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Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 78, 14 September 1878, Page 2

The concert at Waitohi on Wednesday evening in aid of the Wesleyan Church Funds, was, despite unfavourable weather, most successful. The Rev Mr Harper occupied the Chair. The entertainment consisted of two parts, the first taken up by sacred, and the second by secular music. In the first part the Pleasant Point ( heir rendered several pieces in an excellent manner. The second part consisted of songs, readings, and recitations, all given in first-rate style. The fact that the singers were wholly unaccompanied, made their work more difficult, but their ultimate success was none the less. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, and another to the School Committee for the use of the school, followed by the national anthem, terminated a very pleasant entertainment.

The Australians played Eleven Gentlemen of England at Scarborough last week. The game was drawn, but well in favour of the Australians. They made in the first innings 157, and in the second had eight men out for 265. The Gentlemen made in their first innings 109. Horan made 60 and C. Banncrman 54 in their second innings. The Colonials may well be proud of their performances. Whoever dreamt of their doing such a stroke ? They leave for home in a few days, playing in America as they return. At the sitting of the Licensing Court at Geraldine on Wednesday, the 11th inst., a license was granted to John Currie for the Star of the Smith Hotel, South Rangitata, and the license of the Bush Inn, Geraldine, was transferred from J. Perham to Thomas Trengrove. A few small cases were then brought before Mr Campbell, R.M., but were adjourned or settled out of Courti

The municipal election at Christchurch on Thursday was a very rowdy affair. The roughs and larrikins came down on Mr Wilson no end. The closing scene was, says the ‘'Lyttelton Times,’ an utter disgrace to the city. The result of the poll was, J. Gapesy 1292, W. Wilson, 932, A, Ayers, 667, and five others averaged 410 votes each.

The Ashburton Agricultural Association have resolved to hold a show at South Ashburton on Nov 12. The Association has already, from various sources, £IBO in hand. Government has granted 20 acres at Tinwald for the purpose of a show ground. During the first twelve days after the opening of the Wellington steam tramway, 12,000 persons made use of the cars. Some accounts say that the interests of the cabmen are not suffering much in consequence of the innovation, and other accounts say they do. The latter is much the more probable.

The increased number of trains running through Temuka every day seems to to give the place a busier air. We cannot help imagining they all run for our especial benefit, (so they do) and we pride ourselves accordingly. The twice-daily passages of the through trains have not yet become quite familiar. The peculiar roar, bray, bellow, snort, or whatever you call the ‘ clear-the-track ’ warning of

tlie American engines, still possesses the charm of novelty, and is eagearly listened for. The appearance of the ‘Yankees' is very striking, being so. much bright brass work about them, in pumps and pipes, and pure 'ornament. Each runs on eight wheels, two large coupled wheels, and two small bogie wheels on each side. One cannot help wondering how the little bog : e wheels in front manage to keep out of the way of the big driving wheels, which continually pursue them. The tender, ton, runs on wheels

so small, that it might be declared impossible for it to ‘ keep up ’ with the engine. But it does, somehow. As to the real [quality of these American engines, the Locomotive Engineer reported lately : —“ They have now proved themselves to be both good and economical, and, as for attention to detail in design and general excellence in workmanship, they stand out first in our catalogue of locomotives. American engines I thoroughly believe to be more suited for our lines than anything we can get built in England.” Thats’ a feather for Brother Jonathan’s

We beg to draw attention to the advertisement of Mr W. A. Juncker, Pro. fessor of Music, which appears in another column. We trust that Mr Juncker's services will be so much in requisition that lie may not have reason to recall his expressed determination to become a permanent resident in this district. Up to the present time he has had, he informs us, reason to be satisfied with his success, having obtained a large number of pupils. He is, in fact, able to receive but few more, therefore, those who may desire to benefit by his lessons, either on the piano or in singing, had better make early application. Mr Juncker is, we are told, an excellent performer, and we look forward to the pleasure of hearing some of his brilliant fantasias on our local platforms some of these days.

Returns show that during tbo year ending June 30, seven persons were killed, and fifteen injured oy accidents on New Zealand railways. The annual general meeting of the members of the Kakahu Library was held in the school -room on Friday evening, the Gth instant. In the absence of the chairman, Mr R. Skinner was called to the chair. Messrs Hide and Duncan audited the accounts. The report of the librarian stated that there had been 27 subscribers-during the year, paying in all £7 12s 6d. The works in the library c®mprise, of fiction, 80 vols., including complete sets of Dickons, Scott, and Ainswortn ; of science and art, 19 vols. ; of history and biography, 13 vols., including six vols of Gibbon's “ Rome,’’ the gift of Mr Jas Hay ; of travels, 7 vols. : of magazines, 3 vols. ; of miscellaneous, 5 vols. ; and of poetry, 2 vols. ; total, 129 vols. There had beenlGO vols issued during the year, and the books had been generally well used. As this is the first year of the existence of the library, the report was considered favorable. The Treasurer’s report showed the income to have been £SO 17s 7s ; expenditure, £4l Is lOd, leav ng a balance of £9 15s 9d. Mr John Hay proposed that Messrs R. and J. Skinner. John and Jas. Hay, W. Duncan, W. Beattie, VV. Hide, W. Woodley, and O. G. BradDy be committeemen for the ensuing year. Seconded by Mr Beattie, and carried. Mr R. Skinner was elected chairman. Mr John Hay treasurer, as before, and Mr Speight agreed to act as secretary and librarian as hitherto. It was agreed that a sum not exceeding £2 be expended on chandeliers for the schoolroom, and that the Library Committee pay half the cost of a platform, the School Committee paying the other half. It was further agreed that the balance of the funds in hand be expended on books selected from lists supplied by subscribers.

A correspondent informs ub that there have been five marriages, eighteen births, and one death, in the Kakahn district during the last twelve months ; and infers from these facts tnat the Kakahu is thriving. His inference must be admitted to be correct. An average increase of one per month, if continued for a good while, will make a-considerable difference to this or any other dis trict. Five marriages, eighteen births, and one death, do make aa average increase of one per month, don’t they ? If Kakahu goes on at this rate, or even i£ it don’t, the district ought to have more than one mail per week, and a responsible postmaster, and . not have to wait for the completion of the Temuka-Oxford line before getting them either. But perhaps Kakahu does not want more than one mail. If they don’t get letters they will not have the bother of answering them ; but, on the other hand, if they don’t get the Tjemuka Leader, they can’t read it, and “ What a loss is there, my countrymen T (or something to that effect). A petition to the Postmaster-General, praying for increased postal accommodation, was prepared in May last, and is yet without the signatures of many iniential residents of the district. In the interests of the postal department, and of education, in our interests and the interests of those who post accounts subscribed “ an early settlement will oblige,” we urge upon those influential residents that they sign the above-mentioned petition, and then to ‘‘go in” for scribbling, so as to make the office pay.

The Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association will hold their next show at Rangiora on Thursday,.Ootsber 31.; At the inquest held on Wednesday re the death of Mdlle, Annereau, Ihe jury returned a verdict of “accidental death.” The funeral took place yesterday, all the members of the dramatic and equestrian professions following the remains to the cemetery.

Mr Conyers’ annual report on the permanent way of the Christchurch railwaj's, states that the main line and branches have been well maintained during the year. The total cost of the maintenance has been L 59,361, or about L 154 per mile per annum. Oregon sleepers have been found unsatisfactory. A report furnished to Government on the last trial of Springfield (Malvern) coal on the Christchurch railways, shows that about 221 bs of this coal produces an equal effect to 18Ibs of Newcastle, but, as Newcastle coal costs 28s 9d per ton at Lyttelton, and Springfield coal but 17s per ton at Sheffield, the native coal is about 28 per cent, cheaper. If the railway were extended to the pits, a distance of only five miles, the coal could be obtained for 7s 6d per ton, and the saving effected by using it would be about 67 per cent.

Mr Blair, in a report recently submitted on tbe scheme of establishing railway communication between the East and West coasts and the north of this island, says : —“ The location of the main hues north and westwards is particularly difficult. The shape of the island points to one main central line north and south, with branches to the harbours on each side ; but the character of the country precludes the adoption of such a system. I believe that ultimately (here will be a main line up each side, joining at Invercargill and Pieton or Blenheim. The course of the western line would be from the termination of the present railway at Kingston, via Frankton, Cromwell, Lake Wanaka, and Haast Pass and river to the West Coast; thence along the coast to Grey mouth ; from Grey month to Fox hill and Nelson by Mr Rochefort's line and the present railway ; and from thence via Havelock to the junction with the East Coast line at Pieton or Blenheim. If the Haast Pass is adopted as a crossing place in the main range, it can be best reached by the Otago Central (Strath Taieri) route now being surveyed, and ultimately by tbe Waitaki Yalley and tbe Lindis Pass The latter, a route to which much attention has not hitherto been given, is favourably situated as regards the centre of the island, and it taps a considerable extent cf good country in the Upper Waitaki and Mackenzie Plains ; but the engineering difficulties arc somewhat formidable, it being necessary to cross a range 3500 feet high before reaching the Clutha watershed. The Waitaki Valley and Lindis Pass line cannot of course, be substituted for the Otago Central, as it leaves out the Strath Taieri, Maniti to, Ida Yalley, and Manuherikia Plains, as well as the principal centres of mining in Otago. Its main object will be to give direct communication between the Oamaru and Timaru districts, and the southern parts of the West Coast. If one connection only is expected to be made between the East and West Coasts, probably the Wuimakariri and Taipo route is the best ; but if there is any change of two, I should be inclined to recommend the Hope and Haast Pass routes, and the former, as offering readiest communication between the present centres of population, should be constructed fh'st. I shou’d, however, remind you that the line will be costly to make and maintain. It will have a tunnel.a mile in length at the summit, and other heavy works, and the ruling gradient is about lin 25. The distance from Greyraouth to Christchurch by the Hope Pass route is about 150 miles. It is just possible that it will pay to cany coals this distance by rail; but they cannot be taken much further, and certainly will not bear the cost of transhipment at Lyttelton. Notwithstanding these objections, the importance of providing ready means af communication by land between the East and West Coast entitles the line to a favourable consideration. With reference to the extension of the main line from Amberley to Pieton, I do not think the work is urgently called for at present. There is comparatively little good country to open up, and the through passenger traffic which the railway is especially intended to accommodate, will certainly not pay for its construction for many years to come. ”

The ‘Times’ draws attention to the great number of disastrous earthquakes and kindred phenomena which the year 1878 has already witnessed, and says : “During the first half of the present year the intensity of shocks of earthquake and volcanic eruptions has undoubtedly been on the increase.” It winds up the article by saying : “We believe that the current twelve months will, unless a sudden cessation of activity occurs, prove to be even more prolific of such events than any of its recent predecessors.” Here is a dreadful look out. Earthquakes have increased in frequency lately, therefore, unless they don’t, they will further increase in frequency ! When is this compound interest sort of thing going to stop? But the ‘Times’’ prophecy need not alanp us. Earthquakes don’t reproduce their kind as the above extratcs seem to imply.

A writer in f Nature’ propounds the following problem:—“When and where did hist Monday first commence, and where did it end, and how long did it exist ? Or, to put(af similar question— Where did the year 1878 first commence, and at what Greenwich time?” The writer purposely avoids giving any reasons, but simply states his belief “that last Monday commenced in New Zealand somewhere about noon on (the English) Sunday, but not at noon, its commencement at that time and place being' in no way connected with its position as our antipodes, but being a mere accident of.civilisation.” He throws out the problem as. an amusing one for argument and discussion, as it abounds in apparent paradoxes. At the same time it cannot fail to be instructive. We commend the problem to the attention of our readers as a most amusing and instructive one, and as requiring a good deal of ingenuity to solve.

On Tuesday last Mr Woolcoombe sat for the last time as Resident Magistrate at Timaru. At the conclusion of the business of the Court for the day, Mr White (says the ‘ Timaru Herald’) asked his Worship whether that was the last occasion on which he would sit as Resident Magistrate ? His Worship said that it was. Mr White said that he wished to address a few farewell words to him on behalf of the legal profession of Timaru. There were some who were not long enough in the district to be able to realise the difficulties which attended the onerous duties of a Resident Magistrate at Timaru He was speaking of the time previous to the opening of railways, or the making of bridges. Often in those clays the Resident Magistrate left home and did not know that he, would reach the Courthouse alive. It often occuiTed, through inability to cross the rivers and overcome other difficulties, that Courts had to be adjourned. He himself remembered those days well, but, apart from the physical hardships, he wished to say a word. Of course it would be impossible for any man to preside over a Judicial Bench and give universal satiafaction. No man could do that, but he believed that, no person bad ever any cause to complain us to the reasons which always governed his Worship in his decisions. They all knew his decisions had always been honest, honorable, and upright. He wished again to convey to Mr Woolcoombe, before retiring from the Bench, the good feelings which the Timaru Bar entertained towards him, and also to wish him long life and happiness. His Worship said he was very thankful to the members of the Bar for their kindly feelings towards him, and also to Mr White for the kindly manner in which he had expressed them. He was glad to find that his actions wore generally satisfactory to the Bar, and could assure them that he had always striven to do everybody justice. If he had failed in doing so, and had made a mistake, it had occurred through a want of knowledge of law, but the best lawyers wore sometimes subject to mistakes. His whole aim through life had boon to administer justice strictly and fairly, and that he had ahvaj's (lone to ‘the best of his ability. He washed to thank the Bar for the assistance they had often rendered him. They 'had lent him their books, aixd helped him in many other ways, and for these he wished to thank them. He wished again to return thanks to them for their expressions of good will, and hoped they would always uphold the dignity of their honorable profession. A public meeting of ratepayers held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Christchurch, on Tuesday night, is described by the 1 Press’ as “ one of the most uproarious meetings held in Christchurcn for a long time.” The hall was filled to overflowing with persons assembled to hear (?) the candidates for municipal honors express their opinions. The uproar appears to have been stated through Mr W. Wilson’s claiming for himself and Mr Gapes the right, as ex-Mayors, of being heard before the other candidates.

Mr Richard Beetham, the newly-ap-pointed Resident Magistrate for Timaru, took his seat on the Bench for the first time on Wednesday, on the further enquiry into the late wreck of the barque Melrose. The Court gave the following decision :—“ We are of opinion that the barque Melrose was driven ashore on the' Ist September through stress of weather, and totally wrecked, with the loss of one life. We find that the. lashing , of the spring on the starboard cable after the spring parted jammed the cable in the hawsepipe, and that it was impossible to have slipped the cable before grounding, there being not sufficient time to clear it, the short time at the disposal of the crew being taken up in saving the lives of the crew of the Palmerston. There is not sufficient evidence to enable the Court to express an opinion as to the state of the vessel’s hull. We are, therefore, of opinion that no blame can be attached to the. officer's and crew of the vessel for the wreck and loss of life.” B. Woolcoombe, Esq., J.P., and T. W. Hall, Esq., J.P., were Mr Beetham’s co-assessors in the hearing of the case. A curious case came before the Resident Magistrate at Camara last week. Two members having retired in due course from the Papakaio sub-division of the Waitaki Road Board, their seats were

to be refilled, (f’he two retiring members, and one other gentleman were nom- 1 inatedifdf election. Mr Peter Atchison a member of the Board, was appointed to act as returning officer, hut as he refused to take the poll at the district schoolhouse } the gazetted polling-pi ice, the Board appointed another person to act as returning officer. Mr Atchison, however, refused to be superseded. He determined to conduct an election on his own account He obtained some ballot papers, paying v for them himself, got a ballot-box somewhere, and advertised that he would take a poll at a place called Wilson’s Barn. The result of his polling. differed from that of the polling at the schoolhouse, as of course was likely, and as the two persons elected at this place took their seats, and acted as members of the Board, one of them elected at Wilson’s Barn, but thrown out at the Schoolhouse, brought an action, calling upon the two members to show cause why they should not be ousted from their seats.