The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 359, 5 March 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Continuation of Sale.—The sale by Mr K. F. Gray, of Messrs Hutton and Co.'s drapery and clothing will be continued to-day. Weekly Salk. Messrs Maclean aDd Stewart will hold their usual sale of horses etc., at the Tiinnru Horse Bazaar, this day They will also sell, at the same place, one engine and one combine. Important Sale.—Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. will hold an important sale of live and dead stock at the Orari Station on Friday, March Jl. For particulars see advertisement. Revenue Schooner.—A now revenue schooner, the Hawk, built by Barters, of Kiiipara, succeeds the Stella for revenue arid lighthouse services, under the command of Captain Grey. She took a cruise in Auckland harbor on Tuesday. Maori Meeting.—Tawhaio's meeting at Hikurangi is fixed fqr the 16th April. Te Whiti is to be present. Gold Items.—The claims lately pegged 08 on the Waiha Plains, near the road to Tauranga, are attracting some attention. Te Aroha is nearly dcterted ; only four men are working in the .Prospector's claim. Afloat at Last.—The contractors have at last been successful in raising the steamer Taupo. Ths sie-imer Glenelg on Tuesday morning look thu steamer and tlie barques in tow, and safely landed them on a sandy bcicb at the pilot station, Tauranga. It u proposed fco repair her >is well as can be done where she now lies, and then ton - her up to Auckland. West Coast Railway.— A meeting with regard t» the West Coast Railway, held at Palmerstoa North on Monday night, was very successful. Nearly £2OOO worth of shaves were taken up in the room. The canvass is still proceeding. Visiting —The Hon Mr Rolleston is now in Teuiuka on private business. On his return to Wellington he proceeds North to attend to public affairs. AcciOßirr. Ex-Judge Gresson was thrown from his trap in Christchurch on Tuesday, and was seriously injured. Fire.—Three cottages in Tuam-street, Christchurch, were burnt on Wednesday night. Ihe cau<e of the tir.e. is attributable to the bursting of a kerosene lamp. Hung H.'mself. A farmer, named George Hanvood, was found suspended l>y a rope to a tree in tlie bush, on his own farm, atOtepopo, O.unaru, on Wednesday morning. Gaelic Society.—At a meeting at Dun - cdin on Wednesday night it was resolved to fprin a New Zealand Ga lie Society, to foster and perpetuate the Gaelic language. An Attractive Barmaid.—Ettie Hart, sister of the youthful bushranger binned atGlenrowan, is now a barmaid at Buckley's Robert Burns' Hotel, Lonsdale street, Melbourne. District C'oukt. A Gazette of February 24th fixes the sittings of the C«iut ot Ashburton, in the Court-h"tise, for the fifth clay of every month ; and at Timaru, for despatch of civil business, on the 16th day of every month, and for criminal business on the lGth day of March and September in each year. Should any of the above days fall on a Sunday or a holiday, then the Courts shall be holden on the firpt day thereafter not being a holiday. Local Industries.- The Government are offering bonusses on the following Colonial Industries :—For the production of the first 125 tons of sugar, £IOOO. For the first 10,000 gallons of linseed oil, from linseed grown in the Colony, £SOO. For the first 50 tons of oil cake, from linseed grown in the Colony, £IOO. For tlie first 50 tons of starch, £3OO. For the first £IOOO worth of cocoons of the silkworm, or silkworms' eggs, a bonus of 50 per cent. A bonus of £SOO per annum for three years for the production each year of not less than 50 tons of sulphuric acid manufactured in the Colony. For the first £IOOO worth of household earthenware, manufactured in the Colony, a bonus of £250. Cheap Sermons. —An American contemporary states that a Lon lon firm of sermon-mongers have lately been addressing themselves to the American market. The managerofiers sermons "lithographed in a bold hand," so that those who happened to see them would suppose that thev were manuscripts. 25 centa each, or_

20 dole per hundred.- They have a line of cheaper sermons in print, 10 cents a-piece, warranted orthodox ; and. others—a little more expensive—which have a "pleasantness, yet an awful solemnity about them." The Opunake Murder. —Te Wharennrre, Tulu's father, paict Opunake a visit the other day. for tho first time since the Te Namu murder. For some time after his arrival he sat on the grass, a short distance from tho hotel, surveying all round, after which he became very friendly, shaking hands with those whom he was acquainted with. He expresses himself thoroughly reconciled to his son's fate. The Panama Canal.—Baron Les.seps undertakes to have his Panama canal completed within seven years. A Recommendation. —We have repeatedly (says the Mark Lane Express) advised the sellingof live stock by weight, both in respect of fat cattle and stores, on the American system, and the feeders of Aberdeenshire and Banffshire are now beginning to see that it will bo to their advantage so to do. A weighbridge is in existence for this purposo at Turriff, and in the Tarves district a small company has been formed to preserve nnd maintain a similar machine. If the system were once started it would rapidly spread. Quotations would be exceedingly • simple, and a host of middlemen would find their occupation gone. The Mormon Question. —Representative Willets, of Michigan, who has charge of the Mormon Bill in Congress, proposes to punish and discourage Mormonism by denying suffrage to any who practice polygamy. N.Z. Produce. —New Zealand produce, it is stated, forms quite a new feature in Mark ivane Market. Besides the wheat and flour which has been sent for some time, there are now to be found on the stands supplies of New Zealand onts, oatmeal, b»rley, beans, peas, and grass seeds. T.M.I.A. We would again direct our readers' attention to an advertisement in another column convening a meeting of the Temuka Mutual Improvement Association in the Good Templars' Hall, on Monday evening nex , at 8 p.m., to take part in the first debate in connection with the Association. The mental improvement of young men in both theological, historical, and literary subjects ought not to be lost sight s>f during the coming winter season, and we trust that those who are able to assist in so biddable an object will shir* their responsibility in this respect, but will do all in their power to forward the noble work within their grasp. A word also to the young inen in the district. Ly joining such a Society you will gain a vast amount of information that be impossible to obtain any other way, besides haying the advantage of mixing in the society of nien of cultured attainments—an enjoyment which, we are sorry to say, is not tuken due advantage of at the present day. Tall Talk. —An American tourist was visiting Naples, and saw Vesuvius during an eruption. *■' Have you anything like that in the New World ? " was tho question of an Italian spectator. "No," replied Jonathan, " but I guess we have a mill-dam tljat would put it out in five minutes I'' Gubernatorial Visit to the South.— The Governor will leave Wellington on a visit to the South on Thursday next. A Revivalist, Mrs Hampton, tho Evangaljst, is at present on a visit to Grahamstovvn. A great concourse of people met the steamer on her arrival and accompanied the lady to the residence of her friends, singing hymns in the streets. The Thames Murder.—The man Procoffy has, been committed for trial on tho capit:d charge of murder at the Thames. Demise of Sir Cracroft Wilson. —The death of this well-known veteran occurred at his residence, Cashmere, near Christchurch, on Wednesday night, at the ripe age of 73 years. The dramatic world and his large circle of acquaintance generally will miss his genial society. The Timaru Post Office Clock.—fhe Town Clerk of Timaru has received a letter from the Secretary to the Postal and Telegraphic Departments, Wellington," to the effect that a contract is now in course of acceptance for the construction of an eight-day four-dial illuminated clock, to be erected in the tower of the Timaru Government Buildings, at a cost of £285. Vital Statistics.—During the month ending February 28th there were registered in this district eloven birtlis and four deaths. There were no marriages. Jury List.—With the view of the compilation of an authentic jury list, tho police rre, at the present time, busily engaged in revising, amending, and adding to ihe one now existence, Not before it is required, however, for to our knowlodge, several names are on the old list of persons who have either cast off their mortal coil, or hove long ceased to reside in th«j district. Wharfage Rates on Grain.- During a meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board on Thursday last the following resolution was carried : "That a reduction of 25 per cent be made in wharfage rates for goods under classes E, F, K, L, N, and P, of the railway tariff." Quarantine Station. The Government have decided to make Ripa Island a quarantine station for stock. Extension or the Tjmaru Break-

Harbor Board on Thursday last, on the motion of Mr Evans, seconded by Mr Gray, it was resolved : " That this Board is unanimously of opinion that it is desirable that after the completion of the prer sent -contract, No 3, the mole shall be further extended in the present line about four hundred feet, to enable yessels of large tonnage trading to this port to receive suitable and necessary accommodation." How to Keep Pigs at Home.—Just now, tfhen farmers—in order that nothing may be lost—turn out their pigs upon the stubble field to pick, up the crumbs that are left, some trouble is experienced when the feed is done to keep Sanday Camel from visiting his neighbor's fields A food plan is to tako a bag of tailings and scatter it out amongst a load or two of straw. A scramble takes place which detains them for hours, when the same may be repeated. New Zealand Cement —During a meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board, held in Timaru on Thursday last, the Engineer, in his report, gave his professional opinion on. n sample of Dr Munro's cement, supplied him for the purpose of testing : " I have had a small quantity of Dr Munro's material for making artificial cement, and have treated it as indicated by him. I find that it is very slow in setting, but gradually acquires strength and becomes hard in a few days. As compared with Portland cement, it is weaker ; having but a small quantity to operate upon, I was not able to subject it to the tensile test used for Portland cement, so am unable to certify as to its strength. On the table are two blocks one made of Dr Munro's cement and the other of Portland cement." Commenting on the matter at issue, t'e Herald remarks that during the sitting of the Board "The two blocks of cement referred to in the Engineer's report were examined and compared with a good deal of interest by the members. The blocks are of the same size, about 4in square and 2iu thick. The block mad a of pure Portland cement was very much the harder of the two, but the comparison is not a fair one, inasmuch as the other is not made of pure cement, but is a sand concrete. For a proper comparison the PprtlaDd cement should have been mixed wjth sand in the same proportion as the other. The Portland block was very hard, while the other was of the consistency of sandstone." The following resolution was ultimately passed : *' That Dr Mun);o be informed that the test of his cement iis sufficiently satisfactory to warrant th«j. Board in giving it a further trial, and that he be asked to furnish, at the Board's expense, a larger supply of material to enable the Board's- Engineer to thoroughly test it." Te Whiti.—A correspondent to an exchange states that Te Whiti has expressed himself as follows :—-" Although the Government takes away our lands and people'there is one thing it cannot take from tts, that is, the present peace that exists," A Collapse.— In some parts of South Australia tho wheat crops aro a failure this season. Thousands of acres will not be reaped at all. It is nothing for a man to travel with his reaping machine for twelve or fifteen miles and get about a bag and a-hulf ofjwheat. A New Journal. —We are in receipt of the first number of the New Zealand Protestant and Friendly Societies' Journal, published in the interests of the Orange and Friendly Societies. It is very neatly and tho arranging of advertisements in the middle column of each page, being of a r.ither uovel character, should commend itself to advertisers generally. We nnderstand that it has already attained a large circulation in Canterbury and Otago. Grain Delivery at Timaru- Durin« the first four days of the present week 5,847 sacks of grain were delivered for export at tho railway station at Timaru. Copper Ore.—A valuable discovery of coppor ore has taken place at Preservation Inlet. A gentleman informs a Southland paper that the ore exists in any quantity in that vicinity, and that a pieoe similar when tested by a professional assayer, yielded no less than 62i per cent, of pure copper. Samoan News.—By the arrival of the Manawatu from Samoa, we learn that the native civil war was still unsettled, and at a meeting between Malitawa and Capt. Zatubeeh, German Cousul-General. the latter proposed, as neither party could secure the supremacy, that two Governments should be set up with divided jurisdiction of the island, and he would recognise them. The Te Aroha Settlement.—Captain j Steele, on behalf of Meßsrs Grant and Foster, the Lincolnshire Farmers' dele- ! gates, has finally accepted the Govern- I ment terms ?e the Te Aroha settlement. N.Z. Surveyors' Bill.—lt is said that at next session of Parliament a bill, in course of preparation, will be introduced entitled ''The New Zealand Institute of Surveyors' Bill," granting a charter and otherwise in details providing for the legitimate welfare of the profession in New Zealand. Cricket—Return Matcu.—A return match, Temuka Civilians versus Temnka Volunteers, takes place at the usual place to-day. The wicket will be pitched at half .past twelve o'clock, and every player

Civilians will be chosen from the under- I mentioned :—T. M. Ollivier (Captain), E. Brown, P. F. Carlyon, J. Hayhurst, R. Pinokney, W. Rowe, W. Austin, Q. J Christmas, C. Shallard, P Thomson, Dr ] Hayes, W. Fletcher, C. Rayner. Auction Sales. Yesterday Messrs Maclean and Stewart,,yvnd. Wildje, Allan and Stumbles held the tirst of their monthly sales at the Pound Yards, Teinuka. A large amount of stock was on tire ground. We noticed a fine lot of . cattle in high condition. The various lots were put up, but few were sold. This can only be accounted for through the scarcity of feed, and partly, also, the scarcity of money,*farmers not yet having realised on (heir craps. We hope, however, that these monthly sales, now inaugurated, will be continued. Where the carcase is, the eagles gather together. At these sales much good is often got by exchange of viows on farming matters, were it nothing else. The Effects otr Dry Weather.—Yesj terday was a very hot day, even the dumb animals felt it. A horse that was being driven through the township after the sale evidently thought he had as good a right to a nip as his ojvnet : he marched with a quick step into the Star Hotel, and went up to the side bar, but no one appearing to serve him he turned round and walked out with his tail betw««n his legs.