The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1090, 3 April 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'Pbisco Mail.—The Temuka portion of the above mail may be expected to arrive tomorrow. Cobbection.—-In our report of St Saviour's Church concert, we inadvertently omitted Mrs Benbow's name from the list of the ladies who presided at the tables. The Timaeu Habboe.—The three Home ships lying at the outer anchorage in Timaru, •were, on Saturday, ordered to sea. The vessels laying inside the breakwater, eight in number, were snug enough. Temuka Road Boabd.—The monthly meeting of this Board will take place to-day. Intending contractors for works for the Board are reminded that tenders must be in before 10 o'clook this morning. Wksleyan Soiree. Our readers are again reminded of the valedictory soiree to be given to the Eev Mr Fee this evening in the Volunteer Hall. Tea will be on tho tables at 6.30, and the entertainment will commtneo at 8. Revenue and Bxpenditube.—The own correspondent of the Press writing from Wellington on Saturday last, says .—lt will be some days before the results will be known of the operations during the financial year which terminated to-day, and it is not improbable that the disclosure of these may be withheld till the Treasurer bring* down his financial statement in Parliament. I hear> however, that from the way the Customs have come in this month there is no doubt that the Treasurer's estimate of £1,500,000 will be fully reached if not slightly eiceeded. The whole gross receipts on railways will come very close to the estimate, as al&> wi/1 tht beer duty and several other item* The stamps and property tax are ahead ef the estimates. The e?penditure accounts will also, I understand be found satisfactory, except as regards Ac working railways, in which there is a ''arge increase. There is likely again to b> a substantial surplus,

"Winches-tee Fair.—Farmers and others are reminded that the above Fair takes place to-morrow. ( .

Assessment Court. —An adjourned ing of the Court of Reviewers for the Temuka Geraldine, Mount Cook, Levels and Timaru districts, will be held in the Courthouse t\>day. i

The Christchrrch Freethought Ly ceum.—At the City Assessment Court on Friday, before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M., it was decided that the Freethought Hall could not be regarded as a place of worship, and it was therefore liaablo to be rated.

The Education Question.—At Dunedin on Saturday after Mass, Bishop Moran was presented by Mr F. W, Petre, a native of Wellington, with the address from the Catholics of Wellington promising him support in his efforts in the cause of education. He replied urging his flock to continue their efforts to secure justice, and assuring them that constant agitation would not fail m achieving the desired results. The Weather.—After a spell of a few days fine weather, it again commenced to rain last Thursday, at about 5 p.m. It continued with a few intermissions up to Saturday morning, and then rained very heavily all the day. The rivers were somewhat swollen. At Oamaru, Waimate, Fairlie Creek, Chrislchurch and Ashburton the weather has been much the same as it has been here. Sunday night was showery. Threshing operations are of course at a standstill, and all stacks not properly thatched must have suffered considerably.

The Land Question.—A meeting of the Otago School Commissioners, was held on Friday to consider a letter from the Unde r Secretary of Lands regarding the Educational Reserves at Wyndham. The Commißsioner 8 had applied for power to sell certain reserves, as they found the land could not be leased on satisfactory terms. The reply was, "The Q-overnment cannot assent to offer the land on immediate and deferred payments as desired by Commissioners until a fair opportunity is given of realising the intentions of the legislature in respect of creating a leasehold estate."

The LoNcmuusT Cask.—A deputation waited on his EKellency tho Governor at Wellington, on Friday, and presented a petition for the release of the prisoner Longhursfc. AmonK those present were Messrs C. John* son and W. Hutchison, M.H.E.'s, His Worship Ihe Mayor and several well-known citizens. Tho Hons. Dick and Eolleston entered the room with His Excellency, and several members of tho deputation addressed His Excellency, stating that such doubt had been thrown on the prisoner's guilt that Providence or mercy should step in. The Governor rep'ied at length, alluding to the efforts that had previously been made to effect tho prisoner's release, and itating that most of the matter contained in the petition had been before him previously, but said that any new matter contained therein would be carefully considered. Spiteful.—A very good example of the reason why one should never push a man when lie is going down hill is given in a recent exchange:— At Dubuque (la)., on December 15th. W. Erling, a young man, met with a shocking mutilation at the hands of a barber named Myers. Beth are young men and enamored of the same lady. Erling, it seems, was the favored one, and while being shaved chaffed his less successful rival. The latter, maddened by jealousy, suddenly drew his razor across Erling's nose, completely severing it from his face, at the same time exclaiming "—— you, I'll spoil your mashing !" Erling ran yelling from the shop and made his way to the police hospital. The infuriated barber picked Ihe severed nose from the floor amd threw it in the street and then fled. The police surgeon thinks Erling's nose may be fixed nearly as good as before if the severed piece can be found.

Stranding of a Schooner at Oamaru.— Dunug Saturday the heaviest seas that havs been experienced for years swept in the Oamaru bay and broke over the breakwater. On Saturday evening, as the schooner Friendship, which had come up from Port Chalmers, was attempting to come in under shelter of the breakwater, a heavy sea struck the vessel and smashed the wheel. Signals of distress were hoisted by the captain and both anchors let go. The crew had, for safety, to take shelter below, as every wave was breaking over the vessel and sweeping her decks. The seas increased and the vessel gradually dragged ashore. About 8 o'clock, the captain finding the schooner near the shore, slipped the anchors and came ashore. The vessel being in ballast was thrown pretty high up on the beach. The crew were, with assistance, brought ashore safely. The vessel was insured, and will probably be relaunched.

The Salvation Abmt in New Zealand. —The Salvation Army opened warfare in Danedin on Sunday at their " Barracks" in the Temperance Hall. Their day services ' only attracted small audiences, probably owing to the bad weather. Prior to the service in the hall th«y met m the centre of the town and did some singing, which the Captain accompanied wiih a concertina and some exhorting. The'e are three of the army, Captain Pollard and Lieutenant Burford and wife. Ttey have uniforms with brass buttons, colUrs adorned with the letter S., badges on tf»eir bosoms, and caps with bands, which lave " The Salvation Army" prin'ed on th»m. They are uneducated, and •peak very common-place language. Lieutenant Ito'ford said he had been a costermonger A the east end of London. They each pok part in the indoor services, singing, prp/ing and exhorting in turn. They come without money, and have engaged the Temperance Hall for three years at £3OO a year, trusting in the Lord's goodness to pay for it. Their mission is *o reach the degraded, the drunken and the fallen, and they will go to their homes and haunts and lure them out to services with singing and bands of music, From Dunedin they will send out officers, as these are enrolled, to the other cities of the colony.

Ram Fair.—The annual Ram Fair in connection with the T. and G- A. and P. Association, will take place at Winchester Fair Yards to morrow. Entries can be made with Mr W. Willi, Temuka, or Mr Henry Smith, Winchester.

The Japanese.—The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times mentions it as a noteworthy fact that not a single case of drunkenness or disorderliness of any kind whatever occurred among the crew during the visit of the Japanese ship Rinjio, and with scarcely half a-dozen exceptions, the crew have not been inside a public houße, but have spent their money in fruit, New Zealand curiosities, and useful articles, whenever they came ashore.

Didn't Understand Him.—A young husband, desirous of provoking a chance to pay a compliment to his young wife, and of receiving an assurance of affection, says, with an aspect of surprise—' My dear. I heard a very remarkable thing to-day—What's-his» name told me that he had been looking into the matter very closely, and had discovered that there was only one married woman on this street, who wasn't a flirt and really loved her dear hubby better than any other man in the world.' The wife, after mature reflection, ' I wonder now who can that be ? I thought I knew everybody on the street.'

An Extremely Practical Joke.—lt is t, curious thing (says the Auckland correspondent of the Waikato Times), that manypeople who are fond of plajing practical jokes on others object strongly to having practical jokes played on themselves. Some time ago there was a commercial traveller here, who was very fond of indulging in that sort of amusement. One form of joke for which he had a decided penchant was pre* tendiug to be deaf and dumb. One day he went into an hotel with * friend, who told the barmaid that he was a deaf mute. She expressed surprise, saying that he did not look much like it. " I will prove it to you," said his friend, He picked up a heavy weight which happened to be on the counter, remarking, " I am going to drop this weight on his toe, Of course, if he can hear what I am saying, he will move his foot, but, as he cannot hear me, he will not do so." The deaf mute made not the slightest sign of having heard the remark, until the weight was dropped on his toe. Then he called out, " Confound it, you did not need to hit me so hard." His friend quietly remarked to the barmaid, " That is the most miraculous cure of dumbness that I have ever known."

Immigbant's on the Way. -The AgentGeneral writes that the ship Eangitikei was despatched on 31st January from Plymouth for Auckland. She has 99 souls, equal to 94£ adults, including 58 single women, for Hawke's Bay, and 174 souls, equal to 173

adults, including 89 single women for Auckland. On the 3lßt January also the ship Oxford left Plymouth for Wellington with 28 souls, equal to 24 adults, for Nelson; 16 souls, equal to 15 adults, for Man borough ; 8 souls, equal to 7& adults, for Taranaki; 12 souls, equal to 12 adults, for Westland j and 248 souls, equal to 115 i adults, for Wellington j the total being 302 souls, equal to 173 adults, including 145 single women. He states that 230 emigrants are now at Plymouth ready t L > embark by the Waipa for Canterbury, but the vessel was delayed on her trip down the Channel by adverse weather. The Oxford and Eangitikei wer», after embarking emigrants, both delayed by stress of weather. Ho mentions that the ship Wild Deer has entirely broken up. A large quantity of luggage which was on board was unfortunately lost, and a number of nominated emigrants are waiting for passages to various parts of the colony, and he states that he will despatch these in March, but after that date will discontinue to send any emigrants until June.

Troubles in Court.— There was a itiff altercation between bis Worship the Kesidenfc Magistrate and Mr Hamersley in the Court yesterday. The usual rule adopted in courti of justice is to dispose of the criminal business first and then hear the civil cases. Our illustrious Magistrate Ims no great regard for rules except the rule of thumb, and so instead of following the usual course, he took some civil cases first, then criminal business, then civil business again and mixed them up iu that beautifully confusing way so characteristic of him. Amongst the first disposed of was one in which Mr Hamersley was engaged, but as he arrived about 15 minute* late, lie found judgment had been given against him. If the usual rule had been followed, Mr Hamersley would have arrived in time to defend h's case, and so he asked for a re-hcaring. . We have seen magistrates granting a rehearing under similar circumstances, but Mr Beswick is one of those who will exact punctuality from every one except himself, and so he would not re-hear it. Dr Foster, who was for the other side, and had secured for his client a verdict, was determined to stick to that, and declined to consent to a re-hearing, and Mr Hamersley insisted on getting it. .The morning was cold, and of course Irs Worship did not see the force of being kept longer than lie could help it on the Bench, so when Mr Hamersley was arguing as to the re-hearing, Mr Beswiok told him his decision had been given. Mr Hamersley urged that an injustice had been done to his client, Mr Beswick denied that; Mr Hamersley had shown no reasonable excuse for not having been present at the proper time. Mr Hamersley said he had been detained through the bridge being slippery. Mr Beswick did not think that a sufficient reason. Mr Hamersley then asked him to read the evidence on which judgment had been given. Mr Beswick refused to do so, and at this point the altercation became pretty warm. Both gentlemen.were talking at the same time, neither of them giving time to the other to get a word in edgeways, til Mr Beswick again said he had given his decision and he would stick to it, when Mr Hamersley sat down, saying, at the same time, that it was the greatest discourtesy ever shown him in his life. We offer no opinion as to whether the Magistrate is right

or wrong in this case, bub we certainly say he was wrong in the case which immediately followed. Mr Evans Chapman, of Waitohi, bad summoned someone, and when the case wa9 called Mr Chapman was not present. The Magistrate ordered the case to be struck out, but no sooner had he uttered these words than Mr Chapman entered the Court, and he was told ths case could not be heard as he bad not been present whon called. Now this is as arbitrary a piece of business as ever we heard of. Mr Chapman was certainly not one minute behind time, the next case had not been called on, and if the Magistrate had any regard for the convenience of the people he would bare heard it. How long will the people put up with him?

Couet News —Owing to the District Court sitting in Timaru to-day, the R.M. Court there will be adjourned until the 10th inst. *

Mr J. Austin wants tenders for 60 chains fencing. Mr C. Nicholson notifies that trespassers on his property will be prosecuted. Messrs R. Wilkin and Co will hold a sale of jewellery in Timaru on Thursday morning next.

Mr J. M. Ollivier advertises for an overcoat taken by mistake from the Volunteer Hall last Friday night. Messrs Maclean and Stewarfc will hold a. ■ale of horses on Saturday next, at their Timaru Horse Bazaar. At the sa»io tims and place, they will sell a gig, horse and harness. Full particulars in reference to the sale of farms, stock, otc, of Mr Alex. Copeland, of Otaio,, are now published. The Bale is a most important one, and the land and i stock is of the best quality.