The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1883.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1089, 31 March 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1883.

It is with feelings of deep regret we learn that the Rev. Thomas Fee is about to sever his connection with Temuka. On next Sunday he will preach his farewell sermon here, and about Wednesday or Thursday next he will leave for the scene of his future labor*. Mr Fee will carry with him the good wishes of every man, woman and child with whom he has come in contact during his stay here. It is not long since we expressed regret at the departure of the Rev. Mr Welsh, and now it becomes our duty to record another gap in the ministry, who had so faithfully fulfilled their duties to their congregations and at the same time met on the most amicable terms persons differing from them in religion. It has been our pleasing duty to frequently refer to the brotherly affection which existed between the ministers of the different churches in this district, and it is with no small amount of regret that we see them leaving one by one. In our opinion they were models of Christian charity. They were zealous in their own churches, and kindly disposed towards other denominations. This is, we think, what a Christian minister ought to be. and this certainly is the character of the Rev. Mr Fee, whose departure we deeply regret. But it is not the parson, but the man we regret. His sacred calling may throw a halo of respect around him ; men would bow to the cloth he wears whoever was in it, but Mr Fee possesses attributes that would earn esteem and respect even it he were dressed in fustian and carrying a swag. In the words of Shakespeare “ He was gentle, and the matter so mixed in him that nature mightstand up and say, { This is a man.’ ” We never believed so thoroughly in phrenology as when Professor Fraser said, after examining Mr Fee’s head, that his calling could add no dignity to his character, as he would be admired more tor his sterling qualities than for the fact that he was a minister of the gospel. It is such men that ought to bo ministers of the gospel. We live in ait age whose tendency is Unbelief, and there can bo no doubt that the squabbles and bickerings and persecutions of the various sects of Christianity have had a great deal to do with bringing that state of things about. Christians have quarrelled amoimst themselves, and have indulged in excesses that have alienated from religion men who might havo been ornaments to ii. It is time that ministers of religion opened their eyes to this fact ; it is time that they saw the ground slipping from under their feet, and that it is by a united effort they can keep Christianity together. The amicable way in which ministers of religion worked together in tin's district for some time past was certainly the best way of averting that calamity, and to Mr Fee, who is now leaving us, was clue no small share

o* the good that was done. He did his share, and we are sure will do it wherever he goes, lie will always act manly, straightforwardly, and honorably, and perform his duty to God and man in a manner that will earn for him the words of the scriptural text “ Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

LOCAL AND GENERAL. The Shooting Season.—The shooting season commences on Monday next. C Y.C,—Captain Wright was down ou Thursday, and swore in a number of recruits for the above Company. We hope to see all the old members rejoin.

Winchester Pair. —The next Pair will be held next Wednesday. This alteration is made in consequence of the Timaru races taking place on the Thursday.

Temuka Wesletan Church.—The Eev. T. Pec will conduct the morning and evening services in the above Church to-morrow. In the evening he will deliver his farewell address.

Mu Wakefield.—Mr Wakefield appears to bo very successful in his canvass for the representation of the Inangahua constituency. He has received voles of confidence everywhere and is very likely to be elected.

Election of Stnodsman.—Mr R, A. Barker has notified that nominations for the office of a Synodstnan for the Parish of Temuka must be made at St. Saviour’s Church, Temuka, on Monday the 9bh April, providing that no nomination* have been delivered to him at his residence before 4 p.m. on the 7th April. The Maori Outrage.—Mr Hursth*use, who was taken prisoner by Maoris, has given a long account of the rough usage he received, He was, with his companion Mr Newsham and '» Maori chief named Te Haere, tied in a whare, and kept for 48 hours without f*od, until all were rescued by Te Kooti. Their legs were chained and their hands tied behind their backs, so that they could not lie comfortably, or brush the mosquitoes off themselves. They were robbed of their clothes and about £lO of money, and altogether they underwent great privations. To Mahuki and hi* followers have been committed to take their trial at the next sitting of the Auckland Supreme Court.

The Kaitangata Poisoning Case.— The following are particulars of the poison ing case at Kaitangata .—Miss McCormack was staying there with her brother in law, Dr Perry. She intended lairing for her home in Southland ou Friday, 23rd inst, and on Thursday evening a few friends were invited to meet her. While dancing refreshments were handed in, and Miss McCormack took a tart. No sooner did she take one mouthful than she cried out ‘ I am poisoned’ and ran to the doctor. He applied the necessary remedies and Miss McCormack quite recovered. The doator thinks she swallowed none of the poison, which he concludes was caustic soda or corrossiro sublimate. Nothing can be learned as te how the poison got into the tart, and the matter is now in the hands of the police. The tarts were of horn» manufacture. TheLandSalb Dujcmyism:—lt the Land Board, in reference to the recent sale hold by the Government auctioneer, Mr Stout moved —‘That before issuing the licenses to the purchasers in sections 1 and 3 block 11, and section 3, block 23, in Strath Taieri district, the chief Commissioner be requested to ask Mr Cargill, who acted as agent for the purchasers, the following questions : Were you directly instructed by the purchasers to bid for the land, and if not by them by whom ? (2) When were you instructed ? (3) Did they pay you or your Company the deposit, and if so when ? (1) Are you aware of any engagement of any kind between the purchasers and any other persons in reference to the land bid for. ?> It was decided after a good deal of discussion to let the motion stand over till nest week, as two members of the Board were absent. Intbbbsting to Ratepayers.—ln our last issue we stated that some complicitions had arisen through the Road Boards having accepted the assessment made for property tax purposes. Some people thought the Court of Reviewers had no power to put names on the ratepayers list, as this had been done hitherto by the Assessment Court held under the Road Board, and so they did not apply to the Court. Mr A. W. Ensor, Cluirman of the Court has telegraphed to Wellington, and received a reply to the effect tha fc the Road Boards bare power to put such names on the list as are entitled to it. Persons therefore whose names are not on the rate roll list can have them put on by making application to that effect to the Road Board.

Political Address. —Mr Montgomery, the leader of the Opposition, addressed his Akaroa constituent* on last Wednesday evening. He expressed his astonishment at Major Atkinson saying he came not to touch on party politics. It was a most unusual course for the Colonial Treasurer to go stumping about the country. He condemned the Hare system of election, becuisc it would put stump orators into Parliament and keep local men out. Ho condemned the property tax, because it was a tax on industry. He would ask whether the men who had made homes for themselves on the land and had improved its original and improved value, should pay for the deficiency on the railways which passed through unimproved lands which have risen from £2 to £ll an acre, or meet the interest of the £2 030,003 borrowed for im migration; livery immigrant raised Mu

value of land, and who should pay for i.n migration? H« hiinulc was for a tax on lands that benefitted bf the expenditure of borrowed money. He condemned the National Insurance proposal, because it would be a poll tax of a million a year. He condemned the harried way in which many Bills were passed last session, and how sup porters of Grovommont got ovarytiling clone for their districts, while opponents got nothing. He hoped it would be different next session.

Honors foe a Temuka Bot. Master Joseph Lee, son of Mr E. Lee, of this town, who had been educated at the local school until sent to college in Christchurch, is distinguishing himself. He was not long in college when he rose to the head of his class, leaving his seniors far behind him. At the last examinations he was Ho. 1 in a class of 22 boys in the following subjects : —Latin, English, Divinity, and Mathematics. This is very creditable to Master Lee.

Surprised.—Says a writer in the Christ* church Telegraph :—“ You know those little spind es made of an upright wire about eight inches long, sharp at one end and set in a base of iron. People have them on desks to put papers and letters on. The other day a gentleman who had left a silk hat on a chair chanced to see one of those spindles on a desk and put it under the hat, and the fellow who thought it would be a good joke to stroll in and, apparently by accident, sit down upon that hat and smash it, cam* to the conclusion that he had exercised fearful bad judgment.”

An Old Colonist on New Zealand.— Sir E. W. Stafford, in presiding at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, held recently in London, drew attention to the fact that accounts from the colony up to the latest moment were of a most gratifying character. The temporary depression which some two years and a-half ago existed had entirely disappeared. The operations of'the colonists and settler* in every branch of business wore being prosecuted with an amount of vigour and heartiness which had hardlv ever before obtained.

Basiifctlness of Jews—‘Why,’ asks the Globe. ‘ does a Jew marry his cousin f According to the best authorities one-tenth of all English Jews are the offspring of co*sanguineous marriages. How is this ? The Jewish Chronicle supplies us with the answer. A shy man marries his first cousin because she is the only maiden that will propose to him. The Jew is ashy man. The Jew, therefore marries his first cousin. Among English Jews, it is true, there is an additional reason. ‘ Their wealth would bring into play the motive of keeping the money in the family.’ The ' additional reason’ is, we suspect, more influential than the main one.”

Fires. —A fire at Totara Flat on March 28 burned Kennedy’s premises and outhouses with 20 tons of hay, 5 tons of chaff, a machine, 4 bales of wool, and a quantity of grass seed, harness, and farm implements. The insurance was £2OO in the New Zealand office. The total loss is estimated at £4OO. On the same night at Hokitika a fire broke out in Costello’s Hotel. Maher’s cottage, Cullen’s store and Sargeant’s house were burned. The insurances are stated to be £750 on Costello’s and £SOO on Cullen’s properties, in the Fire Insurance Association of London ; and £IOO on Maher’s in the South British. Maher had a narrow escape of being burned, as lie was asleep when the fire broke out. The fi-o i- supposed to have orginated m Costello’s billard-room.

Fkozisn Meat. —ln their annual report the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company say:—'The total cost to da f e of land, buildings, machinery, and plant, as per balance-sheet annexed, is £44,792 17s Id. Your directors are pleased to be able to report that they have succeeded in making arrangements on favorable terms for the carriage of five cargoes of frozen meat to London by the New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer#. Shipments are to be despatched from Lyttelton every alternate month, from the present time till the end of January, 1884. As provision has been made for the cool storage and preparation for export of cheese and butter, it is hoped that the shareholders will avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded for securing a regular and profitable outlet for their produce in the English market.’

TBAySFBBBiNO a Wife.— -‘LEgles” in the Australasian says ; —“ A bush correspondent once assured me of an actual case of transferring a wife, which occurred in this way. A wayfarer’on the Darling, as he plodded along approached a hut, where he discovered a man beating a woman. Then —' Wayfarer: ‘ What are you about mate?’ Benedick : ‘ Thrashing my wife. What’s that to you ?’ Wayfarer : * Nothing ; but why are you thrashing her?’ Benedick: ‘ ’Cos she’s no good.’ Wayfarer (after a little consideration) : ' Well, mate, I’ye got a bottle of grog in my swag. You can have that and £5 for the hut and the missus.’ Benedick ‘(with no hesitation) : ‘ Its a bargain ; the lot’s yours.’ The grog wa# produced and drunk ; the late proprietor rolled up and his swag and departed ; and the whilom wanderer some months later explained to an old employer how he had won the wife to whom he was duly married, and who had escaped from the bondage of a tyrant to be the companion of a man rough but reasonable.”

Broiled Alive. A horrible accident occurred on the Vandalia railroad, Indiana, a short time ago. A passenger train collided with a construction train. The latter was running tender foremost. A full supply of coal had just been taken on, and the collision throwing the tender up, the heavy weight of fuel was projected into the cab, hurling the engineer, John Cromwell, against the boiler head, and holding him immovable against the hot iron. The stop cocks were opened by the shock, and the escaping steam and almost red hot boiler burned and scalded the unfortunate man in e terrible manner. He cried for help in a piteous way, but it was impossible to extricate him. He retained consciousness for a full hour, and as his body was being literally broiled, he begged in heartrending tones for his comrades to kill him if they could not release him. The cries gradually grew fainter, and death relieved him from suffering after he had endured the tortures of a thousand deaths. The wreck was finally pulled away by another engine, and the body taken to an undertaking establishment.

Moee Immigration. — Writing under date of the Bth February, per the Brindisi Mail, the Agent General informs tha Postmaster General that the Albion Shaw Simile Co., on the previous day had chartered the fine steamer Westmeath, of 3190 tons, and 1800 indicated horse-power, and that ha had arranged to send 200 people in her to Auckland direct.

Wesleyan Soibek. —Attention is directed to a farewell soiree to the Rev Mr Fee on Tuesday next. The tea will commence at half past sixaud at eight o’clock the entertainment will commence. The first part will consist of a disquisition on * Courtship and Marriage’ by the Rev Mr Standage, of Ashburton. The subject is a well worn one in this district, but doubtless the rev gentleman will have something very good to say on the subject, if not very new. The second part will coniist of songs and readings by ladies and gentlemen of Temuka, and short addresses by a number of clergymen of various denominations. A pleasant evening may be anticipated. Joyous Festivities.— Last evening Mr Peter Coira, of the Royal Hotel, celebrated his return from his wedding tour with bis young bride with a ball, which was held in the Volunteer Hall. Admission was by invitation, and there was a very large attend ■ mice, Ram fell very heavily the most part of the day, but about dusk it came down in torrents, rendering it difficult for persons to come from a distance. The hall was decorated, and given up altogether to dancing. At the side next the Courthouse a large marquee was erected, to which access was obtained through the side door of the ball. This was used as a refreshment booth where the most appetizing delicacies were to be obtained in abundance. The ball was opened about nine o’clock, and dancing was kept up most spiritedly until early this morning, when all separated after haring spent one of the pleasantest nights of their lives. Mr P, Wareing has a warning to trespassers. The Temuka Road Boai'd invites tenders for a number of works.