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Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 71, 21 August 1878, Page 2

The No 1 Company T.lt. V. passed a satisfactory inspection by Major Lean last night, and went through various drills under the direction of tergeant-Major Morgan very creditably. A meeting of the householders of the Waihi Bush School District, which had been called by public advertisement to consider whether the site of the present school is sufficiently central or otherwise was duly held. The Secretary to the Board of Education, who called the meeting, was himself present on behalf of the Board. Mr Webb was nominated Chairman The large attendance showed that the matter was, and had been, a cause of considerable interest to many. Mr Hammond, to the admiration of all, most patiently tried to elicit the views of every man present. A few gentlemen were vei’y eloquent as to the numbers of their children, even from a prospective point of view, and some were found to protest against bnshmen, a nomadic population, having a vested light to interest themselves. It is a fact that some lads were allowed to hold up hands pro and con. The meeting, upon the whole, passed off mildly, the result being that a great majoriiy declared for changing the site rather than have a second or side school., Many of our readers must have known personally Mr John Slipper, late schoo’master at Waihi Bush, and previously at Tomuka, and those who well know the light-hearted lit tie fellow will bo sorry to hear that lie .attempted to commit suicide last Saturday. He is now master of the Mount Grey Downs School, a few miles north of R mgiora. On Saturday ho went by train to Ibingiora, and on returning had to wait at the station a little while for a trap, in which he was to ride home. The station master, hearing groans from the closet, went to it, and breaking open tiie door, found Slipper lying in a pool of blood. He had cut his throat eoverely with a pocket-knife. It is stated that an unfavourable report on Ids school by the inspector has preyed on his mind, and it is supposed that his act is a result of this. He was sufficient'y recovered to be moved home in the evening, and, though much prostrated by excessive bleeding, is likely to recover. The largest funeral we have ever yet witnessed in the Teinuka district took place yesterday; it was that of John Moore, Kerry Town. The deceased died suddenly, the cause of death, we believe, wao a pierce by a stake, which, although it showed little outward injury, caused serious injury internally. He leaves a widow and seven young children not very well provided for. It is pleasing to see so many turn out on this occasion to show the last mark of respect to a departed friend. One thing, however, we observed, one of the equestrians smoking his pipe during the journey to the graveyard. This light conduct connected with the death of any human being, we must condemn,

We regret to learn that it is not the intention of the railway authorities to make the Tenrnka Station a stopping place for through passenger trains on the route from Christchurch to Dunedin. We do not consider it right to leave Terauka out in the cold in this matter, seeing it is so important a centre of popvlation. Steps should be taken to bring pressure to bear upon the authorities to induce them to change any such decision. Is Temuka to reap no benefit from the projected improvement in our railway communication ?

The annual postal report just published says the recent general Postal Union may be regarded as one of the most important events bearing on the future administrations of postal services, and although the decision to join the. same will entail a small loss to the revenue, it is held that, considering the many important advantages secured, the colony should be prepared to incur the loss. The absence of any serious complaint against the Department proves the public interests have been well cared for. An inland parcels post will be established, by which merchandise, raw and manufactured, and many other articles may be forwarded through the post. The gross revenue for the year was £114,201, and the estimated ex-

penditnro £135,339, being £4840 less than the expenditure for the preceding year. The increase of letters was 1,284, 133 ; books and newspapers 847,743, equal to ten per cent. The circulation of post-cards has not diminished the revenue. The cost of free'or officially franked correspondence has been £52,848. The newspaper wrappers sold amount to £72,130. The unclaimed or dead letters dealt with were 05,953, and the registered letters 00,587. New Post Offices are to be built at Wellington and Tixnaru. Comparisons are made between the time taken in the delivery of the London mails via San Francisco and Suez. By the former, mads have been delivered at Wellington in 42 days, and the latter at a shorter period, viz., 37 days. The net cost to the colony of the Pan' Francisco service for the year was £13,181, and of the Suez service, £6844. Money orders numbering 90,672, were issued for The revenue from money orders was £5714. The Savings Bank deposits wore 60,853, representing £681,294. There was an excess over withdrawls of £l4l, 271.

When the engine on the Foxton-Mana-watu railway kills a bullock, coiv, or sheep, the |Maories clear it off the line without troubling the owner or the Public Works Ueparment, and eat it.

“When the line north to Christchurch is opened, trams will leave Dunedin and Christchurch at 7 o’clock each morning", making- stoppages at Palmerston, Oamaru, Tixnaru, and Ashburton, besides the stoppages for watering. The through journey is expected to take from twelve to thirteen hours,” says the Dunedin Morning Heral d.’

A Gisborne paper says there is considerable excitement amongst the Natives of Poverty Bay just now, owing to a new religious sect having been started. Tamati te Eangi (Pinna Aata, and Mrs Hardy’s uncle), together with Horonana te Pakitai, are the prophets. They have been instructed by emissaries sent here by Te Kooti. The service is taken from parts of the Old Testament, especially the Kings, Psalms of David, and Lamentations of Jeremiah. A very strong feeling indeed is gaining ground, and we are informed that alblx mgh the matter is apparently trifling at present, those who know say this religions fanaticism is likely to lead to trouble. Mnhipa te Kota has been despatched to Waikato by tin prophets to To Kooti. his mission being to learn more about the new Karakia.

Mr Wood, in introducing a new tariff in the American Congress, enumerated some

of the taxes home hy agriculturists in the States, as follows; —“The farmer’s house in the West, where I umber is scarce, pays either a direct or enhanced tax of 20 per cent on ihe lumber is house is built of ; a tax of 35 per cent on the paint it is painted with ; of 90 per cent on his window-glass ; of 05 per cent, on the nails ; of 53 per cent on the screws ; of 30 per cent, on the'ldoor-locks ; of from 35 to 40 per cent, on the hinges ; of 35 per cent, on the wall-paper ; of from 60 to 70 per cent on his carpet ; of 40 per cent, on his crockery ; of 38 per cent on his iron hollow-ware : of 35 per cent on his cutlery ; of 40 per cent on his glassware ; of from 35 per cent to 40 per cent, on the linen he uses in the household ; of of 51 per cent on the common Castile soap ho uses ; of 48 per cent on the starch. When he goes into his stable, barn, or workshop, he will find that he pays 35 per cent, on the iron he uses ; 63 percent, on the halter chains; 45 per cent, on the files and rasps he may use ; 47 per cent, on the bucksaw ; 49 per cent.,on the crosscut saw ; 38 j>er cent On the handsaw ; and 35 per cent, on any sheet-iron he may require. On his medicines he pays 20 per cent.; on the quinine pills he swallows, 20 per cent,; on blue pills, 40 per cent.; and 40 per cent on any medicinal preparations. The female portion of his house cannot even go into hysteria without paying- a tax of 20 per cent, on asafetida that may be required to quiet their excited nerves. On his sugar he pays a tax of at least GO per cent. As for the clothing he and his family uses, let me enumerate the tax separate!} 7 . On his wool hat lie pays from 60 to 80 per cent.; on his fur hat from 45 to 60 per cent.; on his suit of woollen clothes some 55 per cent.; on the leather for his boots and shoes, 25 per cent.; on his hoisery, 35 per cent.; on his wife’s and daughter’s common alpaca dress he pays 65 to 70 per cent.; on spool-thread, 70 percent.; and on the needles, 35 per cent. If I were inclined to pursue these topics further it would take up too much time. Suffice it to say that the furnishing of his child’s cradle and the coffin in which he is finally buried pay a direct tax, or are enhanced in price by our tariff system. ” The‘New Zealand Times’ speaks well of the steam tramway laid down in Wellington. The locomotive was first tried on Monday, August 12, and was a pronounced success. Various speeds wei 7 e tried, and the power of stopping carefully tested, the results being that at five to six miles an hour a dead stop was made within two yards, and at nine to eleven miles per hour a stop was made in from three to four yards. At the above speed horses could never bo pulled up so suddenly. This power of stopping in so short a space is a strong argument in favor of the safety of the engine, so completely is

it under t'ao control of the driver. The guarantee of the makers, Messrs Merryweather and Sqn§, has been fully borne out by the trial. The engine is noiseless, smokeless, &c., while horses passing and repassing showed no sign o c alarm, except one young horse who, pricking up his ears, seemed unable to understand his steam opponent; however, even he went on quietly after taking a good look at the engine. On the whole, the trial was highly satisfactory in every particular.