LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 269, 29 June 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It will be seen from our advertising columns that the time for sending in Property Tax schedules is extended from 30th June to 2nd August; we also understand, that new schedules with the exceptions allowed take the place of those already circulated.

A lecture was given by the Rev. Mr Harper in the Milford schoolroom on Friday evening in aid of the Wesleyan Sunday School. The subject which he chose was a delicate but most important ore, viz., “Love, Courtship, and Marriage.” Mr Harper treated his subject in a practical and common-sense manner, and in one which was calculated to do a great deal of good. He descanted at considerable length on the mistakes that young people continu ally make in too hastily choosing their companions for life, and gave numerous instances of hasty and badly assorted marriages, and of the misery resulting from them. He also gave much good advice to those who may be contemplating matri monial projects. During the evening three hymns were sung by the Sunday School children under the guidance of their teachers in very good taste and with good effect. Upwards of seventy people were present. Mr Harper deserves the beat thanks of the inhabitants of Milford for having afforded them such an agreeable evening’s entertainment.

The following anecdote is clipped from the Rangiora paper: Apropos of the cheapness of oats this season, a little story is told of a farmer who went into a hotel the other day for a drink. Poising the glass in the air, and intently gazing at it, he mournfully said, “ Another half bushel of oats gone,” The South Canterbury Board of Education call for fresh tenders for school building at St. Andrews, tenders to be sent in to the Chairman of the Board not later than Tuesday 6th July

Doa poisoning on a wholesale scale has been going on at Ashburton, and the police are using every effort to find out the guilty parties Many valuable dogs have been destroyed; not only that but poisonous bread is scattered all over the town; human life is in danger we hope the guilty parties will be found out and severely punished

Japanese Loan.— A loan of 12,000,000 f for six months has been accepted by fhd Japanese Government. The Subscription is headed by the Bauque do Haris et deg Pajs Bas.

A public meeting was held at Masterton on Saturday to denounce the Property Tax The following amendment was, however, carried by an overwhelming majority ; “ That this meeting considers the Property Tux to be a just and equi‘able txeasur*, as falling on that section of the community who are best able to hear it, and have received the greatest benefit from the loans, to pay interest on which we are now being taxed ” The Christchurch Temperance Hotel Company are about to erect a large hotel in Cashel street.

The night train from Clinton and the up trait from Invercargill collided at Edendale, the crossing place, r n Saturday eve ir>g B ;th trains were heavily freighted with goods and passengers and were going slowly at the time, being within 50 yards of the platform Only the engine and one truck left the metal, but neither sustained much injury The collision was caused by the driver of one of the engines mistaking (he position of a light The passengers engine-drivers, and stokers all escaped unluurt

Baron M'el on ho Maclay, the Russian explorer, has returned to Cooktow i from New Guinea, where for threee years and a half he has been resident, and during that time has amassed a considerable fund of scientific information Baron Maclay con templates at some future day to publish a work (states the Cooktown Courier) which will be a valuable contribution to the scientific literature of the day, especially as little or nothing is known of the interior of New Guinea, and no record sufficiently n liable has ever been furnished treating upon life, customs, etc, of the islanders This adventurous traveller fora long series of months lived constantly surrounded by the natives, who were totally Ignorant of Europeans, and had not emerged beyond the stone age / t fir«t their attentions were more demonstrative than agreeable ; but as the stranger exhibited no fear, the savages gradually assumed a quieter tone, and were uniformly kind Baron Maclay at t : mes experienced a scarcity of sustenance, animal food being at certain seasons a rarity, and at others the tropical rays of the sun completely withering vegetation, despoiling the earth of its yield, and causing partial starvation to the inhabitants Slight traces of gold only were found, the opinion of the Baron being that payable gold would never be discovered there Ho will io nain for a time in Sydney He then proeeeds to Japan, and from thence to Russia, where the various diaries will be compiled One very hot day a case was being tried in a court of law in one of the Western States The counsel for the plaintiff had been speaking at great length, and, after referring to numerous authorities, was about to produce another imposing volume, when the judge inquired what was the amount in dispute On being told that it was two dollars, “ Well,” sa'd he “ the weather is very hot, I am very old. and also feeble—l’ll pay the amount myself.

Me William Huntley, la pupil of George Stephenson, has died, at the age of eightytwo In 1820 he entered the employment of Messrs George Stephenson and Co, of Newcastle, remaining with the firm for ten years. He erected the first locomotive engine that drew a passenger train, under Stephenson’s personal superintendence and Huntley had the honour of woiking it alternately with him on the memorable 27th of September, 1825 —the first day that a train passed over the Stockton and Darlington Railway The Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Star {writes ; —The following members tuan an honest < enny and add to their emoluments by acting ns special correspondentsMr Saunders, Canterbury Press ; Sir W Fox, Rangitikei Advocate ; Mr Wakefield, Timaru Herald ; Mr B >in, Southland Times; Mr Reid, West Coast Times ; Mr Shepherd, Nelson Colonist; Mr De L itour, Dunedin Star Manufacture of Paper Collars. —The quantity of paper collars annually manufactured in the United Status is estimated at 150,000,000, the sixth part being madat Springfield, Massachusetts. Two factories in tho latter town manufacture together nearly 200,000 collars daily. The quantity of coarse light cotton fabric us jd in the manufacture in America dnring the past year was about 8/ 00,000 yards, and the weight of the paper pulp was upwards of 2000 tons.

The following, which appears in the Oaiuara Mail of Wednesday, is the neatest thing in the way of birth notices we have seen for sine tim'. “Dunlop.—On the 2nd June, at her residence, the wife of Frank Dunlop, of twin daughters. Gossips please remain at homo and make no remarks.