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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 111, 6 December 1873, Page 2

The Bab.—Mr. Wilson announces that he has commenced practice in Gisborne as a Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor. The Hon. the Native Minister left Gisborne in the Luna on Wednesday last for the Coast.

Gisborne Dramatic Club.—We understand that the members of this club intend giving one or two nights entertainments about New Year’s Day, the particulars of which will be announced shortly. Garbick Club. — Our military friends at Camp Ormond, are again to the front. The festivities of the approaching season are about to commence with some vigor, and the members of the Armed Constabulary Force are catering for public amusement with a selection that cannot fail to attract and please the most fastidious. Their theatre doors open again on Monday night next, when the sterling serio-comic drama the “ Porter’s Knot,” and the farce called “ Poor Pillicoddy” will be played. An interlude of singing, in which Mr. F. H. Clements, whom we are glad to welcome back again to the Force, will appear —makes up an attractive programme. To Our Readers. —A continued pressure of advertisements, (for which we make appropriate acknowledgment) on our space, reduces our reading columns to a minimum which, without some explanation, may seem very unfair to those whose interest in our journal may not be confined to the advertisement portion of it. We are perfectly sensible of the fact that the liberal support accorded to the Standard, warrantsan effort on our part to make the reading matter in it as extensive and discursive as possible; but the expenses attending an enlargement of a Newspaper plant are too serious to be incurred without caution. Arrangements were entered into sometime since to meet the continued demand for room, by such an increase in our size as we think to be either necessary or prudent: this will be effected at the beginning of the next quarter; but from the many “ ■manifestations ” of not only continued but additional support received since we were first threatened with opposition, there are good reasons for believing that a still further enlargement will soon have to be made. Of this, however, our readers may be sure, that when the circumstances of the district do warrant it, no expense shall be spared in maintaining the Standard as the paper for the people. A temporary addition of space is made in to-day’s issue. A People’s Park. — The subject of "Vox Populi’s ” letter, in another column, has not been lost sight of by us; indeed it has been under discussion during the recent visit of the Native Minister to Poverty Bay, but we regret to say that the “ all devouring auction hammer ” is much more likely to make a meal out of the sale of the’ Government Paddock thaii the residents of the place are to possess a recreation ground. Nevertheless we see no valid reason why the matter should not be taken up in sober earnestness by the people, it is essentially a people’s question, and if proper representations be made to the Government, we think it will bend to the wishes of the settlers and reserve the land in perpetuity for the public benefit —say for a park and general

recreation. Oar correspondent has not said a whit too much in his poetic description of the natural beauties and advantages which this piece of land possesses for such a purpose, but besides those he has noticed, it is the only remaining piece of land adapted for such a purpose, and to which we may lay some amount of claim. A very grave error was made in not making such a reserve in the town of Gisborne, and we hope to see the matter taken up earnestly, and, as we believe it will be, successfully. Since the above was written, a notice has been left at our office calling for tenders to lease the Government Paddock, for a term of 14 years. “ Vox Populi ” must have smelt a rat, or something else that has been brewing during the last few days, when he addressed himself so appropriately to this very important question. As we have said, the matter has already been mooted, and we had understood that the idea was to cut up the ground in “ lots to suit purchasers;” but as this is not the case, it affords an opportunity for such action to be taken as will secure to the denizens of this dusty township a pleasant place of resort, which they may call their own. We believe there are some 50 acres in the block, and we cannot think the Government would demur to setting aside a portion of it for so desirable an object.