LOCAL AND GENERAL

Temuka Leader, Issue 1083, 15 March 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Successful Company.— Kempthorne, Prosser’s Company pay ten percent dividend, and carry forward £7220.

The Rangitata Pobd.— The Temuka Road Board invite: tenders for turning the Rangitata rirer into the centre of the river, bed near the main road. Tenders close at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Indecent Assault.—At the Resident, Magistrate’s Court, Timaru, on Tuesday, a man named James Moyles was committed for trial on a charge of commit Ling an indecent assault on a child 4 years of age. The evidence was most conclusive.,

Hursicane at Tonga. —The Signet from Tonga reports a severe hurricane at Nanau, a fortnight ago. The Tongan schooner Toba» matohe was totally wrecked, cocoa nut trees blown down, and, the native church at Ohipere and the teacher’s house carried away a considerable distance. The Inangahua Seat.— Mr Reeves h»s definitely withdrawn his candidature from the Inangahua seat, leaving Mr Wakefield alone in the field. It is said that Mr 35. Shaw, of Wellington, is anxious to contest the election, but nothing certain is yet known. All parties are looking forward to an an* nouncement by the Speaker of the receipt of Mr Weston’s resignation. Cbiokbt.— The cricket match between the Hon. Ivo Bligh’s team and an eleven of Victoria was resumed and concluded on Monday. The Englishmen,, with seven, wickets down for ,47 runs, continued their first innings, which closed for a total, of 55» i Being 229 behind their opponents, the Englishmen followed on, but only succeeded in putting together 126, and the Victorian team thus won the match by one inning* with 73 runs to spare.

Fast Steamebs fob the N Z. TbAdb. — Advices have been received by the mail that three large steamers of 5000 tons each . have been ordered by the Shaw, Satille, and Albion Company from Peter Denny and Co., of the Clyde,. They are to be employed in ’ the . New Zealand trade. They are to bo fitted up in the best style for the passenger ! : trade, and will have the electric light, ete. They will also be fitted with refrigerators foi? carrying meat in large quantities. They will. do the voyage in 45 days. ; , Annum Pabish Gathering. The -- ' annual parish gathering in connection with’ St. Saviour’s Church takes place on Thursday the 29th instant, and if the efforts of the congregation are at all adequately rewarded will-prove 5 < a great ■ success. The tea > will •

commence at 6 p.m., and the concert at 8. For the latter a firsXclass programme is being prepared, the local talent being strengthened with assistance from Timaru and elsewhere. The treat for the Sunday cchool children will follow on Friday.

Quite True.— Under the heading ‘ Bauch and Bar,’ the following letter appears in the New Zealand Herald “ Sir,—Though not a lawyer, I have followed with much interest the controversy arising out of the obiter dictum of Judge Gillies in that late trial. It seems to me that it is ‘much to do. about nothing.’ We know that Thurlow, Alvonley, and Kenyon not only largely launched into obiter dicta, but that they also hit hard, not only the principles, but even the lawyers themselves. And yet the ripple of the wave was not felt beyond the Court. But here we are fast verging to the democracy of the United States, and to me, an outsider, it is plain that the whole movement is merely an attempt to browbeat our Judges, and, instead of a Henry VIII, or a James XL, to set over them King Mobr-I am, &c.—JuaxixiA FiA T CtELUM Euax.” „ .

A Large Bequest.—-An old lady named Foster, who committed suicide at Waipukurau on Saturday, leaves £23,000 to the Church of England and a few charities.

A Lively Correspondent.—The Press Association correspondent ef Napier telegraphs the following extremely interesting informationCouncillor Pries, who got into office by a fluke, goes out by a fluke, his name not appearing on the valuation roll. King iTawhaio is somewhere about Napier but no . one appears to know or care exactly where he is.

High Handed, —In the District Court. Christchurch, last Wednesday, it was proved that in the Railway department men received notice each night if wanted next day, and when nob wanted were ‘ booked off,* and received no pay. The men were compelled by the regulations to hold themselves available if required, so they can take no work on ‘booked off ’ days.

Ladies to the Front.—-A public meeting, which was addressed by several ladies, was held on Monday evening in the Sydenham Oddfellows’ Hall, Christchurch. Resolutions were passed protesting against the action of the Licensing Committee in encouraging the erection of an additional hotel; also appoint inga Committee to collect subscriptions to employ counsel and organise a movement against any increase of licensed houses in the

Borough. A Large Family.—A young gentleman in

Scotland has declined to support his mother on the ground of his having 32 brothers and sisters who hare evaded the responsibility. If they would each contribute but a penny a week, there would be 2s Bd, His mamma stated in Court that she had on three occasions given birth to twins, twice to triplets, and on one occasion to four children at a birth, but that the defendant was born all by himself, and so far was under an individual obligation. The Profit of Holding Out.—At the

Presbytery meeting at Christchurch last Wednesday it was stated that an amicable arrangement had been come to with the Rev. O. Fraser to give tip the church at once, and the manse in sis months, he to be paid a stipend of £420, and in consideration of his services for the church and education, a sub scription to be raised by the former congregation for a testimonial. It is understood that Mr Fraser will continue working in West Melton.

Well Driving. Writing to us (St. James’s Budget) about the diving rod, Mr Hore, of Bristol, says:— ‘ A contractor of I ..high respectability in this neighbourhood, who has large experience in well driving, often makes use of a piece of narrow watch-spring for this purpose. He walks to and fro with the watch spring held in front between the fingers of both hands, in the shape of the letter XJ; and when he comes to a place where there is water the spring slowly bends downwards, twisting about ink, very remarkable manner. This I have done hero at our works, when I had occasion to seek for a well.’

An Unfortunate Girl.— At tbe Naseby Police Court last week, Annie Jarvis, a young woman was charged with infanticide and concealment of birth. The more serious charge broke down, as the medical evidence went to show that the child of which the prisoner had been delivered was born dead. When taxed with the offence, and at several interviews with Dr Whitton, who examined her, the prisoner persistently denied that she had given birth to a child, but after she was locked up she sent for the doctor and confessed to him the circumstances under which the child was born, and when and how she buried it. The prisoner, who appeared to feel her position keenly, was committed for trial at Dunedin next month, and is now confined in the Dunedin gaol. A Horrible Charge.— Chas. M’Leod aged 24, appeared at the Melbourne Court, lately, charged with attempting to poison his mother and family. It appears the prisoner’s mother has a selection at Marnoo, near St. Arnaud, where the family —a large one—reside. On the 15th February Mrs M’Leod baked some bread from a big of flour, and also made some porridge from it, which when tasted was found to be so bitter that it was thrown out to a pig and a dog, both of which died after having eaten it. Mrs M’Leod’s suspicions were aroused, and she bad the flour examined by an analytical chemist, when a quantity of strychnine was found in it. The prisoner’s disappearance, coupled with the fact of his being on bad terms with the rest of the family, brought suspicion on him, and a warrant was taken out for his arrest. Owing to his disguising himself by shaving and other means he was not arrested till the 23rd February, when he was discovered in Melbourne by Detective Potter, He gave the landlady of the hotel where he was staying a bottle of strychnine to keep for him. On the application of the police he was remanded to St. Arnaud.

Excessive Cleanliness.— Cleanliness in Holland is a mania, almost a craze. It is the only thing in which they are extreme, and though leaning to virtue’s side, it is inconvenient to a degree. There is not a speck } nor a millionth part of a speck, of dirt to be found in any of their houses, and as for vermin, it is dnknown. A spider is a Holland woman’s special aversion, and'such a thing as a bed-bug would arouse a street into action. Their beds are miracles of cleanliness and their floors are scrubbed till they shine again. We should say (humorously remarks a contemporary) that a life of the average Amsterdam woman is divided up some hing like this : 6 to 8 a.m., scrubbing inside the house; g to 8,30 shaking the carpets and rugs on the sidewalk, breakfast of coffee and bread; 9to 10 scrubbing outside the house; 10 to 11 scrubbing the sidewalk ; 11 to 12 preparations for dinner; 12 to 1, dinner ; 1 to 3 scrubbing upper part of house ; 3 to 4 shaking carpets

of the upper stories; 4 to 6 finishing up the

fombbing of the house and getting the soap J and brushes ready for the next morning. At '*■ g she takes her supper, and retires to. dream, of shaking carpets and scrubbing.

Spying out the Land. —A party of South Australian farmers are visiting the Waikalo with a view to reporting on the suitability of the district for settlement on behalf of others who desire to leave South Australia for this colony. The Small Bisds.—At the meeting of the Levels Road Board, in Timaru, last Wednesday, the overseer reported that ho had collected and paid for 3649 dozen bird’s eggs and 881 dozen of young birds, the cost amounting to £56 11s 6d. A discussion took place as to what means should be adopted for destroying the old birds during the winter:

Baby-Farming. The New Zealand Herald says that a correspondent, residing in Parnell, in a communication, informs us that it is high time the authorities began to look up the ‘ baby-farming ’ establishment in the city and suburbs. He states that there is one in Parnell, where four or five little children have died in as many months—tho little waifs having been brought there by mothers who are not wives, and whose interest it is to place the infants where there is a chance of their being nursed into their graves. Our correspondent gives details which, however true, it would be libellous to publish, but, none the less should they be communicated to the police. He concludes by urging that a foundling hospital should be established along with the Lock Hospital, so that unfortunate girls could place their infants where they would be looked after, instead of at baby-farming establishments where the chances are 100 to 1 against their surviving infancy and passing into boyhood or girlhood.

Judge and Lawiee.— There were some amusing passages during the hearing of the celebrated libel case Belt v. Lawyes, concluded in London. Here is one Mr Firth examined by Mr Russell, said : I am a painter and Royal Academican. Mr Russell: You are the author of The Derby Day, The Railway Station, and the picture in which the distinguished Judge who presides at tins trial is represented on The Road to Rum P (Great Laughter), The Judge : That is not so—the picture is nob The Road to Ruin. Mr Russell: I should be very glad to divert your lordship from that path. (Renewed laughter); The Judge: It is a very good joke; but the picture is The Race for Wealth, and in the fourth picture the judge is presiding at the trial of a prisoner. In the fifth picture he is sent to penal servitude, Mr Russell (gravely) : Who, my lord—the judge? (Roars of laughter). The Judge: No, the prisoner. Mr Russell: Your lordship has quite relieved my mind. (Renewed laughter). Another is thus reported : —Mr Webster : Do you think it so wicked, then, to keep a diary ? Witness: No ; I keep a diary mself, but I write nothing in it. ( u:. o ;ilcr). Fbee Trade in Liquor.— Some startling statistics are given as to the result of free trade in liquor in Switzerland. The population of that country two years ago, when the last enumeration was made, was 2 846,102. The Pall Mall Budget says :— * Since 1874, when free trade in drink was substituted for the old system, under which each canton regulated the drink traffic for itself, the number of public-houses has increased 22 per cent. This is pretty well in eight ye»rs t especially as the population has during the same time increased only 6 per cent. There is now throughout Switzerland one public house for <. every 130 inhabitants, and in Geneva one for every seventy. In one part of the country, whore the statistics of crime have been closely investigated with rereference to this question, about half the total number of crimes have been found to take their origin in drunkeness. An almost greate r evil is the waste of money even on the part of those who stop short of crime, of which some curious instances are gathered from the books of public-houses examined by Herr Siegfred. One man earned 13f, 600. in a week, and spent 20f. sc. in the public-house; a second earned 29f. and spent 22f.; a third earned 28f. and spent 18f. The innkeeper in this case was also a contractor, who in the latter capacity employed these excellent customers, and one week, when the men worked less or drank more than usual, the innkeeper contractor had no money at all to pay, and every one of the men began the following week with a balance against him.

Strike in Timaru.— The following circular was on Monday last served upon a number of employers of labor in Timaru:— “Timaru, March 9th 1883. Gentlemen — We, the undersigned laborers and petitioners of Timaru, most respectfully beg to state that the laborers employed m storing grain, etc. ( at Port Chalmers and Lyttleton arc receiving Is 6d and Is 3d respectively, and therefore we most respectively ask, if employed by the hour, to be paid by the hour, at the rate ®f Is 3d per hour and Is 6d overtime before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m., and any labor employed by the shipping by the hour be paid Is 6d per hour, and if by the day nothing les 3 than 12s, and the day to be 10 hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m,, with the exception of Saturday, when the hours shall be from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., and overtime before or after the above-mentioned time to be 2s 6d per hour; but if employed for any time at the outer anchorage less than a day be paid for a day. These arrangements to come into force on Monday next, March 12th, 1883. We are j yours respectfully, on behalf of the Timaru labourers, A. Mills. P.B.—Landing Service to be Is per hour and no meal hour stopped.’ The demand was in no case complied with, and the consequence is that many men are now out of employment. Strikes are at any time to Ibe deprecated, as the money the men lose while out of work, more than counterbalance the extra wages (even if the strike is ultimately successful) that would accrue to them in many mouths In this instance the time was particularly illadvised, harvesting being -just concluded The request of the men for extra renumeration appears to be just, but the implied threat of striking if the demand was not acceded to was foolish, and calculated to defeat the object the men had in view.

The Waimaitku Outrage. Charles Sullivan, who deliberately outraged a girl of thirteen years named Alice Norton at Wai matuku, near Invercargill, on Saturday week, was captured on Monday by Detective Ede in an empty house about seven miles from the scene of the crime. Sullivan has led a miserable life since, being without a coat ai d the weather cold. From his statement it appears that after committing tho crime, which he admits, he went about two miles from Brooks’ farm, lay down in the tussocks, and fell asleep, and did not wake till daylight on Sunday. Being afraid to move he lay all day, and commenced to tramp at night. He then shifted about from place to place as opportunity offered. On Tuesday he went to Paterson’s farm, near Bransholme, and on the plea of being a runaway sailor got food. He was there again on Friday but although the settlers by this were on the look-out) nothing more was seen of him till Monday, when a man was seen moving suspiciously about a deserted house on the plain, and information was sent to Wallacetown. In the meantime the detective on search came into the locality, and was informed by a man on the road that he believed Sullivan was in tin house indicated, Edo rode up to the house, which ho found locked and evidently empty. He thought he was on the wrong scent till be looked close under the window and saw what appeared to be ihe corner of a bag. He drove in the window and found Sullivan laid along the wall. He apprehended him and brought him to town, Sullivan was brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court in the morning. Tho crime was a very deliberate one. He bad been working at Brooks’ farm eight weeks, and got paid to enable him to go to town for a day. He returned in the absence of Brooks and after a time asked for a drink of milk. Mrs Brooks told the girl, Alice, who was a servant, to goto the milk house for it. Sullivan followed and locked tho girl in, and then went for a rope, it is supposed to tie Mrs Brooks. The girl finding tho door locked, screamed, and Mrs Brooks went and opened it. Just then Snllivan came with a rope and rushed at Mrs Brooks, who ran aw ay,, and the girl was left without help. Sullivan had been some time in America. He was committed for trial.

The Grosvenor Hotel, has changed hands, Mr J. D, Rett having rented the same from Mr J. Meikle.

Mr K. F. Gray will sell at Winchester Fair to-day, a chestnut mare, spring cart, harness, etc., etc. Messrs Maclean and Stewart will attend Winchester Fair to-day. At near Timaru, next Tuesday, they will sell farming implements and stock. Messrs R. Wilkin and Co., will attend Winchester Fair to-day ; on Tuesday next, on the premises of Mr T. Roberts, Timaru, they will sell the whole of his valuable household furniture and effects ; and on the 27th March at the S. C. Ram Fair, they will dispose of a number of licestor rams.