The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1134, 14 August 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1883. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stabbed,—ln Christchurch last Saturday night, a man was stabbed in the throat with an oyster knife. The wound is serious. Masonic.—On Thursday eveni g next the regular meeting of Lodge Southern Star. 619, S.C., will be held in the Masonic Hall, Gerul dine at 7 31 p.m.

Geraldine Road Board—The monthly me-ting of this Board takes place to-day Contractors are reminded that their tenders must be in before 10 a m.

The Timaru Breazwatee.— lCarly on Saturday morning last the contractors for the last section of the breakwater completed their contract by filling in the final monolith of 14 feet. The Customs. The Customs revenue collected in New Zealand for the month o' Ju’y 1883 ammnted to £lll/56, against £105.024 for June. The beer duty realised £3998, as against £4136. St. Mart's Church, Q-kraidinb —On Thursday next, the 16th inst, the new Church will be consecrated. The service will commence at 11 a.m. and there will also bean evening service at 7 o’clock.

Concert. —We would again remind our readers that the concert in aid of the funds of the Eoman Catholic Church Choir t kes place to morrow even : ng in the Vo’un. teer Hall, Temuka. The programme is rublished elsewhere, and speaks for itself—it is a varied and en'ertaining one. The concert bids fair to be a great success, and, as it is likely to be largely attended, those desirous of obtaining seats should att nd early.

Primitive Methodist Church, Geraddink. —On c unday last the Rev J. Sharp, o r Timaru preached at both morning and evening servces in the Primitive Methodist Church, Geraldine. The evening service partook somewhat of what is known as a ‘ revival.’ The rev gentleman selected as his text * Lord, te-ch us how to pray,’ which he handled in a very masterly manner, Toward the contusion of the service fourteen persons went, forward to the penitent form.

The Salvation Armt.—The Salvation Army in Timaru is in trouble. On Sunday last a constable took down the names of a number of those whom he alleged were obstructing the traffic on the streets, pre naratory to bringing them be'ore the R.M Court. One of the locul papers bitterly complains of the discordant noises made bv I heir band when practising, and advises them to betake themselves to the suburb’, presuming it is to be supposed,that the inhabitants of the suburbs can put up with anything

Lareikinism at Milford.—A correspondent writes:—The neighbourhood of Milford was made hideous on Saturday night by the yells of a number of those biainless ili ts that are the pests of the co’ony. The Milford larrikin is no exception to the rule ; he has not wit enough to invent a new joke or courage enough to annoy any ’but where there is either sickness or only one man in the house. Government property was destroyed, as ore of the outhouses in the school grounds was bodily removed and placed against the front gate, a mild joke that was attempted with moderate success a couple of years ago. It in satisfactory to know that theMlford larrikins have even. Vss sense than the average, as they left .vriting behind that has given a good clue as to the identity of the idiots. An interview vitli the po ice may alter the joke, especially if the charge of stealing is added to that tf Lmkinism.

Fxke.—A ..fire broker out in a house in Auckland last Friday night kept by a woman known ns Black Julia. This woman is on a visit to Sydney, and the present occupant is a woman named Mary Bourn The fire originated through a candle igniting a curtain in a back room The house was entirely destroyed. It is not known whether it was insured as the owner, Mrs White, of the City Club Hotel, is in the country. The house was handsomely furnished. The furniture was not insured. G-ladhill’s soda water factorv was imperilled. The lost* is estimated -at from £SOO to £6OO-

The Value op a Reference.— -An illus tration of the value of certificates of character given by clergymen (says the Australasian) is supplied in a report on the boarding-out system in New South Wales:—Pour children were remove 1 from a guardim who was discovered io be of grossly immoral character —a wife-beater, an t much addicted to drink. asked bow this man had obtained the clergyman's ce tificate that he Wi,s of‘sober habits, kindly character, and a fit person to have the care of children,’ the wife rr plied, Oh !Mr -(the clergyman) never saw my husband before be signed the certificate ; but I persuaded him to go to church for the occasion, and got him into a front seat, where the minister could see him. He was never there before, and Ins never been sine!”

The Fiest Suez Canal.—A ra'her peculiar r ager was recently lost and paid in Me'bourne, he items of news concerning the duplication f the Suez Canal were under discussion, and le conversation incidentally drift d to the ate of the commencement of the first pro- » ted canal through the Isthmus of Suez, ’eople were puzzling themselves about the ear when a lit tle man present said I don’t now the exact year, but it was some centuries efore the birth of Christ,’ A laugh of icredulity greeted the speaker, but he was osilive. A wager was made, and the next ay the little man triumphantly produced an nqiiestionuble authority to certify that fekasor Nechos the Second, who ruled Egypt sme 400 years B C, planned and started a anal across the Is hmus of. wez. but desisted rom the 'ask upon the advice of the O acle fter he had lost over 100 000 men ma tempt ig to do what the present century has seen ccom dished. It is not a good thing (reiarks the Bulletin) to make rash wagers nth people who have good memories.

Sight Reooyeeed After Sixty Years An old negr > woman in Pennsylvania, who was born b ind, ha* recently received her sight by the removal of the catara it. When the bandage was first removed, the patient started violently, and cried out as if with fear, and for a moment was quite nervous from the effects of the shock. Ror the first time in her life she looked upon the earth. Tiie first tiling she noticed was a little flock of sparrows. In relating her experience to a reporter, she said that she thought they were teacups, although, strange to say, a few m nutes afterwards she readily distinguished a watch which was shown her. It is supposed that this recogni ion was owing to the fact that she heard its ticking. The blaze from a lamp excited the most lively surprise in her mind. She had no idea what it was and when it was brought near her, wanted io pick it up. When night approached upon the day when the she first used her eyes she was in a fright, fearing she was losing the sight which she had so wonderfully found aftrr sixty years of darkness. The Dunedin Gaol Enquiry. The Enquiry came to a conclusion on Saturday last. On the Friday Mr Solomon, who appeared on behalf of Mr Caldwell, the late Governor of the Dunedin gaol, made an exhaustive and bitter speech against the Inspector of Prisons, Captain Hume, censuring him both as regarded his evidence and conduct of the enquiry. On Saturday Captain Hume replied at length, and to show that he was actuated only by a desire for the well being of his Department, ha said : * I venture to draw your attention to the following ma'ters —The records of the punishment book, showing a number of prison offences altogether disproportionate with the offences in o her gaols, whose discipline compared favorably with that of the Dunedin Gaol ; disorganisation and discord prevalent among the staff ; habitual disobedience of the Prison Act Regulations and Civil Service Regulations; incessant complaints of officers and prisoners. He stated that when he visited the prison he felt that every man’s hand was against him. that a system of prevarication prevailed, and that a'tempts were ma f eto hoodwink'and hamper him and to throw dust in his eyes. He contended that the evidence had shown that he was justified in calling for a Royal Commission, and deprecated that Mr Cakl * ell was (be accused and he the prosecutor The Commissioners will remain in Dunedin fir a few days, for the purpose of inspecting t' i e gaol records, and will then report to the Government the result of their investiga

An Officious Policeman.—An unfor • unate incident occurred at a fire in Auck land which has caused bad blood between the Fire Brigade and the Police. Branchman .Moore, in charge of a hose, ordered a civilian to stand back, who was treading on the hose, or he would strike him. A Sergeant of Police interfered, and Moore said he would serve him the same. Under the circumstance*, the former ordered Moore’s arrest. Foreman Clarke came on the scene and endeavored to get his man back, when he was threatened with arrest. A number of the Naval Artillery, who act as a Salvage Corps, then drew together with the intention, it is staled, of rescuing Moore from the po’ice, he being also a member of i lie Naval Artillery, but were called oft’by Foreman Clarke. The Police stark to their man, and were followed by a mob of 1000 people who hooied and yelled to the Police Station, wher ■ Mounted-Constable Kelly, who acted as lock*up keeper, was hit on the head with a stone, but his shako saved him from injury. Superintendent Hughes, of the Fire

Brigade, sent to the Town Clerk, who is a J P., and to Councillor Cominee, who bailed Moore out. The charge against Moore b' the police is for using language calculated to cause a breach of the peace. At a subse qnent m eting of the Fire Brigade at their station, Superintendent Hughes was cm powered to employ counsel for Moore and fight the matter through at any cost. The Rabbit NtnsvNOß The report of th-* Superintendent Inspector of Sheep an' Rabbits on the rabbit nuisance was tail on the Table of the House of Repra-enta ives on the 10th. He says the Act works fairly well, and recommends the letting of waste, lands when possible on oondi ion that the lessee shall destroy the rabbits where the country is wid. and shall introduce stoats and weasels. He suggests a reward of several thousand pounds for an effective device to rid the colony of the pest and to advertise it all over the worl I. The Timaru Inspector reports the rabbit pest has only just begun to show itself in that part of the colony, although rabbits have been in the district fo l ' the last twenty tears. More vigorous measures,have been taken of laic by most landowners upon whose properties the pest exists, and ho believes that by ri-mg energe ic measures simul aneously the pjst could be kept well under, although from the rough nature of the country, to completely eradica e them will be a matter of time and more numerous population. 8.922,756 skins were exported from April 1882 to March 1883.

Mr John Lawson ann unces that he has found a long haired sheep dog. Mr 0 G-. Tripp, Orari Gorge, invites tenders for cross ploughing, ban owing, etc. Tie trustee in the assigned estate of Alex Mclntosh, of Temuka, notify that a second and final dividen ' is now payable.

The prospectus of the Timaru Fishing Company appears elsewhere. Ihe share list will close on the Ist September, Mr K F. Gray, a c ioneer, Temuka, will hold a sale of baker’s plant, groceries, horse®, cart,ole at his rooms, Temuka, today. Mr W. Ma«liri, auctioneer, Geraldine, announces that, lie wi I set] by and ion to-day, opposite the old brewery: Geraldine, horses, p oughs. hanows, tiher, fowls, etc

Mr A L. Wilson announce that he has taken a studio in th° premises of Messrs A A. Longbein and Co. Timaru, and is now prepared to take portraits from life or pho'ographs in oil or crayons.