LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 704, 1 December 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Another Industry.—Glassmaking ha* been commenced by a company in A.uck- ! in' 1 .

PIC-NIC. —A large pic-nic parly passed through Temuka from the south yesterday. AcKOWLEDOMENT.—We have to acknowledge receipt of a batch of Parliamentary papers from the office of the Government Printer, Wellington.

Hiroki Committed for Trial.- At New Plymouth, on Monday last, Hiroki was brought up at the Police Court, charged with the murder of McLean. At the conclusion of the evidence, the prisoner having nothing to say in his defence, and was fully committed for trial on the capital charge. The New Parliament.—To a Maori is tire honor given of being the first member returned for the new Parliament, as the first writ was returned on Monday last setting forth the, section of Hori Urei Taiaroa fur the Southern Maori district. Taiaroa tlvus baccmca .the “ father” of,the new Parliament.

The Crops. At the present lime owing to the splendid weather, and occasioi al rains, the crops are more than ordinarily fine looking throughout the distiiot. We have been informed that in the Oamaru district the crops are, unfortunately, in quite a reverse condition. Tnrough ihe prevalence of dry weather the ground is parched up, and in nearly every instance the crops are worthless. A Dangerous Freak. —On Monday last, a man named William Pearce, who had recently arrived nt Timarn, from Dunedin, jumped down from the top of the first railway cutting, 3D feet in depth past Bruce’s mill, and tried to go towards the sea. He was taken to the hospital and on examination by Dr Macdonald, the resident surgeon, he pronounced that cue of the man’s knees was broken, and that he is insane.

Temuka School.— The following attendance report at.the Temuka School for the month ended S9th November, 1881, under the hand of Ihe headmaster has been handed to us for pub Ration : Number on roll—boys, 182 ; girls, 163. Total, 345. Strict average—boys, 93.6 ; girls. 82.1 Total, 180.7. Working average —boys 104;7 ; girls, 87 7-—Total, 192.2. Highest attendance. Nov. 29th boys, 132; girls, 101. Total, 233.;

Our Railways. —A correspondent to the Christchurch Press understands that important alterations are about to be made in the time of the Dnuedin-Christchmch express, which will perform the journey in an hour and a half- less time than at present. The saving is to be chiefly effected by reducing the number of stoppages between Oamaru and Dunedin. We have since learnt that under the new arrangement the express will leave Christchurch at 8.15 n.m., arriving, at Ashburton at 10.10 a.in.J; Timarn, 12.40, and Dunedin, 7.35 pm. It will leave Dunedin at 8.10 a.m., and arrive at Christchurch at 7.50 p.m, The alteration will come into opera* tion in about ten days’ time. The Geraldine Election. —The nomination of a candidate or candidates to represent the Electorate in the House of Representatives will take place at at the Resident Magistrate’s Courthouse to-morrow. At the present time there are four candidates for political honors, viz., Messrs Wakefield, Postlethwaifce, Haylmrst and Leach, A poll will he demanded after the show of hands and the polling will take place to-morrow «eek. For the convenience of the candididates and representatives of the Press hustings.will be erected, attached to the Courthouse, It will be . 9ft in, height and . of the same width as the vacant;, space in

front of the verandah and will, cpmp out. flush with the bide office.

Temuea, Park Board.—A committee meeting oi the TemuKa Park Board will he held this evening at half-past, seven o’clock. A FeMale Barrel Organist. A barrel organ mounted on a wheelbarrow and driven by a. woman is the latest novelty in street music in Auckland. The Royal Capitalist. —Her Majesty the Queen has, according to a Home paper, subscribed), for no . less than one million, sterling to the new Italian loan. Sufficient Reason, An. exchange states that, the present N;itjve Minister’s strong dislike lo the Maori is attributable, it i:j raid, that on one occasion a native stole his lunch at \Yangann\. Colonial Wool Sale. —The first wool sale of the season was held in Christchurch on Tuesday, last. The bidding was spirited and nearly all the lots were cleared at satisf ictory prices. Merino reached lOd and cross-bred 10£d.

No Light Task. —An inmate of the Union Home for old ladies in Philadelphia has. distinguished herself, by making a bedqnilt of 55,552 pieces. Though blind she threaded every needle herself. The task took three years, and 100 , spools of thread. Holiday Seekers. —Shortly after midnight un Tuesday last a special train from Uni-itch rch t Dunedin, passed through here. Thera were nine passenger car riages all of which were filled with holiday seekers. No passengers were, however taken from here,.

Cricket. —What are our local lovers of the willow doing 1 There has not been a match this season in which they hav been engaged. We do hope, for -the cricketing honor of the township, that they will rally together again, so that we may anticipate some pleasurable Saturday afternoons being spent.

Temdka Brass Band.—The band wil[ perform a selection of music this evening j at 8 o’clock. The fine evenings we are now experiencing should be an inducement for a large number of our townspeople assembling to listen to the music thus gratuitously given for their amusement.

Geraldine County Building Society. —The first annual general meeting of this Society was held in their office, Temuka, on Tuesday evening last, Mr J, Hayhurst occupying the chair. The report and balance sheer for the past year was read and adopted. The election of officers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with resulting as follows: —Directors —Messrs J. Brown, M. Quinn. E. Brown, J, Men. d lsnn, J. Whitehead, J. MeS. Gentleman, and J. Hayhurst, The latter was elected Chairman of Directors. Mr J. Harrison was appointed auditor. Votes of thanks to the retiring directors, auditors, and secretary wore passed. The last named having resigned it was resolved that applications for new secretary be advertised for, The meeting then terminated.* Our Footpaths.— Portions of the footpath on the main road and Commercial street have been asphalted, giving a marked contrast to the western side of tha main road, where loose shingle has to be trodden tn causing much discomfort and prosp-'ct of sprained ancles to pedestrians. As the Temuka Road Board meet those persons having business premises on the main street, who are desirous of, having the footp ith asphalted, by paying half the cost, and owners or occupiers,of premises the other half it falls but lightly on the Matter, and we would strongly urge on them the nece-sity of asphalting at once for it not only adds to the comfort of everyone concerned, but- greatly improve the appearance of. the town at large.

; The West Wanganui Craters. Latest advices from West Wanganui sta.te i that there is a marked diminution of smoke issuing from the fissures, while the heat has greatly increased. The largest | S'sure is about 60ft ui length, with a | visible depth of about 20ft. Al; along the chasm, which at the top is about 3ft I wide, and gradually narrowing as it goes | down, the heat is sufficient to kindle wood I into a flame immediately cn being thrown I into it. There are several fresh smaller rents in the hill, all running parallel, and about 6ft apart from that from which smoko with , a strong heat is , issuing. There is every indication of coal near but whether it is a coal scam or other combustible material spontaneously ignited, it is certain there is. a fierce fire burning beneath, which is gradually undermining the hill and thereby causing the rent. —Nelson Colonist. A Six- Fingered Family.—lt may interest some of our readers that there is at present, in Brown’s Town, Jamaica, a family in whom the possession of ®iY fingers has been hereditary for at least four generations. Unfoitunately they, consider the. sixth a deformity, and amputate it, so that there is very little opportunity of observing it. There is a little girl, however, upon whom this operation lias not been performed, and I much regret that as her parents have taken her tip info the hills to irorlc on their provision grounds, I could not see her. As I am inform' d, the sixth finger is from the little finger, kptickle at right angles to the little finger, hut quite p-rft of with nail and two joints. It is bent and extended with the rest on opening or | closing the 1 , fist. Another fact, which I ; dare say, ijiQwe er, is unusual in such ; cases, carnet under n y notice.at Bntwn’a I Town, viz two perfectly black paiepts , having,a family all pure albinos —Nature.

A Shocking Blunder, —Tuere is up*. awful state of affairs in a Utile Michigan, town where a typesetter substituted the word ‘widows’ for ‘windows.’ The editor, wrote.; ‘The windows of the churoh, need washing badly. They are too dirty for spy use, and are a disgrace to our village.’ Result of .Economy.—Frank Fudge, in the Saturday Advertiser, says; The keeper of a first class hotel, in, order to save printing expenses, took to writing his own bills of fare, with the following'result :—Coffey, supe, rost D beef, fride ha mm, boyled and baked partaler.-, mutton .chops, veo’e, culverts, and crucified chickens,

Mr Hayhurst at Pleasant Valley.—* On. Monday evening, last, Mr Hayhurst addressed the electois in the schoolroom at Pleasant Valley, there being a large attendance, Mr Hat drastic occupied the chair. At the conclusion of the address Mr Havhr.rst received a vote of thanks and confidence. The proceedings were most orderly throughout.

The Elections and the Telegraph.— Instructions haye been given to the telegraph operators that, on . the evening of the general election, on receiving from Returning Officers slips of paper containing the name of, the polling place with those of candidates and the number of votes given to each, the information will be telegnplied simultaneously to the Government and to the. Press Agency, for circulation throughout the colony.

Wreckage.—We have been informed, that large quantities of wreckage are strewn over the beach near. Milford Lagoon. On Tuesday last the beach waa visited by a party who discovered portions of a vessel which were newly painted of a white color, several pieces of moulding some being 3ft . 6iu in length, part of a box. also pieces of timber resembling a ships bulwarks. Coupling this fact with that of the wreckage found along the beach at Timaru, it is evident that a good sized ' essel has met with a sad fate.

Killed by a Bull. —The Newcastle Chronicle says :—A bull upon a farm at Whitley had been chained to a post in a field, when it broke loose on Saturday night. The farmer had told his men not to meddle with it, as he knew the beast and it knew him,; he said he would bring it in himself in the morning. One of the young men of the farm went to the field, and in attempting to lead tne hull back to the post was' attacked by it. Shortly after six o’clock on Suncay morning fearful shouts an I-screams were heard coming from the field, and upon looking out the people of the farm saw,that the man was „ being gored to death. The bull had attacked him, one side, and a heifer QtLthe other, ano ultimately tie bull took theunfortunate man on his horns and thrtfw him into a garden. The poor fellow dieH, about ten o’clock in the forenoon. J