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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 150, 21 March 1874, Page 2

South British Insurance Co.—Mr. A. Parnell announces the opening of an Agency of the South Briti-h Fire and Marine Insurance Company in Gisborne, of which he is the local representative. Major Pitt’s Resignation.—A recent General Government Gazette announces that Major Pitt’s resignation of his Commission in the Armed Constabulary', has been accepted by His Excellency the Governor. Something Dental.—The Professions are making Poverty Bay wards. Gisborne boasts of three lawyers in full swing, and now we learn that another dentist is likely to pay us a visit, probably with a view to permanent residence. An advertisement to that effect will shortly appear. Kaiariki Sale.—We omitted to state previously that at the request of several settlers Mr. W. S. Greene has altered the hours of his Auction Sale to day as follow: —the Horses will be sold at 12 o’clock, and tne Cattle at 3 o’clock. Church Tenders.-Three tenders were received for erecting a building for the Church of England congregation, the lowest of which was £570. We believe the committee have referred the matter to Archdeacon Williams for his opinion as to their acceptance.

Gisborne Brewery.—Messrs. Whitson and Co. are setting vigorously to work to give us an early taste of their home brew. Mr. Crawford, representing that firm, arrived by the Pretty Jane from Auckland, for the purpose of making such preliminary arrangements as are necessary to the arrival of the plant. New Rush. —We learn from private sources that the Queensland diggings have turned up trumps at last.. They are reported to be 100 miles in extent, of alluvial country, where gold can be had by merely picking it up. This El dorado exceeds in vastness and richness all the other El dorados put together, with New Zealand added as comparatively barren of results.

New Settlers. —Trade is likely to be well represented, ere long in Poverty Bay. Mr. M’Dermott the well-known Humber and Tinsmith of Vietoria-street East, was a passenger per last boat from Auckland, with a view to taking observations prior to opening up a branch of his trade in Gisborne; Mr. M’Dermott is so well satisfied with the place, and the prospect before him, that he purposes making arrangements to that end immediately on his return to Auckland. Mr. Helyar’s Rams. —We regret to learn that the second of Mr. Helyar’s rams died the other day, from the effects of over-eating at a bag of oats. Besides the pecuniary loss to Mr. Helyar —-who, in common with other flockowners in the Bay, is exhibiting an amount of enterprise worthy of all praise—it is a great loss to the district. The five ewes recently arrived cannot now be mated with any blood equally pure to the deceased rams, and it will seriously check the object Mr. Helyar had in view, of making Poverty Bay noted for the excellence of its ineut and wool.

Franconi Brothers.—These young men, the only remaining relics of Muir’s once celebrated Company of Acrobats, playing for a long time in Gisborne, are about to give a farewell performance in the Music Hall on the 31st of March next, in conjunction with some amateur talent, who have generously come forward to aid them in their efforts. It appears that the Franconia are desirous of joining a Company in Wellington at the beginning of the next month, in which they have an engagement to play, and are anxious to give a last performance so as to enable them to reach their destination. We hope that the call will meet with a favorable response.

Fire. —The first midnight surprise with which Gisborne has been visited since it became a township occurred on Wednesday night last about 12 o’clock when the residents in the vicinity of the Block-house were alarmed at the sudden illumination which burst upon them. A general turn out of those who happened to be aroused found that the flames were confined to the Government stable in the rear of the Blockhouse, and being a calm night there was no danger of other buildings catching fire. Mr. Bettington was the first on the scene and with some difficulty managed to get a horse out that had been stabled there for the night. We understand that about a ton of hay, a saddle, and a few other articles were destroyed. Captain Gudgeon has held a preliminary enquiry as to the cause of the fire, and is satisfied from the evidence that it arose from spontaneous combustion in the hay loft. Court Business. —The regular sitting day —once a week—affords insufficient time to get through the increasing business in the Resident Magistrate’s Court. On Thursday last, although the Court had sat on other days during the week, there were no less than 15 cases down for hearing, many of which had to stand dver until yesterday. We think the present an opportune moment in which to bring the attention of the Government to the absurdly low salaries received by both Magistrate and Clerk. Dr. Nesbitt gets but £lOO a year, and Mr. Skipworth only £l5O. It is also expedient that the Suuerintendent’s advice, relative to the members of the legal profession joining with the Resident Magistrate in representing the state of matters to the General Government, with a view to the erection of a building better adapted for Court, business than the present one is. The incessant din kept up by the tramping of feet overhead, up and down stairs, and on the verandah, is a source of great annoyance; indeed, business on 'I hursday had to be suspended for a time, until the police were able to quell the disturbance. The internal arrangements too, are very incomplete. Counsel elbow the Clerk ; the police jostle counsel, and reporters are held to be grievous obtruders at the legal board. Witnesses, prosecutors, and defendants. are mixed up indiscriminately; there is no dock, and no witness box, while temporary sitting accommodation is afforded only by borrowed chairs from neighbouring ■ departments'doing duty for the occasion.

Government Paddock Tenders. —We understand that no application lias yet been received by Dr. Nesbitt from the General Government in reply to the several tenders sent in some time since to lease the land at Makaraka known as the Government paddock. Some little delay, we are aware, was caused at the outset through the recommendation made by Dr. Nesbitt to the Government that a portion of the reserve be set apart for the purpose of a recreation ground; but since His Honor the Superintendent lias made other provision for that purpose, further delay seems to be unnecessary. The point, however, must not be lost sight of that the Provincial Government demur to the right of the Genera Government in administering this reserve, nevertheless, it is a pity that so valuable a block of laud should remain idle.