The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1053, 11 January 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Important Clearing- Sale.—Attention is directed to the important clearing sale by Messrs Maclean and Stewart, on the farm of Mr M. Wightinan, Waitohi, which takes place to-day. Incendiarism:.—At the R.M. Court, Timaru, last Tuesday, Robert limes charged with baring set fire to a stack of hay, the proper'y of the N Z. and A. Laud Company, at Waitohi, was remanded till to-morrow. A Smoker Sußi>ected.—As the 9.45 p.m. tram was returning from Papauui the other day the guard noticed that the dress of a lady who was riding on top of the car had caught fire. The fire was extinguished, but not before the dress had been eevorely damaged and the neat of the car charred. Immediately behind the lady was a gentle, man smoking, and it is surmised that some of the lire ashes from his pipe must hare lodged on the lady'B dresß, so causing the aocident as stated. —Christohuroh Telegraph. Cemetery Board. —A meeting of the abovo was held last Monday night. Present —Messrs Hayhuret (Chairman), Quinn, Brown, Gray and Paterson. On the mstioa of Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Qainn, it wts resolved to write a letter of condolence to Mn Mendelson expressing their sympathy with her in her bereavement. It wai resolved that the present members of the Board meet at the cemetery at 11 a.m. on Tuesday the 9th, for the purpose of viewing the land gazetted by the Government for an extension of the cemetery. A letter from Mr F. Hooper eiigniug his seat on the Board was read. His resignation was accepted. Mr Hayhuret also resigned. The meeting then adjourned. The Peksbytkry of Timabu.—The Presbytery of Timarn mot in the Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, the Rev. Mr McLennan of Pleasant Point presiding. All the members of the Presbytery were present excepting the Rev. G-eorge Barclay. Tiie Presbytery expressed great regret at his absence, as they wished to see ani welcoino him on his return to the colony. The morning session was occupied with the usual quarterly business of the Presbytery. At 3.30 the Presbytery sat again to inquire into the state of the congregation, and after a careful examination of everything, they expressed themselves highly satisfied with the condition of the parish. They were highly gratified with the prosperity of the church for the last few years. The Leach Estate.—A meeting of the creditors in the above estate was held yesterday in the R.M. Courthouse. Every creditor wai represented, and Mr Thomas of the firm of Matson, Cox and Co., was elected Chairman. Efforts were made by Messrs Job Brown and EBsery to take the estate out of the bands of the trustees, and appoint eomeion 6 to settle the difficulty, but by almost the unanimous voice of the meeting it was resolved to instruct the trustees to take such steps a* they deemed fit to protect Mm «-''if and realise on the estate. It is u«.) ...i. uiis is not tho last that will be heard of it, ai several lawsuits are pending. The creditors have given Messrs Bolton and Blyth a guarantee that they will indemnify them against all expenses they may be put to.

Russia on the Eo-yrTiAjr Question.—A Russian paper, the Novosti, remarks :—" It is useless to say that Egypt does not coucern us, and that we can afford the English to bocome masters of the country. This opinion is erroneous. We could, it is true, consent to allow England to take Egypt if she would dcelaro herself content with this line portion of Turkey's heritage, and abandon all othor claims in that quarter. The Emperor Nicholas, in fact, offered Egypt to England in his day. It is clear however, from the tone of the English Press, that Great Britain will not' be content with Egypt, but raises claims to other parts of the Ottoman inheritance, and to this we cannot possibly give our assent. Wo cannot allow this unceremonious division of the spoil, for England will certainly make sure of the lion's share beforehand. ' Epypt is mine,' says the the British lion; 1 1 will give the Dardanelles to no one, and let no one lay a linger on Syria.' This audacious defiance merits a strong answer ; but alas ! it seems that Russia will not, and others dare not. take up the gauatlet flung down by John Bull."

Tuk Spectator ox N.Z. Ai'*aiks.—The Spectator of a recent date contains the followin": —'A correspondent of the Daily News Btates that the Legislative of New Zealand is about to try two experiments of very great moment. One is a Land bill, supported by Sir George Grey, the principle of which is that the Colony shall sell no more land, but shall giTC leases of twenty-one years, with provision for compensation if the lease is cancelled at the end of that time. It is believed that this arrangement will be a great temptation to settlers, yet leave to tho Government the ultimate control of the soil. It may prove so, but we suspect that the English hunger for free ownership. The other Bill, brought in by Major Atkinson, provides for compulsory insurance. Every man must pay cither £66 down before he is 23, or 2s a week for twelve years in order to secure 15s a week if single, and 22s 6d a week if married, during sickness, and 10s a week as superannuation allowance after 65. These aro bold proposals, and it is believed they may pass, the Radical party supporting the first in particular very strongly. We entirely hope they will. Nothing can injure New Zealand much except earthquakes, and if she will try experiments in social legislation for the benefit of closely packed Europe she will have a high place among the useful nations of the world. The Cantons of Switzerland, which ought to try them, distrust originality ; while the States of the Union, with their marvellous facilities, try nothing except divorce laws most of which are as old us Rome, and did not succeed thei-o. Some colony, say Fiji, should try Socialism pure and simple, and ueo what couios ot" it.'

Melancholy Accident.—A drowning accident occurred at Manutatu on Saturday. A boy named King, who was bathing in a dain> got out of his depth. His father went to save him, and wai drowned also. The bodies were recovered.

Another Dbath from Chloral.—An inquest was held at Duuodin on Tuesday on the body of J. A. Rogers, formerly stationmaster at Burnside, who died from an over dose of chloral under circumstances leaving a suspicion of suicide. The jury returned an open verdict. The Coroner censured the chemist who had supplied the deceased with the chloral regularly, for supplying it without a prescription from a medical man.

Steam Service, —With referenco to the cablegram that Sir P. D. Bell had advertised for tenders for a direct steam service to New Zealand, it may be mentioned that the time for the receipt of such tenders will not close until Ist March. By next mail the Government expect to receive a copy of the advertisement inserted in the Home papers, and this will also be inserted in the colonial papers, thus giving plenty of time to persons in New Zealand to tender should they care to do so. Reception of the G-overnob.—Prepara-tions on an extensive scale are being made with a view of giving Sir Wm. Jervois a fitting reception on his arrival in Wellington on the 18th inst. The Mayor of Wellington has, it is understood, invited the Mayors of the principal towns in the colony to bo present. All loeal Friendly Societies wil take part in the proceedings. The schoolmasters in the city havo been written to, to arrange, if possible, for a procession of school children, by whom the National Authem will be sung.

Tbmuka Linseed Oil, Cake and ¥ibb e Company (Limited).— A meeting of the Provisional Diivctors of the above Company was held in the Wallingford Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, Mr John Talbot in the chair. The Broker reported that he had disposed of 1100 shares. It was decided to call a general meeting of the shareholders for Monday evening next in tke Wallingford Hotel, at 7.30 p.m., for the purpose of electing Permanent Directors, and to request Mr Hayhurst, who is leaving shortly on a visit, to America, to procure the necessary machinery while there. Convict Labor.—English eonvict statistics show that of the 10,261 prisoners, three fourths are fit for hard labor, and onethirtieth unfit for labor of any kind. It appears that the ages between twenty-live and thirty four contribute far more than their proportion of criminals, and this, therefore, may be taken as the criminal age, after which a tendency to crime rapidly diminishes. Someone in England has made the suggestion that if those whose career evinces a marked criminal tendencv could be locked up or kept uuder supervision till they had passed, say forty years of age a vast deal of crime would be prevented. Wonderfcl Vitamti. —A singular instance of the wonderful vitality of plant life under untoward eircunistanccs is recorded. Some few weeks ago (says an exchange) a gentleman at Arrarat converted a cutting from a mulberry tree in his garden into a cigarette holder, by poking the pith out of a piece a little over twj inches long and enlarging the hole at one end to receive the cigarette, whilst the other was tapered off with a penknife in order that it might be held con veniently between the lips: The novel holdo r has been in active service since its manufacture j and is now found to be putting forth leaves. Two incipient green buds are plainly apparent* and the nodules are swelling as if vigorous shoots were about to burst forth.

What a Had Boy Did.—A Presbyterian minister of some notoriety is credited with having once told tho following anecdote :—'l never laughed in tho pulpit but on one occasion, and that came near procuring my dismissal from the ministry. About one of tho first discourses I was called on to deliver, subsequent to my ordination, after reading my text and opening my subject, my attention was directed to a young man with a very foppish dress and a head of exceedingly red hair. In a pew immediately behind this young gentleman sat an urchin, who must have been urged on in his dovilry by the evil one himself, for I do not conceive the urchin thought of the jest he was playing off on the spruce dandy in front of him. The boy held his forefinger towards the hair of the young man about as long as a blacksmith would hold a wire-rod in the fire, then placed it on his knee, and commenced pounding his linger in imitation of a smith making a nail. The whole thing was so ludicrous, that I laughed j the only time that I disgraced tho pulpit with anything like mirth.

Anothkk Candidate.—Bishop Moran id a 'candidate for the Peninsula scat. In his published address to the electors of the Peninsula, after referring to the unsatisfactory views of botk Mr Larnauh and Mr Donnelly on the Education question, Bishop Moran says :—' It is diflicult to say which of these two candidates is most unjust and tyrannical in his principle and policy, and most opposed to the equitable claims of Catholics and other s who think with them.' He proceeds ' Under these circumstanoes I offer you my services. Ido this to afford all just men an opportunity of giving effect to their disapprobation of the principles and policy of Mr Donnelly and Mr Laruach on the Education question, and as a protest against the cowardice of some, and the tyranny of others. In the position in which I now place myself, I only claim to be regarded as a man, a citizen, and an elector of the Peninsula, and an advocate of fair play end cvenhanded justice. I shall canvass no man and I shall employ no agents. Such as are willing to vote for mo will come to the poll at their own expense, and purely for the purpose of protesting against injustice and advocating what is equitable. 1 make no apology for assuming this position. lam as much entitled to offer my services to the electors as Mr Donnelly or Mr Laruach, or any other man.' On all otlior subjects likely to occupy the attention of Parliament, he says Ids principle* will bo found fair and just.

The County CoutiOlli.—The nomination.

of a member to fill the vacant seat on the Geraldiue County Council took place last Tuesday. Messrs R. A. Barker and John Paterson were nominated. The poll wil take plaoe on Tuesday the 16th iast, at the following places:—R.M. Court, Totnuka ; Library, Waitohi; Library, Winchester. A Murderer Burnt Alive.—One of the most atrocious criminals in America, a negro named Jerry Cox, when lying under sentence of death for killing his mistress and then placing her corpse on the rails to be cut up bv an express train, set fire to the gaol in which he was confined at Nashville, a,nd was burnt alive in the building. He had previously perpetrated a double murder in circumstances of appalling atrocity. About midnight people were awakened by the roar of flames, and many hastened to the goal, bub on their arrival they found the walls and bars glowing red with heat, while the murderer within was screaming in his death agony. In less than an hour the gaol was. a mass of ruins. The next morning the body of Cox was found, and a great crowd stood appallod at the murderer's fate.

The Ambergris Pound by the Whaiek Splendid.—The Christchurch Press says : i Yarious statements respecting the quantity

of ambergris taken from a whale by the master of the Dunedin barque Splendid, have got

about, the alleged quantity and value being considerably increased beyond what was at first reported. What purpose is hoped to be gained by these reports, is not explained, but the fact remains that the master of the vessel distinctly reported that he had ' a Bmall keg of the precious stuff on board, wtiighing about 491 b, and he valued it at £3000.' This, it is true, was his report when he landed from the vessel, as was stated in the Press report of the arrival of the whaler. How the quantity has been increased bo marvellously is somewhat peculiar.' An Australian Peabody.—' Victorian,' writing to a contemporary on the subject of the Hon. W. J. Clarke's elevation to a baronetcy, and approving of the bestowal of the honor, gives the following sketch of that gentleman's public spirit and liberality : —' He stands alone in Australasia as a perfect Peabody. Every hospital—yes, every charity—in Victoria, and many outside it, have been, most liberally treated by him. The amount : of good he does is really not known ; he is always doing it. He heeds not sects ; churches of all denominations have been recipients of his bounty. He is the farmers' friend, too. At his own coßt he brought out Mr Molvor, and paid him a large salary to lecture to and instruct the farmers. Spontaneously ho doled out £IOOO to the faminestricken of India. The wail from China, too, he heard ; so also the distressed Jews in Russia. He topped the list of the heavy contributions sent by colonists to the Mansion House for relief in Ireland. In fact, I believe a list in detail would fill your paper of the money lie has distributed for public good. Had they not heard what a noble, generous man he was when singling him out for the marked distinction—the first Australian baronet. I hope our contingent of the first Federal Council will be composed of men of this stan-p of Sir W. J. Clarke, which, however, is a vain hope, for he stands quite alone—a man of great wealth and great benevolence. The combination is a rarity.'

Elopement.—The peaceful hamlet of Makino was recently stirred to its depth* by the sudden disappearance of a married lady named Kobinson, in company with a by no rneans fascinating Lothario of the district. Tho lady had given two pledges of affection to her lawful husband, and (actuated by & spirit of fairness which was remarkable under the circumstances) she left one vrith him and took the other away with her when she eloped. Directly the wronged husband found that the guilty pair had departed, he did what most husbands do in such cases—ho took an inventory of his worldly goods, and found that the gay Lothario had taken away other portable property, besides the woman. Information was given to the police authorities, and a warrant for larceny issued against the man, who, with the orring wife, was traced to Nelson. On hearing that the law was set iu motion, the woman disappeared; but her companion was arrested on a charge of stealing from the dwelling house of one William Robinson at Makino, two trunks, containing weaving apparel, and a sawing machine, the whole being valued at £ll 9s 6d. The prisoner whose name is William Wakefield, was brought back to Wanganui, and remanded to Fielding. The husband appears, however, to have been a little hasty in laying the information for larceny, and will probably have to amend or withdraw it, us the trunks were found to contain personal wearing apparel of the wife's own, and certain nether garments belonging to the prisoner himself, upon which no charge of larceny can certainly be founded. The discovery of Don Juan's continuations in his lady love's travelling trunk, though a fact important in oilier respects, considerably detracts from the romance of the elopement.

Levi: the Cornbtist. —A writer on stage matters in the Christchurch Telegraph has the following in reference to Levy the coruetist, who was famous in more ways than one :—lt is now more than a month since I put pen to paper on the subject of London frivolities, and during that period a good deal seems to have happened. In the first place, you will be interested to hear that our erstwhile colonial visitor Levy, the cornetist, has, after many years absence, returned to London and made his appearance at the promenade concerts on Thursday last. The "rcat man only played once. It seems that during his foreign tour another ' human Grampus,' known as Howard Reynolds, has arisen on the musical horizon, and when the >•

pair performed together on Thursday, a fickle public had the bad taste to show a marked preference for its latest favourite. At first, Lory, who believes himself to be the most marvellous trumpeter of this cr any o:her age, could hardly be poi'siuded he had heard aright. The applause, however, proved

most marked, and on Keynolds being effusively •ncored Levy lost his temper and declined to afford Covent Garden the privilege of listening to him again. The fact is, the man has —to us® a vulgar expression —' lost his form' altogether. In America they have no really fine cornetists, and Levy was able to delude 'musicanV into the beli-f that his powers retained their pristine vigour. Here, in London, fortunately, audiences are not so easily deceived, and when ho pitted himself against a really clever artist like Eeynolds, he committed an absurd blunder. The promoters of the Promenade Concerts are bringing an action against Levy for breaking his contract, aod he will certainly be mulcted in heavy damages. In appearance the fellow is fat, bloated, and most repulsive. An overweening conceit has spoilt him, and he can never hope to command either the terms or the applause he once did.

Mr A. Grant offers £1 reward for the recovery of live steeri. MrW. Demuth announces that be will sell ft red and white cow to defray expenses, ifnotclaimsd within three week?. Messrs Mac'ean and Stewart, will hold their usual sale of horses, drays, etc., at their Horse Bazaar, Timaru, on Saturday next. Tenders for carting faud and shingle to the Butter and Cheese Factory site, close, with Mr E. Brown, timber merchant, to-morrow.