The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1878.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 94, 9 November 1878, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1878.

Monday next will be kept as a close holiday by the various stores in Tcruuka.

The Temnka division of the forces inti n’ed for the temporary occupation of Forhury Park left yesterday by the midday express. About twenty-five memb''r3 of the company fell in at the proper time and nrmhed to the station, their bright uniforms rnd g'istening arms making a very pro!tv picture indeed. A number of persons went to the station to see them off, and to see the representatives of northern corps. OF these there were about 250 in the train, in a great variety of unif arms. It was genera.ly remarked that our lo.ai corps compared very favored)‘y in appearance with any of the others. As the train stopped for sour minutes to take in wler and to j ick up a spare carriage, several of the travellers jumped out to stretch themselves and exchange greetings with acquaintances on the platform. The result was an animated but motley scene. Red. blue, black, and grey tunics, and Garibaldis of various styles, helmets and husbys, regulation and forage caps mingled together rather confused one’s notions of military uniformity. Of course a variety of comments was made on their appearance, and concerning their functions as a body. Most of these were truly patriotic, sm h as “ If the Russians were to come now they wouldn’t stand much'dir.nee.” As the train moved oft the travellers were saluted with dicers from the platform, —cheers which were returned with interest. We sincerely hope our friends will enjoy their trip, and pick up not a few “wrinkles” which maybe of service to them.

At a meeting of the committee of the Temuka Cricket Club on Thursday evening Mr J. Hai'dcastle was appointed secretary and treasurer vice Dr J. o. Hayes, resigned. A telegram challenging the club to play against Timaru to-dav was read and considered. It was decided to reply that the notice received was too short to enable a team to be got together, hut that Temuka would be glad to meet the challengers if they would come outon the IGth. Tile secretary was further instructed to challenge the Geraldine Club to play a match on the 23rd inst.

A ‘ special ’ passed along the line last evening, its one carriage containing, we understand, the Hon Mr Sheehan on his -way to settle Maori difficulties on the Waitaki, and other Ministers who hail from Dunedin. The train was drawn by one of the engines lately landed ex Southminster. Its construction is similar to that of the other ‘Yankees’on this line. A detention of a quarter of an hour occurred at TemuJa, a piston-rod having somehow headed very much.

The postmaster requests ns to state that the delivery window of the Temuka post office will be closed on Monday next throughout the day. Private boxes will, however, be accessible. All mails outward will close that day at 7-40 a.m., and only one depatch will be made. The office will be open for despatch of telegrams only from 10 to 10.30 a.m.. and from 5 to 5.30 p.m.

An examination of two public documents viewed in a certain relation to each other, and to the ratepayers of the Temuka district, shows that a glaring injustice has been in existence for some time past. The map of rhs Temuka township shows tffiaQlTeAiorthern portion —laid out by Mr Howlings, we believe, but it does not matter by whom—has parsed into the bands of residents in a peculiar but yet natural manner. All or nearly all the sections fronting on main streets still remain in the hands of the original proprietor of the land, the bond fide settlers having bought only those fronting on inferior cross streets. This selection -was a natural one, due to the fact that a vtry high price is asked by the proprietor for the sections more favorably situated. The injustice lies not here, but in the fact that the more valuable sections are rated ns if they were simply waste land, instead of being made to contribute in proportion to their real value. They evidently were valued by persons who believed in the principle held by Mr Wakefield - that land fs of no value unless it is put to actual use. The answer to the question : What is its selling value, at once shows the value of this idea, and gives the proper basis for a rating valuation. There is reason to believe that the injustice referred to will not be permitted to continue another year.

The police of Blenheim have received information lately that there was a good reason for believing a man named W. Newman, of Nelson, had been drowned in the Wairau river. His horse was found on the Top House side of the liver, with everything wet on the saddle, and both stirrups gone, and a telegram from Top House says “No trace of the body had been found up to five this morning, and no person saw Newman after passing the accommodation house at-Maauku Island.”

There is a good story told of a farmer who resides not many miles from Napier. A neighbor’s son wished to pay his addresses to the farmer’s daughter, and spoke to the parent on the subjest. The young lady demurred, having already a lover, and in reply said, “But you know, pa, that ma wants me to marry a man of culture !” “So do I, my dear, so do I, and there’s no better culture in the country than agriculture.”

A successful tr’al of Fowler and C ’s steam cultivating machinery took phi e at Taieri, Dunedin, in the presence of 200 people. The Westland rivers are agten flooded through rains on Monday and Tuesday. LISUO will be handed to the Dunedin Benevolent Institution as the r ‘suit of the recent carnival. A cattle train ran into nine trucks at Papakur.t on Thursday. A. number of vans were smashed, but no injury to life done. The Hon Mr Fox has written to the Sir Henry Havc’o’k Lodge, 1.0.G.T., stating his reason for voting against the Beer Tax Bid w as that the country should not be dependent on the liquor trade to a greater extent than now.

An advertisement in Thursday’s Gazette calls for tenders for the supply of the whole or any portion of 100,000 tons of steel rails to be manufactured within the colony from New Zealand ores. Owing to the difficulties of cattle travelling between the east and west coast the meat supply at Hokitika is becoming scarce, and high prices are being realised. At the last sale a lot of cattle from the south averaged 6MI to 7d per lb.

A conference of ministers and officebearers of the Dunedin Presbyterian Church agreed that it is expedient to dispense with (he observance of sacramental fast days in connection with the Presbyterian Church.

On October 27th Melbpurne was startled by the intelligence from Mansfield that two constables had been shot dead, and that a sergeant of police was missing. It appears that two parties of po'ice had been out in -order to capture some bnshlangers, headed by two brothers named

Kelly. Whilst the party of four police were encamped in a rather inaccessible wooded country, the bushrangers, four in number, suddenly made their appearance and bailed up two of the constables, one of whom, on attempting to draw his revolver, was shot dead. The other surrendered. Pres urtly the sergeant and the other man came in. One of the constables attempted to defend himself, and he was siiot dead also. M‘lntyro, who was unarmed and had previously surrendered, saw a chance, and made his escape by jumping on horse ack. Shots were fired after him, and the horse was killed, but he esc ped, and readied Mansfield, a distance of twenty-five miles, on foot, after hiding away for some hours from his pursuers. Sergeant Kelly’ wiio was left with the ruffians, has not since been heard of, although ovciy search was made, and it is believed he has been shot. The affair has created the profoundest sensation, and armed parties of police have been sent out in pursuit. The country is very wild, and the capture of the. desperate gang may be a work of difficulty and of danger. Tiie bodies of Constables Scanlan and Lonargan have been brought into Mansfield for burial. Telegrams of the sth instant state that the bushrangers were still uncaptured, though reported to be surrounded. Melbourne advices per Alhambra, and dated November 1, state that an Outlawry Bill similar to that passed by the Sydney Parliament has been passed through both Houses to meet the cases of the bushrangers now at large. Under this Bill the ruffians will be liable to be shot down without quarter, while a penalty of fifteen years' penal servitude attaches to those who harbor them. The reward for their apprehension has been raised to LSOO each. The widows of the two unfortunate constables are to be liberally dealt with, and in the meantime they are to draw their husbands’ pay. Yesterday news was received of the finding of the body of the missing Sergeant Kennedy, close by the camp where Scanlan and Lonargan were shot. The body contained three bullet holes, and when found was scarcely recognisable, beingcovered with blood and partly decomposed. The greatest excitement exists, and parties are out in every direction. A telegram received from the police at Chiltern yesterday evening, stated that Kelly and three others had stuck-up a man named Christian close to the Murray, cn Wednesday at day-break, so that they must be travelling at a very rapid rate.

The ‘John Bull ( states that a movement s on foot to make a clean sweep of the city churches. It seems that the fellows of the Sion College have come to the conclusion that it is a waste of money to keep standing on valuable ground a number of churches which' nobody attends, but which need large salaries for rectors, vicars, curates, -organists, and what not. It is therefore proposed to reduce them by four-fifths. There are 120 churches in London just now, and it is thought that twenty would suffice. A big fcheme of reform like this, of course, has no present chance of success ; but oclesiastically the city needs nearly as radical an innovator as it does corporately. The city of London is simply one big nest of abuses of all kinds —charitable, religious, and municipal. From first to last it is an anachronism. But when the churches come to be swept away, 1 hope that some regard will be paid to edifices of real historical interest. There are more than twenty churches in London which are monuments commemorating great men or notable deeds.

A rather singu'ar case (says the Cliriat-

chur li 1 Press ’) is pending in the Resident Magistrate’s Court. A man named Alfred King Harlock, formerly of Akaroa, is under remand for until the Bth instant, on a charge of forgery. Tie is suspected of having endorsed another person’s name on a promissory note on the Colonial Bank of New Zealand. The instrument is also endorsed with two other genuine names. Under these circumstances and as the note is not due nn ( il the 26th, the Bank authorities decline giving up possession of it, the consequence of which is, that until that d ite the legal proof of the forgery is not available to the police.

The Auckland correspondent of the

•Press’ states that an liish-Yankee has tinned up there, known as the Ponsonby claimant, who on the strength of a land purchase made by him, it is said thirty years ago, when resident there, claims 850 acres of the fashionable suburb of Ponsonby,’ half the Surrey Hills estate, owned by Hon J. Williamson, the Western Springs, city gas woaks, abbatoirs, &c., and some miscellaneous properties running northward to Cox’s Creek, and through Spring Bank up to -Ponsonhy. Surveyors with theodolites have been going about in all directions. It appears that the claimant has been waiting for the unearned increment,” and feels perfectly satisfied with the reward of his patience.

Things have come to a pretty pass at the Westport State school, says the 'Bailer News/ as indicated by a circumstance which transpired the other day. The hoys of the first class, or at least a portion of them, had formed a £t mutual protection society,” with intent to 1 mob the master should he, in their opinion, unjustly or cx'-essively punish one of their number. Naturally, it must be inferred from the combination of the scholars to defend each other that the master has been in the habit of ill-treating them. On the other hand, it is said that the spirit of insubordination is of longstanding ; that the school was, when the present master entered it, in a terrible slate of disorder, and that he has accomplished a sood deal in reducing it to even its present state of discipline. If we are not misinformed, the conspirators” committed their first depredation yesterday. The schoolmaster was administering a little caning when the caned hand closed and obtained possession of the weapon. Other hands helped, and sad he it, but it remains to be reported that the schoolmaster was pummelled on the floor. The use of the cane, appears to have had a contrary effect, upon the discipline of the school which was maintained in good order by the late master, Mr Larchin, by moral suasion alone.

Rays the ‘ West Coast Times’ —Some little time ago we mentioned that proceedings had been commenced against a resident in this ‘own for marrying his deceased wife’s sister. Soma little delay lias taken place in pushing the matter on, and the police have been for some time in communication with the Government respecting it. They have now received instructions to proceed, and a summons was served on defendant on Friday last, calling on him to appear at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Kumara, on Thursday next fcTanswer the charge. Under what Act the information is laid wo do not know, neither do we think that any criminal proceedings can be sustained. It may be illegal to marry a connection of the kind, but we doubt whether there is any penalty provided in the armoury of the law. The mere fact that the law does not recognise such unions, and that children born from them are not considered legitimate, is supposed to be a sufficient punishment for contracting them. The Government have probably determined to prosecute in this instance in order to try the question, and make it a test case as it were. The result will he regarded with no little interest, as it is the first in which legal proceedings have ever been taken in the colonies, or, if we are rightly informed, in the British Empire. An “ Intelligent Yagraut ’ writes in the 1 Bruce Herald,’ “A gentleman from the north, formerly an hotel-keeper in the south, was a passenger by the first train to Balclntha. He walked across the railway bridge, got across one viaduct, and had advanced a few yards across the second, when he heard the ballast engine coming along at only about a couple of hundred yards distance. He yelled “My God” his hair, what little he lias, stood on end, his hat blew off like a flash of lightning ; the matter was presented to him in two lights. His race was run ! death stared him in the face ! the mud was below, and soft, tbe engine behind, and hard—what should it be, a muddy death or a—well gory ? He chose the latter. Portmanteau in hand, containing a box of paper collars and a shirt-front he rushed frantically across the viaduct. When he reached the other side the engine was not ten yards from him. Fie managed to get to John Dunne’s, where he asked for a * bub-bub-randy. ’ He swallowed the fluid at a gulph, the glass rattling on his teeth, and then got on the box of the coach where he went asleep. An hour afterwards he woke up and said, 1 What a d—d ass I was ! It was an Otago engine. I thought it was the Canterbury express 1”

In Engl md a drea H'ul crime has boon

committed at Northampton by ColourSergeant Bi'yne, of the Northamptonshire Militia. He had been reported for neglect of duty, and ordered to quit his quartets. He shot two of the staff sergeants dead with his rifle, and narrowly missed killing a third. He has been committed for trial on the charge of wilful murder.

A Wesleyan clergyman on Bendigo, according to a Victorian journal, has taken a singular plan of pointing out to his people tneir shortcomings in the way of properly supporting their church. On one Sunday recently he says that 1135 coins were collected. These consisted of 1 half sovereign, 9 half-crowns, 10 florins, 146 shillings, 495 sixpences, 28 fourpences, 443 threepences, and 3 pennies. He estimated that 2300 persons attended the church, so that the average subscription was Sjd-

At a meeting of employers and employes held at Oamarn on Friday evening last, it was decided that the hours of labour each week should be 44 ; that work should cease every Saturday at 12 ; and that the four hours lost should be deducted from the emp'oyds pay. No more striking evidence of the suitability of New Zealand as a field for immigration could bo offered than this, for the countries are few indeed, in which workingmen could afford to make a like arrangement.— ‘ Mail.'

One of the questions asked the gaoler of the Wellington Gaol at the late Commission of enquiry was, “What part of the treatment is most irksome to prisoners, and what do they most complain off’ the answer given to which is “ Loss ol liberty being kept constantly and steadily at bard labour, and being unable to obtain newspapers.” We have been assured by several gaol authorities, says the ‘ Post,’ that the prisoners miss the newspaper almost as much as they would their tobacco if deprived of it.

Sir John Coode has returned to England after a lengthened visit to the Antipodes , says the £ Home News,’ where he appears to have been most cordially and most hospitably received. He is pr >- vided now with the full information which only personal inspection can give, and this will soon be supplemented by detailed results and observations concerning tides, borings, land and marine surveys, for which he has left full instructions in the Colonies. Until the receipt of these reports his own decision cannot well be made upon the points referred to him, and which embrace such important considerations as the best means of improving the access for ship-, ping to Melbourne, and the present condition of the Gippsland Lake entrances, and the harbours of Portland, Belfast, Warrnambool, and Geelong. Various schemes have been propounded to secure the first named. One is to construct a direct canal from the Yarra opposite the city to a point in the bay near Sandridge. Another to deepen and enlarge the course of the river from the city to the bay, and it is upon the relative value of tlvse and other proposals that Sir John Coode will ere long fully raport. He has also in hand other reports for the Government of New Zealand, andtTurmg his visit he inspected, either for Government or the respective Harbour Boards. near ! y every port and harbour in that C dony

Two rather serious] railway accidents happened at Palmerston on Saturday afternoon. Tim c rst to a boy about eight years old, the son of Henry Hurley, one of the surfacemen on the line. The men were returning home after work with a trolley, in which they convey their tools, the hoy was running behind pushing the trolley, and by some means got his right leg between one of the wheels, and before the trolley could be stopped, the flesh was badly torn from the ankle to the calf, leaving several inches of bone fully exposed. Unfortunately, Dr Brown was not at home at the time, but when he returned he sewed up the wound. The other accident happened to Miss Dunbar, residing at Tuvnai. She was returning home by the 6.25 train, and as she thought it was not going tn stop, fshe heedlessly jumped off, and when picked up was found to he insensible, having received a severe scalp wound some five or six inches in length, besides other in juries. Dr Brown was called away from the other patient to attend her. She is progressing favorably, but is still in a precarious condition.

Experiments made with the new mode Gatling' guns help to show that the time is approaching when an attacking party must be pi’otoctod by strong shiehlsl proof against a perfect shower of bullets. At a target 1000 yards distant, 650 rounds were fired in less than seventy seconds, the canvass being literally cut to pieces. Subsequently the gun was tested for rapidity alone. Case after caso of cartridges was fired in about a second, or at the rate of 1760 rounds a minuto. The service Gatlings will cost a considerable sum to re-model, but a spocim m so treated did not prove a sorvicablo weapon, so it is possible tbo newer gun will be ordered. They weigh 1201bs each, have ten eightocn-inch barrels, and arc fired by a crank handle at the rear, thus dispensing with the worm and wheel of the service pattern.

We learn ftom Home that the Emydice

has at length been taken up and towed into Portsmouth. A court martial has heeu held, the reside of which has been to exonerate the captain and all concerned from any blame for the loss of the ship.

The Victorian police have lately apprehended a Gippsland settler for stealing--5000 sovereigns from the steamer China, in August, 1877. Prisoner was the ship’s carpenter at the time. Two men were killed by lightning the 2Srh ult. at a place about twenty-eight miles from Melbourne.

The object of the Treason and Felony Law Amendment Act, recently introduced in the Victorian Assembly, is to enable the Crown to recoup itself for the ex-

The Auckland Harbor Borrd refuse to pay L4OO for Sir John Goode’s inspection of the Auckland Harbor, ordered by the Government.

penso of prosecutions by appropriating the property of persons who have been convicted, and also to provide for the property being taken cai’e of. The Grown will have the first claim after a conviction lias taken place, after which the interests of the convict’s wife and family will be secured by the Curator of Estates, and whatever remains when the man has served his time in prison will be handed over to him.

The sale of the right of erecting publicans’ and confectioners' booths on the Metropolitan Show Grounds at the annual exhibition of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, drew together a very large attendance last Saturday. Mr Hawkes officiate! as auctioneer, and really excellent prices were obtained for all the lots submitted. No 1, publicans’ booth, was not put up, the committee preferring to call for tenders for that. Mr W. Burnip was the successful tenderer at LSO. The other booths sold as under : No 2, publican’s, Lll2 10s, Mr G. W. Wearing ; No 3, Ll3J,_ Mr O. Collier. Confectioners’ booths —No 1, Mr Poole, L 22 10s ; No 2, Mr Gee, Lll : No 3, Mr Bashford, L 7. Mr Trueman was the lucky purchaser of the right to vend 5000 catalogues at Is each for L 95. The total of the sales amounted to L 423. 1 understand that Sir Stafford Northcote as had it suggested to him by a “ financial adviser ” that if next session he finds it necessary to impose any new taxes, he ought to increase the duty on tobacco and impose a stamp duty on photographs. This latter tax ought not to be unpopular, and it cannot fail to be remunerative. Nobody will sympathise with the grievance of the cad if, when he buys a carte of Mrs Langtry, or Mrs Qon wallis West, in order that he and his friends may gloat over these fashionable beauties, he is mulcted fertile benefit of the State. A tax on photographs is, to a great extent, a tax mi vanity and snobbery, and for fiscal purposes these foibles are surely fare game. ‘ Mayfair.’

The fall of Hodel’s head has almost oincided, with the introduction into the Bnndesrath of Prince Bismarck’s new proj ct of law against the spread of the Socialist organization. The Chancellor has declined to part from the original position he assumed in the last Reichstag. Me declines says the ‘Morning Post,’ to put much faith in public opinion, or in the verdh-ts of jurymen, or in the countin' influences of discussion. All Associations which have the object in view of propagating tenets subversive of society are to be forbidden, and forbidden by the fiat of police authority. Every trade which lends itself to any co-operation with the condemned doctrines is to have over it the constant menace of summary extinction by the sovereign will of the poli'-e The printer who prints a pamphlet in which the police discover subversive doctrine, whatever that may be, the restaurant keeper who gives meat and drink to suspected Socialists, all must dread the sentence of tire police. The only appeal is to a Star Chamber of nine high officials. No jury will be tolerated in the matter. Tnesc measures are, indeed, drastic. The only question is whether they are likely to make matters better 1 What is Socialism 1

A terrible scene has just occurred in the prison of Farignano, in Italj r . The director of the prison went last Wednesday to the cell of a condemned man to make the regular inspection. Ho had scarcely entered when the prisoner rushed at him and dealt him a tremendous blow on the temple by means of a small piece of wood. Hearing the cry of the injured man, a jailer ran to the spot, and taking in the situation at a glance, struck oft’ the prisoner’s head with one bHw from his sabre. A few minuhs after, the assassin and his victim lay lifeless side by side. Some Europeans at Opimake (Taranaki) have been telling Natives they met there that it is the intention of the Government to bring an armed force to Parihaka to drive the Natives from the district. Mr A. Coffee states that (ho Natives are quite uneasy about it, and notwithstanding all he told (hem to the contrary, they seemed scarcely to believe him. Mr Cofiee is engaged making the road through the Parihaka district passable for the coach and the Natives told him he was only doing it for tho big guns to come over, as they wore informed that Mr Sheohan and an armed party were coming to New Plymouth in the Hinemoa, and intended to kill all the Maoris and drive them from the place.

A correspondent informs the ‘Echo 1 tliat the breakfast on the occasion of the Prince of Wales’ visit to unveil the statue of the Prince Consort cost L2OOO. The Thanksgiving for the recovery of the Prince of Wales cost L 13.000. That, too, was the amount spent in the reception of the Emperor of Russia. The Shah of Persia’s reception cost L 15,000. The Sultan’s cost L 30.000 ! The flowers alone at the reception of the Prince of Wales on his return from India cost L2OOO. The banquet in honor of the Czar L267G. The upholstery bill was nearly L7OOO more. The cost of the menu cards at the dinner was L 93. Ll7O was spent in bands, L 25 for wands, L 22 for gloves, L 232 in gratuities, and L 7 upon cork-screws ! The flowers at the Shah’s reception cost L 527, and the gloves at the Czar's L 57. There is now a big bill to pay for the installation of Lords Beaconsfield and Salisbury as freemen of the city.