The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, MAY 30. Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 144, 30 May 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, MAY 30. Local and General.

Ourselves.—We regret to inform our readers and subscribers, that our editor being temporily indisposed prevented us from furnishing our leader column with our usual leading comments upon important local questions. Gas Company.—On account of the bad state of the weather, the contractor has been compelled to stop putting down the gas pipes. They are now down as far as Mr. Adam’s shop. Electoral Roll.—There are 1,714 names on the new Electoral Roll, being a nett increase of about 200 on the last, which only showed a total of some 1,500 odd. The Rio Grande.—lt is thought that this late south-easterly gale will “do” for the brig Rio Grande. The breakers are smashing over her with great force, and if they continue much longer, will soon send her to pieces. The N.Z. Footballers.—Our footballers appear to be enjoying themselves in Sydney. They were lately entertained by Mr. Dibbs, manager of the Commercial Bank there, and were taken on an excursion round the beautiful harbor of that place. Whit Monday.—Monday next being Whit Monday, the banks will be closed, as also will other places of business in the town. The Gisborne.—lf the weather improves the schooner Gisborne will take her departure for the Coast and Auckland first thing tomorrow morning, but it is likely she will not get away before Monday, as this gale is likely to continue for the next two or three days. Another Mahdi.—Our telegrams to-day go to show that there is fresh trouble in the affairs of Egypt, in announcing that another Mahdi has appeared on the scene, and is converting the tribes to follow in his belief. It is to be hoped that the announcement is unfounded. Supreme Court.—We expect the opening of the sittings of the Supreme Court to be held here next month, will not take place until a day or so later than the 16th, the time at present notified for it to open, on account of the election falling on that day. No official notification has been gixen to that effect, but we think it would be advisable to take such a course. S.s. Rosina.—The s.s. Rosina arrived in the river last night from the Coast, with the following passengers:—Messrs. Sheehan, Porter, Rees, Whitcombe, Taylor, H. Potae, P. Potae, Jury, Stubbs, Swanson, and others. She will most probably leave for the Coast again on Tuesday next, June 3. Rowing Club.—A correspondent writes inquiring when the cups given to the Rowing Club, and now in Mr. M. G. Nasmith’s window, are going to be presented to those who are entitled to them. We cannot exactly answer that question, but we suppose the Captain is waiting for the return of the other set, which have been sent away South to have the names engraved on them, and are expected to return shortly, so that he can present the whole lot at. once. Mr. Smaill.—We are pleased to learn that Mr. Smaill, who has recently had his leg amputated, is progressing favorably. He is in a very weak condition on account of the loss of a large quantity of blood through the operation. A Dangerous Joke.—A silly and dangerous kind of joke is reported to have been practised in one or more of the colonial cigar factories, consisting in the insertion of Chinese crackers in the heart of cigars. A Ballarat contemporary mentions two cases, in one of which the trick was discovered before the cigar was lighted, but in the other the cigar exploded whilst a gentleman was smoking it. U.S.S. Service.—Up to the time of our going to press, the Te Anau had not arrived in the Bay. It is probable when she does arrive that the Snark will not tender her, on account of the sea being too rough, and in that case she will have to proceed on to Napier. The undermentioned passengers are booked to leave by her:—Messrs. Munn, Morgan, Peters, Cumming, Aronha Kaihau, Miss Tilly, Mrs. Peters, and 2 children. The Southern Cross will be up to-morrow from South. Milner Stephen.—The Dunedin Herald of Thursday last contains the following:— Yesterday afternoon Mr. Milner Stephen held his sixth gratuitous healing of the poor in the Old Knox Church, which has been benevolently lent for the purpose by the Rev. Dr. Stuart. About 300 spectators and patients were present, several ladies sitting on the platform with Mrs. Stephen. Although no startling cases presented themselves, the great majority of the patients, who numbered about 55, were apparently treated successfully, and many invoked blessings for the healer as they walked away with joy depicted on their countenances. County Cook Council.—Two notices from the County Clerk to the ratepayers appear in our advertising columns to the effect that, on the 12th of next month, a general rate of three farthings in the pound will be made, commencing from the Ist of April, 1884, and ending on the 31st March, 1885. On the same day a special rate will also be made of one two hundredth part of a penny, for the purposes of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. This rate is to extend over ten years, and is due and payable in one sum on the Ist of March in each year. The rate books can be inspected at the Council’s office. R.M. Court.—The following cases were disposed of at the R.M. Court this morning, before Messrs. W. Common and J. W. Johnson, J.P.’s : —Parnell and Boylan v. Mossman. Claim £lB 10s. lid., for goods sold and delivered. No appearance of the defendant. One of the plaintiffs, Mr. Parnell, stated that the goods were supplied. That the defendant had promised to pay the amount, and had never disputed the account, and that he had paid nothing on account of it. Judgment was therefore given for the amount claimed with costs. Murchie v. Dunlop and Goldsmith—Claim £5 ss. Judgment for the plaintiff with costs, £1 2s. J. S. Browne v. W. L. Rees—Claim £22 7s. 9d. In this case Mr. Greenwood stated that their Worships could not hear it as it was beyond their jurisdiction. They could not hear cases in which the claims exceeded £2O. On that account he thought it would be better to have the case adjourned until Mr. Booth’s return. Adjourned until the 10th of June. Sir George Grey.—A writer in an exchange says:—“The papers profess their inability to understand the idolatrous infatuation of Sir George Grey’s working class audiences. Sir George is at any time and at all times an ancient mystery. The only explanation yet suggested of the enthusiasm he seems to kindle is that his full-foliaged rhetoric, empty though it be of fruit of any sort—good or bad, green, ripe or rotten—is surpassingly beautiful. Sir George, it is true, is “ nothing but leaves,’’ but then his leaves are such graceful leaves, hang and wave in such luxuriant profusion. So say all the papers, Greyitc and anti-Greyite alike, chanting with one consent the fatal beauty of Sir George’s oratory. On that point I think all the papers wrong. To me—and I listened patiently and sympathetically—last Saturday night’s harangue was pitiable, senility, mere maundering, weary, fiat, stale, and unprofitable. But let that pass. I am in a minority of one, and may hold my peace. In any case, however, it is not by the charms of rhetoric that Sir George’s devotees are enchained. What they worship in their idol is a p ilri .ian who has deserted his own order to become tribune of the pl-'bs. That it is the true explanation of Sir G rge Gi. ’s portentous populari . tiswl y p< ;h( s vhi n ing, propose nothing, begin and end amid the ■r f •• :cii ds. It is not the speech that they applaud but the I speaker."

i The Austral.—The Orient Company’s unlucky steamer has emerged from the decorator’s hands improved and beautified. She again justifies the high eulogium of the Times that she is one of the handsomest vessels afloat. During the next six or seven months she will be engaged in the Liverpool and New York trade as the sister ship to the Anchor Company’s s.s. City of Rome. By that time it is hoped she will have conclusively demonstrated to the world her perfect stability, and have created such a reputation as a high-class passenger ship, that Australians will “ rush ” her when she is again placed in the passenger trade to the Antipodes. The unfortunate disaster in Sydney harbour in no way injured the hull of the ship or her valuable engines, but the fittings were entirely ruined, and had to be renewed throughout. They are very handsome, and every convenience that experience can suggest has been provided for the comfort of passengers. The main saloon has been widened upwards of six feet, and can now accommodate 120 passengers. Th--steamer made a trial run from the Clyde to Liverpool on Sunday last, and gave perfect satisfaction. Over the measured inile she ran more than 17 knots an hour.

Baker Pasha.—Colonel Valentine Baker’s friends arc evincing a most indecent haste to get him reinstated in his position in the British Army which he held previous to his conviction for one of the worst offences known to modern society. The last effort appears to be an appeal from the Egyptian Khedive to her Majesty, but we cannot possibly see what weight this can have with a question which bears solely upon the morale and honor of the British Army. What would have been the punishment meted out to Baker Pasha had he been found guilty of the same crime in the country over which the Khedive holds sway. Instead of eighteen months detention in a gaol, as a sort of honored guest to the governor, by whom he had sumptuous apartments allotted him, and where the monotony of the time was whiled away by every conceivable amusement, he would undoubtedly meet that fate which would have speedily purged society for ever from the presence of one who had proved himself totally unfit to be acknowledged as a member of any civilised community. The question is such a serious one as affecting the honor of the whole army, that we have little doubt but what the authorities will hesitate long ere they attempt a step which would be without parallel, and which must cause a blot upon the boasted honor of the British army.

A Notable Brigand.—The death is announced from Naples of Cipriano la Gala, the most ferocious brigand of modern times, which took place at Portoferraio, on the island of Elba, where he had been confined for a number of years, chained to the wall. La Gala has been proved guilty of fifty murders and numerous robberies, as well as arson. He commenced his career as an officer in the Bourbon militia. In 1860 he became a brigand chief, the terror of Southern Italy; he collected around him a band of 700 malefactors, and ruled them with an iron will, punishing the smallest disobedience with death. He was only of small, slender stature, but his piercing dark eyes showed his indomitable will. He wore a long black beard, coming down to the middle of his chest. Gala affected to be most religious, and went frequently to mass and confession. His skull is to be preserved as a phrenological curiosity.