LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1102, 8 May 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Road Boakd.— Tlie adjourned monthly meeting of this Board takes place today. Stock Sahs.-Tlm Auckland auctioneers at the request of 300 farmers, have agreed to give the American system of selling stock at per lb live weight a fair trial. Number One, - -Tho proverbial luck in odd numbers apparently favors the individual who has assumed “Number One” for his sobriquet, as no clue to his identity has yet been obtained.

South Pacific Oil Company.—The boring at the South Pacific Company has reached the oil-bearing stratum, and there is every prospect of a profitable yield.

Harbor Defence. —A resolution authorising their ehairman to urge upon the Government the necessity of at once putting in hand the work of the port defences, has been passed by the Lyttleton Harbor Board. Jetty foe 'Ocean Steamers.—A jetty especially devoted to the accommodation of ocean steamers is to be erected at Lyttleton. The Harbor Board’s Engineer has prepared plans for the structure, the site of which, however, has not yet been definitely fixed on.

The Auckland Claimant. Private letters by the mail state that Lovegrovo, the Waikato claimant to the Derwentwater estates, has been recognised by his mother, though he had been absent twenty six years. Stack Eire. —A stack of wheat containing 650 bushels, belonging to Mr Kepple, of Tuapeka Elat, Otago, was burnt last Thursday night. It was insured in the United Office for £IOO. The origin of the fire is not known.

A Juvenile Miscreant.—A girl thirteen years of age was brought up at the Auckland Police Court on three charges of beating children, and stripping them of their clothing. The Magistrate ordered her father to enter into recognisances of £25 for the girl to come up for judgment when called upon.

Intercolonial Postal Conference.— The Melbourne and Sydney Chambers ef Commerce have united in urging the Postal Conference at Sydney, to reduce the rates on intercolonial telegrams ; and it is probable that the postal charges and the rates on cablegrams to England will also be taken into consideration. Discovery of a Dynamite Factory.— Perhaps the most important Fenian Dynamite Factory yet discovered, is the one recently unearthed in Birmingham on the premises occupied by an Insh-American, who professed to carry on the business of a paperhanger. A considerable quantity of nitro-glycerine and other explosives were found in the den, which is supposed to be the most important dep6t of all infernal contrivances in the Kingdom.

Suicide.—At the inquest on the body of John Wyllie, whs was found dead in a woolshed on Belmont Station, the jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide while temporarily insane, A letter found in his possession showed that he intended to shoot himself, as he had lately heard a complaint that people had a down on him on account of the part he was supposed to have taken in the death of William Cairn, who was found dead under similar circumstances near the same place, some months since. Lakbikxnism. —The Eaglehawk correspondent of a Melbourne paper describes an occurrence which is simply startling. He says' The usally quiet townshiy of Keywood was thrown into a state of excitement the other night by the conduct of about half a dozen larrikins towards two well known residents, a minister of religion and a railway official. The larrikins, seeing the two gentlemen walking along the main street, used some very objectionable language, and followed this up by throwing stones at them. The two sought shelter in the minister’s fiouse, which was soon bombarded with stones by the noisy crowd. At last the patience of the minister became exhausted, and providing himself with a pistol, he and his friend sallied forth, but only to meet with fresh annoyanceAfter vainly endeavoring to put a stop to the disgraceful proceedings in a quiet manner ( the railway official went towards the crowd with a view to identify some of them, when half a brick was thrown with a sure aim, and it struck him on the leg. The minister then look out his pistol and fired over the heads of the rowdies, who quickly dispersed ”

Rabbit Extermination. —The Few York Times in a very humoros article depicting the idiosyncracies of Acclimatisation Societies in their haphazard importation of animated pests, thus concludes his remarks on the rabbit nuisance in Few Zealand: —It is rather odd that they have not thought of the one remedy for their .all-pervading rabbits. What they ought to do is import a few regiments of white ants from Africa. These able insects can be thoroughly trusted. They will eat up every living thing in the country, including the colonists themselves, if the latter do not secure their safety by temporary flight. After having destroyed all the vegetable and animal life in Few Zealand j the ants will themselves perish of starvation. The colonists cm then return and stock Few Zealand with plants and animals of unexceptionable character, among whom they can spend their lives in peace and quietness. White ants are the only cure for excessive rabbits and mongooses, and the sooner the Few Zealanders appreciate this fact the better.

A Tbeeible Accident.—The afternoon train to Blenheim on Thursday last, brought up a man named Charles Cook, of Para, to Blenheim Hospital, who had had both his hands cut off on the railway. It appears that the afternoon train from Picton just turned one of the curves on the line between Para and Tuamarina when the engine driver perceived a man lying full length across the rails. He at once put on the brakes, but perceiving that the train could not be brought to a standstill before the spot where the man lay was reached, the fireman, William Hunter, jumped from the engine and ran along the line just ahead of the’engino, and at great personal risk succeeded in dragging his body clear of the rails, but was unable to pull him sufficiently clear before the engine came up and completely severed one hand at the wrist, and cut the other hand right across the palm, below the thumb, to the third finger. The unfortunate man was placed in the train and conveyed to the hospital, when hie name was found to be Charles Cook, a mill hand at Para. The right arm has been amputated below the elbow, but it is hoped to savq two fingers on the other hand. The man had been drinking, and had fallen asleep.

A Severe Defeat.—The latest intelligence from the Soudan states that the Egyptian troops have routed the rebels after severe fighting, having inflicted on them a loss of fully 500 men in the recent battle.

Ashburton Bridge.—The repairs to the bridge have been so far completed as to admit of trains passing over at a Slow rate of speed. However, it is not yet open to other heavy wheeled traffic.

Thrown from a Horse.—A young man in the employ of Mr Lee was thrown from his horse yesterday, which took fright at & passing dray and bolted. He was not much hurt.

The Waimakaeiei.—Since the recent flood a great change has taken place in the north branch of the Waimakariri river, owing to a scour. There is now at low water a depth of Bft 6in of water at Locke’s Point, where previou s to the flood there was a spit of silt and shin glo. Other spits have also, in consequence, disappeared.

Electric Light.—The experiment of lighting the Christchurch railway station with QG -cher’s are 5/sotric light was successfully tried one night last week. There were in jll five lamps, w.rich had they been displayed from a greater elevation would have shown to better advantage. As it was, however, the experiment was successful. A Web Bairn.—The wife of a promin#nb merchant named poo, of Chatanoogs, Tennesee, gave birth to a child on the 19th March, weighing only one and-a-half pounds It is eleven inches long, and no portion o* the body is more than six inches in circumference. The head is no larger than an English walnut, and its hand is the size of a five cent piece. The child is perfectly formed and has good lungs. Depression in Dunedin.—The Morning Herald says:—" There is at present in Dunedin a considerable amount of commercial depression; the wheels of business are not running smoothly, nor are people generally pleased with their prospects. Numerous houses are vacant of tenants, and between Wise’s Corner and the Octagon there are half-a-dozen shops standing empty. Once busy Stafford street is now almost a wilderness. Two or three years ago, the most anxious trader desirous to effect a lodging in the city could not have obtained a corner for his goods neither for love nor mouey.”

Q-ood Times. —According to the Auckland Herald they appear to be doing better in th# North Island just now than we are doing in the South. ‘ One of the good signs of the times being that working men are generally acquiring little freehold properties of thei r own. Some of them tell us that the present demands considerably exceed the supply ; and if we add to this the fact that immense sums are being accumulated in the Savings Bank, we cannot help commending the good sense of the working classes. Evidently many of them are making hay while the sun shines.’ This will probably account for laborers recently refusing half a-crown per hour to work on the mail steamer there. Sothben’s Fall.—The highest water fall in the world, that of the Arthur River t about 30 miles from the head of Milford Sound, is to be seen among the mountains of Western Otago. It is said to be no less than 5700 feet high, and takes the whole waters of the Arthur River with it, making one almost perpendicular leap of 3000 feet downwards at starting. At the first point of its descent it is only 20 feet broad, and from a distance looks comparatively insignificant. Its source is supposed to be in some large glacier among the mountains over 9000 feet high. Even i& dry weather it takes down a volume of wale r five times greater than that of the Bowen Falls.

The Wanganui Child Murder Cask. — The Press publishes the following telegram from Wellington: —ln reference to the Wanganui child-murder case, in which Phcebe Yeiteh was found guiltj of drowning her infant daughter, but was recommended to mercy, I understand that the Q-overnment are awaiting a report from the Judge before taking any action in the matter. There is some comment here on the conduct of the police in the case. The prisoner, it may be remembered, alleged that the child was drowned by its father —a halfcaste Chinaman, known as “ Sara Timane.” The only steps taken to discover this man appear to have consisted in the insertion of a misleading notice in the Police Gazette, coupled with the statement that the prisoner’s story was not believed. The Post to night has an article on the subject, pointing out. that such a course was grossly unfair to a woman who was detained in gaol and without friends, md that the addendum to the so-called description was the strongest possible hint to the police officers, to whom the G.zette was forwarded, that they should not trouble themselves about the matter.

Couesxng.—The first meeting of the season of the Canterbury Coursing Club, was concluded last Saturday. Owing to the inclemency of the weather, many of the cours* ing men were prevented from reaching the locale' until a late hour. Consequently, when night set in, and it was found that the final in each event had to be decided, rather than wait over Sunday divisions were agreed toThe decisions of Mr Wise gave general satisfaction, but Mr Taylor, who made his debut as a public slipper in this meeting, was not quite so successful. Throughout the meeting there were no undecides, and nearly every hare ran with wonderful fire. The dogs were brought out in good condition, and no doubt the best won. Mr D, O’Brien's Obstacle and Messrs Hale and Judge’s Alchemist divided the Derby. The Oaks was divided by Mr G-. Simpson's Eosy and Mr Boyd Thomson’s Jane Armour. The Christchurch Stakes was divided between Mr Campbell’s slut, Bessie Bell, and ' Messrs Boss and Bassett’s Taraban. A vote of thanks was passed by the officers of the Club to Mr H. Mathias, who had placed his paddocks at the disposal of the Club.;,’also to Mr Knight, who had shown the best ground to course oyer.

CLEARING Sale.— Attention is directed to the sale by Messrs Maclean and Stewart, of lire and dead stock, on the farm of Messrs Smith and Grant, Smithfield, to-day Mobmonism Exposed.— “ Polygamy, or the Mysteries and Crimes of Mormonism,” is the title of a book just being issued from the American press. It purports to be a full and authentic history of polygamy and the Mormon sect from its origin up to the present time, with a complete analysis of modern society and theoracy, and an expose of the secret rites and ceremonies of the Latter Day Saints. The author has had unusual opportunities of Tiewing the nature of their life, haring been in Utah since 1868, and one year under Brigham Young’s despotic rule. Under these circumstances the book should be both instructive and entertaining. Payment op Wages in Public Houses. —Lord Stantrophe’s Bill prohibiting the payment of wages in publie-houses on account of the temptation to which weak men were exposed in spending their wages in drink, was read a second time in the House of Lords, by a majority of 58 to 20. Lord Bramwell moved its rejection, and Lord Shaftsbury warmly supported it; whilst Lord Granville and Lord Eosebery, though not altogether approving of legislation of this kind, thought it was likely to remove a temptation to drink, which weak-minded persons were not likely to remove for themselves. Lord Salisbury opposed the Bill, and Lord Cairns supported it, though he did not do so last ■ year. Its introduction to the colonies, where the system of “ shouting ” is coupled vfrith that of disbursing wages in public-houses, is a great boon, not only to individuals, but also the families in many cases entirely dependent on them.

Ebsult of the Eeoent Floods.— The road between Winchester and Garaldine is in a fearful slate after the. recent floods. The •reek at Winchester felt it severely. On the Winchester side the solid road has been cut down to a depth of three feet, 'and a part of it swept completely away, leaving very little more than room for a vehicle to pass. The bed of the creek has been altered, and the approach at the Geraldine side lowered, as if done with a pick and shovel. The level road from the bridge to beyond Mr DeEenzie’s house is fearfully torn, and for about a mile, at Messrs Lewis and Hawke’s farms, it looks more like a riverbed than anything else. Heaps of shiugle dug up out of the side channels are thrown on to the road : the side roads have in tome places been scooped out to a depth of two feet, and altogether a wonderful change has been effected in it. Men were engaged yesterday in carting the shingle off the crown of the road to repair the injuries done in some places.

The Blasphemy Tbial —There was rather a scene at the recent trial for blasphemy. Mr Justice North, addressing Foote, said:—“You have been found guilty by the jury of publishing these blasphemous libels. This trial has been to me a very painful one, as I regard it as extremely sad to find that a person to whom God has given such evident ability and intelligence should have chosen to pro stitute his talents to the service of the devil in the way it has been done under your auspices. I consider this paper totally different from any of the works you have brought before me in every way whatever. The sentence I now pass upon you is that you be imprisoned for twelve calender months,” Immediately upon the passing of this sentence a scene of the greatest excitement and tumult ensued in the gallery, which was full of the prisoner's friends. Rising together, they burst forth into a storm of hissing, groaning, and derisive cries. Foote brought about a momentary lull, as looking towards the bench, he cried: " My lord, I thank you jit is worthy of your creed,” but immediately afterwards the aproar became worse than ever, several call*ing out, “ Christians, indeed!” and “ Judge Jeffries.” The Judge ordered the gallery to be summarily cleared, which was done after some trouble by the police.

Tebbiblb Tragedy, —A peculiarly sad and shocking domestic tragedy is reported from the town of Batjn, in Hungary. The keeper of a crossing on the East Hungarian railway near the town happened to win, a few days ago, some hundreds of florins in a lottery. The poor fellow, who had never seen such a large sum of money in his life, took the bank-notes home and amused himself in turning them over, forming plan upon plan for their disposal. All at once a train was signalled; and be rushed to his post, leaving the precious roll behind him. As ill luck would have it, his little daughter was playing in the room at the time. Struck by the peculiar appearance of the notes, having rarely, if ever, seen one before, and not knowing anything whatever of their value, she proceeded to use them as a plaything, and presently flung them into the fire, where they were burned to ashes. Just then the father returned, missed the notes, and learned what had become of them. In his fury he struck the child a violent blow which stretched her lifeless on the floor. The mother, who was giving a bath in an adjoining room to her second child, an infant, rushed in on hearing the disturbance, picked up the little girl and tried to restore her to consciousness' Her efforts were vain; the child was dead. She flew to the bath in which she had left the infant. Another shock awaited her—the child was drowned in its bath. The childless mother, distracted and desparate, rushed out of the house and hanged herself on the branch of a tree. The wretched father, overwhelmed with misfortune —his fortune gone, his wife and children gone —seized a revolver and put an end to his existence. The artistic completeness of this tragedy gives it a certain air of unreality j but the Hungarian journals vouch for the exact truth of these details. Messrs J. Mundell and Co, will hold a stock sale at their yards, Geraldine, to morrow. Tenders close to day, with the Temuka Road Board, for making crossing and ford on Kakahu road.

• Messrs J. Williams and Son, bakers, Geraldine, notify that the price of bread on and after the 7th May is 7d cash and 8d booked. Messrs Maclean and Stewart will hold a clearing sale of dairy stock and plant on the farm of Messrs M. and P. Kippenbeger, on the 15th inst ; also the lease of the farm.