LOCAL AND GENERAL

Temuka Leader, Issue 808, 31 December 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Post-Office Holiday. Monday next being observed as a holiday, the Post-office hero will be open during the hours of 9 to 10 a.m. and from 7to 8 p.m. At the Telegraph office Sunday hours will be observed.

The International Exhibition. March 15th has been decided on as the date for the opening of the International Exhibition in Christchurch, From England 200 applications for space have already been received. Commodore Erskine has promised lo take the Australian squadron to Lyttelton, and will assist at the ceremony Litkhaet Piracy.—We notice that some articles which have appeared in this paper, have been printed by some of our contemporaries without a word of acknowledgment as to where they got t hem. The Bruce Standard of the 28th published two of them without one word of alteration, making it appear that they were its own productions. We have no objections to other papers cliping from our columns but we certainly think that we ought to be accredited with them.

Wesleyan Chukchi Services.— The list I of services connected with the Wesleyan 1 Church, in the district, will be found in another column. The Outgoing Hail. —We would remind our readers that the outgoing mail, via San Francisco, will close this afternoon at three o’clock.

Oddfellows’ Spouts. - On Wednesday evening last the cup which had been presented to the Oddfellows, to be competed for at their sports by Messrs Vincent and Co., Christchurch, was presented to Mr R. Edgewort li, the winner, at the Ternuka Hotel. A very enjoyable evening was spent by a few friends who were invited to bo present on the occasion.

Ratepayers’ Meetings. The annual meeting of ratepayers in the Mount Peel Road district will be held in the Road Board Office, Peel Forest, at noon, on Monday next, On Tuesday the 3rd proximo the annual meeting of ratepayers in the Temuka Road district will be held in the office of the Board at noon.

The Sparrow Nuisance. —Prom all quarters, especially this district, come great complaints from the farmers in reference to the ravages made by sparrows in their crops. In many instances wheat and oat stalks are entirely denuded of the ripening corn. In spite of Sparrow Clubs (initiated for their destruction) and small boys, they continue to thrive most wonderfully. It is to be hoped that the Legislature will step in for the purpose of stamping out the nuisance.

New Year’s Day.— New Year’s Day falling this time on a Sunday the usual holiday will be kept on Monday next. The Drum and Fife Band will proceed to Geraldine where they will entertain the good folk in that township. The Temuka Brass Band will spend the day at Milford enlivening up, that locality by playing several selections of music during their visit. At Timaru the great event of the day will be the annual sports> under the. auspices of the South Canterbury Caledonian Society, to be held in Green’s paddock, Elizabeth street. We trust that our readers will spend a very enjoyable day. Grand Ball. —It will be.scon by an advertisement which appears in another column that the residents of this town intend to celebrate the ushering in of the New Year with a grand ball. The names of the committee are a sufficient guarantee that it will be conducted in a manner that will leave nothing to be wished for, and the fact that Mr Stratton’s band will supply the music will, we are sure satisfy the most fastidious. The ball will he.held in the Volunteer hall, commencing at half-past eight o’clock and wo have every hope that it will prove a success, and that the gentlemen who have undertaken its management will be encouraged to provide such means of recreation for the people on future occasions.

Antiquity op Breach, op Promise Cases. —Actions, for breach of promise of marriage are not usually supposed to be of any great antiquity, but actions for breach of contract of marriage can really be traced back to the middle of the fifteenth century. Mr J. R. Bird, F.S.A., has lately been investigating some of these cases, and he has written an article on the subject. The first case referred to is a complaint preferred to the Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury, Chancellor of England, between the year 1452 and 1454, by Margaret Gardyner and Alice Gardyner, presumably her daughter, against one “ John Vache, of Uppes'-vych,” who, after receiving ten marks from Margaret and twelve marks from Alice, on the condiditiou that he married the latter, took to wife Joan Bloys, " to the great deoeyt of the said suppliants, and agayne all good reason and conscience.”

A Romance op the Bankruptcy Court. —An exceptionally complex case, which has been engaging the attention of the Birmingham Bankruptcy Court for several months past, has just been further complicated by the marriage of the bankrupt, a widow, under somewhat romantic circumstances. While giving that constant attendance at the Court which her entangled affairs necessitated the lady, who is just over 30 years of age, and who had carried on the business of her husband as a butcher, made the acquaintance of a painter and decorator in Court. The friendship ripened fast, and day after day the widow was escorted to the Court and to her legal adviser’s by her devoted attendant, much to the amusement of the Court officials. The fair banhrupt a few days since bestowed her hand upon him, and an application will be made to the judge to make him a party to the proceedings pending, but it is by no means improbable- that the husband will be rewarded for his daring by receiving a considerable surplus- from the bankrupt’s estate, which at one time showed at least 40s in the pound*

Loyal Alexandeovna Lodoe. —On Wednesday evening last the brethren of the Loyal Alexanclrovna Lodge, 1.0.0. F., held a summoned meeting for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing term. The offices of N &, and V.G. were well contested for, there being three nominations for the former, and four for the latter. Ultimately, on a ballot being taken, the choice fell upon Pro E. Smith as N.G., and Bro R White as V.G. B-io Whitehead was re-elected Treasurer, as was also Bro Uprichard Secretary. Bro Dunford, the retiring N.G., handed to Bro J. M. Ollivier, on behalf of the Sports’ Committee, the Silver Cup given by the Crown Brewery Company (Christchurch) through Bro P. Coira, and congratulated him on his success in competing for the Oddfellows’ Cup. Bro Ollivier briefly returned thanks, hoping that the Order would widely spread, and the annual sports in the future bo oven more successful than the)’ had just been. It was resolved that a hearty vote of thanks should be forwarded through the Secretary to the Crown Brewery Company, and also to Messrs Vincent and Company, for the Cups presented by them for the Sports ; also to Mr S. Norton for his present of a pig for the same.

The Roman Catholic Chuech Clock. —Mr Adamson is expected hero ;next Tuesday to remedy the defects in the above clock. The cause of the irregularity is attributed to the recent shock of earthquake.

New Almanac. —We have received from Mr F pilchard, local agent for the National Fire an Marine Insurance Co., of New Zealand, an almanac issued by the Company for 1882. It is very neatly got up and will prove very useful in an office. Bishop Redwood, —The Right Rev Dr Redwood is expected to visit this part of his diocese about the 29th of January next. The 22nd of January has been appointed as the date on which he will lay the foundation stone of a new Church at Ashburton.

Road Board Flections. —On Monday next nominations will bo received of candidates for the two vacancies on the Mount Peel Road Board to be forwarded to the Returning officer before noon on that date. Nominations for candidates for three vacant seats on the Temuka Road Board will be received by the Returning Officer on pr before noon on Tuesday next.

Messrs McCaskill and Rooney require the services of a first-class woolsorter, at once. See advertisement.

Mr Marcroft, of Hinder Farm, Waitohi Downs, invites tenders for harvesting 300 acres of crop. See advertisement.