LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1059, 25 January 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Timahu Habboe Board,— Mr Join Talbot has been asked, and lias consented, to stand for the Mount Peel Eoad District on the Timaru Harbor Board. The requisition and reply appear elsewhere.

Temuka Mechanics’ Institute.— The annual general meeting of the members of the above Institute will take place in the Reading Room io-morrow evening at 8 o’clock. It is to be hoped there will be a large attendance.

Licensing Committee.— On Tuesday last the following gentlemen were nominated as members of the Licensing Committee for 1883, for the Temuka Licensing District: — Messrs R. A. Barker, S, D. Barker, H. W. Campbell, A. W. Ensor, J. Meyer, John Paterson, and J Talbot. The poll will take place next Wednesday.

Accident. —At the Taratahi races the other day a sad accident occurred in the Consolation Race. Comas fell over young Ray, who has not yet regained consciousness. A fear is entertained of fatal results. Accidents are frequent on the course, and almost every year someone is nearly killed through the corners being too sharp, or through bad man-

agement. Robbery. —A robbery took place at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Wellington, last Wednesday night. Mr Smith, the with his wife, left the house for a few mi nutes to witness a torchlight procession, leaving the barman in charge. Later in the evening it was ascertained that £llO in notes and silver had been extracted from a drawer in the proprietor’s bedroom. Aw Absconder. —lt has lately been definitely ascertained that Charles White the absconding secretary of the Wellington Building Society did proceed by the mail steamer to San Francisco. He lauded at Honolulu, and spent the day in company with J. S. Webb, a similar defaulter from Dunedin. In San Francisco he resided a few days at Baldwin’s Hotel, after which ha was lost sight of. Sulphur Mine on Fire. —A sulphur mine in Sicily was recently set on fire in a very curious manner. A waggon loaded with sulphur was being drawn up an incline, when the rope supporting it broke, and the waggon rushed back into the mine at a frightful speed. The rapid motion developed heat enough to set, on lire the highly combustible ore, and the flames spread so quickly through the mine that thirteen of the workmen were unable to escape, and thirty to forty others wore seriously injured. Land Troubles in Skye. — The land troubles in Scotland are assuming a serious character. Two officers from Inverness proceeded recently to Skye—a large island of the Hebrides —lo serve notices of interdict on behalf of the landlord ; but, after serving a few the object of their visit became known, and the women and children in the absence of the men, turned out in force and compelled the officers to retire. The fisherman are now returning from their voyage, and intend to assort their rights, it is sail, and the father action of the landlords is awaited w th some apprehension of trouble.

Rowing Hearn and four oilier rowing ■nen have issued a challenge to row any other live men in Zca.aiui for any sum up to C2OO,

A Villainous Act.—Some scoundrel entered Sir James Prende>gas » stables last Tuesday night and deliberately cut the tongue out of his favourite pony. There is no duo to the perpetrator.

Death From Exposure, —Joanne Lenm’ng was found dead in Auckland last Tuesday, die had been in the habit of sleeping under trees in the Park. At the inquest a yerdict of death from exposure and self-neglect was returned. She has been living separate from her husband.

Electric Railways. —ln Europe electric railways arc growing rapidly in public estimation, not only on the continent, but in hrreat Britain. Already 100 miles of transit a 'e in operation, and there is every probability of the total mileage being considerably in* creased before the end of the present year. Doubtful.— Near the village of Beppo. Moura, in Kotchi, Japan, an auriferous care has been discovered in which strings and nuggets of metal are openly visible in the roof and sides. The cave has hitherto been considered sacred, and the natives would not enter it, but steps have been taken to work the gold.

Eire. —The constable stationed at Wyndbam nea Tnvercargil last Tuesday received information that a house had been burned down near Murdoch’s old sawmill, and nothing seen of the occupant, a Mrs Linden. -Search was made among the debris, but no remains were found. The woman afterwards emerged from the bush, into which she had wandered after her house was destroyed. The fire was accidentally caused. Nothing was saved but the dress in which the Woman escaped. There was no insurance, and tha loss was valued at £IOO.

Superstition. —According to the Messager d’ Athenes, a superstition is still current in some parts of Greece that the-dead occasionally leave their graves at midnight and return to their homes, whore they create all kinds of mischief. On the Island Andros the rumour was circulated lately that several persona recently buried had been seen in ths streets. To prevent a recurrence of this event several peasants went to the graveyard on the following night, opened the graves of these persons, cut off the heads of the corpses, and multilatod them in a horrible manner.

Cruelty to Animals.—A grossly cruel practice on the part of Belfast cattle dealers has twice recently been the subject of legal investigation. The defendant in the case, a man named Maguire, sold a cow’ representing that it was a good milker, but on the purchaser taking it home it was found that the animal would not give milk, and that the passage of the tits had been stopped by the injection of caustic, for the purpose of enlarging the udder. The magistrate denounced the act as a diabolical one, and sent the defendant to jail for a month without the option of a fine. It was sta'-.d that there wore other cases of the same kind to come on for hearing. Conviciton'ot a Swindler.— A man named Thos. Dobbio was accused at the Dunedin Police Court, of stealing sewing machines, the property of Hugo Wertheim. The case for the prosecution was that Dobbie, along with a man named Forshaw, who is now serving a sentence of six months on a s milar charge went to various persons who had machines hired on terms, and representing they were sent from Wertheim’s shop, took the machines away and disposed of them. Dobbie was committed for trial, bail being allowed in his own surety of £6OO and two of £BOO each. It is believed there has been a regular organisation in the matter of the theft of sewing machines on a large scale. Too Much For Him.— One of the New Zealand judges, an impressive old gentleman, hasbienrajmtlv (says iEgles in the Aus. tralasian) spending a few months in Sydney and Melbourne for the benefit of his health. Returning by one of the steamers, there was the usual day’s slay at that dreary place < The Bluff.’ The day was cold and miserable, and several of the passengers found their way to the snug parlor of a little tavern frequented a* all are there, by seamen. A sailor was by the bright fire as they entered, and, perhaps by way of entering into conversation, ho, after a time, took a peculiar looking shell from the mantelpiece, and asked the judge, who was sitting near, if he knew what it was. Said his Honor, in his most dignified judical manner, ‘ I am not —ah—sufficiently scientific to say—ah— believe it to be a specimen of the Psammobia Ferroensis.” The expression of Jack’s face changed to one of seriousness ; he replaced the shell as if it had been explosive, and speedily slipped away from the inn parlor. Larrikins’ Home Speaking of the strike of tailoresses, the Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald writes: —‘ Possibly out of this strike will come a discussion of the whole question of the employment of young women. It is quite certain that a totally mistaken estimate has been formed by these latter of their eolations to society, and that domestic servitude is looked upon by them as degrading. If the only bad remit of this error were the inconvenience it occasions to those who keep servants, it might be got over, but there is a much more serious outcome of utterly undomesticated wives and mothers. The homes of the class tc which these girls belong are depressing in Lhtir comfortlessness. It is not the comfortlcssness of poverty, but of ignorance of what should make a house bright and cheery. They are untidy and slatternly,and the untidiness and slatternliness do not appear to produce any feeling of dissatisfaction in the minds of those who live in their midst. The result of homes such as these is the larrkin of both sexes,for although familiarity with domestic unloveliness may cause no apparent discontent it offers no attractions. '1 ho consequence is that the young who live in such homes get out into the streets as much as they can of an evening, and we know vet y well what this facility of intercourse has led to. The ideal home life of the well tc do working man has no existence in this oity, 1

Matrimonial Question An intcresang matrimonial case is shortly (says the Aeoman)

to occupy the attention of the higher courts in Wanganui. A short time ago a marriage Hup celebrated, in which it now seems the young gentleman who led the innocent biide to the marriage altar gave the registrar an imaginary name, while his mother entered into the plot, and passed herself off as his

aunt. Whether the young lady has grown tired of married life and welcomed the discovery of a broken link as something to be utilised rumour hath it not, but some interesting revelations are expected.

Drhadbbl Accident. -A dummy engine carrying six persons plunged into Niagara River on- Sept. 29, one of the draws of the International Bridge between Black Rock and Fort Erie having been opened to allow a

steam yacht. to go through. The engineer was instantly killed. A Canadian farmer had his skull crushed, and died within an hour The conductor, a gentleman, and two ladies were rescued, although seriously cut and bruised. The bridge is 30ft above the river and the water is 14ft deep at the place where the accident occurred. The current is very strong, and the escape of those rescued is miraculous, as all were carried to the bottom with the dummy.

Ah English Debtors Refuge.— Spain >Tsayfi an English paper) continues to afford a "secure refuge for fraudulent English debtors. A north country lawyer, who formerly occupied a large mansion near a great Yorkshire borough, some time ago fled from the country, leaving behind him numerous creditors, who have just heard that then- fugitive debtor is- living in Barcelona at e-.so and in luxury,- He calls himself ‘ Senor,’ though he is ignorant of Spanish, and speaks no language but English. Here with his wife, an infant child, a couple of dogs, and several servants, he is living in perfect safety, owing to the absence of a treaty providing for extradition of such offenders between England

and Spain. Young Griuinam,— Mr Comstock, the secretary of New York Society for the Suppresion of Yice, declares that the inciease of youthful criminals in that city is alarming. He says :—‘ A short time ago I sat in a court room and saw three burglars, each about 13 years old. I have kept in my office since February Ist a scrap-book, which only contains newspaper clippings corcerning the arJlbt'of children. U:tween February Ist and August 15th I bad a record of 457 criminals under 21 years of age; 50 per cent, of them were under 16. Fifteen had been arrested for murder, 38 for grand larceny, 42 for highway robbery, 99 for petty larceny, 100 as burglars, 40 as common drunkards, and the vest for minor offences. Tn the majority of cases bad literature had started hese criminals, helped along by drink. New Zealand Frozen Hkat—Approbation of the frozen mutton from Now Zealand is very general at Home. A correspondent sends us the following extract from a lady s letter on the subject. The lady resides in London‘ Wo hare had a number of joints of the New Zealand mutton, and always try to get it when we have strangers, and they all seem charmed with it, and ask us our butcher’s address. It is so fresh-looking that not think the butchers would thank us for telling, as they sell it, I believe, for Is and Is 3d as English, bul as Colonial they have to sell it at 8d or BJd. I have a leg of mutton in the house, and as the two Grants who were with you, are coming to dinner, we are going to use it. It was pretty hard when it came, and the fat was as pure and white, and the flesh as good a color, as if it had only been killed a few hours.’ —Ex change.

iESTHETICISM. — i painful rumour comes from the other side of the Pacific, There are, J'is stated, several ‘bogus Oscar Wildes’ delivering lectures in various parts of the United States. The ‘get up’of these im posters is so skillfully managed that it is almost impossible to distinguish them from the great aesthete, in whose plumage they have arrayed themselves. They not unfrequently draw largo audiences, but theie is occasionally a lack of refinement in thei utterances which creates a painful impression and is calculated to weaken the effect of their teachings. One of them the other day used such strong language on fancying he detected a smile on the face of one of the audience he was dilating on waterliliee, that a general disturbance ensued, and several persons received contusions. A ‘ bogus Oscar Wilde ’ has also been lecturing at West Point, Missouri, and has, it is feared done an infinity of damage to aestheticism There are in fact Oscar Wildes swarming all over the United States; and they threaten to become almost as numerous and as great a

nuisance as the army-worm. A Ghost in Wanganui.— The Yeoman

says:— We have frequently heard of sensa

tions caused by ‘ ghosts ’ in other towns of the colony, but now Wanganui can boast of her own, and a punctual one too. Eegu

larly as the clock strikes nine, the apparition enters Cook’s Gardens from St Hill street, and, according to a witness, ‘ flits ’ across and disappears among fhe trees in Wilson street.

,Jhis witness has seen the ghost three times, and says he has watched him closely, and if his testimony is to be believed, he somewhat resembles a man, but travels more rapidly. Others have seen the ghost, and on Saturday night there was quite an army of young fellows bent on mischief and armed with stick* and stones. The ghost, however, was sufli ciently sensible not to make his appearance, and consequently escaped unhurt. At nights the paths through Cook’s Gardens are now *• abandoned by the timorous, for more round about ways, but larrikins muster in force to vaunt their prowess on the would-be vishor Tfvom the bther world, and if once he gets into their hands they will make it pretty uncomfortable for his composition of flesh and * blood. Even a practical joker does not always get the best of the sensation lie tries to cause, and unless the ghost in human shape beats a speedy retreat, lie will ore long find himself in the bauds of the Philistines.

. uis UT op lit, scow rfA.NK. ihe Oi y of Q-Ksco-v B_.uk liq udali in cum-.; to a close o . Nov 21, mid a: a meeting in Glaseow it was anaoui'Ced, in spite of a prediction to

the contrary, fiat the Bank bad, after all, pail 20s in the pound. Solvent shareholders h d been cslhd upon to pay £3,500 per £IOO share. Tehuxa Circuit Wesleyan Church. — At the Wesleyan Conference at Auckland last Tues ay, among other business, the first draft of stations wa- made, when the Rev MiFee was recommended for Waitava, and the Rev Mr Garlick for Temuka. Of course it is possible that this arrangement will yet bo changed, although we should like very much to see it carried out In saying so wo do not wish i to bo inferred that we should like to see the Rev Mr Fee leave the district. On the contrary, it is to us a source of very deep regreet to know for a positive fact tnat he is to leave, whe'her he goes to Wait.ara or not. That is sc tied, and the only thing loft for us to wish for therefore is that his succesor will be one who will make himself as great a favourite as the Rev Mr Fee has been. We have known the Eev. Mr Gmlick for niani jea 8; we know him to be thorou.b and genuine and hence our reason for wishing him to come to Temuka.

One Way of Looking at It.— A religious paper in England, called the Protestant Standard, takes a view of the recent Egyptian War that is at least novel startling. It is, in brief, •* that England, in carrying on the war was uncensciously fulfilling a prophecy of the New Testament, and that it is the pre lude to the ‘ end of this dispensation,’ and the beginning of that which followeth The year (1882) is therefore to be the ‘pyramidal year of prophecy.’ The English people are the ten lost tribes of Israel, and as such are to be the agent in accomplishing I lie prophecies in the Book of Revalation. Tur key is Edom, and is about to perish by the ‘ drying up of its own Euphrates.’ Egypt is Esau, and is about to fall into the hands of

1 British Israel,’ after which the Jews are to go back to Palestine.” This is the programme up to date. It is defective, how ever, in not explaining —first, how the British Philistine is to be persuaded that he is not at Philistine, but a Jew; and, second, how shall he be beguiled to leave his sea-girt isle and emigrate to the hare Syrian hills of the Jordan land.

Taken In. —Asmodeus in the New Zealand Mail writes At the Opera, nightly beaming lore struck glances, from the stalls; he, a young man from the country, gazed upon the mimic halls. There, in silken hose nn l doublet, perky plume and debonnair. nightly his gay enslaver, tall and plump and pass ng fair. What to him was Tambour-Major, what to him the motley scene ? Save when she in smiling favor, trod

the boards with grace serene. True she was but in the ballet, and of music knew no no'e ; but what to him was brightest sally, or trills from nightingalio throat ? She was comely,

limbs most shapely, and he worshipped form divine : gazed in rapture ; wondered sadly ; sighing ‘ Ah, were she but mine !’ Introduction had been easy, gifts he lavished without stint; found her coy, sometimes yielding, then again with heart of flint. Cynics warned him ‘She’s a stringer;’ but the youth he heeded not; si.ill hoped on, loved on, doated on her ; like another Claude Menotte’ At last came the hour of parting, there was bustling to and fro; hither, thither, roamed the lover, hoping that his fair enslaver, relenting, would not from him go. On the deck, beneath the awning; still he pleaded ‘ be thou mine ?’ she distrait with anxious waiting heeded not his plaintive whine, .Suddenly there came peering, form and features of a ‘ pro,’ who had evidently been beering, for his tones were thick and stow. ‘ Sal ’ said lie, ‘ wheresh th’ baby,

think you’d bettrisb go below.’ ‘ All right old man ; good bye dearie, that’s my husband,

don’t you know ?’

The Peninsula Election.— The followin'; is the result of the above election, which took p 7 ace last Monday Larnnch, 66 7 ; Donnelly , 182 ; Moran, 138. Majority for Larnach, 485. The following is an extract from Larnach’a speech at the declaration rf the pdl:—I hwe had no ordinary opposi'ion here. (A Voice—‘ Who paid for the cabs ?’) ■Kennel no, you cur*! kennel un ! 1 have too much regard fnr the intelligent, honest, and real workingman and mechanic—(cheers) —to care one jot for the meat miserable lot of curs. lam not afraid to meet men, but it is tho'e wre'ched individuals who demoralise a nation by 'heir vile acts—(Cries of ' Donnelly.’) I have been opposed by a miserable faction. (Interruption.) lam not alluding to his Lordship the Bishop, whom I respect with all my heart. I am alluding to that miserable faction that has he&n exercised through the influence o f certain members of the assembly, (o their shame. A new blend has come among you—"polce—‘lt managed to get you in’)—the blend of Fish, Barron, and Bracken. Eougher language than this we have never heard used by a public ' man. Bishop Moran admitted that he did not expect to be elected. Hi» objects in coming farward were to call attention to the injustic done to Catholics on Hie Education question, and to keep Mr Donne’ly out. He regretted that no steps had been taken by Mr Larnacb, with regard to the untrue statements issued, respecting his (the Bishop’s) candidature. And in conclusion, he said that as to choice of language and polit leal epithets, Mr Larnacb stood a head and shoulders above the other men, and would doubtless represent the electors to tbeir heart’s content.

Attention is -r- ou-d to hr J. T<"g ■';? s advertisement in an - h'-r column. One tinny W’ wish to po nf out i espn-jti'ig i his advertisement. The mod 1 ■>( the adv-itisemenfc n cub oat of a ( hrislchu ch pape-. an i alleia lions were mu. ie bo as to suit Mr langney The list of price? given by Mr Tang ey i* Itr cheaper than t-iey w«r» origin tlly in the Onristohurch paper, consequently we n " ,sl conclude that he sets his boots diaper than Christchurch. this is sufficient to show that Mr Tcingney sells cheap, and the result ia thai he is the only man in Temuka who do«s nut comp i . of (into times. He is doing a flourishing business because ho gives good va uo t every onejfor hU money and lets none of hitrade go out of the town.