LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1064, 6 February 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Boad Boabd.—The monthly meeting of the above Board takes place to day.

Stock Sale at Alburt,—Messrs Maclean and Stewart will hold a sale #f stock and plant at Alburv to-day. Particulars will be found in advertisement.

The Library Grant.—The number of Libraries that have made npplica f ion for subsidy is 355, their total incomes being £22,923 13s lid. The grant of £6OOO affords a subsidy of 5s in the £ to each library. Delayed Train.—The express train from the south was an hour and forty minutes late in arriving here yesterday. We have been unable to ascertain the cause of the delay.

R.M. Court.—At the above Court last Saturday, Daniel Mahoney was brought up before S. D. Barker, Esq., J. P , on a charge of having been drunk and disorderly on the previous evening, and was fined ss, or seven days’ imprisonment. He elected to take it out, and was sent to the Timaru gaol.

T.icensi G Committee. —ln another column Mr W, Wil s givis ihe officii result of the Elec'ion of a Oi.-mmitte for ibeTemuka f.ii’tnd g district. The iv“Ut is the same as published »y us las". Thmsday. A meeting of the committee is convened for the 14th February for the election of a Chairman.

The Customs. —The customs revenue fo> (he colony for last month amounted to £123,043, Dunedin heading the list with £35,732; Auckland, £23,203; Wellington. £21,499. The total for the corresponding month last year was £129,126. The beer duty last month was £6227; corresponding month of 1882, £5468,

Wesleyan Confebencb. —The Wesleyan Conference at Auckland wa?,occupied during Friday in considering the reports of the connexional funds and foreign missions. Mr Crump was appointed editor of the New Zealand Wesleyan, Resolutions on the Me; hodist. union were unanimously adopted and a Committee of four ministers and fom laymen was appointed to confer. The statistics showed an increase of 569 members.

A Coffin Auction, —An auction of coffins is a spectacle not met with every day however appropriate some grim humorst might find the auctioneer’s ‘Going! going! gone!’ to the occasion. According to a German con temporary, this improbable circumstance is likely to become a reality at Berlin. A coffin factory being in liquidation, and the attempts to realise the stock by private sale having proved unsuccessful, it is said that a sale by auction is about to take place.

Mb Spurgeon’s View op Mahbiigb.— In an address delivered at the marriage of his brother, the Rev. Mr Spurgeon said they never regarded marriage as a religious ceremony at all, yet, nevertheless it was a very important event in life, and involved so much that they felt it was right, not only to offer private and family supplication, as they should upon the incidents of daily life, but to go up to the special place of devotion and ask for the prayers of God’s people.

Another Vacant Seat —Mr Weston publishes in the Inangahua Times the announcement of his resignation of t'm Inangahua seat in Parliament, and gives as his reason the pressing nature of his private business. His resignation is generally regretted. A requisition to Mr Wakefield, of Timaru, is being signed. Mr Richard Reeves is also a probable candidate. A private telegram received in Dunedin on Saturday states that there is a likliehood of Bishop Moran being asked to contest the Inangahua seat.

Fatal Accident. A sad accidenthappened last Friday evening at Dunedin to a passenger by the Tarawera, named Frederick Chapman, who had come out from Glasgow on his way to Auckland. At twenty minutes pi st nine, shortly after the arrival of the vessel he wis walking along the George street pier with a friend named Simmons, when he tripped and fell overboard between the pier and the ship. Half an hour elapsed before he could be got out, and though he was promptly attended to by Drs Lockin and Wadham, a’l attempts to revive him were in vain. The pier is without lights, and is at all times dangerous, particularly to strangers.

The Auckland Labor Market.— The Waikato Times in a leader draws the following picture of the state of the labor market

in Auckland With :r and nine Bindings a day, capitalists are beginning to button up their pockets, and defer the reclamation of land to some future time. Contracts are still entered into, R is true, but it is a noticeable fact, that it is not for new works, but for the completion of old ones, and for such works as cannot bo left undone without loss. Drains are deepened, but not cut; engineering surreys are made, but only for the purpose of laying ef p ! ans for work at some future date, not for the present inviting of tenders ; the reclamation of many thousands of acres m this part of the country stands indefinitely postponed, simply on account of the scarcity and dearness of labor.

Qua Treatment or thb Natives At a meeting held in London recently to consider the treatment of Natives, it is reported that Mr F. W. Chesson, of the aboriginal Protection Society, ‘corrected a misapprehension of our ever having conquered New Zealand, and pointed out that our authority in that country rested upon the trea y ofWaitangi, to which the Native chiefs had voluntarily been a party. While expressing his regret at the land disputes that had resulted in so many Native wars in New Zealand, be yet thought that the colony bad set a good example to other dependencies of the Crown by admitting V! aori representatives into the Legislature.’ When the philanthropic Press, and even the Pall Mall Gazette persist in patting Te Whition the back, it is refreshing to have such an opinion of the spirit of New Zealand Governments from a man in Mr Chessen’s position. Distinguished Prisoners.— Referring to the possible conviction of Massey at the Dun edin Supremo Court, thejcorrespondent of the Cromwell Argus remarks Massey will go to swell the ranks of the respectable within the stone walls. Chalmers Reid and M. W. Dawkins (both members of the Diocesan Synod) are the more prominent of the list; but besides them there are Moritzon (of Hi e Standard Insurance), M’lntosh (of the Wal ton Park Coal Co-), and young Marlowe (of the Union Shipping Company). One feels mos for Chalmers Reid. He took his downfall gamely, which is more than can be said for Hawkins. The latter cried and snivelled, and pretended that he contemplated taking poison. Reid was as firm and coal to the end as if ho was engaged in soma ordinary business transaction instead of a Supremo Court trial that would likely end in his banishment from’society for years. He heard the judge’s sentence without a quiver, and he walked out of the court behind the gaoler, nod-ling good morning to bis acquaintances as if he was going out with a friend to have a wine. It always gives me a pang to see him pass along to and from the Maitland street works in (he hard labor gang. Ho walks as erect as in days of yore, but looks browner and more grizzled certainly than when he be marched as captain at the head of his Volunteer corps. He must feel the degradation bitterly

An Indignant Protest. - Lady Florence

Dixie in a let er to a Dublin paper, asks tin fe the surplus fund of the Lund League should be given to relieve the great distress in Ireland. She says;—‘lt is monstrous, it is abominable, that this money should be withheld when, properly applied, it could be used to ward off the suffering and terrors of fa. mine. In God’s name, for what are they hugging this £32,000 ? Why do they not come forward with it and relieve distress ? It was subscribed for this purpose years ago, and to that purpose it should be applied. If it is not, its retention is nothing more nor loss than a gross misappropriation, and the death and misery of hundreds will lie at the door of the Land League.’

More New Zealand Diamonds.—A settler named Archibald Douglas alleges that ho has discovered diamonds near Auckland. He is in possession ot some thirty stones possessing ail the outward character of diamonds, and which will withstand the sulphuric acid test, Courtney, the returned diamond miner from Sooth Africa, has had an interview with Douglas, and examined a number of specimens in his possession. Courtney says some of the specimens are diamonds of fair quality, though the greater num ber of the white stones he pronounces to be white carbon in process of formation into diamonds. He urges Douglas to try and arrange with the owner of the land and raise a prospecting party to test the district, and offers to join the party.

The Harbor Board Election. —The nomination of members to represent the Borough of Timaru took place last Friday. Messrs 0. Bourn, G. Bruce, G. Cliff, M. Evans, J, S Gibson, J. Hill, J. Jackson W. Jones, and J H. Sutter, were nominated. The poll for the election of three of the above will be taken next Monday, The Pareora nomination came off the same day. Mr E. Elsworthy was the only candidate nomin ted, and he was declared duly elected. The nomination of candidates to represent Temuka, Geraldine Levels, and Makikihi district took place last Saturday. For Temka, Mr K. P. Gray was elected unopposed For Geral ine Messrs B, A. Barker and Mr John Kelland, junor, were nominated; for the Levels Messrs E, Acton, W. Moody, and G. Stumbles were nominated; and for Makikihi, Messrs A. Hayes and G. P. Lovegrove. The poll for the election of represea fcatiresfor the three last mentioned places will be taken on Monday,

The Catbepillab N (usance. —lt is important to farmers to know, says the cerrespon dent of a Taranaki exchange, that a crop of oars may be saved in the following way; On the side of the crop where the caerpillars are swarming in, cut a strip of, say, a chain wide, then plough on the side nearest the crop three furrows, the last furrow being 8 inches deep. Mr Tate, of Waitara, adopted the above with the following result. Across a fifty-acr.' paddock, between wheat and oats was where he cut the strip. It allowed the birds to get to the caerpilhrs, whereas they cannot get at them in the standing grain. The furrows being ploughed stopped the caterpillars, winch gave the birds (who came on the strip by hundreds after the caterpil lirs) a still better chance. If he had not adopted the above he be'ieves he would have lost quite one-half of a fine crop of oats this season which is now ready for cutting. Fat Lands job Lean Tillers. -It will be remembered that the Marquis of Lome recently held out hopes to unattached young women who may be disposed to emigrate to the Canadian North-West. He said that a young woman would have 20 offers in a week, and that the further West she went the more offers she would get. A pamphlet just published, entitled ‘ Fat Lands for Lean Tillers, 5 states that a good-looking woman can.choose among 50 adorers, while a plain one can select from five; and the writer interprets his estimate liberally by adding that, in his opinion, no good tempered woman is plain. The author quotes from a Canadian paper the following paragraph on the subject: —‘ The cry is: Still they don’t come. Girls of Ontario, come West! come West? We have in our town many eligiblas. The first comer can choose between a thin lawyer, a stout doctor, a retired but not retiring merchant, and one still in business. All are warranted docile, and tired of a life of single unblesredness.’

Dubious Hallucination.— Mr Black is occasion illy addressed, in an old lady’s handwriting, as ' William Black, alias Mac Yean, Esq., Reform Club, London.' Three letters upraid lim for bis ingratitude and want of proper affection in refusing to acknowledge himself her nephew, who was mourned by her as drowned at sea. She, however, happened to read ‘ A Daughter of Heth,’ and she declares that this story contains family revelations that could only have been written Oy her nephew. A year or two ago B ark called upon her in the Highlands, Hefom d her a respe' tab eand fairly educated old lady, soon as she knew ho had called in answer 0 her letters, and that he was William B ac2 she professed to recognise him as her nephew, and offered to get him a watch and some jewellery, which she said had belonged to his mother, and which were at Skye. It was in vain that, on the score of age, he routed out that her identification of him must be a mistake. Her niece coming into the room, B 1 mb, on telling me the stor;« said, 11 1 felt that now I should be able to put matters straight. If I was the nephew this was my sister. ‘ Surely,’ I said, ‘ you cannot think I am your brother ; be roust have been eight or nine years younger than I am, and see, my hair is beginning to turn grey.’ ‘Ah but,’ she replied, ‘l’ve known youig men turn grey at a very early age.’ This settled me and I bolted. I felt that if the entire famdj bad concluded to claim mo for Ih dead nephew, I had better get out of the place quickly, and I did,” This incident is none the less curious that it began b fore the Ti diborne case, and is kept no by upraiding letters from Mr* Mm Yean.—Harper’* Magaaia*.

The Premier, —The Premier was to leave Wellington by the Te Anau yesterday for Lyttelton. Mr Whitaker will visit all the chief centres of Canterbury and Otago, including Chr stcliurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, and the chief goldfield a; towns. He is expected to be absent from Wellington about three weeks, and will probably return about the 25th. fe

“ Shepherd,” Post ofice, Geraldine, wants a first c'ass sheep dog.

Mr Wm. Postlethwaite invites tenders for cutting (with a tiller) 50 acres of oats, and for binding the same.