The Temuka Leader THURSDAY. MAY 3, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1100, 3 May 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY. MAY 3, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Extradition or Fenians —Earl Granville has made a formal demand upon the French Government for the extradition of those Fenians who have fled to that country for protection. Annual Licensing Meeting. The annual licensing meeting of the Licensing Commissioners for the Temuka district will take place on Tuesday, the sth June next, in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Temuka. Impartiality.— An Impartial Committee of Irish, Scotch and English members of Parliament was hold in London to form a political connection in regard to Irish reform, wi-li which the Parnollitcs arc quite contented. The San Francisco Mail —The Southern portion of the inward San Francisco mail left Manakau by steamer last Tuesday afternoon, and was expected to arrive at Wellington last night. Should nothing unforseen occur, the mail for Temuka should arrive at its destination by the express train to-morrow. In Clover. —The Acclimatisation Society have resolved to ask the New Zealand Shipping Company to co-operate in the importation of humble bees as fertilisers of red clover, the refrigerating chambers making it easy to import impregnated females. Whatever ideas bees may have on the subject of being “in clover,” they will hardly relish that of being left out in the cold. Annexation op New Guinea. The Italians, it would appear, bad some idea of annexing New Guinea, bub now that its annexation by the British Crown is a fait accompli, they bemoan their own apathy and criticise British enterprise. They allege that the British have been stimulated by the researches made by Italians in Now Guinea to extend their system of colonisation, and they condemn the Italian Ministry in neglecting to secure such a desirable addition of territory. The Israelites Eclipsed.— A process by which planks can be manufactured from straw has been developed in America, and in Chicago a building six storeys high, and occupying an entire block, is being erected for the new industry. The board is manufactured by converting straw pulp into thin paper-like sheets, which are passed through a bath containing certain chemicals in solution. They are then subjected to enormous pressure, and finally to a thorough drying process. If this be a fact, the manufacture of bricks from straw was not such a moral impossibility, after all.

Animal Magnetism,—Mr Milner Stephen is nob without his imitators. Two magnetic healers now advertise themselves in Dunedin In Mbmoeiam.—A monument has been erected in Westminster Abbey to the memory of the late Lord Beaconsfield. It was un veiled in the presence of a large and distinguished company.

Zulu Raids,—Affairs in the Transvaal are in a most critical condition owing to the constant raids made upon the territory bv Zulus. Desperate (fighting has taken place between the two parties, and they are still engaged in active hostilities.

A Ghastly Joke. —The latest joke about King Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands is that he cannot help being a good man. The reason assigned is that his ancestors ate so much missionary in their time that it worked into their system and wag transmitted to their descendants. Missionaries who are eaten are, after all, not wasted, it would appear.

Cum Grand Salis.—A Homo telegram states that the nobility of England, following the example of the Queen, have resolved to abstain from lamb as an article of daily food. This step has been taken with a view to increasing the supply of mutton, and bring it within the means of the poorer classes. It would appear from this that lambs were in season all the year round in England! Killed bt Tobacco.—The Argus of 6tb April says : —Last night a farmer named Joseph Gardiner, residing at Newbridge road, Marong, fell whilst smoking from a chair on which he was sitting, and expired. An inquest was held to-day. at which evidence was given that he w'as addicted to tobacco smoking, and that after smoking he would become faint and exhausted. The medical testimony was to the effect that the cause of death was syncepc, induced by the excessive use of tobacco.

Thh Saltation Abmt— The Magistrate’s Court appears to be the natural medium for advertising the Salvation Army, wheresoever these religious warriors take up their quarters* Two cases recently came before the Dunedin Bench. In one instance two men were arrested and punished for intending to disturb the proceedings at the Temperance Hall. The other was that of a subject who had been converted, and got drunk immediately after the completion of the service. Probably the Salvationist recruit was an old soldier!

The Auckland Canal. Sir William Jervois does not consider the Waitemata M tuukau Canal, proposed to be cut through the Auckland Isthmus, a work of pressing necessity or essential to the prosperity of the city. His Excellency visited Whau and Tamaki creeks at points where they approach Mauukau harbor, but has not arrived at any determination as to which would be the best route for the Canal. Ho does not think the construction of a canal will be of sufficient importance at present, to warrant the expenditure of a, large amount on the work.

Waimka Plains Railway.— A largely attended meeting was held at Eiversdale last week, to consider the excessive tariff on the Waimea Plains Railway. It was pointed out that the present tariff was unreasonably burdensome on the neighboring KeU.le'-s. nnd that the Company’s rates compared very unfavorably witli those charged on Government lines. It was owing to the railway line which traversed the plains that settlers had been induced to take up land at enhanced rates, and if they wore now compelled to pay exorbitant prices for the conveyance of their produce, there would be no alternative but to leave the district as soon as possible. It was resolved—“ That the Government be petitioned te interfere ira the matter and to take over the management of the lino, and since they had been instrumental in locating settlers on the land, it was incumbent on them to watch over the interests of those whom they had induced to come there.”

Revolutionary. Herr Most, of the Freibeit, has been treating the Americans to a taste of his quality; but, unfortunately for him, his ravings are not likely to lead to the desired goal —namely, prosecution. At a public meeting at Chicago, he thus delivered himself “ The entire world was conducted on false doctrines, and m detriment to the interests of the graat mass of people. Therefore everything now in governmental existence must he destroyed. The people are now ready, and when they did begin the work there must be no lukewarmness, no hesitation or backwardness or faltering. They must kill. They must kill everyone now ruling over the people in this country (America) as well as in Europe. It was a question simply of who was to get killed, and the people must provide against the contingency. The necessity of money should not be overlooked. That would be easy to get. Every bank in Europe and America should be gutted. There must be no forgiveness, nothing but cold, implacable, inexorable and certain death.”

The Vagabond.— The Mataura Ensign has the followingMr Julian Thomas, better known to newspaper readers by his uom de plume of “ The Vagabond,” delivered a lecture entitled “ Behind the Scenes,” at Sloan’s Theatre, Invercargill, on Tuesday evening. The lecturer dealt with a number of subjects—journalists, lecturers and actors he had met ; his own experience as a pressman and a lecturer; the Chinese question, the Salvation Army, and Sir Arthur Gordon, late Governor of New Zealand, any one of which subjects would have furnished material for a distinct lecture. He took occasion to refer to the press of Australia and New Zealand in very flattering terms, saying that nowhere in the world was purer literature furnished to readers of the papers. The Salvation Amy and its officers came in for some very hard knocks, the lecturer stating that ho had carefully watched their operations for two years in Adelaide, and although anxious to find some good in the movement, he was unable to do so. Mr Thomas was' well received by a very fair audience, and though not as brilliant a speaker as ho is a writer, was attentively listened to.

Temuka Road Board. The ordinary meeting rf the Temuka Road Board, which was to hare been held last Tuesday, was postponed, owing to the inclemency of the wea'her. The meeting will, wo believe, be held next Tuesday.

Geraldine Road Board.— The annual meeting of ratepayers of the above road district, which was to have been held yesterday, lapsed, for the want of a sufficient number of ratepayers to form a quorum being present. This, no doubt, was owing to the weather. The meeting will take place next Monday.

Pro Bono Publico. —It will doubtless be gratifying to publicans to learn that it has been recently decided in a Magistrate’s Court, that they are at liberty to supply liquor to their lodgers and lodgers* guests at all times without being amenable to liquor statutes to the contrary. Heirlooms, The latest craze among English ladies is a “ hair album ”of gentlemen’s hair. It is no particular compliment if a young lady in these days asks you for a lock of your hair. If you grant the request the lock will be tied with a blue ribbon and go* into the “ hair album ” along with the hair of a crowd of other fellows. Over it will be written your name, age, color of your eyes, date of receiving the lock, and general remarks as to personal appearance, &c., which may or may not be complimen'ary, as the album is never to seen by other than feminine eyes.

A New Zealand Eldorado.— About a week ago (says the Morning Herald) when an excavation was being made for the purpose of laying a main-pipe up Earn street, Kaseby, several persons washed out prospects from the wash-dirt thrown up opposite the County Council Offices. One prospect, says the local paper, washed from two shovelfuls of dirt, taken about a foot from toe surface of the road, was a very rich one, and weighed about a quarter of a grain. Basing their assertion upon this fact, several gentlemen’ stated that with the assistance of that primitive appliance the cradle, a miner could make at least his ounce of gold per day. Speaking literally, then, a portion of the town of Naseby is built on gold.

Generosity Recognised. —lt is well known, says the Rangitikei Advocate, that while Sydney Taiwhanga and his two compatriots were in London ostensibly ©n the petition business, but in reality enjoying themselves, their funds soon ran out. In this dilemma they were gelling quite disheartened, until a lady kindly placed £IOO at their disposal. At the recent native meeting at Wanganui, the repayment of this loan cropped up, but after a good deal of t ilk it was ‘believed the lady would be insulted by a repayment of the money; it was therefore resolved to send her a large box of Maori curios, with which, it was thought, she “ would be better pleased.” Truly there is no accounting for tas‘e. Mysterious Assassination- —An attempt (somewhat mysterious) to assassinate Lady Florence Dixie was made at Windsor a short time since bv two men disguised in women’s clothes. According to her Ladyship’s account she was attacked while walking in a secluded part of the woods, and on seeing the daggers of her would-be assassins, fell into a swoon, and attributes the saving of her life to her St Bernard dog. The affair has puzzled everyone, and the story is regarded as a pure fabrication, as Lady Dixie became bewildered about it herself, and it is generally believed she is somewhat non compos mentis at times. Lady Dixie, it, will be remembered, made some charges against the administration of the Laud League’s funds, and hence the supposed attempt at assassination, which only obtains partial credence from her ladyship’s friends, while it is entirely distrusted by the general public.

High Falutin.—A writer in the Sydney Echo, of April 6th, gives his opinion of New Zealand, its people, its patriots and its Press jn the following modestly expressed paragraph It is peopled by an industrious, an intelligent, a law-abiding population : and it has been governed by wise, prudent, inoor.ruptible public men. The result of all these circumstances is not difficult to predict. Already there strikes on the tympanum of the prophetic ear the sound of the footsteps of that marching phalanx which in the near future is going to precipitate the country into a nation (to use the phrase of one of its public men). The evidences of its future greatness are becoming more and more conclusive every day, and I hope I shall not be charged with speaking in the language of exaggeration when I say that this remarkable country, peopled by thrifty, energetic, intelligent colonists, ruled by able, patriotic, public men, influenced by a free and high toned Press, unsurpassed for its commercial posi tion, unrivalled in its natural beauties, rich in its varied treasures of wealth, must become rich in all the truest and highest elements of national greatness ; and when the proudes fc dynasties of to-day shall have crumbled to the dust; when the vigorous life and splendid refinement of this nineteenth century shall give place to a higher culture and a purer morality, the student of history poring over its pages will find there recorded in letters of hying fire, how that, under the peerless glory of the Southern Cross, the muse of New Zealand sprang from its circumambient seas, like Minerva full panoplied from tho brain of Jove, to listen to the bursting clarion of an exalted community, and to gaze with rapture on the sweeping chivalry of an ennobled nation.

Mr John Lawson, poundkeeper, Temuka, notifies the impounding of a bay hack gelding. Mr K. F. Gray, on Saturday next, on the farm recently occupied by Mr 0. Campbell, Waitold, will sell stacks of wheat, oats, hay and one acre of potatoes. Messrs Maclean and Stewart have postponed their sale of stock and plant on the farm of Messrs M. and P. Kippenberger, about two miles from the Washdyke. Mr T. Talbot notifies that at the next meeting of the Geraldine County Council, lie will apply for a license to s slaughter cattle on R.S. .13,689, in the Rangitira Talley,

THE STORM’ AND FLOODS. This district has been visited by the most violent storm that that interesting atom of our social economy—the oldest inhabitant —recollects witnessing. It commenced to rain very hard early on Saturday morning, and continued all day on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday wilhout scarcely ever stopping for the duration ot ten minutes. This district appears to have been specially favored, or rather, marked out, by that erratic functionary the Clerk of the Weather for more than its fair share of the contents of the vials of bis wrath. Passengers who arrived frtm Christchurch on Monday evening say thatihe weather was extremely fine at about two o’clock, or when they left there, and a gentleman who came out from Timaru on Tuesday evening stated that it had been dry all the day in that town. The experience of the district between the Opihi and Rangitata was different. It rained heavier on Tuasday than on any of the previous days, and the floods rose to a height in the town of Temuka that made people fear the result would be disastrous. In our last issue we stated that the water had reached the back doors of all the houses on the river side of the main street by six o’clock on Monday evening. After that hour it began to recede, and by eleven o’clock it had fallen two feet. The rain, however continued to pour down in torrents all night, and when people got up on the following morning they found a much higher flood than they_ had witnessed on the previous evening. All the land between the main street and the river was one sheet of water, with the tops of gorse fences and flax bushes here and there breaking the monotony of the view. The flood was up to the back door of the Temuka Hotel; it was within a foot of flowing out ou the street at Essery’s buildings ; about six inches would have brought it right int Siegert and FauvelTs, front shop, an at the Postoffice it came right down th street and surrounded altogether M Ollivier’s Auction Rooms. It continue to rise slowly till about noon, when there was a good strong rush of water down the channel in front of the Postoffice. The street between Mr Ollivier’s Auction Rooms and the Postoffice was one unbroken sheet of water. Besides the flood the surface water bad backed up in several places along the street. It lodged in front of Mr J. Brown’s store to such an extent that it was nearly flowing in the doors, and in front of Craig’s forge it was several feet dee£» Early in the forenoon Constable Burke, to whom great credit is doe for the activity which be displayed in looking after things through the town, went with some others to assist Mr Davis and family out of their house. Mr Davis house is situated dotvn in the flax between the town and river, and was completely hemmed in. the water having risen considerably over the level of the floor of it. The family, however, were all brought out safely on horseback, but it is supposed the furniture will be much damaged. Business was to a certain extent suspended in the town, and there was a considerable number of men about the streets all day. The water rose about 2ft in M Roddick’s house, and the family had to' clear out of it on Monday evening. _ A tremendous rush of water poured into Mr Lee’s store on Monday afternoon, and soon it was surrounded. Anticipating the arrival of the unwelcome visitor, provisions were made for it, and the most of the goods were piled out of harm’s way. The water waa soon 3ft high in the shop, but the damage, comparatively speaking, is small. At five o’clock on Monday evening the family was removed in a dray to a house in the backyard, to which the water did not reach. A deep channel has been scoured out in front of the store ; the gate leading into the backyard, and the two gales leading into Mr Franks’s brewery were swept * clean off the hinges, and taken away. The road between the Star Hotel and the bridge is pretty well scoured, but tki; Temuka bridge has apparently sustained no injury. There is a deep hole cut into the road at the approach to the. old part of the Opihi bridge, and the new part of it appears to have been pretty well shaken. The Road Board would do well to look tc it at once. The Epw orth Flat was all under water as well! as George Town and, the road between Lee’s slaughter yaid and McCallura’s place has sustained some damage. All the creeks in -the tohi district deluged the land in their vicinity and a good deal of damage is done to fences and other things along the flat. The Waitohi road has also been scoured in some places and will require repairing. About ten chains of the Kakahu and Winchester road has been seriously damaged near Mr Hay’s and Mr Ensor’s places, and it is very probable that more damage has been done in that district which lias not yet been ascertained as the streams were very high. The rain fell as continuously in Geraldine as elsewhere, and rose the river till it was flowing from bank to bank. All the small creeks and water courses became fierce, fast-rushing torrents, and some considerable damage was done. A portion of the small bridge opposite the Geraldine Hotel, and leading to Kennedy’s torge was broken away. Dobbie’s wool-scouring appliances on Bobbie’s Creek were washed away, and the loss is estimated at £Bl’, A good deal of the Gwaldine Flat ..about Mr Kelman’s place was under water, and some stacks iu paddocks hare had the water three or four feet high around

them. All the land lying between the Winchester stockyards, and above Mr Deßenzie’s house was one sheet of water, and a good deal of the ro&d there, as well as the fences, has been damaged. The Orari village settlement was tor the most part inundated, and some of the residents were in danger on Tuesday, when Mr Jas.Paterson,Mr H. E.Smith and some others went to their assistance with horses and drays, and brought seven families of them away down to Winchester. The river came out through a creek near Mr 0. P, McCallum’s house, and flooded the road from Patersou’s to Mr iTawke’s. The road is scoured there. The paddocks adjoining Mr Budd’s residence were under water, and it was with a good deal of difficulty that he was able to save some of his sheep. Yesterday afternoon men were busy picking up posts and rails out of the river bed near Mr Young’s .stockyards, and it would appear that there was a consideiable quantity of them to be got there. This indicates that fencing has sustained some damage.

What was most dreaded in Temuka was a flood from the Orari like that which visited it in 1868, On Tuesday evening news reached Temuka that the Orari had broken loose and was on its way down, and this made people dread the coming night. The Orari, however, had in fact come down before that time, and it was no doubt its waters rose the flood in Temuka on Tuesday morning. It had sent its flood down the Waihi during Monday night, and it was this which rose the water to such a height in the village settlement and on the surrounding plains. Residents of the Orari say that the river was higher than at the time of the 1868 flood. It broke its embankment below Mr Ashley’s farm, and poured its torrents down Cooper’s Creek, from which it flowed on to Mr Fitzgerald’s farm, which it almost entirely covered. Mr Wadsworth’s farm was also covered with water, and some men who were camped in the old mud house there had a narrow escape from drowning. They were awakened in the night by a flood of water rushing into their bunks, and it was with ho small amount of difficulty that they were able to reach the new house which they were building for Mr Wadsworth, and in which they took refuge for the rest of the night. They found this uo very genial quarters, the wind and rain poured in through the open windows; they had no fire, and they were drenched.

The railway bridge over Cooper's Creek has been seriously -damaged. The scour loosened the concrete abutments on botb sides, and the approach at the north side has hern crrried away so that the mils and sleepers are hanging. The bridge is so shaky that a foot passenger experiences n. difficulty in crossing it. Mr Fitzgerald was just after thrashing, and if. is probable that some of bis grain will suffer. He was yesterday cutting drains to lef the water go away from his land. The chimney of his house has been washed away, and a large number of fowls have been swept frem Mr 'Wadsworth's farm, as well as his fences being damaged. What probably lessened the flow of the Orari water to Temuka was that it took into its bead to make a short cut for the sea, and with this laudable object in view it swept down the plains by Mr R. A. Barker’s and Mr Gladstone’s farms and through theOhapi creek. A great defcl of the country down in that direction was flooded. Some families living the banks of the river had a narrow escape There were two families living in Wadsworth’s old Accommodation House, and at one time they were in great danger. The water was four or five feet inside the house while the river within a few f ,j et of it was running mountains high. There were two other families living a little further down, and only for the timely aid that was rendered to them by Mr Colly who sent two horses and his dray to their assistance their condition might have been seiious. Mr Colly’s dray and some men brought the families of Messrs Wadsworth junr., Bowket, Austin, and Henderson to the Orari Hotel, a distance of nearly half a mile, and here they were right hospitably accommodated by the kind-hearted landlady, Mrs Breadly, whose husband was absent from home. As it was feared that these houses would have been washed away as much of the furniture as was found easy of carriage was brought over also, and the families settled down as comfortably as they could in some of tho houses attached to the hotel. The removal and the rain must undoubtedly haVe damaged their furniture. A stream of water was running down along the road and was within an inch or two of flowing into the front door of the Orari Hotel. Water was a foot deep in the back yard, and the paddocks at the back of it were completely covered to such an extent that it wrs found necessary to bring the sheep into the - stables.! So far as we can ascertain most of the land, from there down to the beach was completely submerged but no serious damage has been sustained, We have heard also that Mr F. W Badhara attempted to cross the Orari last Tuesday evening on horseback, that he was was washed off the horse on to the bank, and that it was with some difficulty he made his way to Mr Bissett’s house. What became of the horse has not transpired, but when Mr Badham last saw it, it was being rolled about in the stream. There was very little water in the Rangitata, and the bridge has sustained no injury. The railway is, however, damaged at the Hinds, Winslow, Rakaia and at Cooper’s Creek, about two miles at the other side of Orari station. In consequence of this, all the mails from this side were still at Orari last evening, and the mails from Christchurch had not come since last Tuesday morning. Every effort to repair the damage has been made, and it is expected that through communication will be effected to-day. Amongst those who risked a good deal to perform their duty was Mr Daniel Mcllraith, who ou last Tuesday drove the coach to Orari,, and brought down the mails. It was a rather serious undertaking, as the rivers were very high. lu Canterbury especially, the effects of the storm have been more severely felt

than in any other parts of the colony. OK’ing to the damage done to the railway, traffic has been more or less interrupted, and the trains leaving Christchurch and Dunedin have been able to proceed but a comparatively short distance on their respective journeys. Great credit is, however, due to the railway authorities for the strenuous efforts they have made in re-establishing communication, and in forwarding passengers and mails across the interruptions with as much dispatch as possible. The principal damage to the railway lines may be shortly summed up as follows The Waipara river in North Canterbury is in heavy flood, and some injury has been done by it to the line. The river Selwvn is also in flood, and has caused some slight scouring. A broach has been made in th# lino between Rakaia and Chertsey, The water is over the rails at Tinwald. The HinrN river is very high, and the yards at Hinds railway station was flooded last Tuesday afternoon. Two bridges about three miles apart have been washed away between South Rangitata and Orari. Some of tbe formation lias been washed away at some little distance from the north and smith approaches to the Pareora bridge. Near Otaio a small viaduct has beeu damaged, and another on each side of Studbolrae Junction. On the Albury line several small bridges have been washed away and some damage done to embankments. Gangs of men are being sent out everywhere to repair the damage done to the lines, but until the water subsides they can do but little. Besides the damage done to tbe railway lines, all the towns and townships along the East coast have suffered more or less, nor have the settlers in these districts escaped the inundation. At Timaru, nil the low-lying parts of the town were completely flooded, and the water was rushing down tbe streets in roaring torrents. Consideiable damage was done to gardens, and at Saltwater Creek the water rose so high that the Chinamen’s gardens were flooded ; and the lagoon extended until it rose almost level with the bridge and encroached on the road in front of the Spoitman’s Arms Hotel, In the southern districts considerable damage has been done to property. The rivers and creeks about Wairaate are higher than they have ever been for the past fifteen years, and in consequence the adjoining land is completely flooded. From indications left by the flood of 1868, tt appears the present rise in the Wairaate Gorge creek, near Mr Studholme’s homestead, is fully as high as it was in that year. The accounts received from other parts of the colouy all confirm the severity of the storm. The Ashburton and Hinds are very full, and fears are entertained of (lie safety of the bridge over the latter. The Rangitata is not in heavy flood, and the bridges over that river are pretty secure. The bridge over the Selwyn is reported to be in danger, so that communication both north and sou'h may be into- vipted. At Oamaru the rainfall does not an • ' 1 ’ ave been very heavy, and, exce| v a little interruption on the railway line, uo damage is reported. The weather at Dunedin, too, has been nothing unusual, the rainfall not b»ing at all heavy ; so ihat the Otago district has enjoyed comparative' immunity from the storm. Until about II o’clock yesterday the rain fall, but not so heavily as on the previous days. It then up, and gave place to sickly dismal sunshine, with occasional showers. As' we write the weather continues unsettled, and though the storm has evidently passed there is every appearance of more rain. This is the heaviest fall of rain we have had in this district for years.