THE STANDARD. SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 45, 19 April 1873, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1873.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

There was only one unimportant Maori case in the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. The weather, which with us was such as to prevent all out-door excursions or amusements during the Easter holidays, favored the good folk of Hawke's Bay to an uulooked-for extent. Sports were held in Clive Square. Post and Telegraph Offices.—lt will be seen by advertisement that the time for sending in tenders for the erection of Post and Telegraph offices at Gisborne and Wairoa, has been extended tothc 30th April. The next mail South v ill leave this about Tuesday next. Tenders are invited up to the 9th of May next for the purchase of the whole or any portion of £250,000 .worth of New Zealand Government the principal sum of which will be payable in 1913. Those who are troubled with a plethora of cash will find this a safe and profitable investment for endowments &c.

Wharf Road.—That nice-looking piece of engineering skill, at least as it was turned out of the hands of the contractor —the wharf road —is turned into a gutter which, in carrying off the water from the Hat at the upper end, would serve its purpose well, were not several big gulches made about the culvert, and on the outer margin of the reclaimed portion, carrying the road away —in feet, away piecemeal. Attention should be directed to this at once. The once high banks on either side have been trodden down ; and it- might be ascertained if it be not desirable to level that portion on the river side altogether; it would have the effect of widening Hie road, and removing the gutter, thus making room for drainage. The bed, too, has sunk considerably; and a top dressing with some of the beach shingle would be an immense advantage not only there but in many other places along our main thoroughfare.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of the Acts of the Provincial Council passed during its last session. ’ »

According to the Waikato Times a levy of 5s is imide oft all clergymen preaching in the church at Ngaruawahia. MR. Quick contemplates running a line of coaches from Taurangn to Taupo. Mr. Peters is also about to open up the line with vehicles from Napier to Taupo, The Tauninga people are backing Mr. Quick, with a memorial to to the PostiuasterAletieral to grant a mail subsidyJ. JM'Dowell & Co. announce in Jto-day’s issue tliat their great sale of Drapery, Roots, &c., will terminate on Saturday next. Those who are in quest of bargains will do well to pay an early visit to the Musio Hall. A great wailing and gnashing of teeth has been going on at the pa opposite the town during the last two days as a demonstration of grief by the natives for one of their brethren, familiarly known as Friday, who died early on Wednesday morning. Yesterday accessions were made to the number of mourners by Maoris from tlm outlying districts visiting the pa ; and in the afternoon the proceedings were brought to an end by the burial service being conducted, we believe, by the Ven. Archdeacon Williams. Tologa Bay.—Mr. Robson’s residence had a narrow escape of being destroyed by fire on Good Friday last; but owing to the timely assistance of his neighbours, it was got under, with no further damage than having to pull the chimney down. We learn that ths settlers there have started a Library. A preliminary meeting has been held, and t he subscription fixed at 5s per quarter, with an entrance fee of 10s. Captain Trimmer has been appointed Librarian and Treasurer, and the first consignment of abont 50 volumes is expected soon to arrive. We commend this action of the Tologa Bay people as one deserving of encouragement. lhe natives are reported to be at work making the road up the Big hill, as it is called, which, when finished, will facilitate easy travelling between the two bavs.

While the town possesses so spacious and commodious a Court-house, we should much like to see some alterations and improvements made which would facilitate the possibility of hearing the proceedings that take place in it. Hardly any occasion happens on which business is being transacted, but it is interrupted, more or less, by sounds of noise that have a disagreeable effect on the auditory. The tramping of feet overhead ; the gambols of children on the verandah ; the boisterous conversation of people at the door ; the clanging of doors ; and the rattling of the shaky windows in a gale of wind, are only a few of the disagreeables calculated to annoy the most enduring on a Court day. The R.M., we know, is too much of a philosopher to let these trifles trouble him ; but when we see the learned gentlemen at the bar, and a greater portion of the audience making acoustic instruments of their hands, we cannot but conclude that something is, at any rate, disturbing their sense of hearing.

Our Road Board does not seem to be very felicitous in its bargains. Some little time since attention was drawn, through our columns, by an implied doubt, to the fact that the celebrated Dog Nuisance kennel was not made according to specification. Of that we cannot judge ; but as in such a simple matter there should have been as much as £l4 difference between the accepted and rejected tenders, it may be useful to enquire whether the lowest price is always the cheapest, and we base the spirit of the enquiry upon the utter uselessness of that canine" article after about three weeks wear. Two or three collarless vagrants not liking their supperless confinement, tried the strength of the bars and walked forth again into liberty. These bars, it appears, are made of mere fencing wire, and so conveniently constructed that dogs can insert their muzzles between them and forcibly effect an egress. Several litigants requiring processes to be served, have called upon us lately complaining of the annoyance and, inconvenience they are put to in the Resident Magistrate’s Court through the tardy transaction of business, and the something more than uncertainty of the law’s delay. Having borne testimony before, and repeating now of our own knowledge, that the business of that Court has greatly increased during the last year, we have been to the trouble of making personal enquiries, and for the satisfaction of all interested we lay the result before our readers. It will be remembered that we have added our quota to the general complaint/ as to the smallness of the Police force stationed at Gisborne. Up to the time of the last report being made when Mr. M'Lean was here some months since, nothing could have given greater satisfaction that did the police arrangements, systematized by Sergeant Shirley. Our wants by day were not only fully supplied, but the town was guarded during the night; and this well-re-gulated discipline was a source of gratification to the force itself, as each man had his time on and off. We will suppose that Colonel St. John came to some very satisfactory conclusions in his own mind, which led him to recommend to the Commissioner a permanent decrease in the Gisborne staff ; but we submit, with all becoming humility of course, that the gallant Colonel’s . conclusions and report have been productive of the evils of which we now feel the effect. The force was lowered to one man, and the others ordered to head military quarters at Ormond. The consequences are natural. The Resident Magistrate has not the machinery at his command necessary to perform the functions of his office. The one man cannot be spared from Gisborne to serve summonses, and warrants for arrest, or to do other duty in the country —hence'the inconvenience and delay. We believe Dr. Nesbitt has so represented the difficulty of his position as to obtain the services of an extra member of tiie Armed Constabulary, until some definite arrangement can be made to permanently increase the force.