LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 208, 9 December 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Our contemporary, the Evening Telegraph, lifts been kind enough to point-out a printer's error in our last issue. Tlie word "glanced" had been transposed by the compositor into the word '•gleamed." The meaning of the words are so very different, however that the greatest ignoramus could not have placed the latter in his manuscript. We have always given the editoi of our contemporary credit for sharpness and keen penetration, hut we would remind him of .that true old adage—- " Those who live in glass houses should not throve stones." Had he but hurriedly ''glanced" down the same column in the issue of his own paper, in which he points out this error in the Leader, he would have seen half a dozen mistakes, at least, and perhaps been reminded of the advice given to a certain party—"To be sure to take the beam out of his own eye. before he attempted to take the mote out of his brother'a_eye."

Anonymous Letters.—Several wellfounded complaints have been made to U 3 by persons residing in and around Temuka The aggrieved persons state that anonymous letters are becoming the rule of the day. The letters are nothing more nor less than scandalous libels. Were the <f effusions " written in a sarcastic, bantering style, and no personalities introduced, the recipients of the letters would not complain, but when family and private matters are introduced and characters maligned, it is time that this ungentlemanly style of " having a lark " was put a stop to. It can be seen by the tone of the letters that the writers are not gentlemen —either by education or breeding—and it displays on the part of the writers a dirty, mean, despicable spirit—a spirit which, we thought, only belonged to blacklegs, thieves, burglars, and others of a liks calling, Our advice to the persons concerned '*s to take the letters to Sergt. Carlyon, get him to sift the matter to the bottom, and (if the offenders can be discovered) bring an action against the culprits for defamation of character. We sincerely regret that we have to mention this matter, and we hope that the persons who ars so fond of displaying their ignorance, bad spelling, and " spider-like caligraphy," will take this well-meant hint, and keep clear of that to-be-feared satellite of Justice—the Supremo Court

South Canterbury Caledonian Society.—lt will be seen from an advertisement in another column that the South Canterbury Caledonian Society intend to hold their annual sports ou Now Year's Day, on the South Canterbury Agricultural Society's Show Grounds, Timaru, operations to commence at 11 o'clock. We expect to see a very successful meeting. Prizes to the amouut of £l5O will be competed for, and special inducements will be offered to visitors in the shape of special trains and single fares.

/ New Industry.—Mr Hugh Black (formerly manager for Messrs J. and T. Young, Timaru) intimates that he intends to start business in Temuka, as a watchmaker, j.'.weller, etc., on Wednesday, December 17. He has leased the premise? opposite the Bank of New Zealand. Temuka has long required a jewellei, and it has now got its want. Now that we have one we hope he will be patronised in such a manner a« will recoup Mr Black's expenses, and thus make it worth his while to stay amongst us permanently.

Mr John Maclean.—We are sorry to hear that Mr John Maclean, brother of Mr Donald Maclean (of the firm of Maclean and Stewart), is in a very hopeless slate of health. Not long ago a member of the same familj, and of the firm of Maclean Brothers, Dunedin, < ied suddenly, in the prime of life ; now another brother is likely to go oft in the same way. We sympathise with the family in the hour of their great affliction.

The Crops.—The heavy crops have suffered considerably by the recent rains. Even now, although sui.shine is bo much needed, nothing appears in store for us but rain. We fear that, uutil we have a change of moon (which takes place on Friday the 13th, at 11 a.m.), the weather will continue as it has been for the last month. It ia to be hoped that the change will be for the better.

Road Board Notice.—The public are warned against crossing the following bridges—The Opihi Bridge, the footbridge over the Temuka River, near Holloway's, and the bridge at Waitohi, near Stevenson's. This is consequent upon the severe floods of Sunday, which have damaged the above structures to such an extent that extensive repairs are absolutely necessary for the safety of tho public. The Five Million Loan.—ln our telegraphic columns will be found the welcome intelligence that the Five Million Loan has been issued by .the Bank of England. With a good harvest, a fair price for wheat, the recent rise in the price of wool, and the five millions of money being spent, the country ought to go ahead. Trout Fishing. Considerable sport has been had at Winchester of late, in the way of trout fishing, about a dozen licenses having beenissued. Young's Creek may be seen, almost every evening, lined by enthusiastic sportsmen, " whipping away " most energetically. The " takes " have not been very large, as far as numbers are concerned, but some very large fish have been " bagged." The greatest number yet taken by one angler at a fishing, was secured yesterday morning by Mr John Martin, who managed to capture fivi very nice fish, weighing from lib to '3lbs each. We are informed that a considerable amouut of poaching goes on about Winchester. The Acclimatisation Society would do well to appoint some one to see to this ; the sooner the better. Larrikinism.—Three men named John Curtis, Peter Pitman, and Joseph Smith were sent to prison forone month, fourteen days, and seven days respectively, for assaulting a constable and kicking up a row at Geraldine. The constable was badly knocked abont, but he acted in a plucky ■manner.

Accident. Mr Thos. Hawk, near Temuka, had a very narrow escape from being killed by a bull, on Sunday last. From particulars *o hand we learn MiHawk lias received a very nasty wound in the tliigh, and, had it not been for his dog, who took off the attention of the bull, Mr Hawk would, iu all probability, have been killed.

Agkiotjitueal. From our Southern exchanges we gather that the potato crop has been very much damaged by the late frosts. The wheat and Oat crops are looking well, weleoim ruin having fallen lately.' Pjedesxeianism.—The 7 mile walking match, for £lO a side, between Gleeson and O'Connor,came off on Saturday night, in the Mechanics' Institute Hall, Timaru. The ring not being large enough for both to waliv together, O'Connor started first, and finished in i hout and 53secs. Gieeson could not come up to this, and took 1 hour lmin and 30secs, O'Connor thus winning by 37 sees. O'Connor, at the finish, expressed himself willing to walk any man in New Zealand. Ellesmere Bacon Cueing Company.— This company, which started a few; years ago under very favourable auspecies, is now about to be liquidated. The curing of hogs has become a huge branch of industry in the United States, and will, no doubt, be taken up again by the people of New Zealand in after years to come. Bolt. —A horse, attached to a dog cart belonging to Dr Hayes, bolted through Temuka yesterday afternoon. A number of people endeavoured to stop it by spreading out acrosß the street, but to no purpose, the animal forcing its way through the lot, and turned down the side street by Whitehead's, where it was brought to a standstill by Mr R. Hornbrook and Mr John May. No damage was sustained either by the horse or dogcart.

Tbmuka Volunxeees.—A large muster of the above corps took place on Friday evening last, under the command of Capt. Young, who gave them a good long drill. The company is inactive preparation for Hie coming sham fight on the 16th inst., when they willa give a good account of themselves. improving in their drill, and mustered in force. We are pleased to note the progress made by the drum and fife band.

The Railway Line.—We donotjiear of any damage having been done to the railway line by the heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday last. -With the exception of the Otaio, where a portion of the line has again bee;i washed away, everything ia bright.

Pkoperty Tax.—An amendment has been made in Committee in the exemp tion-clause, making it £SOO instead of £3OO.

Bone Dust.—Quite a. novelty in cargo, foryTimaru, was carr'ed by the barque Aberdeen, for Auckland, viz., 30 tons of bong dust.

How He Got Oqt op-it.—An Irish barrister, travelling in circuit,escaped a good horsewhipping in the following manner:— He had, it appears, most grossly insulted a respectable witness in Court, in the cross-examination. The nextmorning, very early, the insulted party arrived with a formidable-looking horsewhip, presented himself at t,;e hotel where the barrister was staying, and having ascertained the number of his bedroom, proceeded there at once, and found the barrister in bed. Rough!} 7 pulling his nose, tlie visitor addressed him as follows—" Sir, I am- tho person you so scandalously treated in Court without reason, and I have come personally to chastise you with this horsewhip for your insolence." " Are you, indeed ?" replied the barrister. "But surely you wou'd not strike a man in bed, would you V No sir, I pkdge my honor not to! do that." " Then, by the power," exclaimed the advocate, " I wi-1 lie here till doomsday !" The humour of the thought disarmed the affronted gentleman and, bursting into a fit of laughter, he said — >f Then, sir, I will not molest you this time, but let me recommend you never to hold up a person of respeutability whose only object is to tell the truth, to the derision of a Court of justice." An Old Lady.—There has just died in a Skye bothy a widow named Macpherson who entered upou her 106th year last Christmas. She was born there in the same year that Dr Samuel Johnston and Boswell visited Skye. During the 105 years of Macpherson's life she has lived in a turf hut, the smoke from the peat fire on the hearth finding its way out by every crevice, and giving a lustre, as if varnished to the rafters which support the thatched roof. She has survived six Lords of the Isles, the present being the seventh Lord Macdonald who has held this title since he was born. She was never out of the island, and did not understand one word of English, but conversed freely in Gaelic. She has been blind for 10 years, but her ])earing and memory were both good to the last. Registration of Dogs.—A new " Registration of Dogs Bill" has gone through its second reading in the House of-Repre-sentatives, and will take effect from the first of January next. It repeals all Provincial Acts hitherto in force,_ and pro Tides for the supply of proper tickets to be fixed on dogs' collars, as well as for the destruction of unregistered animals. The Act is very short and simple, and is a decided improvements on all former ones.