Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 283, 12 November 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Fast Time.—The business of the Harbor Board was put through last night In twenty minutes.

Eyes.—Black eyes denote passion. It is generally safe to say that the man with a black eye has angered some one. Settling Up.—The settling up in connection with the Prince of Wales Athlectic Sports, will take place to night at the Roseland Hotel. Time of Meeting.—The Board resolved last evening on the motion of Mr. Kenny to meet at 7.30 instead of 7 o’clock, until further notice.

Dancing.—By advertisement it will be seen that a weekly dance has been started in Porter’s Hall, where for a small charge a good evening’s enjoyment can be obtained. County Elections.—Mr. Thomas Wright addressed the electors at the Makaraka Hall last night and received a vote of thanks. Mr. Hurrey also addressed the electors at Ormond.

Wharf.—A motion in the name of Mr. Wilson “ That the wharves be offered by tender at a reserve of £lOOO per annum,” was called on last evening, but in the absence of the mover was allowed to stand over till next meeting.

Gisborne School,—Parents and others interested in the training of the young are invited to attend at the school at 3 o’clock to-morrow afternoon, when Mr. Hill, the Inspector, will put the children through some calisthenic exeicises.

Distress.—A greater amount of distress prevails in Wellington than is generally sup posed to exist, and the tax made on the funds of the charitable institutions of the citj is something considerable. Lecture.—On Friday evening Professoi Hugo will deliver a lecture on “ Spiritualism ’ in McFarlane’s Hall, in aid of the funds o: the Library and the Benevolent Society. To. morrow evening the Professor will appear at Makaraka.

Political.—Referring to current politics ir New Zealand, the Australasian, says that “ however prosperously the Stout and Voge' combination may go on for a time, we muss confess being unable to regard it as anythin; more than a side episode in the ordinal} course of New Zealand nolitics.”

Harbor Board.—There was very little business transacted at the Board meeting last evening. The only member absent was Mr Wilson. Two unimportant communications were received. Payments passed were—wharfinger, £6 ; Humphries, £2 IGs 6d; J W. Nolan, L 53 4s, Fish.—Auckland is exporting fish to Sydne} while here the article is at famine prices Recently small mullet weighing about a poun<* wore being hawked about, the price only being one shilling each. Gisborne would de well, especially during the summer, to encourage a regular supply of fish for the town.

The Lion.—The lion which recently died in Napier was one of five recently bought by Chiarini frotn Cooper for £1,500. Cooper had bought them at auction on the sale of Myer’s Menagerie for eleven hundred guineas. Chiarini refused to sell the carcass, but presented it to Baker’s Museum, Waipapa, as a memento of his visit to Napier. N. Z. Cup.—We have to apologise to our readers for an error which occurred in naming the second and third horses for the Cup last evening. Our correspondent in the hurry of the moment sent the two names wrong, and although we had the corrected message within a few minutes of the time it was too late for the issue.

Water Supply.—So great is the pressure of water in Wellington now that when a burst takes place the water is projected to a height of 70 feet and comes down the chimneys and puts the fires out, and makes the housewives indulge in profane language. The streets become inundated, and crowds of people assemble to watch the spectacle and for the time being the scene is quite animated and impressive. Orphan Asylum.—A good-looking story is told of a political candidate who after affectionately kissing and praising an assortment of eleven children, and marvelling much at the resemblance they bore to a matronly lady, who blushed the while, then requested, with a by-the-way air, that she should mention to her husband that Mr. So-and-so had called. “ Alas, good sir,” quoth the lady, “I have no busband!” “But these children, madam; you surely are not a widow?” “I feared you were mistaken, sir, when you first came up. These are not my children ; this is an orphan asylum !” Ranolf and Amohia.—An essay of a very interesting character was read by Mr. Wilson before the members of the Gisborne Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society last evening on the above subject. The essayist gave a graphic description of the poem. Pointing out its special feature as a work of artistic word paintings, its beauties in describing New Zealand scenery, and its men in the scientific world. There was a good attendance of members, and Mr. Wilson was highly commended on the way he had brought the subject before the class. The chair was occupied by Rev. G. W. J. Spence. Linseed.—Perhaps the following extract from the Temuka Leader, which refers to the linseed factory established there, may be of some interest to a number of our readers:—

“ The Temuka linseed factory appears to be making rapid progress. There are now sixteen hands, including seven boys, working there, and, besides, there are three men employed in supplying native flax. The amount paid weekly for wages is between £2O and £25 on an average. It may, therefore, be regarded as an important industry. Most of the European flax has been dressed, but some of it is still retting, and there is a stock of it to be scutched yet.” Full particulars regarding the cultivation of linseed, with a sample of the seed itself, can be obtained on application at the Telephone office.

Tim Telephone.—-A reporter of the Lyttelton Times, describing the new telephone invented by Mr. Hebden, of Christchurch, says : —“ The practical improvment secured by Mr. Hebden’s .new transmitter is greater than even those who are using the telephone every day could readily imagine. I, in Christchurch, talked in an undertone with the inventor in Lyttleton. I (and others, or I should hesitate to record it) could hear every sound ho uttered, minus the metallic twang; even when, at a distance of 14ft. from the instillment, he whistled a murderous rendering of ‘ Rule Britannia.’ The ticking of a small pendulum clock could be heard when placed close to the appliance, and so, too, could the scratching of a pen upon paper, notwithstanding the constant ric-a-tic cf telegraphic instruments at Lyttelton, the noise of which was picked up by our wire; and notwiihstandeng, too, the extremely animated * induced current ’ conversation between other telelphonists, whose embellished compliments came to unwilling ears. Between the old form of transmitter and the new there is simply no comparison, so far as this Christchurch-Lyttelton test is concerned, Mr. Hebden’s invention giving such vastly better results.

Threshers.-—There are 181 steam threshing machines in the colony—B3 in the North and 151 in the South Island. Of the latter, 102 are in the Canterbury district. Railways.—The amount expended by the various English railway companies in managing, working, and upholding the lines for the past year was about £37,000,000.

Some Hope.—There is some hope yet for lawyers, and incidentally for the general public, as the reign of red tape is being gradually encroached upon. It ia now a common sight to see solicitors attending the Napier Court securing their papers with convenient rubber bands, instead of with the time honored scarlet bandages so long in vogue. Such a fact is fraught with great promise, as it proves that common sense and economy can sometimes beat fusty precedent, even with the conservative legal mind, and caoutchouc may be the unconscious forerunner of a codification of the law as easy to understand as the Code Napoleon.— lL Ji. Herald.

Sword and Pen.—That the H pen is mightier than the sword,” was amply demonstrated a few days ago in the Wellington Parliamentary library. A Press Association reporter had occasion to enter the library for a document he had forgotten the day before. The Hon. Captain Fraser suddenly pounced on the intruder, and in violent tones asked him what his business was, and ordered him out. The reporter replied by asking if he (the redoubtable Capting) was the House messenger, to act as he was doing. This infuriated Captain Fraser so much that he danced a jig round the bewildered journalist and lifted his foot to kick him. The nimble reporter managed to escape that ignominy, and, losing temper, put himself in a boxing attitude, and overwhelmed the Captain with a torrent of high-sounding Billingsgate. Several members present separated the antagonists, and the scene came to an end. Hard Riding.—Says the Opotiki Herald of recent date :—“ Mr. C. S. Abbot arrived here on Saturday last from Opoiti, a place within fifteen miles of Wairoa, via the Opotiki and Ormond road “ in the shortest time on record.” He left Opoiti on Wednesday, at 8 a.m. got into the Argyll Hotel, Gisborne at 4.30, distance about 60 miles ; spent a a good part of the following day on business between Gisborne and Kaiteratahi, left the latter place at 3.30 p.m. on Thursday evening, and got into Omarumutu at five a.m. on Saturday morning, thus completing 160 miles in less than three days, over a road which in many places is exceedingly bad and almost impassable. One portion, the first 10 miles from the Motu Bridge towards Opotiki, took four hours and a half to get through. This journey was done on one pony, and both horse and rider are still alive.”

R.M. Court.—The following cases were disposed of yesterday Fraser v. Hurrey. Claim £25. The claim was heard some time ago when £25 was disallowed. The present claim was made to recover the £25. Mr. DcLautour appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Brassey for defendant. His Worship remarked that the evidence was of a most unsatisfactory character, one witness having sworn one thing and another directly opposite. His mind was pretty well marie up, but he would take till Friday to again look through the documents produced. There could be no doubt erasures had been made, and he would take till Friday as stated. F. Francis v. Richard Burke, claim £9 12s. Plaintiff nonsuited with costs 21s:—W. H. Tucker v. J. P. Bannister, claim £4 Bs. Judgment for plaintiff with costs 10s. £2 was paid into Court. —Nicholas v. Hapi Kaniha, claim £4 12s. 3d. Judgment for plaintiff wiih costs 12s.