LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1004, 14 September 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A New Invention. —An invention has been patented by Messrs Harper and Rock, of Oainaru, for driving tram ears bv gas motors. The gas is stored in chambers uv.der the seats [of the ears. The invention will probably be brought into use on the proposed tramway there. Bitrked to Death.—John Duncan, who was recently burned in Timaru —it is supposed through going to bed with cither a lighted cigar or pipe in his month, while under the influence of drink—has since died in the hospital. An inquest was held last Monday s ai] d a verdict of accidental death returned. Dairy Factoeies. —Considerable interest is being taken in the question of establishing dairy factories in the Blueskin district. Farmers have held a meeting for the formation of a company, and a meeting has also been held at Edendale to form a company to purchase the factory started by the "N.Z. and A.L. Company. The cheese lately sent by this Company to Brisbane realised thirteen pence per pound.

Treachery or Katives.—Three French man and one Kanaka have been murdered by the natives at Port Resolution. The Captain of the schooner Port Ville and two others narrowly escaped . being tomahawked, and in making their escape were compelled to swim to the schooner. The French war steamer Desrees has been ordered to the scene of the outrage with instructions to administer severe punishment to the offenders,

MiSCARRIGK of Justice.—Carl Rowe's trial in Melbourne for stealing Arinski's jewellery can>c to a sudden termination owing to the refusal of Roberts, who alleged he had received the property, to give evidence in the case, on the ground that Judge Macfarlane had insulted him during his own tri»l. As Roberts is now undergoing five years, the Judge was unable to compel him to give evidence, and the jury were consequently discharged. Too Wary.—A "New York telegram of a recent date says : —The Tribune reports an amusing interview with Aristarchi Hey, the Turkish Minister here, on Egyptian matters. The wily Minister managed to dodge all the questions, and turned the tables on the reporter, literally interviewing him. lie declared ho knew but little of the Egyptian Q.uostion, but what he did know he did not

gather from the Metropolitan Press. The only new point he made to the reporter was that the word "Arabi" should be accented on the second syllable.

A Conservative Idea.—The Oamaru Mail says ;—The Hon. Randall Johnston, a very conservative member of the Conservative Legislative Council, entertains peculiar views upon the land question. They are essentially those of the ultra-Conservative school, and despite the lessons of a century, Mr Johnston has the courage or the imprudence to give expression to them. According lo him, " the right way to deal profitably with land was for one set of of men to own and another set to farm it." This is what he is reported to have said in the Council upon the Land: Bill. The wretched history of Ireland and the ut'er collapse of agriculture in England have not had aii educating effect upon the mind of this venerable fossil. Of course Mr Randall Johnston is, and des'res to con tiuue to be, one of the owners of the land, and his advocacy of a system which has brought the Home Country to the verge of a civil war can therefore only astonish the' people by reason of its audacity. Let Mr j Johnston become a tenant farmer, and what \ a change would speedily be wrought m his 1 views upon the laud <jnestion, i

'As Abscoxder.—A -warrant has bean issued for the arrest of Edwin Marlow, clerk in the Union Steamship Company's office, and private secretary to the Managing Director. .Defalcations were discovered a few days back, principally, it is said, of private funds, and of money belonging to the Otago Towing Company. 'lt is not Jhdt he has left Dunedin. -The amfount of lfrVdefalcations is notyet be considerable. 'He was arrested last Tuesday jeyening. _, „,„,„ ..-„-„.«.»»■»»».» The; Victorian 'i Poeice.—The Police Commission lield in Victoria recommended that Superintendent* Winch and Sub-Inspec-tor Larder who, .it. was allcgefl.. had had mproper monetary dealings with publicans, should be suspended, pending au investigation of the charges. The recommendation has been : given effect ' to: *An indignation meeting of police wa.3 held subsequently, at which sixty were present. It was decided to take;"step's to repudfate'Jthe oji the polic3 of blackmailing publicans. JuyesHe CfinrrXAir.—A youngster ten years old was brought, befoye the Bench at Christchurch, last Tuesday, for stabbing his elder bi-other in the thigh with a pocket knife. The boy,is. of a .thoroughly criminal disposition,, aided noj'doubt- by ( tlie'heglect of his parents', one'of whom, the'father, was in Court, and conducted himself so impudently as to draw down the wrath of x the..,Bench. The boy a few "months, ago, tried' '{o "poison another lad by'giving him'lollies dosed' with a preparation of lead. He was sent to the Burnham School. Mysterious Case Expained.—The mystery surrounding the . disco'vert. %? ™b remains of an infant buried ih the bush near Invercargili has been satisfactorily dispelled. The child was still-born and the offspring of a married woman deserted byjier. husband, Being in poverty she'buried ttie cliil&m the bush, thinking she -was doing no harm. fortunately Dr Galbraith, who attended her, is now House .Surgeon, at the "Hospital, and on being called to make a post-mortem examination identified the child by a'malformation. ~No inquest will io'w be held. Disturbance ix a G-aoi,!—A prisoner named O'Connor, undergoing a. sentence, of 4 years' penal servitude in Lyttelton gaol, became* very insubordinate'- la# Tufsday morning, and assaulted the Chief Wardlr and another officer. Some other prisoners also fell out of the ranks, evidently .intent. t upon creating a disturbance F .bat the»whole o£ T the warders being on the spot, having 11 just paraded, the disturbance was atoifce quelled. The Visiting Justices were summoned s tg attend, and held an enquiry, and O'Connor was sentenced to 20 lashes, besides a term of confinement. The other. would-,he ripters were also punished. Federation of tite Goeoi-ies.—ln the Victorian Assembly Mr Munro ...submitted a motion in favor of inviting' V conference of representatives from various,., Australian Colonies to take the necessary...measures €o secure a federal union. Sir B. O'Loghlen opposed the motion, va he thought the proposal premature. Public opinion, he said, was steadily growing in favor of a union of the Colonies, but the time had hot ylift arrived - to form the Colonies into a-Republic. Mr Berry thought the view - taken by the Government a right one. He did not think under : the existing circumstances ,th»t it would.be wise to invite a confe»ehce.:»The debate was adjourned; • _' , .i •-..-<

The Governor at - Chambers in Wellington last Tuesday, before "Judge Richmond, the isssues (34 in. number)'were settled in the pending, suit, W.J. Jfftuit t. His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon. An application to change the venue to Christchurch was refused. The counsel for defendant applied to hare the evidence of Sir Arthur Gordon and one witness .taken in London by Commission.' 'His'Honor took time to consider this point. The case will be heard before Judge Ricluriohd at the annual sittings in January, and is expected to extend over a week. Mr E Shaw has been'retained for Mr Hunt, and Messrs Bell, Cohotly and Harper for Sir Arthur Gordqji. --/«■. Tenders are invited for several works for the Mount Peel Eoad Board. " ; * Messrs Maclean and Stewart will sgll by Public Auction on Saturday, the '23rd inst., a farm of 442 acres, situate eight miles*from Waitaki K"orth Railway Station. '" -'i Messrs R. Wilkin and Co. will, hold an extensive sale of freehold property at .their Salerooms, Tiuiaru, to-morrbw.' At " 4 tlie Washdyke Yards, draught and hack Horses.