LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9417, 18 May 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Opening op Pabmament. —Parliament will be opened today. All the members of South Canterbury, and most of the southern members, have already passed through on their way to Wellington to be present. Gun Accident. —A lamentable, gun accident occurred last Monday in Opunake, resulting in the serious wounding of a young man named Thomas Fowler. He and another named "Walter Start were out shooting when . the gtan accidentally exploded, the charge entering the loft side of hiß face, fracturing the upper jaw and tak'ng away a portion of hi« ear. Fowler was held in the highest estimation. Tihabu Habbob Boabd. —An emergency meeting of the Timaiu Harbor Board was held last Tuesday, when Captain C. S, Bascand was appointed successor to Captain Mills as Harbormaster. A committee was appointed to inquire into the wreck of the City of Pe-th. Another committee wa3 appointed to request the Mayors of ail ths towns in New Zealand to open subscription lists in aid of the families of tho:e who lost their lives in the recent wreck.

Thb Recent Wrecks. —The bodies of three of those who were drowned in the Timaru Harbor have been recovered, and were buried yesteiday afternoon. : Tbey are those of Emanuel Neilson, D. McLean ar.d Martin Bateß. The body of Bates was scarcely recognisable. The Benvenue has completely broken up, and there is very liitle hope now of floating the City of Perth, as the re is a largo hole in her which lei-s water in and out.

The Native Kiito Melting.—Waihuna one of the leading chiefs, made a speech to the esecfc that; the case against TeWhiti and Toliu might be postponed until certain propositions had been submitted tj Parliament, and another said that as peace was restored 30 Maoris ought to be admitted to Parliament. The talk was principally about land sales, and on resolutions being submitted to stop land sabs, surveys, etc., the show of hands was in favor of that course. The chief Paul of Orekei said the land lefb to Tjkwbaio was small, and the dogs (Europeans) were hungering for it. Rewi interrupted Paul, who maintained that the Maoris could not do anything with confiscated land. White ! Potatau accused Rewi of allowing surveys; etc, to go on. This was followed by a discussion with regard to the Waikato Natives who hare now no land, and the outcome was that Major Te Whero is to carry certain undefined proposals for submission to the House of Representatives, Sttddek Death. —An extremely sudden death occurred shortly after 9 o'clock yesterday morning in this town. Mr Felix Xeild Eurn, who has for a considerable time been staying at the Temuka Hotel, ha? been complaining of illness for the past week, and on consulting Dr Campbell he advised him to go to the Timaru Hospital for a time. On Tuesday he was better than usual, and yesterday morning when he got up he partook of some breakfast, and appeared in excellent sprits, no change being noticeable in him. He had intended to go to Timaru by the early train, and had gone as far as the railway station in Mr WeVs express, when he suddenly fell down into the arms of MiThomas Selous, who accompanied him, and died without a struggle. Mr Burn was a native of England, and was highly connected In his early life he was an officer in the navy, and subsequently settled down in Victoria, where he held a considerable tract of land on whieh he carried on sheep farming. He held the Commission of the Peace for the Australian Colonies, previous'y to New Zealand being proclaimed a separate colony. He was a married man, and had a wife and family l'ving in England, and it was his intention, we believe, to go Home shortly had he been spared. He was a tiue and loyal Englishman, and there was nothing which would ivritate him more than anything tending to disloyalty. As his medical attendant has certified as to the cause of death no inquest will be held. The funeral will leave the Temuka Hotel at 2 o'clock this afternoon.

The FuKEiiAi of Captain Mills.—The largest and moat imposing funeral ever seen in Timaru followed the rema ; ns of the late Captain MiPs to his last resting place last Tuesday. Captain Mil's belonged to the Masonic order, and the Brethren mustered very strong at the funeral, about 160 of them beinf in the procession in full regalia, includthe Winchester, Temuka, Timaru and : Waimate lodges, and several visiting brethren, besides the Timaru Rocket Brigade, the Timaru Fire Brigade, Timaru Art'lliary Volunteers, the Oddfellows, and employees of the landing service. The crews of vessels in port walked in the procession. These were followed by a large number of the general public, amongst wham were many from this district, carriages and horses; and the length of the funeral cortege can be guaged by the fact that when the beginning of it had reached the Timaru Herald Office the end of it was at the Melville Hotel. The funeral was headed by the Timaru Brass Band playing the " Dead March in Saul," and when it reached the cemetery the burial service was read by the Venerable Archdeacon Harper, and the Eey Mr Beck read the special Masonic Services. About 5 pm the ceremony was at an end, and the regains of Captain Alexander Mills, as brave a sailor, as true a friend, and as genial a companion as ever lived, were lowered into their last resting place amidst, the heartfelt sorrow of the whole community. To show the deep regret' that was felt every shop and hotel in town was closed, and there was scarcely a man of anv'position in town who did not take part in the funeral procession.

Cultivation of Linseed. —At a meeting of farmers and commercial men on Saturday, in Patea, it was resolved to form a .Vmiteia company, to be called the Patea FihliT Manufacturing Company (limited), capital of £3OOO in 600 shares. 250 shares are already taken up.

Sympathy with the Sufpibebs v pressions of sympathy for the widow of the late Captain Mills pour ia from all quarters. Amongst others* the Honorable Mr Eolleston has expressed hie sympathy, and paid a high compliment to the late Captain Mills' worth. Subscription h"sts will be opened throughout the colony for the benefit of the widows and orphans of those who so nobly sacrificed theb lives. A public meeting has already been held in Waimate for that purpose, aad we think the people of Temuka might well adopt a similar course.

Bueglaby.—Early last Monday morning Walker, Smith and Co's drapery establishment at Amberley was burglariously entered and cash to the amount of £6O carried off. Further particulars show.that the thief must have had a very intimate acquaintance with the place he robbed, as, in addition to the money above stated, it was found ho had taken some notes carefully put away in a drawer, which must have been overlooked bj an ordinary thief. The robber is expected to be easliy detected.

Suicide—ln Wellington W. M. Yause against whom his wife obtained a divorce at Court on Monday, made a determined attempt to commit suicide. H» went upstairs apparently in his usual spirits. Shortly afterwards a loud report was heard, and on the landlord rushing upstairs he found Yause lying on the bed partly dressed, and a carbine lying by his side. He then ascertained that Yause had shot himself in the lef t lun<*, and that the bullet, after passing through his left shoulder blade, stuck just inside the skin a's the back. Dr Kawson, who attended him, holds out very slight hopes of his recovery. Yause is about 37 years of age, and is well known in Dunedin, where it is said he served a sentence for embezzlement.

Miltoed School Enteetainmint. —All those in and about Temuka and the neighboring towns who were so afraid of the weather as to stay away from the above gathering, did in truth make one of the mistakes of their lives, for be it known to all men and maidens who were not there to hear, to see, and to partake of the good things provided, that a very enjoyable entertainment was put through by the Committee on the occasion. Punctually to the hour advertised the doors were thrown open, and the five or six tables, presided over by the wives and daughters of those interested , in the school, were quickly taken possession ~\ ofiby all who thought nothing oi facing a little bad weather to seeure a, substential enjoyment. Buns/ cakes, and sweets —not to be described by one not an artist—were in great profusion. Since our last visit to the schoolhouse we observe that much has been done to it in the way ef additions, as well as alterations and restoration, and we take this opportnuity of congratulating the school authorities, both Board and Committee, on the very comfortable and creditable appearance that the school now presents, and dressed, up and gaily decorated as it was with flags of all nations, and with appropriate scrolls and a profusion of beautiful flowers, we ask, What was there more to desire ? But gently, fair maiden, and hold hard, young man from the country, and maybe we will enlighten you as to what you have lost by fearing to face the pelting rain, and not caring to wade through mud, to be present at this gay and festive scene. We have already told you that there was a profusion of flowers, aye, and all of one type and pattern —in a word, flowers of Nature's own growing. Someone, ago, said that ' Man made the town, but 'God made the country.' May not we, who locked upon that joyous crowd, be saying that at this merry-making country contributed more than the town to its great success- Young New Zealatad certainly looked and did its best on tlfis occasion. We are afraid to say that the young stock is an improvement on the old. imported, but we deliberately challenge aty men to call in question our now recorded judgment, that the beauty of England J: Scotland, and Ireland had its representatives,] and that the manliness of the fathers wasreproduced in the stalwart sons that were on all sides seen spinning round the room in polka, valse, varsoviana, and mazurka. We must not mention names, and we dare not speak of ages where the other »ex is concerned, else we could give some very interesting information as to a certain dance I by one of Erin's daughters during the evening. There were men, also, who did their part in that respect j but then, as we heard an old man remark, who could but dance under such provocation, ' the only thing to be wondered at was that any man in the room could resist the temptation of showing what was in him.' Over a hundred, including boys and girls, were present. The room would perhaps have held half as many more, a gap that we trust to see filled up on a future occasion. Now we trust that this is only the first of a series of such entertainments. Rightly organised, and under such management as the Committee obviously are equal to, we can see much that is gop&i and nothing, indeed, that is gatherings. We ought to add that the proceeds derived from the entertainment are to go to pay for prizes to be distributed among the school children. —Communicated.