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Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 70, 17 August 1878, Page 2

A shoeing smith named Clark, working for Henry and Findlay, Temuka, met with a nasty accident on Thursday. A horse that he was shooing forced him down, and trod upon him in several places. None of the injuries are very serious, but the poor fellow will be laid up for two or three weeks.

The ploughing match at the Washdyke yesterday was a rather slow affair, only eight competitors appearing on the ground—four with single and four with double ploughs. In the single-furrow class, R. Davie (Levels Plains) was awarded first prize ; J. Thompson (Timaru). second; J. Rickaby (Winchester), third ; and Macbratney (Temuka), fourth. In the double-furrow division, H. Stewart (Pareora) was placed first ; Sutherland (Temuka), second ; Leahy (Pareora), third ; and T. Currie (Pareora), fourth. The judges seemed to have placed a far higher value on certain results of “ false cut” than we would have done. False cut packs better at the time, hut a fair and square cut, if packed at all, settles down in a little time as close as the other. The square cut ploughs the whole field; the false cut leaves a good deal unturned.

In the Legislative Council, Captain Fraser enquired-—“ Whether it is the intention of the Government to move addresses in the Houses of Parliament to Earl Beaconsfield, in recognition by the Colony of the noble attitude assumed by him in defence of the honour and interest of the British Empire, so seriously jeoparded by late military operations in Turkey.” A satisfactory reply was given, says the Dunedin 'Morning Herald.’ It is a pity that Government did not move in this direction without being askeci, and before the ' congratulations of separate petty localities were sent. As the guardians of the national welfare of the people, the Government ought to have been most grateful that a great and troublesome charge, the actual defence of the Colony, was spared them, and should therefore have been the first to think of an address of the kind. The congratulations of the Houses of Parliament would have been accepted as the expression of the whole population. Coming so late as must now be the case, thea ddress of the Houses will be of far less value in the eves of those for whom it is intended than'' it would have been had no time been lost in preparing and forwarding it. It is said that an address from the Houses should have some official notification from Home, as a basis upon which to act. This is simply nonsense, if there is any sense in sending a congratulatory address at at all.

A trotting match comes oft on Monday, over five miles of the Winchester and Temuka road, between horses belonging respectively to Mr Williamson and Mr Moss Jonas, for £SO a side. A lot of money is expected to change hands over this event.

A public meeting was held at the Crown Hotel on Thursday night re a Temuka Race Meeting for the current season. Mr B. Thompson was moved to the chair. Mr M'Pherson proposed, and Mr Nicholas seconded, “That a race meeting be held at Temuka on Thursday, 3rd Oct., 1878.”—Carried. The following were elected a committee to carry out the necessary arrangements : —Messrs Story, Nicholas, Gunnell, Rooney, B. Thompson, Patterson, De Renzy, A. D. Wilson, M ! Bratney, Macpberson, and Williamson. Mr Gunnell was elected Treasurer, and Mr Bolton Secretary. Proposed by Mr MTherson, seconded by Mr Story, and carried, “That subscription lists be opened at once, calling upon the public to support the races at Temuka.” In reply to Mr Wilson, the Treasurer stated that there is a balance in hand from the last meeting. Resolved, “ That the committee meet on Wednesday next at the Crown Hotel at 8 p.m. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceed-

ings. All previous rates for school tickets are cancelled from the 20th August, and the following substituted : —Season tickets, for scholars and students whose age does not exceed nineteen (19) years, upon the production of satisfactory certificates from the school master that the applicants are hona fide scholars in attendance at school, and that their age does not exceed the prescribed limits, will be issued, available only for travelling to and from school, at per quarter or fractional part of a quarter, irrespective of distance, each ten shillings (10s). These tickets will terminate on a • quarter day, the

charge to he the sums whether the ticket is taken out at the beginning of a quarter or at any later date. First-class carriages are not guaranteed except in the case of girls. The above alteration is gazetted as one in (hr rates “bn 1 the conveyance, delivery, and storage of goods, parcels, &c.”

We have been shown specimen pastes of an American historical work ro bo introduced to New Zealand readers. It is entitled “Our First Century,” contains over 1000 pages, is profusely illustrated, and strongly bound in various styles. The author, a member of various literary societies, and an ex-Government officer, slates in his preface that eleven years have been spent in the preparation of this work, and from our inspection of the specimen pages we believe those eleven years wore well spent. Agents are now canvassing this district for subscribers for the work, and we are sure that we can safely recommend the volume to all who take an interest in the great nation across the Pacific, and who does not ? The material and social progress of New Zealand is likely to be a closer copy of those of the United States than of any other country, and we are therefore quite anxious to obtain our copy in order to see what may bo the future history of the rising people on our shores. A football match between a team from the Christ’s College Football Club, Christchurch, and Temuka, will be played on the ground of the latter on Tuesday, the 20th inst. The following are the names of the probable players:—College: Hamilton, Hobson, Brown, Boys, Beswick, Cox, Grigg, Hewlings, Higgings, Tolmie, Lee, Webster, Mackenzie, Williams, Kettle ; emergency, Cotterill. The Temuka team will probably be chosen to-night. The ‘ Timaru Herald’ of yesterday says :—Our special correspondent at Wellington, informs us that owing to the representations of the member for Geraldine, the Government have telegraphed to the Agent-General to despatch a ship with immigrants direct to Timaru, without delay. This is a step in the right direction, as the immigrants should arrive here about the beginning of harvest, and prove very welcome. We do not see why the vessel should not bring a full cargo of merchandise for here, as well, and load direct back to London ; more especially as we understand both the N.Z.L. and M.A. Company, and N.M. and A. Company iAtond sending vessels from he;re again dining the coming season. The ice has been broken, and wo have no doubt that in ]future no difficulty will he experienced in carrying on a dire I trade between here and London.

It must havo been amusing to w itch the process by which a locomotive made its way through a drift in a cutting daring the late aimw-storm in Oiago, to rescue another engine wbi-.d was unable to get through the drift. The cow-catcher,

covered with sheet-iron, became a snowplough, powerful enough to ch;ar away a clriFt live feet deep. But it was not straight-forward ploughing. Tho engine took a short run at full specif, and attacked the snow- like a battering-ram, every dash scattering the snow in ah directions, and higher than the top of the funnel. By repeating these attacks th e road was cleared. .The effects of this storm have been disastrous to stockowners, both cattleAand sheep succumbing in great numbers. The ‘Tuapcka Times 1 hears that one person alone has lost 30,000 sheep. In anticipation of Father Henebery’s visit considerable alterations are being made to the Roman Catholic Chapel with a view of providing increased accommodation for the large numbers who are likely to attend the services of the great vissionary priest. The Rov Mr Fauvel informs us that when the alterations are complete there will be accommodation for over sevau hundred people, and doubtless this will be found none too much, as in all probabilit}’ many non Catholics will also be desirous -of hearing this eminent preacher. The first service will be held on Sunday, the 25th iost, at 11 a. in., and again in the afternoon at 3p m. On weekdays services will be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., in order to allow those who live at a distance to return homo at a reasonable hour. The Good Templars of district will no doubt find a powerful ally in the reverned father. The Annual Moveable Committee of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows held their congress for this year at Exeter, during Whitsun week. The A.M.C. consists of betweeh four and five hundred members, each member elected by the district to which he belongs, and all meet together to consider the affairs of the Order, and pass any resolutions which may seem desirable for the future management of the Society’s business. At a banquet given to the G.M. and Board of Directors, the acting C.S., in the course of a speech, stated that at the commencement of this .year the Society had 526,802 members, showing a not increase on the previous year of 8132. Their income for 1877 was £252,835 above their expenditure. The accumulated capital of the Society was, in January, £4,106,693, and was now over four and a half millions. The Manchester Unity had one-eight of the number of members of all friendly societies, and one-third of the capital of all put together. A scheme for establishing an orphanage and homo in connection with the Order at n cost of £300,000 was to he discussed by the Congress.

The Taranaki ‘ News ’ has the following description of an implement, invented by Mr H. Williams, a resident of the district. The machine, which is expect rd to dig an l bag three acres of potatoes per diem, consists of a rectangular framework running on wheels, and drawn by three horses abreast. In front of the machine, and similarly situated to the cow catcher of a locomotive engine, is an iron scoop, consisting of two ploughshares and a pan combined. This scoop, as the machine is drawn, enters the earth and scoops up two rows of potatoes .and the earth with which they arc covered and surrounded. As the machine advances the potatoes and earth are forced up the incline of the scoop into a revolving cylinder of wirework, which occupies the central and principal portion of the framework of the machine. Here the potatoes are screened, and by vanes composed of slips of sheetiron, 'which act within the cylinder like the blades of an archimcdian screw, they are led through the cylinder to a series of endless buckets, which receive them, lift them over a horizontal shaft, and empty them at the back of the machine into bags fixed to receive them. The machine is of a very promising character, and if found successful, will save a large amount of labour, and will thoroughly aerate and pulverise the land on which it is made to operate. So far the invention reflects great credit on the ingenuity, patience, and public spirit of Mr Williams, and we trust that he will succeed in bringing it to perfection.