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Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 72, 24 August 1878, Page 2

We are requested to intimate that arrangements are being made towards welcoming the advent of the Rev Mr Clinton, who has accepted the curacy of St. Saviour’s Church, Temuka, by giving a musical entertainment in the Volunteer Hall on Tuesday evening, the 3rd Sept. T.ie Rev Archdeacon Harper has kindly promised to attend and give a short sketch of the Lfe of the 1 ito Bishop Sclwyn It is to be hoped that ad tiic members of the Church throughout the district will be able to attend. In order to defray expenses, a charge of Is for admittance will be made, any surplus to be devoted towards purchase of books for the Sundayschool Library. The Waitaki Jockey Club hold their animal meeting at Duntroon on the 3rd and 4th of October. The added money, for the various events, amounts to £540.

We would warn farmers and others of

the danger of cutting chaff from straw when the sheaves have been bound with wire, as we understand a number of valuable horses in the Ashburton district have been killed by eating the wire in the chaff.

“We are in receipt,’ says the ‘Or ago Witness,’ ‘o' [ aiaiculars of another sheep-shearing m lehine. Too news comes from Eng’and, and with the as. urance that ‘ the thing wanted has been reached this time.’ As in former machines of tire kind, the cutting power in this one is oh* tained from a circular shear-like knife, working in a disc that is applied by the operator to the sheep. The cut is madfe on a principle similar to that of the reaping machine ; but for sheep-shearing each cutter makes from 300 to 800 movements each minute. Compressed air supplied through flexible tubing to the cutter, supplies the motive power. The knives, we are assured, cannot possibly cut or wound the animal, and so great is the cutting power that ‘an ordinary Leicester or Cheviot sheep is stripped of its fleece perfectly clean in six minutes.’ It remains to be seen whether the denser wool of the merino can be taken off with equal facility, or whether the machine is suitable for Australian purposes. The inventors say they will have competent hands here during next shearing season.” Immigration returns laid befoiM Parliament recently show that 84,103 immigrant souls have lamb'd in New Zealand to date, and 5G28 during the year ending June 30, 1878. The amount of passage money for these 5323 souls is sot uown at UG8,651 19s 9d. Mr Moncton Synnott, of Melbourne, a groat authority on matters pertaining t n wool, believes that the wool markets of the world are over supplied, and that before the production of wool can be profitably extended, or even maintained in its present dimensions, oilier markets must’be found, —or, in other words, the use of woollen fabrics "introduced into countries where now they are quite or comparatively unknown. Mr Synnott points out that wool is but little used in Asia —that vast continent which contains so largo a proportion of the earth sin habitants—and he proposes to take steps to introduce the use of this material into this wide held. The visit of the Japanese Rojud Commissioners to Australia will, he points out, produce some effect in this direction, but not so extensive an effect as may be produced by a simple process carried on by private effort. He proposes to distribute woollen yarns in small parcels (gratis) amongst the Household weavers of China and Japan, in order to familiarise the people at large with the (to them) new material. In a short time they would probably take kindly to it, and if so an i mnenne addition to the wool consumers of the world would be obhiinod This would not only rolievi the already over-stockel markets, but would permit of expansions in the wool-producing industry that, under existing circumstances, are clearly impossible.

Dr Wallis has discovered a taste in the Premier for the selection of fat men as colleagues, and the other night lie made a happy hit at “the bro id-huttumed Ministry'' which brought down the lu.uso.

A\ r e are not in possession of official information on the matter, but we have x’oasou to believe that the series of levels brought up from Oamaru to determine the irue depth of the Milford Lagoon from the datum line of high or low water show that Mr T. M. Hardy Johnston’s approximate datum line differs very little or not at all from the true one. The levels were brought up by Mr Crawford, who did not trust to the railway levels, as suggested by Sir John Coode, but levelled the whole distance. Two stone *• bench-marks” have been fixed on the bank of the Lagoon—one on Maori Island and one on tire-mainland. The copy of Mr Johnston’s plan asked for by Sir John Coode is also completed. The next thing is to send Home this copy, and an account of the result of the levellings referred to. AA r e trust the Harbour Committee will lose no time in getting this done.

The trotting race between Mr Williamson’s and Mr Moss Jonas’s horses took place on Wednesday, and was a very hollow affair—the grey winning by half a mile. The bay lost a shoe during the race, and this must have materially affected her chance of winning. Considerable interest was taken in the event, and a large concourse of people collected to witness the finish. The course was five miles—from Winchester to Tcmuka—and was run over by the winner in 17-J- mins. Tlie sub-committee appointed to draw up a programme and rules; Ac., for the forthcoming race mooting at Temnka met on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the Crown Hotel. The result of their labours appears in another column.

At the meeting of the South Canterbury Board of Education on Wednesday the motion of Mr Tate that the Board should consider the format.on of a high school was discussed. The teachers of the Tlinarti school are at present teaching some secondary subjects, but under the present constitution of the school they cannot charge fees for doing so. The School Committee really only wanted permission to charge foes. The present staff wnul I Miflico until the amount

received from fees would justify an increase in their number, and then the lower school would reap advantage. What they wanted was that, instead of teaching the higher branches mb rosa as it were, they should have power to charge fees. The Rev Mr Barclay said that it was misrepresenting the country members to say that they were against the erection of high schools. O.i the contrary, they were for the project, but as similar applications might shortly ho expected fromothorschoo!s,ho would move that these applications he obtained and considered, together with that of the Timaru School before any decision be made. Mr Postlethwaito seconded Mr Barclay’s amendment, pointing out that there wore several district schools in which are pupils fit for receiving scconddary education, and these districts had as good a right to consideration as Timaru, therefore all the considerations should be considered together. The Rev Mr Gillies could not agree to any further postponement of the question. Each application could be considered on its merits as it came in. It could not interfere with Geraldine or Temuka or Waimate to have Timaru proclaimed a District High School. As soon as the outlying districts were in a proper position for it bo would be the first to support their being proclaimed High Schools. Mr Howell suggested that the basis upon which they intended to establish such schools should first bo settled, and applications considered afterwards. Mr Gillies said that whatever basis wore agreed upon must be applicable to Timaru, and therefore their case might as well be considered at once. Mr Tate’s motion being carried, the Chairman and Messrs Tate, Howell, Gillies, Barclay, were, on the motion of the last-named, appointed a sub-committee to confer with the Inspector respecting the basis on which High Schools were to he established. A report of a sub-committee on the distribution of funds for incidental expenses was laid before the Board. It was showed that the amount granted by Government —10s per bead—-is inadequate in the case of smaller schools, but more than sufficient for the larger ones. The Committee therefore proposed to increase the amounts granted to small schools, and decrease the grants to the larger ones. Tenders were received for improvements to Winchester School, but it was stated that there were no funds available at present for carrying out the works. After hearing the Inspector’s report on the matter, the Board resolved to erect new school buildings at the Waihi Bush on a new site, and to sell the present buildings and grounds. The resignations of the schoolmistress, Geraldine, and of the master and mistress, Pleasant Point, were accepted, and advertisements for teachers to till the vacancies ordered