The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1882. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 946, 4 May 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1882. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Volukteeb N*ws.—A letter lias been received by a gentleman in thi» (own which states that the Christchureh Toluntcers and Naval Brigads will visit Temuka on the 24th of May next: Sir llkrculks Robinson. —A letter received by the last mail states that though Sir Hercules Robinson is anxious to return to New Zealand, he'cannot do so at present, as the renewed troubles at the Cape would make it appear that he was shirking them if he were to apply for the transfer.

Butter and Cheese Factoby A meeting of persons intere;ted in starting a butter and cheese facto.y in this district is calleil for next Saturday evening : 1 the Yolunteer Hall. This is purely a farmers' question, and we trust they will muster up in large numbers, and give the movement their counte* nance i nd support.

Local Option.—The polling on the question under the new Licensing Act as to whether the number of publicans' licenses in this district should be increased or not during the next three years took place la3t Tuesday. Great interest wa3 felt in the result, and votes were canvassed on all sides. The result was that there were recorded for increasing the number of licenses 62 rote, against 59 for not increasing. Two informal votes were recorded, so that 123 votes were altogether given. The majority for increasing the licenses was 3 votes. In Waimate the majority for increasing the licenses was 24 votes. Mechanics' Instiiutx. Tho usual monthly meeting of the committee of the abovo was held last Tuesday evening. Present—Dr Hayes (President), Mendelson, Gray, McSheeby Gentlemun, Ashwell and Lee. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The President reported that some necessary repairs had been made to tho fences. It was resolved to bring under the notice of the [Resident Magistrate that horses were being yarded on the Court house section. The Librarian's report,together with £9 3s subscription money, was received. On the motion of Mr Lee, seconded by Mr McSheeby Gentlemun, it was resolved to ask Mr Mackay if ho would withdraw his resignation if the evening of meeting was altered. It was agreed to sell the clock and purchase a new one, price not to exceed £1 10s, It was agreed to sell the Punch newspaper to Dr Hayes at half price, and to procure Keynolds's Newspaper for six months, Mr McSheeby Gentlevnun to pay half the cost thereof. Accounts to the amount of £1 5s 6d were passed for payment, and the meeting then adjourned. Imagination'.—The effect of imagination upon the physical condition has been illustrated in Camden. The death in that city from hydrophobia of a boy, named Edward Gardener, has been already reported. Not long before he died, the boy in his frenzy spat at his father, and some of the froth from his lips flew into the latter's eyes. Mr Gardener at once declared hii conviction that he had been poisoned, and became terribly frightened. Within a few hours he had worked himself into an hysterical condition and the next morning complained of severe pains, dryness of the throat, and a chilly sensation about the spinal column, and actually gave rent to short coughs like that of a mad dog. His physician assured him that hydrophobia could not possibly hare been transmitted to him from his son's lips, but he remained unconvinced and terrified, and eventually had to be forced by drugs to sleep. His physical condition improved, and his reason resumed control of his fancy. It is not improbable that he might have died if ho had been left to himself. Thb "Union Insurance Company.—The above insurance company has just performed an act of munificenco which is likely to raise it in favor in this district. It will be remembered that some time ago two stacks of grain belonging to Mr Wheelband were destroyed by fire. On the evening prior to the fire, about 9.30 o'clock, Mr Wheelband came into town to insure his grain with the above insurance company, but Mr Ashwell, the local agent of the company, had left the office, and the matter was postponed till the following. Monday. It was not Mr Ashwell's fault that the insurance was not effected that evening as, with his usual willingness to oblige, he offered Mr Wheelband to go back to the office and make out the policy. Mr Wheelband declined to put him to the trouble,thinking there was.time enough. He has often since been heard to express his gladness at having done so, as had the stacks been insured the night before they where destroyed,the matter would have been liable to bo looked upon with suspicion. Mr Ashwell has since represented tho facts of the case in the proper quarter, and the result is that the Union Company have forwarded a cheque for £4O to Mr Wheelband. This action of of the Union Company is very commendable, and it deserves credit for it. Aim Loyirs' Gifts Eetuxnable.—This is a vexed and oft-debated question, upon which many young persons will no doubt be glad to have a clear legal opinion. Mr Bar- | stow, a London Magistrate, is the authority who decided in the negative when a case was j put before him by a " well-dressed fashion-able-looking woman" recently. Her daughter had been courted by a young man, who gave her several presents, such as an " engaged ', ring, a broach, and other articles of jewe'lory besides a few ornaments and articles of ver! u. The day was fixed for their marriage, and the couise of true love for once appeared to be running smoothly, when at a few hours notice everything was broken off, tho reason assigned by the gentleman being that ho had found lvs lady out in " telling oiie small falsehood." He wrote that though she might hare meant it "as a white lie," he could not forgive or forget it, for if she would'deceive him in one small matter she would in larger ones. At the same time he demanded back the presents he had given her. The latter clause was the object of the mother's visit to Clerksnwell Police Court as she had told her daughter not to return anything to tho " fellow," and he threatened legal proceedings, Mr Barstow said nothing was considered freer than a gift, and the applicant's daughter, so far as he was concerned, could keep the presents. If the young man should come to him for a summons in relation thereto he should refuse to grant it, and he would have no legal remedy elsewhere. Whereupon mamma retired, evidently well pleased with the result of her inquiries. It is to be hop:>d that knowletlgo of the fact will not make lovers more chary in I making presents. j

„The Exhibition Band Contest. —We are glad to learn that the Brass Band won first prize at the band contest held at the Christchurch Exhibition last Tuesday mght. The contestants wera the Christchurch Yeomar;/ Band, the Christchurch Artillery Band, the Timaru Artillery Band, the Lyttelton Band, and the Christchurch City Guards Band, and the result was: — Tima-'u Bu,nd, 1; City Guards Band. 2 ; and the Christchurch Artillery Rand| highly commended.

Thk Board of Education. —At the meeting of the above body held yesterday, a letter from the Temuka School Committee was read stating that all the members excepting Mr Harrop intended to carry on the business of the school. The letter urged that Mr Harrop was not a member as he had resigaed, ar.d that Mr Job Brown had been elected in his stead. The Board thought that all purposes were answered by the existence of a Committee, and let the matter drop.

Thb County Council.—The Geraldine County Council passed the following resolution at their meeting yesterday:— " That the following Boards: Levels, Temuka, Geraldine, Mount Cook, Mount Peel be advised that in order to meet the expense of Hospital and Charitable Aid a rate will be necessary, and as more subsidy will be received if the Road Boards strike this rate the Council trusts that they will do so, otherwise the Council will strike a rate on which they will lose 25 per cent of the total amount raised from rates and subsidies, such rate not to exceed 6d in the £." Educational. —We have received from the Secretary to the Board ef Education a Summary of the attendance at the various schools in the district for the quarter ended March 31, 1882. It appears from it that there are 36 schools in the district, in which there are 81 teachers, of which 43 are male, and 41 female, together with 10 sewing mistresses. The number of children ot the roll at the beginning of the quarter was 3414,

which number increased during the quarter to 3656, or 1883 raalei and 1773 females. The average -weekly attendance has been 3548, strict average, 2530 ; working average 3658. • Prbsbyteriaw Chttrch Choir Concert. —A sacred concert in aid of the Presbyterian Church Choir will be held this evening in the Volunteer Hall. We have seen the programme (in which, by-the-bye. there is an error, Misses Blyth and Paterson being put down as Misses Paterson and Blyth), and we can safely say that it is a capital one. It consists of an air by Mr Edmonds, a duet by Miss Thomson and Mrs Edmonds, an aiv by Mr Rutland, an air by Mrs Edmonds, and a duet by Messis Edmonds and Rutland, together with a Service of Song entitled " Moses," with connective readings by the Rev Mr Gordon. Such a programme, under the conductorship of Mr Edmonds, ought to satisfy the most critical audience.

A Family Burxed to Daath. At Master f on a man named Smith, who -was employed as a ferryman, -with his wue and children were burned to death in their house. A man named John Holbs,! on arriving' at Wharemea Terry, found the house burned to the ground. Just inside the house, where the front door had been, were Mrs Smith's remains, and what he took to be those of George Smith just behind her with a blanket. On searching for the children he found one of the boys' bodies, much burnt, at the hillside, where it had been dragged by Smith's dog, He thinks one of the others must have been wrapped in a blanket alongside Smith. There is no sign of the other child, The children's ages were about twelve, ten and three. The ruins were still smouldering, but he thinks the fire took place prior to Saturday night. Mrs Smith had apparently been dressed at the time, and the front door was locked. The building wai constructed of raupo, and was nearly twenty years old. The nearest neighbors lived eight miles away. At the inquest an open verdict was returned. Shipping- Casualty.—A considerable

degree of excitement was experienced here

last Tuesday evening on the newi spreading that the barque Duke of Sutherland had become a wreck in Timaru. It appears however that the report was considerably exaggerated as it has since transpired that she had only struck ground and started her sternpost at that time. This was about 7 o'clock, and signals of distress having been put up they were answered at once by- Captain McGowan, of the ship Benvenue. Shortly after, the Captain and some of the crew came ashore, bringing the ship's papers and other valuables with them. About 10 o'clock Captain Mills, Captain Eowlands, and others, leturned on board, and they commenced to work the pumps, while the carpenter of the landing service proceeded to stop the leakage. After some hours' hard pumping without lessening the water the cables were slipped, and the vessel drifted into the bay, where she grounded and was abandoned. During yesterday she settled do\. .1, leaving no hope of ever floating her again. She is a strongly built wooden > barque of 10 ±7 tons register. She had on board 10,000 sacks of grain shipped by the New Zealand Grain and Mercantile Agency which was insured.

Mi- Thomas Hobson, milkman, Terauka, advertises 118 acres to lease for 14 years.

Mr Henry Wright, of Eangitata Island, advertises that he has found a dog. The number of collar is g-'ivon. We direct attention to the advertisement of Messrs Kernahon and M'Cahon which appears in another column. The now firm recently boughc Mr Salek's business and have since effected quito a transformation in the old shop. They are experienced men from Home, and it is admitted by connoisseurs in Timaru that their blended teas cannot be equalled for cheapness and quality. They have also

everything in their shop, as the saying is, from a needle to an anchor, and we know from actual experience that they are much cheaper than other houses. "We know that certain articles for which 9s and 10s are charged elsewhere can be obtained from them for 7s and they are equally reasonable in their prices in many other matters. We should advise visitors to Timaru to s-e for themselves whether they will not save money by buying from them. The House is a little out of the way,being above the Hibernian Hotel in North Street, but the inducement they offer, so far ? we could sea on a cursory examination of their goods, would well repay the trouble of going there.