LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 241, 9 March 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Deaf and Dumb Institution —This institution, established at Sumner, near Christchurch, by Government, is a very valuable institution indeed. We have good proof of its usefulness even in our midst. A young lady named Miss Buckle, who is totally devoid of hearing, and by being for some time at this institution, is now able to converse with anyone by simply observing the movements of the lips of the speaker. Tins was proved by putting several amusing questions" to her, all of which she answered promptly. Some of them with gestures,which left no room to doubt that she understood they were put to provoke a laugh. This is a great improvement upon teaching by teaching by fingers, as anyone can speak to the afflicted one, who knows nothing at all about signs. The Government deserve the thanks of the community for providing this boon to those who are deprived of the blessings of hearing and speech. Sale at Waihi Bush. —To-day, Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. will hold a clearingsale of stock, furniture, etc., belonging to Mr Cienrmt Tancred. As it is determined to sell the whole without reserve, bargains may be expected. Earthquake at Temuka.— During the passing of the above visitor on Monday morning last, a certain good lady, rather sceptical about such phenomenans, started up from her sleep in great surprise, thinking some one was taking the iron from the roof of the habitation, and notwithstanding that her companion repeated that it was an earthquake, nothing would satisfy her but a look at the roof to see that all was there. Surely there was a shingle loose. At Sodtown some of the sod-houses, we are informed, seemed a little inclined to part company when the night-disturber awoke them. Presbyterian Church. —The best proof that we can give of the increase of the population in the district is the increased attendance at the public school. A further proof is found in the Presbyterians requiring to enlarge their Church. An addition of twenty-six feet, providing for 70 or 80 sittings is just being proceeded wit. Another proof is, that not a single dwelling-house is to be found unoccupied. Pleasant Point —A meeting was held at the Point Hotel on Thursday evening to consider the advisability of holding a concert at Pleasant Point in aid of the Irish Relief Fund. Mr Morris was voted to the chair. A committee was then formed of the following gentlemen : Messrs Morris, Acton, Mee, Dimond, Thompson, Salek, Gaze, Macdonald and Hastings. Mr Thompson kindly offered the use of his Assembly Room, which was accepted by the committee with thanks. Mr Hastings was appointed Secretary. He stated that he had intervied several ladies and gentlemen in Temuka and district, all of whom expressed their willingness to help at the concert. A Sub-Com-mittee of Messrs Salek, Dimond,and Macdonald were formed to draw up a programme,and act as a Working Committee. It was then resolved that the concert be held on Wednesday tiie 24th inst ; also that the advertising, printing of tickets, etc., be left to Mr Morris. With a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting closed, Milford. —The annual meeting for the purpose of electing a School Committee for Milford was held on March 3. Present : Messrs Cox, Woodhead, May, Christmas, Woodley, Brogden, White and Waddell. Mr Cox was in the chair. The annual report was read, and showed that the average number of children on the roll was 62, average attendance 44J,-, being an increase of 6 on last year. The import and balance sheet were adopted, and votes of thanks passed to the Retiring Committee, and to the schoolmaster for management of the school during the past year. Messrs Cox, White, Waddell, May, Woodhead, Brogden, and Woodley, were elected a Committee for the next year, after which a meeting was held of same. Mr Cox w'as chosen Chairman, and Mr Ciaig Secretary. It was decided to hold the meetings in the schoolroom at 7 o’clock on the first Mondays of every mouth. Messrs Wakefield, Postlethwaite, and Ensor were chojsen to servo on the Education Board. After several other minor matters were settled, the meeting came to a close with a vote of thanks to the chair. Accident. At Studhblrae’s Station, Waiuuite, on Thursday last, a man named Yiney was chopping wood, when the axe slipped and cut his knee, three inches in length. Statistics —The vital statistics for the (1. raldiub district for the month of Feb-

Inspection Parade. —Tim monthly in spection parade of our local corps was hold on Friday night last, Capt. Young in command. The to'd number present was 70. The volunteers, after a little drill, marched through the town till 10 o clock, headed by the drum and fife band. Mr Gapes, bandmaster, is ] tilling this baud along spl-mdidly, and die boys deserve much praise for their diligence, and attention. The subscription list s now open, to procure uui'erms for the baud, and we hope it will be rapidly filled. The Scarifier. —Montagu Moslej 7 , the scarifier of Pastor Ohiniquy, was remanded from Timaru to Ohristchu.cli on a charge of oht ’iniug the enormous sum of 3s under false pretences from a snip (tailor). Tight Robes. —The tight costume, now the prevai ing fashion amongst the ladles, comes in for aguod many sarcastic remarks at the hands of the male portion of the population. At a soiree lately a charming young girl had on such a tight-fitting robe that she had no room ior a pocket, not even for her lace pocket-handkerchief. Some say, we know not with what truth, that when dresses are made so tight a very dainty little pocket is made in the side of the shoe to admit of a few shillings for the evening, but how the fair wearer is to get at it is a problem we are unable to solve, seeing that when attired in a “ tie-hick ” costume she cannot sit down, much less sloop to get money out of her shoe Religious. —ln the course of a discussion between Archbishop Vaughan and the Sydney Morning Herald, in which the former alluded to the poverty of the various religious denominations in the United States, and the Archbishop asserted that infidelity, lawlessness, and crime prevailed,” it w.is elicited from statistics that the value of property held by the Protestant Church in America amounted to fifty-eight millions, and the Roman Catholic Church to twelve millions. Mormonism Rampant. —The Mormon agitation in Auckland seems to have given discontented wives an idea of escaping from their unhappy existence, and appli cations to Court for separation ordeis are on the increase. Probably the result will be an exodus of married women from Auckland for Utah, where the lovely and fairy-like creatures will discover that they have jumped from the frying-pan into the fire.—Guardian. Fatal Accident. A man nanr ed Dempsey swam a flooded creek at tire Bone Bridge Central Railway, Queensland. He struggled out, and fell exhausted across the rails just as a train was crossing the bridge, and was run over and killed. Matrimony. —Man and wife are evidently not always one. Tiro other day the Hawke’s Bay Herald published the following announcement . —J- M. Tahuteau, Collector of Customs at tho port of Napier, has resigned ou a well-earned pension, after serving some twenty-five years in the Customs Department.” Next day, however, the followingparagraph appeared iu the same journal : —Mrs Tabutoan requests us to state that it is not true that Tahuteau has resigned his office of Collector of Customs. Our information was derived directly from Mr Tahuteau.” Bless His Heart. —The Ripe has instructed his representatives at the various courts to observe the strictest etiquette — a matter which has been neglected of late years. A Windfall. —Sir Stafford Northcofe has decidedly had a stroke of luck in the successive deaths of several rich men within a few mouths, events which will muse a windfall to the of some L 500,000. A Large Ferry-Boat. —The largest ferry-boat iu the world has recently commenced its work of transporting passengers and freight across the Straits of Corqninez, between Port Costa and Benicia. It is 424 feet long, with an extreme width of 116 feet, and the engines are capable of developing a power of 2000 homes. Ti:e Solano, as the boat is named, has four lines of metals extending fore and aft, on which she can accommodate 48 freightwaggons or 24 passenger-carriages of the largest size. The vessel is not only the largest ferry boat, but in some respects is a unique specimen of modern naval architecture. Editorial.— There is a village in New Hampshire which has produced twentysix editors. It was in allusion to this circumstance that a pious deacon remarked : “ Yes, there are twenty-six of ’em, but as they’ve all left the town I reckon the Lord won’t lay it up agin us.” A Grand Mistake. —A gorgeous English swell leading a dog enquired at a railroad station ; “ Must—l aw—take a ticket for a puppy ?” The bewildered clerk regarded him for a moment and then replied: “No, sir ; you can go as an oidinary pei’iea.” An Intention. —A chemist named Mr Balmain has, it’s said, succeeded hi forming a luminous paint, which absorbs light and during darkness will suffice to light an apartment. An experiment is being made with a view to its adoption' for the lighting of compartments on board ironclads.