LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 803, 20 December 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Residrnt Magistrate's Court.—There were no criminal cases before the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

School Holidays- The Temuka. Public Sehool will break, up for the Christmas and New Year holidays on Friday next. They last for one month-

Temuka Brass Baitd.—The members of the band, will give an open air performance this evening on the vacant piece of. ground opposite the Crown Hotel, at 8 o'clock.

Bank Holidays.—The Bank of New Zealand, in this township, will be closedion Monday and Tuesday next, 26th ana 27th December, under the Bank Holidays Act, 1880.

Legal Holidays.—ln accoordance with annual custom consequent upon the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Resident Magistrate will not hold his next oourt till Monday, January 9th.

Proposed Release of Cetewayo.—Late cablegrams intimate that should it be the desire of the Zulu people that Cetewayo should return to his native country, the British Government will direct his release from Oude Molermfarm, where he is now. confined. Temuka School Examination.—Mr H. W. Hammond, Inspector of schools for South Canterbury, will commence the annual examination of the Temuka Public School to-day. It will in all probability last till to-morrow afternoon.

Sale of Privileges.—On. Saturday last Mr K. F. Gray disposed of. the several privileges in connection with the Oddfellows' sportg as under :: —General License Booth, Mr P. Coira, £6 10s ;. Refreshment booth,.Mr T. Sheen, £4. los;. cards Mr G.. Davey, 10s. The gates were bought in.

Cheistmas Holidays.—A notification appears in our advertising columns to the effect that during the Christmas and New Year Holidays all ordinary single fate tickets issued on the 23rd December or on any day up to and including the 3rd of January will be available for return, up to and including 7th January next.

Cricket.—What are our local lovers o! the wilbw about? We do not hear that they have attended more than one practice this season, and in various matches that have come off they have not even had a name. If they wish still to be remembered in the cricketing annals of the season they should look to their laurels at onco..

Entbies fob thb Sfobts.—We would remind intending competitors.that entries for Nos 1,8, 11, 13, and 16 t on the programme of the Oddfellows' Sports to be held on Boxing Day, must be made to the Secretary (Mr W. R. TJprichard) accompanied with the respective entrance fees, by Saturday next, 24th instant, before 12 o'clock, noon.

Native Affairs.—A Press correspondent writes as follows, from Eahotu : —" The No. 3 Company of the A.C. Force have been actively engaged during the present week in taking down the telegraph poles leading from the office at the camp to the main road, for removal to Parihaka, where they will be erected for the purpose of laying on a wire from the offices proposed to be erected there to the main line. r i'he No 4 Company of the A.C. are at the latter place, encamped at the stockade at Hill, whilst it is intended to locate the Eahotu A.C. on the flat."

Boaed of Education.—At a meeting of the Board of Education, held yesterday, the Chairman stated that Mr R. P. Walcot had been elected member in the Btead of Mr Howell, resigned.

What Next?—A "suicidalmachine" has been invented by an ingenious Englishman, at least so says, the Brussels National. The wonld-be suicide sits down quietly in a softly cushioned arm-chair, and by leaning his head back opens a small reservoir containing a powerful narcotic. Overpowered by the fumes he sinks further down in the chair, and so touches a spring, which discharges eight revolvers simultaneously into his body. The New Licensing Act. —It may not. be generally known that under the new licencing Act, hotelkeepers are not allowed to serve drink to. habitual drunkards, after a. notice has been served on them commanding them, not to do so. Eecently an Invercargillman applied to the bench for an order to forbid hotelkeepers to. serve drink to ft relative of his who had given way to intemperate habits. The order was granted, and now the unfortunate victim of intemperance must keep sober.

Guiidironing Exteaoedinary, John Chinaman has evidently picked up a wrinkle from the squatters in the way of gridironing. A Keefton paper says ihat complaints are made that the Chinese, in taking up alluv.al claims, so contrive to peg their ground as to leave blocks between their claims. The spare ground thus locked in is of course useless to others, being protected to some extent by registered rights for tail races. When the proper time comes shares in the claim proper are sold to other Chinamen, and the spare ground is barred from occupation pending the arrival of Chinamen from Otago.

An Unfortunate Occurrence.—According to the Carlyle correspondent of the Taranaki' Herald, Mr Balance's defeat at Wanganui was tbe result of an accident. A trap containing eleven votersbroke down on its way, to Wanganui, on the day of the election, and thus its oc«upants were unable to reach town in time to enable them to record their votes. As Mr Ballance was defeated only by a majority of four, these, if they had arrived in time,. would hare, turned the scales in his favor. Mr Ballance is one of. the ablest politicians in Naw Zealand, aad his absence from the ci-.nnot be looked upon other than as a loss to the enlony.

A Regal Estate.—Baron Edmund de Rothschild has just purchased from the Prince of Monaco an estate in the Canton of Tourman that has been associated with historical names. The estate is known as the Bois de Mandegris. 16 comprises some 300 and more hectares, and. belonged to the ancient county of Crecy. Among its proprietors have been the Duchess of Valentinois, the Due de Montpensier, King. Louis Phillippa* Princess Adelaine' of Orleans, the Due de Penthievre, King Louis XV., and the Qomte d'Eu, a. legitimised son of Louis XIV. Baron Rothschild paid for it the sum of 1,280,000 francs.

Oddfellows' Sports,—At a meeting of the Committee appointed by the brethren of the. Loyal Alexandrovna Lodge, 1.0.0. P. held on Saturday evening last, the services of the Temuka Brass Band, and also the Drum and Fife Band, were accepted to play during the Boxing Day. As the attraction through the ban': s being present will greatly, enchance the-day's enjoyment it: is to be hoped the public will liberally patronise the sports by their presence on the ground. Permission has been granted by the Park Commissioners to hold the sports in the park. Mechanics'- Institute.—On Friday evening last the monthly meeting of the committee of the Temuka Mechanics' Institute was held in the reading room, there being pressnt Dr Hayes (President), Messrs-McS, Gentlemun, Gray and Lee. The minutes of the previous meeting having, been read and passed, accounts amounting to £l9s fid were ordered to be paid. The Librarian's report was read and discussed upon. He stated that the fence separating the Institute from the Post-office and, Court-house had been broken by horses. The trees and shrubs planted a short while, sine©- near the fences were doing well. It* was resolved—" That the President, interview. Mr O'Halloran and Mr Nicholas in regard to. the fences." It was also resolved—" That Messrs Ash well and. Wills be requested to audit the accounts of the Institute for the past year ;" also—- " That-the President advertise the general annual meeting: of members to take plac e about the second week in January, 1882. The usual' vote of thanks to the ohair terminated the meeting.