LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 362, 12 March 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Cricket A match will take place to-day at the Washdyke between the Crusaders C.C. and the Winchester C.C. The following represent the former : Messrs Raymond, Franks, Jones, Ness, King. Courtis Whitley, Lough, Shepherd, Bowie, and Hughes. Winchester: Messrs Cox, Bethune, Guinness, Doinmett, Murray, Paterson, Christmas, T. M. Ollivier, R. Smith, H Smith, and G. Smith. Wickets will be pitched at 12.30

p.m. Resignation op Bandmaster Gapes.— We learn that the bandmaster to the 'Temuka : Drum! and Fife Band has for-

warded his resignation to the proper authorities. We sincerely hope that the rumor .is incorrect, bui if otherwise we, trust that any difference that may exist that led to this determination may be eventually smoothed over, resulting in Mr Gapes, retaining the position he is so. preeminently fitted to occupy. We hope that his youthful pupils will have a voice iii the matter,'and request him to reconsider his, decision.

Deterioration: of C alifobnian Wheat. It is stated that Califoruian wheat ia deteriorating, which is attributable to the impoverishing of the, land, by growing year after year the siime kind of crop without fertilising the soil. Eace Privileges,.—Messrs Maclean and Stewart will dispose of the usuil; privileges attendant upon the race meeting, at the Point at 2 p.m. to-day.

T. and G.. Agricultural and Pashobal Association. —A meeting of the above Association will be held on Friday next at the Star Hotel, Temuka. As important business is to be transacted (for particulars of which see advertisement), every member pho'ild, if possible, be present.

Good News.—- The N. Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company have, received a cablegram from London, under date March, 6, intimating that the wool market is firmer, and competition is increasing. The wheat market is also firmer, Adelaide and Victorian being worth 51s per 4961 bs.

The Chmstchuruh Shooting Case. — On Wednesday last John Beanfield, charged with shooting John Spring with intent to kill, was committed to take his trial at the nnxt criminal session of the Supreme Court. 'Frisco Mail.—The City of Sydney, with the New Zealand portion of the San Francisco mails, arrived, a& Auckland on Wednesday evening last. The mails are expected to be brought on South by the ordinary afternoon train to-day. The Governor's Visit.—His Excellency the Governor and suite, accompanied by the Hon. J. Hall, arrived in Christchwch yesterday, and i fter taking part in the procession, took up his quarters at Coker's hotel in Manchester street. To-day he will be welcomed at a public banquet. Political, Movement in Italy.—Universal suffrage is being demanded for Italy by a Convention at Rome, having Garibaldi at its head.

Distress in Russia. —To such an alarming extent has distress become among the Ural tribes in Russia that parents are selling 'heir offspring for grain, and leaving the females to perish. Stack Fire. —At North Rakaia on Wednesday last, six stacks of grain, the produce of sixty acres of crop, belonging to a person namfed' Bharhs, were destroyed l>y fire. It is not known how it originated, out incendiarism is suspected. The stacks were insured in the New Zealand Insurance Company.

America and the Land Leaguers.— The New York Legislature has refused to pass a resolution of sympathy with the Irish people, and to regret the course adopted by the British Government. Being thus thwarted in obtaining American sympathy, no doubt that of France will be sought, but we do not think the French Government will give countenance to their project.

Suez Canal.—The founders' shares in the Suez Cabal of 5000 francs are now worth3so,ooo francs, If M. de Lesseps' speculation at Panama is equally successful he will do very well. Under the company recently floated 10,000 shares fully paid up are assigned to the society of original grantees for the concessions, surveys, etc. Eighty pet 1 cent of the nett profits only are to go to the shareholders, the balance to the grantees of concessions. It is estimated that the v;due per ton that Will be saved to vessels passing through the Pamima Canal instead of going rannn" Cape Horn is eighty francs, and the tariff is to be only fifteen francs per ton. If successful, it will revolutionise the trade to New Zealand.' • , ■ A Venturesome Ascent.—A venturesome ascent of Lochnagar was made on January 2nd by two I aland Revenue officers, who were at : the: time staying at Ciathie. They did not start till 1 p.m., and consequently the daylight was just disappearing when they reached the top. The descent in the dark was very dangerous, as the snow lay deep in the mountain, and was whirled about in blinding drifts by the wind, which blew a hurricane. The two climbers thus got separated from each other, but after numerous escapes each got down in safety. The height of Lochnagar is 3777 feet. The First Eviction.—The following iB too good to be cast asi le. The writer of' London Town Talk' in the Argus, says : Here is the best thing that the Irish trouble has given us. A Land League orator, addressing a crowd, was assuring them in Irigh-falutin' terms that 1 the Creator had given the land to man for his own. He gave it to Adam first—' ' Arrah, be aisy about Adam," 'exclaimed a warning voice from among the throng, ' Adam was evicted without compensation.'

The Latest Novelty.—The latest novelty ia New York is a dress album, A piece of every new dress is carefully cut, and gummed on one side of a leaf, and the date attached. Thus it forms a complete history of a lady's dress from season to season. This practice has at least one thing in its favor—however extravagant a lady may be, she will eventually have soinethiug to show for it.

The. Ten. Per Cent Reduction.—The ten per cent, reduction of salaries in the Civil Service' of the : Colony has taxed many a fertile brain for illustrations connected with its absurdity,, but we can present our readers with the latest. A clergyman recently aron3ed a sleepy audience by asserting in the most positive terms, that, notwithstanding 1 the Government had signified its intention of doing away with the ten per cent, reduction, the wages of sin had not been cut down one iota.

Pennx Savings' Banks. —The New Zealand Government are • about to issue circulars and cards for the penny deposit scheme in reference to Savings Banks, the adoption of which had been decided upon, and which is. being carriedi out as nearly a&possible on the English, model introduced by MrFaweett, ti.e PostmasterGeneral of England. In the first place it will be applied tentatively to the school children only, and expanded if the experiment proves successful. Music Hath Charmis.— The following incident tends to show that even infantile music may soothe the savage breast : At a theatrical performance in San Francisco* some time ago, a baby in the gallery began to screech so loudly that the actors were quite thrown out. The manager* todrown the child's, cries, bade the orchestra strike up a loud tune, whereupon a m/tner, who had Just come in, shouted cut, " Here, I stay, stop them cussed fiddles ; I haveu't heard a baby's voice for seven yenrs." Up to the Mark. —The Southern Cross which sailed from Auckland for Fiji on Wednesday afternoon had some difficulty iu getting away. The tide-surveyor finding she had reached PlimsoU's mark prohibited the storage of additional cargo. Then a difficulty arose with the men who could hardly be persuaded tn go to sea in a steamer ao heavily laden. A start was made* but last evening the steamer returned the steamer returned to port again through stress of weather.

A Wonderful. Lea?. —An adventurous and patriotic cat ascended the Washington monument the other night, by the staira which are within. In the morning when the men went up. to, work, she took fright, and springing to the edge took a leap of 160 feet. After looking around a little, she proceeded to leave the place, and had almost gotten beyond the shadow of the monument when a dog that stays around the base started for her, and not being in her best running trim, she was easily made a victim and killed.

Statue of a Jew. —The statue of Spinoza, lately unveiled at Hague, is the first sculptured effigy of a Jew ever erected. While the Jews were a nation their abhorrence of idolatry prevented a practice so common amongst the Assyrians and Egyptians ; since then tlify have been hardly popular enough for others to do for them what they omitted to do themselves ; and now, after numberless monumental representations of Christ and the Apostles, the first statue of a Jew is that of a PaDtheist.

Liberal.—The Hon. A. S. Tollernache, who is resident in England, bus generously contributed £I6OO to trie property tax for which he was not legally liable.

The New Minister. —Mr Johnston's appointment, says the Lyttelton Times correspondent, is acceptable to those who favor an alteration in the Education Act in the direction of denominationalism. aa he has strong views on this subject. His appoiutmeut gives a majority in the Cabinet in fuvor of denominationalism. The Cabinet now contains four denonrinationalists, two doubtful, and one declaied secularist. The appointment is in some quarters thought to be indicative of Ministerial intentions with respect to the Education question. In an article explanatory of the reason that actuated Ministers in takin < in Mr Johnstone «s their colleague the Post says :—" It would have been a marked slight and wrong tothis place had not a Wellington man succeeded Mr Bryce ; " and again—" Certainly it would have created a strong antagonistic feeling locally to the present Ministry had they filled up Mr Bryce's vacancy with any other than a Wellington man."