LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1069, 10 February 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Weslevan Ohuuch Temuka.—The Rev. i\ Fee wi I conduct the morning and evening ■services in I he above church, to morrow. liiu Thistle Nuisance.—A new system >f Destroying thistles b$ crushing them with i heavy Cambridge roller is being tried at the Knighfrd—The ChristehurcKStar of Thursday night says :—' We hear, upou what we consider to be authority, that Mr C. C. Bowen has had the honor of knighthood conferred on him.' Suicide of a Prisoner.—A woman named Alary Ann Long, in for drunkenness, committed suicide at Auckland in the ceil last Thursday night in a: most determined manner. On the police sergeaut visi ing the cell at 9 •'clock he found her hanging by the neck, by t bit of gauze netting she had worn around lor neck, to a bar of the cell door. The Masshy Case.—The Melbourne witnesses gave evidence in the Massey case at Dunedin, last Thursday, identifying Mrs xtassey as the ' Mrs Allen' and ' Mrs Brown,' w.o sold debentures there. The two accused were fully committed for trial, two additional informations being withdrawn. The bail for Massey himself (who has never been able to find it) was increased to £ISOO, with two sureties of £750. A Poweuful WoMAN.—There is a terble row being kicked up at Portland anent he action ef a bold, bad youog woman named Furness, a professional clairvoyant and medium. It seems that she become enamoured of a cei tain b inker and mesmerised him at one of her sittings. This done she joined hands wir.h and was married to her unconscious visitor by a minister present, who was also especially mesmerised for the purpose. The question is whether the ceremony will stick, mesmerism having no legal axis ence, so to speak. At the same time tha incident! goe« to show how very mban women are when they have the advantage of a man.

A Curious Case.—Despatches from Montreal, dated January 4th, mention that in* 1877 a clerk named Trotter, in the employ of Riddle and Evans of that city, absconded with about 50,000 dollars belonging to tha firm He went to tha Cape of Q-ood Hope, and there entered a firm as book-keeper. In a few years he became junior partner, and re« mitted the amount of his defalcations to a lawyer to pay over to his former employers. The mouey is now lodged in Court, pending litigation between the dissolved partners, and is c'aimed by Tro ter's firm also, he having been convicted of 'orgery and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. He robbed his partner and the banks at the Capo of Good Hopo of 150 000 dollars.

Alleged Assault with Intknt.—A man named Frank Rossiter was charged, at the R.M. Court, Timaru, list Wednesday, with, an assault with intent on a woman named Mary Bott, at Albury. The assault is alleged lo have taken place on the evening of January 26th in a paddock a abort distance from the hotel. The prosecutrix was a married woman, and was Btaying at the hotel, her husband being engaged a few miles away. Mr Forster, who appeared for the acoußt)d,attempted to prove an alibi, but after examining two or three witnesses, decided to reserve, the rest of his evidence and the prisoner was committed for trial at tho next session of the Supreme Court, at Timaru. Bail was allowed, accused in £IOO and two sureties of £IOO each. Harvest Operations.—The finest crop that has been grown in the district for many a year is that which is at present being gathered in, and so far jis we can being fair prices are likely to be obtained. We have been informed privately that wheat has already been bought in Christ church at 3s 6d, and that for a sample of wheat which was brought into Temuka on Thursday last 3s 6d was offered and refused. The sample was un« usually good, but at the same time it is supposed that 3s 6d will probably be tho average price. There are no quotations at present, the market not having yet opened, but private inquiries has led to the belief that the above statement will turn out correct. As regards rust it has done no harm whatever. Before it came the grain had pretty well ripened, and it has not gone beyond tho straw. It may do some barm to late crops, but it will be of a trifling nature There was a very high wind yesterday morning, but it did not last long, and no harm is anticiputed from that ei' her. On the whole the harvest season has been, most favourable, and as the crops are pretty well advanced t /wards being cut they w 11 be saved without having sustained any damage. Leprosy.—Leprosy, says a physician of San Francisco, has not a few victims among the whites. Especially is it revealing itself among the lips and tongues of boys whos moke cheap cigarettes ma'c by Chinese lopers t The disease, though fatal, is. slow in giving tokens of the first approaches. The doctor knows 170 cases, the majority largely Mongolian. The disease is very contagious; sleeping in bed clothes handled by infected Chinese servants even sitting on the chairs th»y have used, handling the same things, etc., is dangerous. The disease often is not observable for four or five years, and then ' only by physicians accustomed to examining such patients. In the Sandwich Islands, where it prevails, an island is set apart for lepers. , The hospital has at this time 8000 lepers. A vigilant eyo is kept on the lookout for traces of ineipent leprosy. When observed the person is at once sent to the hospital, but a great many are concealed by their friends, and thus the disease spreads. No case is discharged cured, unless it be true tlat lately some few recent cases have been cured. llep<«\; says I hay were effected by eucalyptus leaves. One doctor claims to have counteracted recent developments bv inoculalion. The leper does not suffer much pain till his fingers and toes drop off. When tho leprous sores are sti.l on their bands, they work in Chinese cigar factories, and give wido spread to the infection; Clothes washermen the same.

Thk Kyans. —At t e A ii. Court, liuiaru, last Thursday, tbe Ryan fan ily—husband wife, and daughter—were committed for trial, for conspiracy to defraud. Patrick Ryan was also committed for trial for fraudulent bankruptcy.

Bt7BPBCTBD MtTBDSB.—A headless body ha* been found at Lyell and recognised a? that of Denis Quinlivan. The head is severed from the body, which has also received other injuries and is much decomposed. It wis found at the bottom of an embankment Bft high. Deceased was last Been tearing Lyell with a woman on the night of Sunday week. The general opinion is that be was murdered. An enquiry is proceeding at Lyell.

Doubtful Dealings. ~ The Goodisorfamily, who made themse res so notorious a short time ago by selling to a Taieri farmer when drunk, a horse for about £l5O, has been again in Court over a still more peculiar case. Henry Goodisson has brought actions against the executors of Thomas Sutton to re cow altogether £llOO. The first action was upon a cheque alleged to be signed by Sutton, who is now dead, for £658 ; the second upon ft bill alleged to be eidorsed by Sutton for £SOO. The latter was withdrawn on the conclusion of the former. In the cheque case the consideration alleged was the sale of 84 bead of cattle by plaintiff's brother, who had transferred the cheque to p'aintiff, after attempting several timet* to get it cashed. Button's bat kars refusing to admit that it was a genuine signature. One peculiar elemem in the case was that Goodis' □ had advertised the eat'le for sale after he had SuttonV eheque in his possession, and actual t gave the auctioneer an order to pay the entire proceed* over to the person from whom he had bought the cattle on bills, in this way of course ignoring any sale as alleged to Sutton. The dffsnee for Su ton'* executors was that if the eheque was genuine, Sutton gave it when helplessly drunk, and the defending counsel hinted his opinion plainly that ic was a for gery. Indeed he pub it that the case actually reeked with fraud. The jury found tha' the cheque was obtained by fraud when Su rton was deprived of the use of his reason by drunkenness, and no consideration had been given for it, and that nothing was due to plaintiff. Counsel for the plaintiff, as stated withdrew the second case, and gave notice to move for a new trial on the ground that there was no evidence that Sutton was drunk. Sutton was a well known Southland farmer and sheep breeder. Fatal Fiee ih Auckland. —Shortly after midnight last Wednesday night a fire broke out in a block of buildings in Lower Wakefield street. It originated in White's restau rant, which it destroyed, and SandallV butcher's shop.—Lidbetter's store and Burke's bel owe manufacturer, were much damaged The fire broke oh', so suddenly, and appeared to hive obtained so great a hold on White's restaurant before it was discovered, that no opportunity was afforded of ascertaining whether any of the occupants were inside. Several persons knocked at the front door 0 id also at the back door, but getting no {.newer, came to the conclusion that White had'got out and was knocking about in the crowd. The police, however, soon discovered tiat no one had seen White after the out break, and as soon as practicable a search was made among the charred ruins of the restaurant. The work of searching up stairs W-is difficult and dangerous, as the flooring Wis burnt tlir nigh in several places and large gips mude ; but 'he firemen soon came upon the body of a woman 'ying underneath the front window on her back in her chemise and adjacent to it was tbe body of a man on his bands and knees. The bodies presented a dreadful spectacle, baing blackened and charred externally, and one of the thighs of tho woman had been half burnt through. The bor'y of the female wa* identified from a portion of a dress lying beside it, as that of Mary O'Neal (a recent arrival from Mel bourne), aged 40 years w'io got 24 hours' ira prisons ent the other day for larceny of flannel. The body of the min was idenMfie d as that of George White, aged 45. the keeper of the restaurant, and formerly cook at th • police barracks. White had been seen abou six o'clock on Wednesday night, somewhat under the influenco of liquor, and it was feared the worn a was in the same con ii tion.

The Temuta Boad Board invites tender? f jr olearing thist'os off roads. Mr R. Darroch has a number of good flou bigs for pale. MrT. larrell.of the Bush Hotel, Geral dine, advertises a blacksmith's and wheel w ight's shop to lot.

Mr J. Velvin notifies tha* he has started business as a grocer in premises next to Mr J Tangney, bootmaker. Messrs Maclean and Stewart will hold their usual sale of horsey dravs, and harness, at their Bajaar, Tinuru, today.

Mr James Langskail, bootmaker, announce? that he is now holding a clearing sale for one month only. His stock of boots is large, and of the best quality, and customers may depend upon getting good value. The sale is for cash.

Messrs R. "Wilkin and Co., have a large number of sheep for sale, of various ages and breeds. They are now taking orders for Fowler and Co's. Traction Engines for next season. They will hold a sale of cattle, etc, at Washdyke yards, next Monday.