one of Mr Ormond’s canvassers went into a shop about his peculiar duties and made a convert. He was delighted, “ Come and have a glass of wine ’’ he said. The elector declined j he was too bu-y. But the canvasser was not to be denied, aud, so pressed, the elector “ timely-pint-of-beered ” with him. Later in the day he took a prominent part in welcoming Mr Ivess to Napier. The influence of a “ timely pint of beer ” appears to extend to drawing an elector across the street to accept an invitation to have one. How much money do Conservative canvassers spend in this way ?—Napier News.

Strange stratagems are often resorted to by creditors in pursuit of dishonest debtors. At a meeting, at Leeds, of a society for the protection of trade, one of the speakers related an instance in point:—A poor fellow arrived in Liverpool, from the West Riding, in pursuit of a fugitive who had carried away £3OO of his money. He applied to an attorney, to the magistrates, and to the chief of the police in vain. Turning sorrowfully away, a policeman offered a bit of advice. “ Go to the ship’s side to-morrow at ten o’clock (the ship sails at twelve) and ask your debtor ashore civilly.” “ Will he come do you think ? ” “ Oh, yes he’ll coms, for he says I cannot touch him.” “ Well, that is all right.” “Ask him to come on the quay. As soon as he comes, knock him down; I’ll be close at hand, and take you both in custody for a breach of the peace. You will get to the police office just as the magistrates are gone. The next day is Sunday, h ’ll have to stop till Monday; you’ll have time then for him to give up your money.” The man took the policeman’s advice—knocked the runaway rogue down—both were taken to the station-house, and the fellow in the end was clad to disgorge the whole £3OO.

We understand that Mr Andrew Graham will address the electors early next week. Tenders are called by Mr J. W. Quigley for the supply of 25,000 feet of timber, more or less. Tenders close on Saturday next. The County Council will sit to-day at 2 p.m. The principal business will be to consider Mr Barker’s offer of stone. A Committee from the Borough Council will wait upon the County body to confer with them on the same question. Several cross actions arising out of the seizure of certain goods alleged to form part of 8. M Wilson’s estate will be heard to-day before the R.M. The proceedings are expected to be of a veiy lively character. Presbyterian Church.—Country services, next Sunday.—Patutahi, 2.30., Rev. J. McAra; Matawhero 2.60., Mr R. H. Scott. A DVT.

Church of England Country Services Makftnkft, 3,30 p,m.; Te Alftb 2 p.m.