The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 551, 12 July 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tea Cultivation.—The cultivation of tea is spoken of as a coming industry in Napier. The Sun.—Mr Russell, the New South Wales astronomer, reports tlml i large spot is passing over the'sun's surface. Acknowledgement.—We have to acknowledge receipt of a batch of Goyernmeut papers from the office of the Government Printer. Government Insurance.—The Colonial Treasurer is about to introduce a Bill into the House to place the control of the Government Insurance Department under a Board. Unpkolific Victoria. Victoria has 220,000 acres more land devoted to the growth of wheat than there were 10 years ago, but tin yield lias decreased by 265,000 bushels. The Recent Earthquake.—The Inspector of Wanganui reports that fifteen chimneys are rendered unsafe through the action of the recent earthquake, and has condemned them. A New Disease.—Among the English census papers is one in which a man has stated that he is suffering from the foot axd mouth disease : namely, nothing to eat and jolly bad boots. C-DDFELLOWSHir. —The brethren of the Loy«l Alexandrovna Lodge, 1.0.0. F. are requested to attend a meeting to be held in the Oddfellows' hall at seven o'clock to-morrow evening for the installation of officers and other business. A Hermit. —A cave has been found near Ararat, in Victoria, will) a living occupant in the person of a man some thirty years of age. The quarters are .stated to be very comfortable, aud the man gives no account of himself. Rice Growing —A splendid sample of rice has been recently on view at Brisbane, grown near the Johnstone River. It was grown in a dense mass of luxuriant fodder, some four feet in height, and bearing an enormous crop. Resident Magistrate's Court. —The Magisterial business was resumed nt the Court house yesterday, the additions to the building rendering increased accommodation and business was transacted far more comfortably than hitherto. Postal Notes.—Over fifty thousand postal notes were issued in England in March last for an aggregate of £25,000. This is equivalent to a total issue for the year of over two and a-half millions of notes of £1,300,000 value.

Criminal Business at. the Court.— There were no criminal cases set down for disposal at the Resideut Magistrate's Court, yesterday, A Find.—The police in Sydney, in searching the premises occupied by the men charged with stealing three trunks from the wharf, found seven splendidly executed moulds for half-crowns, with crucibles and white metiil. A Human Curiosity.—The Manawatu Times reports that the wife of a man named Meden, of Stoney Creek, has recently given birth to a child with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. The child is said to have no further peculiarities. Sculling Championship.—On Saturday last the sculling for £IOO and the championship of New Zealand came off at Wellington between Hearn and White, the former being the favorite at 3 to 2. The distance was miles. After an exciting contest Hearn came in the easiest of winners by ten lengths. Wonderful !—lt is singular that Zadkiel's Almanac—much in favor with housemaids actually prophesied that danger anil misfortune would happen to the Czar of Russia about the middle of March. Since the prophecy has been fulfilled the sale of the little almanac has been prodigious. Publicans Beware. —We learn from the Ne<v Zealand Times that a member of the police force has been making a raid upon the public-houses, calling for a shilling's-worth of wine and spirits, and transferring the fluids into flasks, which he carefully sealed and labelled, to be operated upon oy the public analyst. A Valuable Commodity —Mr Almao, hatter, Dunedin, informs the Morning Herald that he has already exported 9000 rabbit skins to America, and he has 30,000 on hand for export. The manager of a large hat manufactory doing business in London and New York has forwarded several thousand pounds to Mr Almao for the purpose of buying rabbit skins in Dunedin.

Queensland Sugar.—We learn from the Queenslander that the new season's sugar from the Logan district has been placed in the market. Tho fine white crystals are said to be worth from £33 to £34 per ton. while a sample of larg e grained crystal sugar, almost equal to what are known as brewer's crystals from the same plantation is said to be worth a like figure. The Solomon Islands.—Matters at the Solomons' are reported by the Auckland Herald as being unsettled. H.M.S. Cormorant and Reynard had instituted a strict blockade where Lieutenant Bower was killed, and there is every chance of the other fiv; murderers being given up. Takua, the Florida chief, with whom the Bishop is staying, has went a body of warriors to assist tho English men-of-war's-mon.

A Second Chop of Fruit.—A Hamilton correspondent to a northern contemporary notes a curious freak in the vegetable world, in the garden of Mr W. 11. Hay. An apple tree of the kind known as the Irish Peach, bore this summer about one and a-half hundred-weight of fruit, and has now ripened a second crop, consisting of seventy apples, which are fully developed and of excellent flavor.

Royal GiUTiTUDE.— Alexander 111. lias promoted to a captaincy the young lieutenant who wrapped his own mantle around the wounded Czar just after the explosion. It was in this mantle that the murdered man was taken to the Winter Palace. " I have brought you a new cloak," said the young Czar to the soldier ;"I shall keep the other." He has also given the youth a present of 1200 roubles.

Church Pakade.—On Sunday morning last the Volunteers mustered at their ball at half-past ten o'clock for the purpose of attending Church Parade. 33 members of the No. 1 Company Temuka Rifle Volunteers, and 9 of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry and 16 of the Drum and Fife Band under command of Captain Young, and sub-Lieut. White, marched through the streets to the Presbyterian Church the Band playing appropriate airs, en route. The Bev D. Gordon preached an eloquent sermon befitting the occasion. At the conclusion of the service, the Volunteers wended their way through the streets headed by the Drum and Fife Band, who again played sevenl marches. On arrival at the Volunteer Hall they were dismissed by Captain Yoimg.