Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 83, 5 March 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Fibe Bell.—ln order to test the Gisborne fire-bell, which has been overhauled, it will be rung for ten minutes this evening, commencing at seven o’clock. This notice is given to guard against people becoming alarmed. Accident.—Mr. Robinson, the engineer of the Nolco, who has of late been engaged in putting up the machinery of the new boneerushing mill for Messrs. Kennedy and Bennett, met with a rather serious accident last evening by falling on the circular-saw. The services of Dr. Pollen were called into requisition, and a finger amputated. The Tubanoasui Bridge, which has been in suspension so long, has at last assumed a more permanent shape, as will be seen by reference to our report on the matter.

Siltisg-u? or the River.—lt has been decided to take steps to erect a wing, or dyke, in the river, with a view of scouring away the silt which is rapidly accumulating in front of the wharf. We can only hope that the experiment may prove efficacious in accomplishing the desired ends, but at the same time we cannot help expressing a grave doubt as to its practical utility.

Mails.—Mails for Auckland per Penguin will close this afternoon (Wednesday), at 5 p.m.

Medical.—Dr. J. F. Innes, Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery, has commenced practice in Gisborne, and may be consulted at his residence, Childers Street, near the Presbyterian Church. Dentistry.—Mr. Grossman, Resident Surgeon Dentist, has intimated that “ he will during this week, insert artificial teeth at exceptionally low prices.’’ Freezing and Storing or Meat.—The Press states that Mr. Richard Lancaster, butcher, is now having fitted up at the back of his premises, Ashburton, one of Taylor’s patent refrigerators and cold dry-air apparatus, which he intends using for the freezing and storing of meat for local consumption, thus avoiding the necessity of having to cart his meat daily from the slaughter-yards during all weathers. It is believed Mr. Lancaster is the first to import this class of machinery into New Zealand, but the refrigerators have been in use for some time by several wellknown butchering firms in Melbourne, all of whom speak very highly of the invention.”

Sydney Again I —The Standard says that “ the Natives in Rangitikei and Manawau have received a lengthy circular from Sydney Taiwhanga, in which that astute individual sets forth in glowing language the burdens under which his fellow - countrymen are groaning, and points out that King Tawhiao is going Home to consult the Queen of England and her advisers, after which, of course, their burdens will be removed. The address winds up with a request for money.”

Fallen Low.— Labour discourses thus:— “ Mr. M. W. Green, the member for Dunedin East, has fallen very low in the Southern capital. He failed to get elected on the Licensing Committees — all Preacher and Templar as he is. When ho came to the Assembly first and gave notice of his Eight Hour and Employers’ Liability Bill, I thought there was something in him, but his merits and abilities were soon manifested. He was the agent of the Dunedin Council, simply entrusted with their bills, which he mismanaged and failed to pass. His first speech showed that he was bad form; his first year that he was unreliable. He was eaten up with self-conceit, and afilicted with the incurable disease of preaching to all men on all occasions. Nature had intended him for a book-pedlar; he has gone, or is going, into the insurance business. The Dunedin people apparently have found him out. It was quite time they did. Frauds soon get spotted as such in the General Assembly. The only valuable thing about Mr. Green was his vote ; his conscience was too elastic to have any value.”

A Soft Set of Jurymen.—The old technical jargon of legal indictments, says the N. Z. Times, caused much trouble to twelve good and true men, who were sworn as a jury recently to try a man for stabbing a woman. Out of a few vulgar facts there arose three issues which puzzled the jury many hours, for they had to say whether the man stabbed the woman of malice aforethought, whether it was with intent to kill, or without intent to kill. Besides the legal issues, the jury evolved a fourth question, namely — How far is a man accountable for his violence when his passions are inflamed with drink and jealously? The judge expounded the law to the jury over and over again, and they were locked up several hours, their first decision being that the man stabbed the woman with intent to kill, though not of malice aforethought ; but when the judge pointed out that if the man intended to kill the woman with intent to kill, and did actually stab her in a dangerous part, the law inferred that he did it of malice aforethought, the jury could not agree to that form of verdict, and had to cogitate again, their final decision being that he did not intend to kill, but did stab her intending grievious bodily harm. They wanted, in fact, to let him off easily. The judge gave the man three years’ penal servitude.