LOCAL AND GENERAL

Temuka Leader, Issue 269, 8 June 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Auctiokeebs' Sales. —Mr K. F. Gray will sell by public auction to-day, at Milford, the *ttu-k and implements belonging to Mr Brogden, wh<> is ret'ring from agri«.ultnral pursuits. The whole will be sold without reserve.—Messrs Jonas, Hart and Wildie wili sell by auction at the Stumps Farm to-morrow ».nd Thursday, the stock and lease of the farm, having 12 years to run. The farm is an early selection, ;md was improved by the late Mr Thos Dunn. The auctioneers will also off-r for sale a lot of puiw Shorthorn cattle. Our farmers and breeders should not allow this fine herd to leave the district, as, if cattlebreeding is resorted to.only the best kinds will pay. The cat*-le market is depressed now.but we predict that soon sheep will be a drug in the market, and cattle will be sold readily. Some rare Shorthorn cattle will be fonnd in Mr Sealey's lot, who is curtailing his farming operations.—Last week, Messrs Jon is. Hart and Wildie sold the farm in Temnka suburbs, belonging to Mr Downes, an 1 containing 76 acres, to Mr Wm, Grant at the low figure of LlO 2s 6d per acre. This is less than half of what the same farm would hav« sold for two years ago, when'the farm opposite it s»ld for L2B an acre. Some town sections w«-re disposed of at Ll 4, which two years ago, were held at from L 35 to L4O. Several other propertios in the district have diminished in value, and we fear the worst is not y*i over.

The steeple of the new Roman Catholic Church w.is completed on Saturday, -irid three flags were placed on th- pinnacle to herald the fact to the public. We learn that a handsome iron cross iN to he put on the summit of tl.e steeple, and that there will he a peal of bells. When completed, the church will look really handsome, and will compare favorably with somi of the churches in Chriatchurch or Duncdin. The height of the steeple with the cross will be 125 ft We think, however, that the spire would have looked better if it had been drawn out fifteen or twenty feet more, as it looks rather dirainutiv* in comparison to th<? body of tl.e square tower. It is of Oimarti and Kakahu stone, and the workmanship reflects great credit upon the builders We understand the carting of the material was voluntarily done by the members of the church—a good example to ProtesfontH, who think they are doing their duty in giving a pound or so yeariy to their church. The new building will not cost I ess than L 3,000, and we can now boast of having one substantial building.at least, in our midst.

The pheasant, season having opened on June 1, sportsmen were early in the field, and some beautiful specimens of this bird were brought down by louio of our cracks. Some carelessness —we cannot call it by no more ippropiiate name—however, led to the destruction of the femalo birds. This should be severely punished, if it could h«> proved that they were purposely shot. Sunday shooting is n«»t yi't ext n-.-t in this district ; aci-identa after accidents happen to Sabbath-breakers, but still ti.is obnoxious practice continues. The Temnka Ila Hirers should emulate the Example of the Ashburton Rangers, and give notice of severe punishment to the offenders. We do not se- why Sal-bath* j breaking should be permitted in one part mine than in an other.

We • t<* pleased to note that our Ro.id Board is devoting .«ome of its funds to forming Bidet-path* in the main street, and shingling the streets leading to th« Railway Station. Several buildings are also bsiiig ereced. Tenders are called for a manse for the Presbyterian minister,to be in by next Monday ; tend rs are also required for the construction of a house and shop in wood.

The libel c;ise Bra -ken v. D*rrell is to be henrd before a common jury at tfta July sittings of the Supreme Court at Christehurch.

We understand that Mr Campbell has sent homo for all the necessaries for the use of the electric light, ia enable him to take advantage of fine weather, by continuing grain threshing in the night. This willneeda double number of attendants upon the machine, but it will lessen time and expense to farm ars, -and will not cause so much loss of time to workmen by bad weather j it will also free them sooner from their dutieß, enabling them to engage i i other work.

MiuroftD.— We learn Ihat a nasty accident hupp ned to a new-comer at Milford oh Saturday* Ic appears that the man (name unknown) was driving a dray, on which was a tank containing water. In goinir iip a hillock, th« horae trod upon the man's foot, and tripped him U". The tank then r-»H d off the cart o.i to the m iii's chea* and stomach, almost crushing him to death. He was immediately taken t-> one of our local medicos, and then conveyed to th<i Tiinam Hospital. The fall of this'tank caused the >nor fellow ex--ruin-ating pain, and was the means of making him voniii blood.

Winchester.— The monthly meeting of the School Committee was held last Wednesday, the Chairman and four members '•eing present, lhe correspondence was road, and a trood deal of local business transacted, wlv-n the meeting termi-iated in the usual manner.

Gkraldine. —An ac-idenf happennl on Friday to Mr James Jue, of Waihi Bush. On his way from Geraldine, Mr Joe wa« overtaken by a conveyance which'startled his I tors -, causing it to bolt. The animal ran into a dray, threw its rider and ifter-w--irds ki'ked hini. When picked up.it was fou d that <>ne of Mr Joe's legs v\a* broken, and that he was otherwise bruised He was carried to his home, and attended by Dr Fish.

Land Sale.—At tho usual sitting of the Waste Lands Board, held at Christ church on Thursday, Jim* 3rd, sal<-» were made as follows :—Ashley, 1 >»cre ; Selwyn,l6o acres; Ak»roa,44 acr s; Geraldine, 3 acres ; WAimate, 30 acres 1 rood 8 perch s ; total, 238 acres 1 rood 8 perches, producing L 476 13s.

Spearing in the House the other day of the Royal Commissions. Mr Vincent Pyke stid that " the only moi.ua.ento of their existence were to be found scattered over the colony in the shape of piles of broken hottles."

OUR cable messages announce the death of th} Empress Maria of Russia. She was born on August Bth, 1824, and was the daughter of the late Grand Duke Ludwig 2nd of Hesse Darmstadt. Her death had been expected for a considerable time past.

A conference of chairmen of School Committees is to be held in Christchurch, which is expected to be well attended. The object is to consider the Education Act, which is thought to require amendment, especially as regards the relations of the boards and committees.

It is not probable that the Government will introduce a bill dealing with Chinese immigration this session.

The fair sex have again found a champion in the hon. member for City of Auckland West. In the House of Representative* on Friday night Dr Wallis gave notice of hi* i:itent : oa to move an amendment in the Regulation of E'ections Bill,' extending the franchise to women. In reply to a question ptit in the H«u«e of Representatives on Friday, the Premier said it was the intention of Government to discontinue subsidies to local bodies,

Disirus'ing revelations anft disclosure* have been made of the management of the Auckland city abattoirs by tic City Council. Pigs were kept for weeks there and fed on the remains of a heifer, which it is said died of cancer.

In Dunedin tlie compulsory clauses of the Education <• ct are to be enforced by the police.

Mr G. L. Mellish, R.M. at Christohnrch is Hiiffuri"g from an attack of bronchitis, caught while sitting in the draughty Courthouse in which the legal business of Chrintchurch is conducted.

Rather a good story has come to our ears about S ; r George Qrry and the member for Dunstan (says the Cromwell Argus), which we think worth repeating It happened when the dissolution took plnce last year—a dissolution which, it need hardly be said, was attributed to the votes adverse to Sir George recorded by Mr Pyke and one or two well-krown political "wobblers," Sir George was haif-reclining in the Pariiamentary library tired, ill in health, and no doubt a bit harassed in mind, when V.P. went to bid him good bye—mindful, perhaps, that Sir George might be again in power. '* Aw--," said Sir George, in the drawling way he sometimes, affects, -'Aw—, P-y-ke, good-bye, P-y-ke. Excuse my rising, P-y-ke " —'• Don't mention it, Sir George" said V.P. ; " pray sit still; and I trust to see you quite recovered wheD I come up again."—" Ah. yes, I hope so," said Sir Georgej and then, in a tone of abstraction —" I hope we shall meet again. I don't mean in the next world. P-y-ke—not in the next world—good-bye, P-y-ke.'' The Dunstanite is said to have left with mixed feelings on the subject of Sir George Grey. Thb Auckland Steamship Company report that from the experience gained during the paes ge of the steamer Southern Cross to Levuka, they are confident that vf the Few Zealand Government as sisted them by a subsidy of L 2500 por annum, there would be .such an increase of trade and passenger traffic as would greatly benefit the Colony.

The schooner Colleen Bawn sailed from Wellington for Havelpck in ballast on the Ist of May and hag not been seen or hu;ird of since the sth of that in< nth. The Hinemon has gone in search of her, atid will visit Port Underwood, Queen Charlotte and Pelorns Sounds, and the adjacent coast-a* far as D'Urville Island.

The Cape Times sayß that the South African medal and its clasps have been decided upon. The (Id Kaffir medal w ill be re-strwk, and there will he four clasps—for Transkei, Ciskei, Zulu War, and Sckukuni. The present delay is caused on account of the authorities having to wait for the opinion of the General as to whether those who took part in an unsuccessful expedition against Sekuknni should have the -cLaap.

Poor Youth.—We aw at all times prepared to advance in any possible way the interests of our aspiring youngsters; if one wants to know what 2 and 2 make, we Immediately inform him—we tell him 2 and 2 are 3 ; if a number of 'em should propose to have a Juvenile Exhibition, we write thunder and lightning lenders on the subject, advocating the movement.and recommend our readers to send in their subscriptions to us at once ; they want us to agitate for a cheap feed for themselves, and we do it willingly (upon payment of the usual fee) ; in fact, we'd do anything for 'em if we were tipped for it, but we do not like hobble-deboys or larrikins to play practical jokes upon our windows. We are terribly particular upon that point, bo the disappointed larrikin of last evening who tried to play a tattoo upon our win • dows with a,tack fastened in the woodwork and one of his father's trowners button and a reel of cotton attached, had best say r.is prayers, and piepare for death. We've a ina'.let in our coat pocket, a seven-cham-ber Colts in our vest pocket,and an empty whiskey bottle in our trowsers pocket, with which weapons of editorial warfare we intend to accomplish his destruction. We a'so dug a grave for his benefit at the hour when grave yards yawn so no One should know its vicinity. It is near a pond where frogs croak, and the willow aweeps all day long boy in question can jret his mothers cotton by applying at this office, und with it a photograph of himself after death.

In reference to Dr Wallis to extend the franchise to wrimm, a correspondent requests us (itickland Herald) to insert the following passage from Dr V"gt, a celebrated German anatomist :—" The type of the female skull approaches in many respeets that of the lower races ; and with thi« is connected the lemarkable circumstance that the difference between the sexes as regards the cranal cavity increases with the development of the race, sc that the male European exec s much more the female than the neyro the Our co-responi'ent adds ; —' f In this state of affairs, and while upholding the r»»al righ's of women, might it not bo b tter for the rev. Dr to adopt the rale of St. Paul and occasionally remind them of their duties ; for by becomming: better helpmates to man the difference in capacity of skull would be lessened their physical frames mure per frclly developed and the deteriorating influence of civilisation arrested.

The Christ-hurch Press says ;- All the Union Company's steamers plying to the Manukati are supplied with coal there from the Waifcato Company's mines. It is a ligneous coal, giving off very little smoke, and burns to a fine white ash. As compared with Newcastle for steam purposes, it is said to be mnch inferior, between thirty and forty per cent, more of it is being required to produce a given quantity of steam. There is, however, a considerable difference in price between the two, in favor of the Waikato article.