LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 205, 2 December 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Boxing Day Spouts .—lt wi. ;l be seen from an advertisement in another column tiiat the TemukaOddfellows intend holding their usual animal athletic spoils on Boxing Day. An excellent programme is provided, with good prizes ; and,considering that the Oddfellows always strive to provide good sports for the Temuka people about Christ mis lime, we expect to see a large number of entries, with keen competition in every event. Bo^t. —A horse and cart, belonging to Mr MeCann, one of our co;i! merchants', bolted yesterday afternoon f/om opposite the post ofrlee. Mr MeCann, who was in the cart, held on manfully to the reins and steered the horse clear of several vehicles winch were coining down the Street ; in this way lie galloped on the road to Winchester, imti! he became completely spent, without any accident happening. Mail Notice.—The English mail, via 'Frisco, will close here on Saturday, 6ih inst. Money on!era and registered letters on Friday, sth Dec. at 5 p.m. Acknowledgment.—We have to acknowledge receipt, with thanks, of various Government papers, and amongst others, copies of a number of petitions from all parts of the colony ; but not a word of the petition from Temuka and Woodbury re the railway. Our worthy member does uol seem to trouble himself with these small matters. The Hi Hi Temoka. —We' would draw the attention of the Koad Board to the damage done by the floods to the crossing over the above river, which leads to Winmuch danger and inconvenience is experienced in crossing the river. As it now is, we feel sure the attention of the Board has only to be called to it to have it put right. Maop.i Superstition.—The superstition of the Auckland Maoris has been great'y excited by a visit from five whale",, which came in at the Auckland Heads, and swam round the harbour, making their exit in such a peculiar manner as to excise the forbodings of tie natives. Last week the same phenomena was repeated. Some whales came into Kawhia in a simlar manner, and pursued exactly the same course, before the last war. The natives assert most positively that some great calamity is about to befall the Maoris, either to those of their own district, or the natives of New Zealand as a whole.

Something New.—A new sensation is about to be introduced at Sydney, and in duo course of time will find its way' to New Zealand. Messrs D. R. Hawley and A. Binslay, known in America as the world-renowned aerial monarchs, have arrived in Sydney, and during week they vvill ascend in a balloon, and when at a great height will go-through trapeze performances on a trapeze attached to the bottom of the car. The balloon will be free, and entirely at the mercy of the winds.

A Circus of his Own.—"l say, John, did yer see the circus ?" yelled a little boy to another last week. "No, I didn't see the circus," sneer.ngly said John, who had been k.pt in the house for disobedience. " Humph ! Ought to be n there ; biggest show you ever seed ; elephants and carmels and boa contwisters and—and everything-. If I couldn't uo to a circus I'd run away.'' Who wants yer old circus ?" yelled Ji'hn, "I had a circus all to myself. Tied the milk ritcher to the cat's tail, Jand the cat knocked down two flowor pots, smashed the pitcher and broke a pane of glass. Git away wid your old circus ; been to more'n than four hundred an' didn't have so much fun ; and didn't get licked, nuther." And the boy who had been to he circus " smoled " a sickly smile.