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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 998, 12 November 1881, Page 2

According to the Free Lance a playful East Coast elector nicknames the sporting owner of “ Foul Play ” Macheavellian McDonald. Mac says if he had a thocht he’d a been compared to a darn’d high Talian, he’d be-sniffed-if ever he’d ha’ backed up the murdering Land Layguer, Jake London. Sniff! On Wednesday last the members of the Wesleyan Church held a Soiree in their own building in Gisborne which, we believe was well attended, and the evening was spent in joyous harmony. We cannot give any particulars as there was no representative from our office present, —the. usual press courtesy having been either accidentally overlooked, or purposely withheld. An exchange says with regard to paper manufacture that this new and very important industry, which we are glad to welcome, has just been commenced by Messrs. A. Sil wood and Co., who have erected flax mills near Amberley, where the native fibre is dressed. It then undergoes manipulation at the same firm’s mills at WOolston, near Christchurch, before being finally sent to the paper mills.

Mr. S. Locke announces his intention of addressing the Gisborne electors in McFarlane’s Hall, next Thursday evening. And, possibly, thereafter, in other places in the district. As the other candidates will follow suit, and there are four of them, we express a hope that they will be merciful to the press reporters, and arrange, if convenient in other respects, tiiat they do not crowd one upon the other, too thickly. If such is the case, the chances of full reports will be greatly reduced. A writer in a Taranaki paper gives the following as an instance of “ high tone ” in the young ladies of that place : —“ The other morning one of these ladies knocked at the door of a certain house in the suburbs in a very imperative manner. The door was opened by a daughter of the house, to whom the visitor addressed herself as follows : —‘ Will you please tell your mother that my ma cannot wash for you to-day, and she’d better engage another lady for this week. It is reported that on the passage of the Albion from Napier at the beginning of this week, a gentleman, resident in Gisborne, in conversation with a stranger, but intimately connected with the^lace —on the subject of petroleum, and other kindred subjects, characterized the management of the Southern Cross Petroleum Company, as a “ great swindle.” There are persons who have ears as well as asses and walls ; and it would be well for the aforesaid ** gentleman ” to be more wary next time he expresses himself so freely. Makaraka was made lively on Wednesday last on account of the Presbyterian Church Bazarr held in the Hall of that progressive off-shoot of Gisborne. The same remark, however, applies to the management of this entertainment, as to the Wesleyans ; and it must be distinctly understood that if the promoters of these undertakings omit the ordinary business obligations, which are, or should be, mutual, we cannot put ourselves out of the way to report them. Business is business ; and if public gatherings wish to be noticed, the preliminary condition of invitation must precede all other consideration. From a visitor we learn that the Bazaar and Concert were successful, both from social and financial points of view, and that great praise is due to those ladies and gentlemsn who, including many visitors from town, so generously assisted towards making them thoroughly enjoyable. Tauranga is going to stick to Sir George Grey, if the following from the Bay of Plenty Times is an index of public opinion :—“ We are informed by a leading Liberal in town that Mr. Stewart is much more acceptable to them than Captain Morris, and that next to a professed Liberal they would prefer to see Mr. Stewart occupy the seat. It is wonderful, he says, how sensible men in the district can think of backing a thick and thin Hall supporter after the many slaps in the face and the unfair treatment this district has received from the present Ministry.” * * * “We are informed on good authority that the Liberals here, at the request of the Auckland leaders, will endeavor to run a local man for the ensuing election. If it is found that he cannot get in either Mr. Sheehan or, if necessary, Sir George Grey will stand for the Tauranga electorate, as the desire is to send a united body of representatives from the whole Province of Auckland pledged to support Liberal views.”

Some anomalous practices appear to go on under the Education Act. It seems that in certain Canterbury schools ministers of religion are permitted to give instructions during school hours. The fact is curious, considering the strictly secular intention of the Act. In Otago ministers of religion are kept out of the schools, but in their absence the schoolmaster himself sometimes assumes the duty of religious instruction, the Act to the contrary notwithstanding. In a country school a few miles from Dunedin the teacher recently informed the scholars that the head of the English Church was the ’Queen, the head of the Roman Catholic Church the Pope, but that the head of the Presbyterian Church -was Crist. This statement is said to have been eminently satisfactory to the Presbyterians of the district; but the members of the other two denominations have their doubts about it. If these things are done under a system supposed to be purely secular and thoroughly national, what may we expect when the Bible is read ?