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Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 68, 10 August 1878, Page 2

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Temuka School Committee will take place on Tuesday, 13th inst., at 7.30 p.m. We desire to call the attention of our readers to an advertisement appearing’ in another column of this paper notifying that a committee meeting in connection with the Temuka races will be held at the Crown Hotel, Temuka, on Monday, the 12th inst. Every member is requested to attend.

We arc given to understand that Dr Eayner, the health officer for this district, is about to publish an abstract of the Health Act for the guidance of the public. Ehis js to be done in acemd mce with a resolution passed by bia local Board of Health.

The footballers of Temuka have rcce : vWl a challenge from the Christ’s Collge Football Club, wide i we hear they intend to a r, ceptd We can only urge our local club to muster as strong a team as pnss'ble, as judging from the mat "hi'.s recently played by the College,Club in Oiiristoli\;rc:l, Tonruka will have to “wire in ” if they mean to li keep their none up.” We understand the mat li islik'dy to come oil; on the Temuka ground on Tuesday 20th inst. The Winchester Stock Fair of Wednesday was well attended, and good prices obtained for most of the entries. 43 head of cattle and 450 sheep were yarded. Cows were sold at from E 7 to”£l3 each. Stores t owing to scarcity of feed, were in less demand, nevertheless good prices were obtained The sheep went at from 9i to 13s a head. Fat stock of every description are in demand at advancing rates. This fair is,evidently of great use, being always well attended, and we shall be pleased to see it continue prosperous. Efforts are being made to establish a monthly bur at Temuka, but it is intended to arrange the times of holding it that it shall not clash with ,the Winchester Fair, nor even to enter into competition with it.

The long expected sequel to the entertainment provided in April for the children attending the school in the Waihi Bush district, and their friends, came. off last week. That entertainment consisted of a feast, ..games, prizes for games, &c., under the direction of the School Committee, upon which a sum of £l6 was expended. The sequel was the awarding r of to the two'or three most deserving scholars in each class in present attendance, in addition to which all the other children were made happy by being presented with suitable and gaily bound works —this, however, chiefly with a view to their encouragement in the future. Nearly £6 was expended in the purchase,of the books from Whitcombe and Co., Christchurch, for the fifty-seven children who yrere present. In the absence of the Chairman of Committee, Sir Thomas Tancrcd, now in the North Island, and owing to the Chairman, pro. tern., Mr Dean, having unfortunately met with an accident, the gifts wore presented by another member of Committee, Mr A. McDonald, who, following out the directions of .the Committee, and assisted by Mr Murray, the teacher, had no difficulty in giving that common desideratum on such occasions—very general satisfaction. An agitatipn has for some time been on foot to consider the advisability of changing the present school site, or, alternatively, of having a second school district, and accordingly a public meeting of householders was to be held in the schoolroom at seven o’clock pan. on Friday, August 9th (yesterday), to endeavor to come to a satisfactory conclusion. This meeting w r as called by the Secretary to the Board of Education, Mr Hammond, who was also expected to be present on behalf of th°- Board.

A meeting of tho Waitohi School Committee was held at tho schoolroom, on

Monday, 4-Ugust Mb. There were present Messrs Talbot, Currie, and Young. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman stated that no reply had yet been received from the Board to the application for a grant for incidentals; the salaries, for July were also not received. It was resolved that the Board bo informed that the sehoolhouse needs replastering and otherwise repairing, also that some gymnastic apparatus ought to be placed in the school ground. Mr Currie agreed to inspect the schoolhousc and ascertain the probable cost of repairs, &e., and report to the Chairman, with the view of the Board being written to asking its sanction to the necessary (expenditure. Mr Young applied for the use of the schoolroom for one night, it being proposed to get up an entertainment, probably early in September, in aid of the Wesleyan Church at Waitohi. Mr Currie made a similar application for the purpose of holding an entertainment in aid of the Sunday School. The Chairman said that lie would agree with both the applications, and was sure that all members of the Committee would gladly consent to the. room being allowed for £uch useful purposes. The Chairman was authorised to pay for the fhewpod lately procured, and sundry other items, as soon as the grant applied for was available. The meeting then' terminated.

The performances of’ the Eiley find Allen Minstrel Troupe in the Volunteer Hall last flight were very indeed. Messrs Eiley and Alio i are a host in '.hcpisolves, and whether as the conventional sailor, Irishman, or “ nigger,” were equally successful. The step dances, hornpipe, jig, and juba were “ hungrily ” watched and loudly applauded. Mr Gallagher, the instrumentalist of the troupe, gave a .well appreciated solo on the violin. A curious feature .of the entertainment is Mr Eiley’s “ antimacassar,’ an ornamental pattern torn in a pi.qge.of ■newspaper. The afterpiece, a farce called “The (J.erk of the Intelligence Office,” was very amusing. Their performances are well worth seeing.

A Maori of the Northern peninsula died suddenly a few days ago, it is supposed from the bite of some poisonous insect during sjeop. In the s.orniug a small mark was observable on his upper lip. This gradually swelled until the,wlio’e head was swollen terribly. After suffering thr *e days, he died. The natives attributed his death to witchcraft.

The success of Trickcl.t aiyj! the Australian cricketers at Home has suggested the idea of sending some of the best Australian -racehors •« to try conclusions with the ‘ cracks’ of America, and afterwards with those of England.