LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 936, 11 April 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Clearing Sale. —Mr K. F. Gray continues the sale .of Mr Wm, Essery’a stock-in-trade to-morrow and Thursday. Alleged Pee jury. Joseph Basely will be proceeded against for, perjury committed while givjn geyidence against Messrs McGaskill and Rooney in the recent trial. Sabah Bebshaedt.— Mademoiselle Sarah Bernhardt, the celebrated actress, was married last Wednesdav to a Greek gentleman in London. The ceremony was conducted very quietly. Tee Weather. During last Friday night Tery heavy rain commenced to fall, and it has continued almost without intermission ever since. On Sunday, and again on Monday, the rain fell in torrents ; in consequence, of which the Oddfellows’ sports at Geraldine had to be postponed until the Queen’s Birthday, the 24th of May next, and the Arowhenua sports until to-morrow. Ministerial. — A Wellington telegram says that the honorable the Premier is still in a very Unsatisfactory state of health, and that Dr Grace, his fnedical attendant, has advised him to resign, as he is at present unfit to bear the, strain of his official duties. It is also stated tfiat Mr Whitaker has resigned, through his connection with land transactions, Mr Whitaker is bound to have a finger in the pie wherever land speculations is going on, Interpeoyincial soat,Race. —On Wednesday last the interprovincial boat race between Otago and Canterbury was won by the latter easily, by eight lengths. Both crews got away fairly together, but after the first mile Canterbury took the lead, and maintained it to the finish. The distance was miles, and the time 12min 25sec. The Otago men were greatly fancied in the betting market. Both teams dined together this evening, Suicide.— At Napier, on April 5 an inquest, was held on the body of Henry Franklin found hanging on a tree at Wainui by a saddle strap attached to his neck, and a verdict of suicide while in an unsound state of mind was recorded. Deceased and his brother were bushmen. They had breakfasted together! and went to qs usual. During the, morning deceased went off by himself and was not found till his brother, on going home in in the evening, saw him hanging. He was quite dead, and his feet were only four inches from the, ground. Volcanic. Land. — A few years ago Claus Sprekles, of Honolulu, was laughed at for buying ten thousand acres of land, at ten cents an acre,at the foot of an extinct volcano, covered with a crust. He broke it up, mixed the dust with vegetable mould, irrigated it, and planted it with sugar cane, and is now the richest man in the Sandwich Islands. This is a fact for Mr Denton, who contends, that eventually all volcanoes will become extinct, and will be turned to practical use in the interests of man. New Lalto Company. —The.Catholic Land and Endowment Company was registered last Wednesday in Wellington under the Limited Liability Act. The company is formed with the intention of- placing all classes of settlers on their land, and also to bring the education question prominently before the public with the view of having a just and equitable distribution of grants. The first Directors until the annual meeting are Hon. William Clifford, of Vernon, Marlborough; Mr Charles Redwood, of Riversland, Marl, borough; and Mr James Cook, of Wellington. The Laeobnt Case.—At the Timaru Resident Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, before B. Woollcombe and E. Wakefield Esqrs., J.P.’s, Mr McCaskil! and his son surrendered to their bail on a charge of steal ing 19 bales of wool belonging to the Union Insurance Company. Eight witnesses were examined, but not a word elicited which would show that the accused were, guilty of the charge preferred against them. Mr White, who conducted the prosecution, made an application for a further remand, but the Court considered there was no evidence against the accused that would justify a further remand, and dismissed the case without one word of evidence being taken for the defence. The prosecution, therefore, may be said to have broken down most ignominiously, and rightly so, for a more a trumpery case was never brought into a [ Court of Justice. (

Bicycliso - A member of the Christ? church Pioneer Bicycle Club passed through, here last Saturday evening, on a journey from Christchurch to Dunedin on a bicycle. Exctrasios TEAllfs. —Several special trains besides the ordinary trains have passed by here en route for Christchurch, with visitors for the Exhibition, during the last few clays. The trains generally had two engines to them, and consisted of from ten to twenty carriages, which were crowded to excess. At about 2 o'olock on Saturday the Volunteers left here in a train which came from the south, and had on board all the southern Volunteers, including several bands, which enlivened the proceedings by playing selections of music. Eyidently there was not enough of carriages, for some of the Volunteers were put into horse carriages, &c, where they amused themselves by bleating in imitation of sheep, grunting like pigs, &c., to express probably their discontent at the accommodation provided for them. At 5 a.m. on Monday the ordinary train left Timaru, and arrived here at 25 minutes later, took up a good many passengers, and proceeded on to ChristchurchThe Circus. The Royal Australian Circus Company gave a performan3e in thie town on Thursday evening last, and judging from the enthusiastic manner in which every item was applauded by a very large audience, they were thoroughly appreciated, and succeeded in giving great satisfaction. The performance on the whole was very good put there were a few items of special excellence which deserve special mention. The most remarkable, of these, was the; invisible wire walking, which- done in u manner that one would think scarcely, possibly. A wire so thin that it was completely invisible was stretched across the ring at a height of about ten feet from the ground, and on this one of- the. performers, walksd with as much composure as if he were in a drawing-room. He did more. He, drew oa a bag, and then walked backward: and forward ae.vera) till he. left no doubt on the minds of his audience, that he Was perfectly at aasd. there, His feat is far more difficult than Blpndin's. tight rope, walking, and unlike the latter, he performs it without the aid of a balancing pole. Another: climbed up a pole about 4 inches in diameter, and about 20 feet high, and performed many very clever feats on the top of it. Ths, leading clown is one of- the best we have seenV in New Zealand, as in addition to his jokes, being pretty fresh he has a voice that can be. heard easily in all parts of the circus. The. riding was the weakest part of the. show, though some of it was good, and the. tumbling was also very fair. On the. whole., the show was a good one, and those who, attended were thoroughly satisfied with the. evening's amusement.

Presentation to the Ret. Mb Baeciat. —Last Saturday several gentlemen i of- the. South Canterbury district waitecL upon the. Rev George Barclay to present Mm with a testimonial on the occasion of his leaving the district for a. journey to England. The, presentation was made by Mr Angus Macdonald, and it took the form, of an address, and £550. Those present were then invited by the recipient tp a dinner, and a most, enjoyable afternoon was spent. It is understood that Mr and Mrs Barclay contemplate, leaving about the end of the present week for. England, and we heartily wish them succces. The mission on which the rev gentleman is, going Home is one with which everyone, must sympathise. He has met with a great calamity in being deprived of his eyesight, and it is with the hope that he will be able, to get it restored him that he is now making, the journey to. the Old Country, earnestly hope that he will be successful, and we feel confident that there are none with whom,he has ever come in contact but will wish him the same : Besides attending to hia church he has taken a deep interest in public matters, and has occupied; a seat on the Education Board and also on, the High School Board of Governors since, these, bodies came into existence, and no one, worked harder, or better than he did. It was he who formulated the scholarship regulations and the classification of teachers in the. Board; of Education, and originated most of the other important measures passed by both’ bodies. His ciyility and urbanity earned for, him the.esteem and.regard of everyone with whom he came in contact, and if good wishes would avail he would soon be restored his, eyesight. He is a loss to the district, and his absence Will be deeply felt. Owing to the rain the sports which were. to be held yesterday at Arowhenua were postponed until to-morrow. Attention is directed to Mr R. Darroch’s. advertisement in another column, in which he, announces that he is ready to deliver bread in all parts of the district, supply wedding. cakes, and attend parties.