The Standard. (PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.) THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1874.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 128, 29 January 1874, Page 2

The Standard. (PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1874.

“ 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.”

We observe that the proprietor of our local contemporary the Herald has intimated, to the Road Board his willingness to advertize for them on the cheap, i.e. gratis, for the next six months. Setting aside the want of business tact involved in this remarkable proceeding, we are at a loss to know upon what grounds the offer has been made ; and we are the more surprised to find that the Board intend to take the matter into their future consideration. Certainly, there were only three members at the sitting on Monday last, and the question was not put to the vote; but we can hardly conceive of anything more unjust than —in view of a contract having been already entered into to do this work at a certain price, for a given date, and on certain conditions—for the Board to seriously entertain the proposal at all, and we trust that the good sense of the united members will reject it altogether. . Pending the consideration which is promised we refrain from influencing the mind of the Board on the matter, but we shall take an early " '•'ortunity of saying a word or two *he state of the lilliputian mind ild frame so contemptible a

Sitting op Court.—ln consequence of the Races taking place to-day, the R.M.’s Court will sit on Monday next the 2nd February at 11 o’clock.

Maori Call. —A notice, in the Maori language, appears this morning intimating to the Native Shareholders in the Poverty Bay Petroleum Company that the first call of 5s per share must be paid.

Waikanae Bridge.—The Road Board voted a grant of £3O towards this object on Monday, which, together with the sum already in hand from private subscriptions, nearly tots up to what is required. The work, we understand will be proceeded with at once.

Slightly in Error.—As an instance of the intense ignorance or indifference that exists in Auckland relative to Poverty Bay, we find the Weekly News stating that the “ Poverty Bay Herald is the second weekly journal” issuedin Gisborne. The Standard, we beg to say, has issued twice a week for the last twelve months, and is now issuing thrice a week since the Ist instant.

Breach of Marine Laws.—The schooner reported by our Tologa Bay correspondent to have nearly run down Mr. Murphy’s boat, while on its passage to Poverty Bay, in consequence of having no lights, cannot have hailed from this port. The Rover and Julius Vogel left on the 17th, but, they must have gone past Tologa Bay long before the 19th. it is a pity that some clue cannot be got as to her identification, as punishment ought to overtake so flagrant a disregard of law and precaution.

Road Board.—There was little business done on Monday at the sitting of the Board beyond voting a grant in aid to the Waikanae bridge, and instructing the Engineer to proceed towards procuring metal from the Ormond hills. We learn it is the intention of the Board to urge the Government to reserve a portion of the Muhunga block for the purpose of getting a quarry there. A letter received from the Herald office offering to do the advertizing of the Board for six months, gratis, was held over for further consideration.

Bay of Plenty Times.—We are sorry to see, in one of its late issues, that the Bay of Plenty Times has given up the idea of issuing three times a week, and says “ there is not enough news to be gathered here for a paper every other day.” Either Tauranga must be standing still or Poverty Bay going ahead, as our experience, added to that of other journals in the colony, is exactly in the opposite direction to our contemporary. Nevertheless we find the Times advocating the erection of a Public Hall, by means of a Company, because Tauranga is “making such rapid strides in the march of progress.” Race Ball. — The ladies, who are, doubtless, on the qui vice respecting the muchtalked of ball will exclaim, “ better late than not at all,” when they hear that host Caulton has taken the matter in hand, The spacious rooms of the Masonic Hotel are to be thrown open to-night, than which none are so well adapted for the purpose. The entrance will be at. the private door in Lowe-street, and dressing rooms, en suite, for both ladies and gentlemen, will be found upstairs. Refreshments will be

which will bo entirely cleared for dancing. The bar, and more public portion of I he Hotel, will be screened off, with a view to securing privacy and comfort to the company. We think the arrangements could not be in better hands.

Land.—We are glad to see that a demand exists for land in this district. Town lands, and those prospectively likely to become centres of population are largely enquired for and being quitted at rather high prices. Some sections in the township of Gisborne, near to Mr. Brook Taylor’s house, have recently changed hands at a figure which shows confidence in the place; and Mr. T. Uren, we learn, lately realized on some of his Makaraka frontages near to Higgins’ new hotel at the rate of £25 and £3O for 1 chain of frontage. Ormond town sections are now selling at from £5O to £lOO (business sites) which could have been bought two or three years ago for as many shillings. The projected Building Society will give a great impetus to land and house transactions, and we shall be glad to see it launched without delay. R.M.’s Court. —On Saturday last Andrew Park laid an information against Alary Ann Gilman, Ellen Hughes, and George Burnand, for assault and battery. Air. Wilson appeared for complainant, who swore to the assault having been committed, and, according to the evidence of a native, and Mr. W’ilson himself (who had been subpoenaed as a witness) without any provocation. Mrs. Gilman was first called, and during her examination was sent to the lock-up for a week for contempt of Court. George Burnand, acknowledged to having “punched” complainant because, he had insulted his wife. He was fined £3 and costs. Ellen Hughes disclaimed having struck complainant, but endeavored to pull him off Airs. Gilman whom he was maltreating. The obdurate Afagistrate, however, doubted it, but gave her a portion of the benefit of it and reduced her fine to Is and costs. On Monday Mrs. Gilman was again brought up and fined 20s and costs, or, 14 days’ imprisonment. She elected the latter until she saw a possibility of a cheap trip to Auckland, when an arrangement was made for cash.

Herald versus Standard.—The Auckland Evening Star has, with its usual adroitness, become acquainted with the movements of our local contemporary. From its issue of the 19th inst., we clip the following :—We have received a copy of the Poverty Bay Herald, a journal printed at Gisborne in opposition to the Standard. Some surprise will naturally be expressed at the publication of two newspapers in a district so sparsely settled as Poverty Bay, but it is generally believed that the object in establishing the Herald is scarcely so much to supply the wants of the district as to meet the views of certain persons, who have taken umbrage at the independence displayed by the spirited paper already published at Poverty Bay. For our own part we shall continue to prefer the Standard, and do not fear for its ultimate triumph over cliqueism. Hitherto it has been well-conducted, and as we believe it possesses the confidence and support of the bulk of the settlers in the district, A uckland advertizers desirous of reaching the people of Poverty Bay will -find the columns of the Standard serve their purpose.