LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 263, 5 June 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mk Talbot, Chau man Temuka Road Board, has, in accordance with the wishes of a large number of the electors,convened a public meeting for Monday evening at the Yolunt- cr H*U, Temuka, to discuss the Property Tax. We expect to s*-e a large number of electors present. The Deputy Commissioner fo" the Waitaki Propeity Assessment District notifies in another column that he will attend at the Crown Hotel, Temuka. on Wednesday the 9th instant ; and at the Geraldine Hotel, Geraldine, on Ihursdav the 10th instant, to snpph all information to property owners, and generally to assist them in filling np the for*>s, where such assistance may be desired. Mr William Hankins, the je-’V-'v, who met with an moi'.R the rst Grand National Meeting, died at the hospital on Wednesday evening at about half-past six o’clock. Since entering , the hospital he ‘had gradually got worse from the injuries h received by the fall, -nd .it became evident that he could not survive the shock. A : inquest on the body will be held this afternoon. The deceased was well known to a large cir< le of persons interested in sporting. He bud many friends, by whom he was i.eld in high esteem, and who will sincerely deplore the loss they have sustained. Smokers had better look out. Toe Press states that a queer looking specimen of what occasionally passes by the name of the “ fragrant weed,” was exhibited by one of Lyttelton's local shopkeepers—not a tobacconist by profession—and excited a little curiosity. It had been taken origisally from a tierce of “Negrohead,” of a celebrated brand, and the would-be consumer was in ths act of cutting a pipeful up when he discovered it was unusually tough. Upon a closer inspection, it was found to be pure cotton and tobacco leaf, the proportion of the former to the latter being six inches of rug of moderate width, nicely twisted in a slender covering of leaf. There were three sticks” of this combination *' twist,” and their genuine appearance would certainly have decided any veteran patron of the “ T,D.” or “ briar,” provided he refrained from applying the knife test. In the House of Representatives on Wednesday, replying to Dr Wallis, the Premier said that a circular had been sent to the heads of departments to distribute advertisements to all the leading papers, independent of any question of politics, and he had no reason to suppose those instructions had not been strictly obeyed. The advertisement for a lost poeketbook is still in our advertising columns. We are sorry foi the owner ; the book contains only papers, no money, and the papers are .of considerable value to the ow«er, but to no cne else. It is to be hoped that anyone who may hav© found it will hand it into The Leader Office, us it is causing considerable incoveuience to the party that lost it. Bt command tf the Queen, a sto • cross has been erected on the spot where the Prince Imperial of Franco lost bis life. The cross bears this inscription :—‘‘This cross is erected by Queen Victoria in affec tionate remembrance of Prince Napoleon Eugene Louie Joseph, Prince Imperial, to mark the spot where, while assisting in a reconnaissance with the British troops, on the Ist June, 1879, he was attacked by a party of Zulus, and fell with his face to the foe.”

Tab Rangitike! Advocate says A sad accident befel a reverend gentlemen, or rather the fair organist in our district. The minister, carried away with the fervor of hja own discourse, overstepped the bounds of the platform which did duty for a pulpit, and fell upon the lady, to their mutual discomfiture. The only damage done was that which occurred to the even tenor of (he rev gentleman’s discourse ; though the lady might well be pardoned if, in overstepping the p atform bounds, she considered that the dive had also over stepped ihe bounds of proprietry At the Timnru Harbor Board meeting on Wednesday the following resolution was passed— •* That thia Board affirms Mr Blackett’s report to be one-sided,garbled, and inaccurate, and its concltfsioits ful.se, and the Board is prepared to give rebutting evidence thereof." There i« an American story of a gentleman who insured some fine cigars against fire, rnd who after he had smoked them made claim on the company. After some demur the insurance company first paid him, and then had him convicted for arson. Now a singular coincidence was lately observed in the Western district. A farmer insured his stacks of hay eight weeks ago. He was notably without money, nor did ha show any marks of anxiety for his cteditors. Lately one of ; the latter called, and could only find at home the father’s son, a lad of twelve or thereabouts. He told the youngster to inform his father that he had applied re* peatedly for the amount due, and unless settlement was made a summons would be applied for. “ Oh, don’t do that, - ’ said the ingenious and alarmed child, “ father will pay you in a wee* or two—his stacks are insvred.” By some strange interposition those stacks were on fire within a weekend the creditors were made happy— ASgles. News has been received by the mail of the death of the eldest son of MajorGeneral Nugent, formerly of the 58th Regiment, at Cabul, where he was blown up in in explosion while commanding a party of Royal Engineers. Deceased was s native of Auckland. The weather has been so cold in British Columbia that fowls were frozen to death, though under shelter. Albania si ill continues to resist c?.'-sion of territory, and Montenegro has decided to attack the Albanians at Gussinje attd Plava consequently. A strict blockade is maintained, owing to the Albanians being short of provisions. It is expected t.iis will materially assist in the settlement of the difficuHies. *