The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1882. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9429, 11 July 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1882. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Alexandrovna Lodge. Members of tbo above lodge are reminded that the installation of officers takes place to-morrow evening. Temdka and Geraldine A. and P. Association. —The meeting of the above advertised to be held to-morrow will not bo held before Thursday afternoon, at 4 p.m., in the Star Hotel. Accident, —A young man named Edward Williams, employed by Mr Gladstone, was kicked by a horse last Saturday, resulting in one of his leg being; broken. He w'as brought into town to the Royal Hotel where his injuries were attended to by Dr Hayes. He is progressing as favourably as could bo expected.

Weil Treated. —A prisoner, whose term of three months had expired, refused the other day to learo Nelson Goal. He had found his temporary home very comfortable and the living inexpensive, and ho did not like to quit such snug quarters. However, the gaoler was inhospitable and inexorable,_ and insisted upon his guest bidding him adieu. The Native Murderer*— Winiala, the murderer of Packer, has been committed for trial. Tawhiao has written to Mr Dufaur, Winiata’s counsel. He alleges at a banquet at Auckland on the occasion of his visit, Mr Whitaker said that all past trouble and causes of quarrel were to be forgotten from henceforward. He understood that this was equivalent to an amnesty for all past offences, and ne thinks the capture of Wiuiata: an act of treachery.

Misunderstood. —A young lady from the rural districts (says the Southland News) lately visited town with her beau. Getting into a car for the first time she took her seat 3 while her lover planted herself on the box with the driver. Very soon the conductor began to collect Hie fares, and approaching the rustic maiden he said, ‘ Your fare, miss.’ The rustic maiden allowed a delicate pink to manifest itself upon her cheeks, and looked down in soft confusion. The conductor was rather astonished at this, but ventured to remark once more, ‘ Your faro, miss.’ This time the pink deepened to carnation, as the rustic beauty replied, ‘’Deed, an’ if lam good-lookin’ you hadn’t ought to say it out aloud afore folks.’

New Zealand Libelled.— Our Sydney contemporary, Town and Country, says an exchange, has some notes of a visit to How Zealand in a recent issue to hand. We trust that afler contributions will be more reliable than the first. “ The first railroad constructed in Hew Zealand was the Lne connecting the Bluff harbour with the town or city of Invercargill. . . . Tradition says

that when the first train ran the driver overtook a laundress toiling along towards Invercargill heavily burdened with the fruits of her week’s labour. Being of a kindly nature, the driver drew up and said, “ Have a ride?” t 1 No thank you,” was the significant reply, “I’m in a hurry !” But all this is altered; the distance, about 17 miles, is nolV accomplished in one hour.” The first line constructed is Hew Zealand was between Invercargill and Makercwa. Th* locomotives and cars travelled on wooden rails.

A Russian Cure rob Drunkenness.—A Russian method for the oure of drunkenness is said to Jbe successful by the following singular means:—The drunkard is confined in a room, and ali bis food is steeped in spirits and his wine, beer, or coffee also impregnated with spirits. He is continually drunk, but it is said that on the fifth day he has an extreme disgust for spirits, and craves for other diet free from it. This is not given him until ho no longer desires to eat or drink. These means create such a disgust for brandy or other intoxicants that he is ready to vomit at the sight of them. Rew Method of Collecting in Churches. —A new method of collection has been adopted in some of the Presbyterian Churches in America, which may bo, worth imitation. Small boxes, with a slit in the top and glass in the sides, are fastened to the backs of pews. Then, before the sermon, the pastor steps i,o the desk, and after repeating I. Cor. xvi, 2, ‘ Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come,’ says, * Ret us further worship God by contributing to his service.’ Then is heard all over the house the dropping of the change into the boxes. It requires but a minute of time, and the plan is pronounced most successful.

Hard on the Commissioner. iEgles tells the following story in the Australasian, which reminds us of the undergraduate’s definition of the ancient Britons. He says : —“ In one of the Australian Colonies, a gentleman at breakfast in a country inn performed such feats with his knife (which quite superseded his fork) that his neighbor’s attention was arrested and fascinated. He quite forgot to eat, he was so engrossed in observation. The performer suddenly ceased, and glaring at the stranger, inquired, ‘ What the deuce are you staring at ? Do you know who I am ? I’m the Commissioner of Customs.’—‘Then, sir, allow me to say that, though I know nothing of your customs, I can’t compliment you on your manners.’ ”

Revolver Shot. — A lad named Brakowell, living at; Milford, shot his little brother in the face last last Saturday. It appears that he got a revolver, •which he cleaned and charged with powder and shot. He then fired it in the air, but though the cap went off the charge in the revolver hung fire. Some time after he was examining it, when one of his little brothers looked into the barrel, and just as he did so the charge exploded. The shot entered into the nose, face, and eyes of the child, resulting in the permanent loss of the eight of the right eye. Dr Hayes was speedily in attendance. and did all that surgical skill could suggest to alleviate the sufferings of the poor child. So far as we can learn ther w is no danger of the child losing his life through it, but his right eye is irretrievably injured;

A Great Sell. —A youthful sportsman was made the v .Tim of an excellent joke afew days ago in the immediate neighbourhood of Temuka. He was going about in great eagerness looking for something to shoot at, when a farmer, who can enjoy a good joke as well as a good dinner, pointed out to him a hare lying on a clear bit of ground in the river-bed. The delight of the young sportsman on seeing a hare sitting down calmly and quietly, as if waiting to be shot at, was inexpressible, and so crawling up to within easy range of his intended victim, he took deadly aim and fired_ He concluded that the shot must have killed instantaneously, as the hare not even stirred, and so he walked up to it congratulating himself on his good fortune, bub judge his surprise and chagrin on finding that he had only shot a hare skin stuffed with straw. It will be some time before he hears the last of the hare he shot.

Moemonism:. —The crusade against polygamy is being actively pressed in America. The delegate from Utah has been turned out of Congress upon that ground, and no polygamist will again bo permitted to take a seat in the House. A Bill drawn by Senator Edmonds, decreeing that no polygamist shall hold office in Utah, has also just become law. Curiously enough (adds the co respondent of the Sydney Morning Herald) both these Acts have been strictly partisan measures, passed by a Republican majority in the teeth of the strenuous and almost solid opposition of the Democrats. But in Utah polygamy will doubtless survive these shocks, and it is hardtoseehow it can be effectually suppressed if lihe Mormon women are content to •upportthe institution. The Democrats base their opposition upon the ground that a man’s private life is his own business, and that society can only interfere when there is a breach of public order. They ask why Congress does not take in hand the morals of New York City, and quote one of the elder Bennett’s wicked bon mots, that ‘polygamy is the natural state of rich men.’

Extenuating Circumstances. ‘ Extenuating circumstances’ Lave seldom been pleaded with greater ingenuity or upon more novel grounds than by a culprit recently tried in a German Court of Justice for murder and robbery. According to custom the presiding Judge, before summing up the evidence for the jury’s consideration, asked the prisoner whether he had anything to say for himself. ‘ Only this, your Honor,’ replied the latter, ‘ It was not a murder, but a suicide ?’ —Judge ; ‘ How do you make that out ?’—Prisoner : ‘ In this way your Honor The deceased, for years before his death, went about everywhere saying he was determined to put an end to himself, but he never had the courage to do SO. At last his irresolution moved me to pity ; so, to save him from disappointment, and more especially from being worse than his word, I suicided him.’ —Judge : * That is all very well hut what made you bake his watch P”— Prisoner : ‘ When he was dead he did not require a watch. I did, and so I very naturally put it in my pocket. Besides, he was an old friend of mine, and I wanted something to remember him by.’

A Strange Animal. —Tho following is from the Barwon-Argus—Mr E. Manning lincensed surveyor in fcliis district, writes to us as follows concerning a strange animal he sighted a short time ago:—“ About a month ago, whilst surveying along the Bohara river, about four miles below Bundabulla, my assistant (Mr Underwood) called my attention to a strange animal which was swimming past in the river. I looked around and just had time to notice an animal apparently about 4 feet long, and of mouse color, with a seal’s body and a dog’s head, furnished with large dapping ears. As soon as the creature saw us it dived, and in ten seconds at the farthest it reappeared fully 100 yards below the spot from where it had dived, thereby showing that it was a very fast swimmer. An animal of exactly the same description was seen about nine months ago near tho same place. Whether it is the Bunyip or not, lam not prepared to say, but it certainly has not been described in any work on natural history that I have ever seen. Mr Malarkey has a notice to storekeepers and others elsewhere. Messrs E. Wilkin and Co will hold another large sales of trees on a date to be named. Mr John Paterson invites tend ers for cutting and burning about 26 acres of rushes and niggei’heads. Mrs Earquharson has a notification in another column in reference to debts owing to and by her husband. Mr K. F. Gray will hold a sale of wool, skins and fat at his rooms today. Tomorrow at the Downs farm, Waitohi, live and dead stock.

The Temuka Eoad Board invite tenders for clearing the Canal road drain from the Middle Swamp road to the Milford road.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart will sell by public auction, at Timaru, to-day, a large consignment of fruit trees ; on Saturday, horses, drays, and harness ; and on Monday next, at Washdyke, fat and store sheep and cattle.

Attention is directed to Mr W. Storey’s advertisement in another column. Mr Storey purposes going out of the ready-made clothing business altogether, and confining his attention to the tailoring department. He has, therefore, reduced the price of his goods to less than what they cost, and consequently there can be no doubt that persons intending to purchase clothing will find it to their advantage to give him a call. We have seen his stock of ready-made goods, and can confidently recommend them as equal to any of the kind elsewhere. We have always pointed out to the people the desirability of supporting local institutions if they want the place to go ahead. High prices have been their excuse hitherto, but in this instance they can have no such excuse, as the goods are offered to them at much less than they can get them anywhere else. They will make a great mistake, therefore, if they do not take our advice, and support local industries to the best of their ability.