The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 341, 15 January 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr K. F. Gray will hold his usual monthly sale of stock, at lus sale yards, Teiuuka, on Wednesday next, at noon.

M ssrs Maclean and Stewart will sell, at the Hoi’se Bazaar, Timarn, this day, horses, harness, &c.

The Temuka High School will open on Monday next, January 17th, in Oddfellow's’ H oil.

The installation of the officers of the Loyal Alexandrovna Lodge, 1.0.0. F., took place at their lodge room on Wednesday evening last, when the following Brothers were duly elected and installed into their respective offices by Past Grand Bros Iluuford and Bonn, Installation officers :—Pro. James Blythe, J.P.G. ; Bro. Janies Davis, N.G. ; Bro. Edward Smith, V. 6. ; Bro. Win. Rt. Upri hard, Secretary ; Bio. Joseph Whitehead, Treasurer. Bro. James Blythe, N.G., on behalf of the members of the lodge, presented Bro. J. Whitehead W'ith a picture of the emblems of the Order, and worded with the Lord’s Prayer, for his valuable services to the lodge as treasurer since July 1874. In making the presentation he thanked, on behalf of the members, Bro. Whitehead for his long and faithful services, it the same time expressiug a hope that he would be successful iu all his enterprises, Ac., through life. Bro. Whitehead thanked the members very much for the gift, and remarked that he had always taken a lively interest in the Order, and that it was his intention to continue to do so. Bro. Davis, N.G., thanked the members for the honor conferred on him. Secretary Uprichaid and Treason, r Whitehead also returned thanks for the confidence shown by re-electing them, and rem irked that they would act iu the future as they had done in the past. The meeting then terminated.

The Board of Education returns for South Canterbury for last quarter show the number of children on the rolls to he 3506, as against 3324 at the beginning of the quarter. The Auckland Star says : —*■ The commutation of Wharepa’s sentence will only tend to strengthen the prevalent conviction that in New Zealand there is one law for Europeans and another for Maoris. Something has been said of a tendency to philo-aboriginal sympathy as exhibited in the official career of Sir A. Gordon, and it is somewhat unfortunate that he should have sanctioned thus early in his Governorship of the Colony what we cannot regard as other than a blunder, which may create an unfavorable impression as to his impartiality in the administration of affairs as affecting the two races of inhabitants of these Islands.”

The Otago Times correspondent at Wellington wires as follows ; —“ I understand that 5000 acres of land in the Parihaka block, recently surveyed, situate on ti e coast north of Cape Egmont, and extending thence towards the Warea River, wid be placed in the merket very shortly. This will be the first block of Parihaka land yet offered, and the result of the experiment will be watched with much curiosity, as it is nearly opposite Te Whiti's settlement, but lying to seaward of the Constabulary road line. The land is said to be of excellent quality, but not so well suited for agriculture as that on the Waimea Plains. The upset price will probably be £2 to £3 per acre, but this is not yet decided.— Rumours aie still abroad as to tbe new Native Minister. Mr J. R. Richmond’s name is freely mentioned, he having just relumed from England, The idea is that either some Government member will resign a seat in his favour, if his election is secure, or else he will be called to the Council ; but so far as I can learn, I am disposed to think there is no truth in the report, at any rate for the present. It is not likely the vacancy will be filled for some little time.

The match between Hulstoi, of Christchurch, and Efutton, of Auckland, over distances of 100, 120, and 150 yards, for £25 a side, came off on the Cricket-ground Christchurch, on \Y e(^hes day- Hulston was in excellent condition, but Hutton was suffering slightly from injury to his right lug sustained at the Dunedin sports. Hutton got the best of the start each time,

but H'ulston won the first two events rather easily. T.'ie time for 100yds was 10 1-5 seconds, and for 129yds I2J seconds.

For years (says the European Mail) those members of the Volunteer (Force yvho take £u interest in shooting have long puzzled jtfiemaelves to find out a peipedy foy what are pajled drop shots, caused fiy the heating of the rifie and the consequent hardening of the foiling in warm weather. What many has attempted has now to all appearance been reached by Mr 11 If, Finlay, of Glasgow, who ha* just patented an invention which has already received the approbation of many well-known shots. The invention takes the form of a cork stopper for the breech of the rifle. In it a brass tube is inserted, to which is attached a piece of rubber tuning and a mouth-piece. So soon as a ghqt is fired the cartridge is withdrawn and a stopper inserted. This can be done without any alteration of position, and with the mouth-piece between his lips, the rifleman can send a strong current of moist air direct from the breech to the muzzle of the barrel, thus keeping the barrel cool and the fouling moist. Several wellknown shots have experimented with the apparatus during the hottest days, and their experience has been that after tiring seven consecutive shots the barrel was as cool as when they began, while the drop shots of which they had previously to complain were conspicuous by their absence. The invention is simple and ingenious, and promises to supply a want which has long been felt bj’ riflemen.

The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times telegraphs : - “It is rumoured that another resignation of a Minister is very probable, and that Major Atkinson’s visit Soutli is not wholly unconnected with it. In this case, should the resignation really take place, it will be attributed to pressure of private affairs. The Minister in question is one of the Otago members.”