LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9418, 20 May 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Load Boaed —The Temuka Eoad Board invites tenders for clearing several drains. The tenders must be in nest Monday.

Tub Fxeb Bwgalb. —The captain of the above brigade advertises thata public mesting will be held in the Volunteer Hall next Monday evening, to consider what steps shall be taken to obtain a water supply for the town and other business.

E. M. CouiiT.—At the above Court last Thursday a first offender was fined ss. Yesterday Charles Evans, better known as Piccolo Chasley, was fined 5s or the usual alternative for having been drunk and disorderly, H. Mahnke, was brought up charged with a similar offence, notwithstanding the order prohibiting drink being sold to him that was made last Monday, and was fined 20s. The police, however, think that he has not been supplied by any of the licensed houses in the town but must have got it in some of the private houses.

Wesleyan Church Services.— The list of services to he held in the various Wes* loyan Churches in this circuit will he found in our advertising columns;

The Price of Land, —The sale of the Belfast township on the northern, railway line, six miles from Christchurch, took place to-day. 114 acres realised £7195. The farm sections averaged £59 13s 4d per acre, and the township sections £162 11s per acre. Oddfellows’ Spoets, Geraldine —The sports which were to have been held last Easter Monday, at Geraldine, under the auspices of the Oddfellows’, and postponed in consequence of bad weather, will be held on the 24th inst, the Queen’s Birthday. Entr'es for the various events close next Monday.

Encouraging- Literature.—A notice in the Gazette states that a prize of £ls will he given for the best essay on “Freedom of Debate in Parliament,” the competition to bo open to all persons under the age of twentyfive years at this date, who have passed either the Junior or Senior Civil Service Examinations, and who are in the Service at the time of the competition. The essays to be delivered to the Secretary of the Civil Service Examination Board, Wellington, by 31st December, 1882.

A Stickling-up Case.—Mr Nelson, of the firm of Nelson, Moate and Co., was stuck up bn the East Town Belt, Christchureh, at half-past eleven o’clock last Wednesday night by three men, who sprang upon him from a hedge and knocked him down. Hie clothes were considerably torn in the scuffle and attempt to rifle him, but he made a vigorous resistance and the noise he kicked up eventually frightened his assailants off. The police searched the neighborhood for some hours, but in vain.

Native Meeting.—At Tawhiao’s meeting on Wednesday last the matter of the Maori printing press was introduced by Mohama, who advocated the establishment of the press, and said he had collected £25 towards the object. Eewi followed, and said he had already given £8 towards the press. Th« meeting concluded with ,a haka, which signified that the proceedings were at an The natives are now leaving for their respeo. tive homes. The Ngatirakawas intend remaining in the district until the holding of the Court, which is expected to come oil at Cambridge shortly.

The Native King. —The above august personage has been holding a meeting at a place called Whatiwhatihoe for some time past, and on last Wednesday he rolled up to it drunk, and had to lie down on the ground till he recovered. Before the meeting commenced he applied to the Goverment to stop the sale of liquor at the meeting and hia request was complied with, but somehow liquor has been sold, and he has fallen a victim to its seductive influence. He is not however the first King that got drunk, so there is nothing extraordinary in it.

Teaik Accident at Wespoet. —At 5.40 last Tuesday evening, as the train "was coming into Westport station, the engine struck a cow lying across the line. The locomotive capsized, and two trucks, loaded with coal, followed, the lot going down an embankment. The fireman escaped comparatively unhurt, but the driver was pinned to the ground, his arm being cought by the side of the engine. He was extricated after a quarter of an hour’s work, and is but slightly hurt. The escape of the men is almost miraculous. The passenger carriages were at the rear of the train and kept on the line. The men on the engine did not see the animal causing the

accident until they came up to it. Inquest and Fukbeal. —An inquest touching the death of the three bodies recovered from the recent wrecks was commenced last Wednesday in Timaru before J, Beawick Esq, coroner, After the jury had viewed the bodies, the coroner adjourned the inquest until next Monday, so that if more bodies were washed ashore in the meantime one inquest would do instead of holding several. The iuquest was therefore adjourned. The funeral started from the Melville Hotel at 3.30, and as one of the men, D. Maclean, had been a Mason there was a large muster of the brethren in the procession. Besides these a large number of citizens attended. Maclean being a Presbyterian was buried by the Rev Mr Gillies, the Rev Mr Beck reading the the special Masonic service. The other two were buried by Archdeacon Harper.

Sympathy With the Sottbheeb,—The recent disaster in Timaru has excited universal sorrow throughout the colony. Expressions of sympathy pour in from all quarters, and offers of pecuniary assistance have been received. The Hon John Hall expressess special grief -at the untimely end of Captain Mills. The Mayor of Invercargill telegraphed to be acquainted as to the number of widows and orphans caused by the disaster, as they were holding a public meeting there. He was informed that eight lives were lost, and that four widows and nearly twenty children were left requiring aid. More recent news states that a Committee has been appointed in Invercargill to collect subscriptions. Special attractions are to be organised at the Christchurrch Exhibition, and half the proceeds will be given by Messrs Joubert and Twopenny in aid of the funds for relieving the sufferers. Free railway passes to Lyttelton have been given to about sixty shipwrecked sailors.

The local Harmonic Society gave a concert in Timaiu last Wednesday evening, at which there was a very large attendance. Archdeacon Harper made a speech, in which he said some people were afraid too much money would be collected. If more money was collected than was necessary it could be utilised in raising monuments to the memory of men who had so bravely sacrificed their lives, so that their children might remember the deed they had done. A collection was made at which £33 was got, and about £2O was received at the doors.^

Deaths by Suicides. —A young man named Hunter ■was caught in the act of stealing some cigars from the firm in which he was employed in Auckland, and was missing next day; His body has since been discoTered, and it is supposed he committed suicide through fear of prosecution. Vauso, who after haring been divorced from his wife shot himself in Wellington, has since died.

The Recent Wrecks. —An inquiry into the wreck of the Benvenue was held last Thursday in Timaru. The facts connected with the wreck already published, came out in evidence. The only new evidence of any importance elicited was,the reply to a question as to whether a tug boat would have been of any use. Captain McGowan, master of the Benvenue, stated that he believed a powerful tug boat of 100 horse, which is the strongest made would have saved the vessel between 11 30 and 12 30 o’clock on that day. But there would have been a great difficulty in getting a tug boat alongside. 16 weuld have been necessary for the tug to take the vessel about two or three miles out to sea to save her. The first officer, Robinson Moore, stated that he believed - no tug could have Saved the vessel except during the lull at high tide. All the witnesses agreed they had never been in such broken water in their lives.

Dr Foster, of Geraldine, advertises money to lend.

Mr S. D Barker advertises that pigs trespassing on his property will be shot.

Attention is directed to the large clearance sale which Messrs Matson, Cox and Co, of Ashburton, purpose holding at the Rangitata Island next Friday, May the 26th.

We hare to direct attention to tlie advsr- ' tisement of Messrs Davies and Murphy, which appears in another column. That enterprising firm evidently finds that advertising pays, as though they have done more of it than any house in Timaru, or in fact all the houses in their line put together, they seem not to tire of it. We pointed out on a previous occasion that the result was that it was difficult to find their counters on any day in the week without crowds of buyers being present, waiting to be attended to, and we have only to reiterate that statement now. By the advertisement we now publish special inducements are offered, as the goods have been greatly reduced in price, and we believe that persons about to visit Timaru would find it to their advantage to give them a call.