The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1882. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1008, 23 September 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1882. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

YiGKANCr. —A young man, a son of Mr T. Thompson, a City Councillor of Auckland, and one of the leading importers, was found guilty of vaguvney, and ordered to quit Auckland . Mork MxssioNi-r.cAiuKd, —An American missionary will shortly arrive in Auckland and be stationed in the Lake district. Mr Spurgeon intends fending a minister from his college, to bo stationed at Oluneouitu,

Accident,— At the Sehvyn Elax Mill last Thursday a boy named Michael i iddington had one arm caught in fchs machinery, and so severely lacerated that ithad to bo amputated. Scientific Americans. —Earl Kimberley has cabled to the Government that the American Government intends sending a party to New Zealand for the purpose of taking observations of the transit of Venus, and asked that facilties should be given to do soGovernment have replied that every facility and all information in (heir possession would certainly be given to the Americas*. Entertainment.— Mr E. Stratton, wellknown in Temtika in musical matters, being about to leave, the Temuka Christy Minstrel Club, of which lie was the musical director, have decided to tender him a benefit on Tuesday next. In this they will be assisted by the Brass Band and several ladies and gentlemen. The programme will consist of vocal and instrumental music, and conclude with a negro farce. During his residence hero Mr Stratton lias made many friends, and there will, doubtless, ho a good house. Eevenok is Sweet. —Some fifteen months ago the notorious Butler assaulted a fellow prisoner in the Lyttleton goal, by striking him on the head with a wooden stool. The illused man seems to have been biding his time for last Wednesday morning he struck Butler twice over the head with a stone in his bread-bag, knocking him down. He was tlion secured and handed over to the Visiting Justices, who sentenced him to one months solitary confinement, stopped his tobacco, and took six mouths good marks from him.

Native Land. — A sitting of the Native Lands Court commences at Cambridge on the 28th September, at which several blocks, covering a vast extent of land, are to be adjudicated upon. The aggregate is 700,000 acres, and stretches from near Maungatatutaro to Eotorari beyond Lake Taupo. The claimants are Eewi and some of his people. It is said to be his intention to have the land colonised bj a company. It is stated, however, that VVhahonui will oppose the passing of these lands through the Court, The Court also sits at Opotiki next week, and Mr Gill, Under Secretary of the Native Lands Purchase Department, left on Wednesday to attend it on behalf of Government.

The Mungoose and the Eats.— The introduction of the mungoose into Jamaica as a cure for the once formidable rat pest on the sugar plantations is said to hare proved a notable succe-s. The sugar rat is a huge while-bellied fellow, measuring ten inches in length of body, his long tail adding ten inches more to his length. Formerly the damage done to the sugar plantations of the island by these rats amounted to something like half a million dollars a year, rising to a quarter of the crop iu seasons of special ravages. About live years ago the mongoose, whoso zeal as a snake and rat-killer is well known, was imported from India. As a result the plague of rats has been greatly diminished, with a saving of not less than twentyfive tons of sugar on each estate. There is also saved the expense of ratlage, formerly amounting to hundreds of dollars in a year.

Concert at Geraldine. —An excellent concert was held in the Odfellows’ Hall, Geraldine, last Thursday evening, in aid of the Koman Catholic Church Organ Fund, There was a fair attendance. Dr Fish occupied the chair, and opened the proceedings with a few well chosen introductory remarks. Miss Fish presided at the piano, and accompanied the singers in a very efficient manner. Songs were given by Miss Taylor, and Messrs Shcrratt, Eel), Williams, Bowden, Pratt and Willoughby j duets by two gentlemen and two ladies,, a reading by Mr Manning, a negro dialogue by Messrs Bolton and Lcvens, and a scientific lecture by Mr Bolton, all of which were 7thoroughly appreciated. The performance wound up with the negro farce “ Sixteen thousand years ago,” in which Messrs Lcvens, Bolton and Williams took part, after which all joined in singing “ God save the Queen.” An excellent supper was got ready gratuitously for the performers by Mr Farrell, of the Bush Hotel, to which about 30 sat down, and did it full justice. The spread was really first-class, and after the health of the host was drank several times over an adjournment was made to the hotel, where a dance was held, and kept up spiritedly until a late hour.

Monument in Timarlt. —The following is the Timaru Herald’s description of Mr Eobcrts’ plan of the monument to bo raised to the memory of those who perished in the shipping disaster in Timaru, on 141. h of May last -Upon an octagonal base 17ft wide at the bottom, rising by six steps of cut blues'ono to a height of Bft above the ground, will be placed a square pedestal of polished dolorilu, 7ft Gin high and oft square, with panelled sides, moulded basa and a bold cornice. This will if possible, be cut from a sing e block of stone. Above this will rise an obelisk of polished red Aberdeen granite, 20ft high and 2ft square at the base, resting on a base block of the same material, I2iu high. The apex of the obelisk will therefore be 31. ft Gin above the ground lord. Let into three of the panels on the sides of (ho pedestal will be brass plates, bearing inscriptions setting forth the purpose of the structure and the names of thoj>c who lost their lives on that eventful day. The foundation will be a solid bod of concreatc, which the stone steps will rest upon and bide. The site chosen for its erection will commend itself to all as most suitable. This is (he northern angle of the post-o/lico section which is not likely to be required for any other purpose, the acuteness of the angle rendering the ground unsuitable for building purposes, and few other sites c mid be chosen whore the erection won't! be less likely to offer an obstruction of traffic. Possibly a eonsiderhble portion of the angle may be obtained, when a surrounding fence may be put up and the space planted with trees or shrubs-

Gold. —The Cromwell Company have sent down a cake of gold weighing 408 ounces from 400 tons of stone. WEsnnrAN Church, Temuka.—The services to-morrow, morning and evening, will bo conducted by the Her. T. Fee. It I) e atii~of~ a ' JTh—Mr l J.P., one of the oldest settlors in the Wairarapa died last Friday evening. A Dishonest Chinaman,— A Chinaman has been victimising people in country places in Otago by selling tea which turned out much inferior to sample. Ho is reported to have done a profitable business in some places. Arrxalal from Home —The Ben Nevis has arrived at Dunedin with 35 passengers. One child [died on tho voyage. During a hurricane on August 31 a seaman was washed overboard and drowned. Two Brothers Killed —During rejoicings at Brynmall, near Wrexham, at the marriage of tho daughter of Mr Clayton, large coal owner, a cannon which was being fired in honor of the event burst into several pieces, one of which struck two brothers named Ellis dreadfully mutilating them and killing them on the spot. Lunacv Inspector —The Lancet of the 12th Jnly states that Dr G. W. Grabham Hcsident Physician and Suporintondarit of the Asylum for Idiots, Earlswood, has been appointed Inspector of Lunatic Asylum* in Now Zealand. According to tho “ Medical Directory,” Dr Grabham studied medicine at St. Thomas’s Hospital, and graduated M.B.C. S., E , 1857, L.S.A., and L.M., 1858, M. 8., 18S5, and M.D., 1867. He held several local Government appointments before being entrusted with the charge of Earlswood Assylum, and ho is the author of a well-known work on Lunacy,

Death by a Gun-shot. —Considerable alarm was created throughout the district yesterday by the report that Mr Alexander Mcßratney had been found dead in his own stable. The particulars, so far as we can are as follows; —Mr Mcßratney loft his home between 8.15 anl 8.30 a.m. yesterday. As he was leaving Mrs Mcßratney asked him to wait for his breakfast, but he answered that he then had no appetite for it and that he would be back shortly. About 9 o’clock Mrs Mcßratney sent the servant boy looking for him, and ho soon returned with the nows that Mr Mcßratney was lying in a loose box in the stable, which is about 200 yards from bis residence. Mrs Mcßratney, on going to the place indicated, saw at once that he was dead, and ran down to Mr L, Tombs’s, of the Arowhenua Hold, to whom she com* mnnicatad the sad intelligence. A messenger was despatched to Mr W. Mcßratney, a son of the deceased’s who lives some distance away on the Levels Plains, and he, as soon as informed of what had occurred, rode into town to notify it to the police. Constable Morton proceeded immediately to the scene, and found, on arrival, Dr Hayes in the act of examing the body. The body was in a dark corner of the stable lying on i's back, with a gun on the ground close beside it. On examination tbo cause of death was ascor tained to be a gun-shot wound in his ribs about three or four inches below the arm pit. There was a cartridge case in one of the barrels of the gun—a double-barrel breech loader. For somo days past Mr Mcßratney was somewhat strange in his manner, stating that he intended to go to tho North Island, and would probably never return alive, and it is feared that he committed suicide while suffering from temporary insanity. He was well-known in South Canterbury, where ho has lived for a long time, and his loss will be, felt by a wide circle of friends. He bad only 1 been a fortnight married tho second time, and his untimely end is consequently the more sad.

Football. —The Sydney team of footballers played in Christchurch last Thursday The local men where not expected to win, but there was much curiosity to see how the new selection would turn out, and how t,hey would play the new game they have at length adopted. They played it right well as it turned out, and the Sydney forwards never had a show in dribbling or scrimmaging with them after the first ten minutes, but unfortunately for the local team it was just this ten minutes or so that spoiled their chance* ef winning. Playing well together from the start, the Australians rushed their opponents, aud backing up beautifully had scored a goal before the game had well begun, and soon after they got another try through the disjointed play of the backs, but ever after that they bad altogether the worst of it, though one and all supposed the game would easily remain at the mercy of the visitors. The Sydney men were loud in praise of the dribbling of their opponents but their own back play and smartness of collaring was admirable. Their forwards were certainly overmatched, but being active (o a degree, they gave few chances of getting through them, and the Canterbury backs scarcely played up to concert pitch. This is still (heir gr«at weakness, and apparently likely to remain so. There was a certain amount of id-luck attached to the local men, as twice they secured touch-downs which no effort of their antagonists could bare pro. vented, and the umpires called the ball back, to the momentary disgust of the onlookers. The Sydney team ware passengers by the express train yesterday for Dunedin. A time there was when they would have been well matched by a Temuka team, but that time is gone. Messrs E. Wilkin and Co will hold a sale of cal,tie and sheep at Washdykc Yards, on Monday. Mr E. 11. Toomey has a notification in another co'umn in reference to the hunting stallion Hunnmgton. Messrs Maclean and Stewart will sell by public auction at their Horse Bazaar, Timnru. to-day, a valuab’c lot of horses (including the Clydesdale entire Prince Humbert, the thoroughbred entire Harkaway, and the chestnut trottci Bismarck), buggies, spring carts, drays, harness, etc. On Monday, at Waslulyke Yards, they will sell steers, heifers, and fat and store sheep,