LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1013, 5 October 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Winchester. Fair. —This fair takes place to-day. The FiiAX Industry. —The Canterbury Linseed Oil and Fibre Company hare decided to send Home for the requisite machinery by the outgoing mail. Suicide.— An old minor named Feltham has committed suicide at the Gympi* Cemetery, Queensland, by placing a charge of dynamite in his mouth. His face was completely blown away. An Opening por Clergymen. —A London paper has discovered a great want in New Zealand. It hears we hare “ a grsat opening for sensible clergymen, several incumbencies being vacant." The adjective is, to say the least, an ambiguous one, A Heavy Fine. —Captain Garth, mastoof the barque Gazelle, was charged at Auckland with smuggling lOlbs of tobacco, and fined £IOO at the Police Court, last Monday. The vessel has been seized by the Customs. She belongs to Ellis, of Newcastle, New South Wales. Piscatorial.— Mr A. Clineh caught some splendid specimens of Californian sal mm in the Temuka river last Tuesday afternoon with a fishing rod. On* weighed IGlbs and measured 29 inches in length and 20J- inches round the body. The second weighed 9lbs, and the third 61bs. The largest was amongst the finest specimens we hare ever seen. Mr Clinch lost another fish, which he says was much larger than the big one be brought home, and wo are told that the river is team insr with them.

DISCOVBBT OP Gold. —The Wiiikato Times says :—" A gentleman, whose name we hare been requested to withhold, and who lias for some time past been aware of the presence of alluvial gold in the Taupo Tuhua country, is at present negotiating with tl • Government by way of ascertaining what support they arc willing to lend in securing and working a new discovery. The gentleman to whom we refer has been prospecting with the natives for several months past, and we have every reason (o believe bis expedition has not been fruitless, but instead, has bee« attended with great success.” Cemetery Board.— The monthly mee ing of the above Board was held last Tuesday evening in the Star Hotel. Present —Messrs Mendelson (Chairman), Quinn, Paterson and Gray. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed* A letter was read from Mr John Thompson, offering to plot out the remaining portion of the Cemetery for the sum of £l7. The Chairman reported thit in accordance with the wish expressed by the Board at its last meeting he had accepted Mr Thompson’s offer, and on the motion of Mr Gray, seconded by Mr Quinn, the Chairman’s action was confirm’d. Wth regard to the sale of the old wooden gates, it was resolved to leave the matter in the hands of the Gate Committee. The meeting (UW j

Abbksi of Patbick Ryan. Patrick Ryan, who left the Washclyke hurriedly a short time ago without settling his accounts, has been arrssted in Melbourne, and will bs brought back on two charges, one of horse stealing, and one of fraudulent bankruptcy. It is to be hoped that when he is brought back and placed on his trial, it will be before a Bench better able to administer justice than the one who let his wife off a short time ago* PEDESTBiAXiSii. —Mr J. M, O’Connor, the pedestrian, has been distinguishing himself in Christchurch. In a go-as-you-please contest last Saturday he traversed 45J- miles in 7 hours, while his opponents, J. Cussack, travelled only 45 3-sths miles in 7i hours, and John Bull 38 l-sths miles in 7 hours 34 min. He was greatly cheered when he came in a winner. He can’t be beaten.

A Dabikg Robbeet. —A daring outrage was recently committed in Birmingham. A well-dressed man, describing himself as a far* mer, and namsd Northbrook, entered tbs shop of a jeweller in High Street, and pretended to treat for the purchase of some trinkets. While the assistant’s attention was directed from him, Northbrook struck him' a violent blow with a large stone tied in the corner of a pocket handkerchief, and attempted to escape with several valuable gold watches. The assistant leaped the counter, ' blood streaming from his head, and grappled with the thief. The latter, however, being a powei ful man, forced him through a plafeglass case in the window and then he ran into the arms of a constable within ten yards of the shop. The attempted robbery was the more daring from the fact that several house painters were engaged outside the premises at the time.

Knew Too Much Law.—A cabman appeared before the Resident Magistrates Court, Christchurch, last Wednesday to answer a charge of exacting and demanding an excessive fare. The way the charge arose was this. The daughter of Mr Hawkins, Town Clerk, was manned the other day, and that gentleman of course, having an intimate knowledge of the proper cab fares, did nob believe in submitting to the charge on such festive occasions. The legal fare would have been 6s 6d, but the bridegroom paid 10s without a murmur, and doubtless, as a jocose counsel observed, would have given the man a sovereign for his fare and half-a-crown to get drunk with. However, the cabman was too much for the Town Clerk, for he proved that he had neither exacted nor demanded the 10s, but simply told the bridegroom it was the customary fee on such joyous occasions. The Bench held the defence to be good, and dismissed the case.

Breach op the Licensing- Act.—Mr W. C. Morgan, license* of th* Shamrock Hotel, Timaru, was brought before the Court there last Tuesday, on a charge of haring •old spirits in an unlicensed booth at the Timaru Races. It appeared that Mr Morganapplied to the Timaru Licensing Committee for a certificate, which he obtained, but th* amount to be charged for th* licens* was not specified and so the town *lerk refused to give the license. Mr Morgan, believing that the certificate of the Committee was sufficient, sold the liquors. Subsequently the Levels Licensing Committee found out that the Timaru Committee had no right to give a certificate at all, as the racecourse wa« outside their district, and in the Levels District, so Mr Morgan was prosecuted. He was fined 20s and costs, which we suppose is about ss much as ho ought to have paid for the license if ho had got it, and so no serious hardship was inflicted on him. At the same time the Timam Committee ought to hav* known their duties, and not to have issued a certificate to him when they had no power to do so. Hard on the Natives. —The French man-of-war D’Estrees has returned to Sydney. Since leaving there, after her last visit, she has been cruising about the South Seas, but the only incident of her cruise was the punishment of the natives of Santo, for their unprovoked murders of French traders recently. Upon arriving off the coast of Santo i a high sea was running, which rendered landing operations impossible, and Captain Communal adopted the only course open to him. Standing out a mile from the shore, the D’Estrees gave the Santo savages a couple of hours’ bombardment, in the course of which about 200 shells were thrown into the villages, driving the natives from their hiding places and apparently taking good effect, judging by the manner in which the savages flung away their weapons, and hurried off for ' shelter into the interior. From wh*ti«oulc£ be seen at a distance, the cocoa-nut groves . were very much cut up and the dwellings levelled to the ground. The Timaru School. Th* Timaru School teachers seem to he in a bit of a stew. Recently the Inspector reported adversely of the school, and nothing would do for the teachers but lo try conclusions with him. Each wrote a reply, of which one—the infant mistress’s —was extremely mean inasmuch as that it tried to shift all the blame on to the pupil teachers, by complaining that the backwardness of the school was due to their indolence. All the reports were laid before the School Committee, and published in the papers, and a resolution was passed ' recommending the Board to dismiss one t £ the teachers. The Board of Education met yesterday and resolved to give six months notice to Mr Scott, head master; three months notice to Miss Forbes, head mistress; and three months’notice to Miss Kippenherger, infint mistress. Two of the pupil teachers were also ordered to be dismissed. Miss Forbes has hud notices given to her before, but she wea'kered them through. She also resigned, but thought better of it and was taken back again. She has been a source of anxiety as long as we remember, but we never heard one word before against the head teacher, Mr Scott. Supreme Courts. —At the Supreme Court, } Auckland, last Tuesday, Samuel Joy WU charged witb bigamy. The jury brought In a TMdiob _t£ Qui.ty iu (he *j* of tit? law*” *

but with a strong recommendation t> mercy, as the first marriage had not been consummated, the first wife, a half caste, haring eloped twenty minutes after having been married to him. The jury believed the prisoner thought the first marriage was null and void when he contracted the second marriage. The Judge reserved his decision. The Supreme Court in Christchurch closed last Tuesday. Frank Junes?, a brewer in Syden ham, charged with perjury, was acquitted. Mary Berry pleaded guilty to stealing goods on several occasions, and got three years. A Morion from the Chatham Island*, charged with an indecent assault on a Maori girl, was acquitted. Matilda Hansen was convicted of theft from the person, and sentenced to ten months. At the Supreme Court, Dunedin, Ust Monday, Madden, for robbery from the person at the Hunt Club raees, got three years, and his companions, Mason and Hartley,|got e’x months each. Aherne and Williamson, two lads, charged with burglary at the Daily Times and other offices, were acquitted by direction of the Judge, as the only evidence given against them was that given by their companion Jones, who pleaded guilty in order to turn Queen’s evidence. Jones got two years. Moses A. Price, for embezzlement of funds of the Druids Lodge, was sentenced to two yean. Thomas Keating, who knocked a man down in Maclaggan street and stole his purse, got twelve months.

The A. and P. Association.— The first netting of the newly-appointed Committee of the Temuka and Geraldine Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held in the Star Hotel last Tuesday evening. Present Messrs R A. Barker (President), John Paterson (Yice-President), Gray, Talbot, Twomey, Quinn, Austin, Cain and Wills. Mr Mendelson, though not a member of the Committee, was present, and took an active part in the proceedings. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed' It was resolved—“ That the subscriptions be at once collected and kept in hand for future oparations.” The question of holding a show this year was discussed, but it was agreed that the Association had not sufficient funds to offer such prizes as would ensure success this year, and so it was decided to defer the matter until next year. Mr Mandelson moved —“ That every member be furnished with a card singed by the President,and countersigned by the Treasurer and Secretary.” Mr Talbot seconded the motion, and it was carried. Mr Quinn proposed—“ That tenders be called for cutting the gorse fences on the ground.” Mr Mendelson objected to going to the expense of advertising, and suggested that the work be left in the hands of some on# to let. This course was adopted, and M» John Paterson was authorised to let the work. On the motion of Mr Quinn, seconded by Mr Talbot, it was resolved —“ That tenders be called for the lease of the grounds, for grazing purposes only, for 12 months. Tenders to be in by the 14th inst.” The Secretary reported that 'ho had advertised that a Horse Parade would be held on Tuesday the 10th inst. The Secretary’s action was approved and M essrs Qninn Paterson, and Grant, appointed a sub-corn, to carry on the Horse Parade. A spscial meeting was ordered to be called for Monday, 16th inst, to wind up matters in connection with the Horse Parade. The meeting ♦'hen adjourned.

Auction Sale —-We have been requested to draw special attention to a clearing sale of live and dead stock by Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. at Aronvhenua to-morrow. The sale commences at 12.30 p.m., and a conveyance will leave the local railway station for the sale on arrival of the northern express.

Mr R. Matthew* notifie* el»e where . the district* in which Lord Caitlereagh and Young Wellington will travel this seasen. Mr H. Nicholson, advertises the districts in which the thoroughbred horse Vingt et-une will travel this season. Mr K. F. Gray will sell at his rooms Temuka, on Thursday next, a three-roomed house erected on a i acre section, situated in Sandie Town, Timaru. Messrs R. Wilkin and Co. will attend the Fair at Winchester to day, when they will offer 50 head store cattle and a number of ' fat and store sheep. At Pleasant Point tomorrow, they announce that they will sell fat and store cattle and sheep, pigs, etc. Messrs Maclean and Stewart advertise that they will sell at Winchester Fair, to-day, 500 sheep (half-bred and cross-bred), fat and store cattle, etc. At Pleasant Point, tomorrow, fat and store cattle and sheep, dairy cows, etc. At their Rooms, Timaru, on Saturday next, freehold sections near Kt. Andrews. In another column Mr James Langskail, bootmaker, whose place of business —as every one knows —is opposite the Mechanics’ Institute, returns thanks for the liberal support acoordel to him since entering into business, and at the same time points out that he will in the future —as ho has hitherto done, give the best pcssiblo work at the lowest profitable price. Th : s, doubtless, combined with civility, attention, and judicious advertising, is the secret of his success. He always keeps a large stocks of ready-made boots, shoes, laces, etc, and to this he has recently added considerably. Ho invites inspection. Attention is directed to the advertisement of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile .Agency Company, which appears in another column From it it will be seen that the Company have now en'ered into ibeir commodious new buildings, and that they are ready to make liberal cash advances to farmers, receive consignments of goods, and, in short, do everything necessary for the convenience of their customers The Loan and Mercantile has had a good career in Timaru, under the management of Mr F. LeCren. and we have very lit tie doubt that it is only in its infancy yet compared with what it will be. Some time ago we gave a description of their new buildingn, which, undoubtedly, is the handsomest in Timaru, or, pe;haps, in Christchurch, and the fact that it has been

erected at such an enormous expense is sufficient to indicate the growing prosperity of the Timaru branch of the Company, The attention of our readers is directed to the advertisement which appsars elsewhere, and from which they will see that the Company is ready to supply them with everything they want, even to money, which is the mo t difficulty of all t# get. We wish the Company success, and hope that it will continue to prosper in the future as it has done in the past.