LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1179, 27 November 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Diamonds. —A. report is current in Queenstown that diamonds bare been discovered at Mount Earnslaw, but no reliable information on tbe subject is obtainable. Labob in Hawse's Bay.—lt was stated at a meeting of tbe Napier Chamber of Commerce that the delaj in the prosecution of the rai'way works was due to a scarcity of labor.

Under a New Name.—Captain Jeannie White, from New Zealand, who has charge of the Salvation Army station at Williamstown, Victoria, is styled " The Hallelujah Maori."

Suicide. —A man named William Johnson, committed suicide at jJunedin by taking strychnine, in the Commercial Hotol, on Saturday. He had been acting as postmaster and schoolmaster at Bendigo, in Vincent County, for the past four years, but was relieved of his duties a few weeks ago, since which time he has been in Dunedin. He was 28 years of age. It is understood be was in financial diffloultisi.

Gbßaldinb Bbass Band.—Hitherto the memberi of the Band hare been practicing in the Schoolroom, but on Saturday night last they removed to the newly-erected Good Templars' Hall. A great many persons assembled outside to hear them, who bore testimony to the fact that they are progressing capitally under the tuition of Mr Weston. We under stand it is their intention to give a concert about the middle of December next. Diath of thb Rbv Mb Lukb.—Many of our readers will be sorry to hear of the death of the Rev James Henry Luke, Primitive Methodist Minister, which took place in Wellington last Thursday. The rev gentleman was at one time in charge of the Primitive Methodist Circuit here, and onlv left on account of ill health—consumption having laid hold of him. He was highly esteemed both by the members of his own congregation and those of other religious denominations. Overdoing It. —A life-size statue of John Biown is to be placed on a pedestal which has just been erected in the grounds of Balmoral. The site, which was selected by the Queen, is to the south of the Castle, and the statue will be visible from the windows on that side. A monument in memory of John Brown is to be put up in the Prince Consort's mausoleum atFrogmore, and it is understood that he will also be commemerated by a tablet in the nave of St George's Chapel. Useful.—A correspondent of the Garden says:—" The best insecticide and the safest I have met with is nicotine soap, which from containing the active properties of tobacco, with other ingredients, is fatal to insects, and has a marvellously cleansing effect on the bark of trees which it frees from all parasites in very quick time. For using on the stems of vines and peach trees it is quite unrivalled, as with a brush and a Blight scrub, followed directly after by a dash of water from the syringe, it leaves them bright and polished, and free from all slimy deposits and other conferva. At one time peaches and vines used to be daubed with a coat of liquid clay and other mixtures to smother scale, but with nicotine soap there is no need of this, and anyone who is troubled with this insect, or red spider, or thrip, has only to apply the wash to be rid of the pest. If on the young shoots of peaches, the best way is to syringe it on at a strength of four ounces to a gallon of water, and at a tempatature of 90deg. or a lOOdeg., and immediately afterwards the stem of the tree should be scrubbed, and the whole rinsed off at once." Labbakins and thb Cibous. The Salvation Army (says the Oamaru Mail of Saturday) must have had a very quiet time last evening, for a large number of their patrons visited the circus,]thatis,they remained outside the tent and had a " free circus " to themselves. After the circus band had finished playing outside, and dusk came on, the larrikins thought their time had come to commence operations. They opened by running away with the trap on which.the money-taker was placed. The vehicle was drawn into the middle of the ground before it was stopped, and on one of the men violently remonstrating at this behavour, he was struck by ene of the larrikins. Then commenced a wild scene, and it was thought on two or three occasions that they would take the tent by storm, but the police who were stationed at the door evidently terrified them. A number of Salvation hymns were then sung, which appeared to give them more "pluck" for committing further damage. They again got hold of the trap—which be longs to Mr J. Williams of Oamaru—and ran it into the creek opposite Messrs Meek's mill, breaking one of the shafts. Damage was done to the tent and other portions of the circus, and there is not one of the two or three hundred wretches who engaged in this diabolical scene last evening but should feel thoroughly well ashamed of himself. Nabbow Esoaib.—A Dunedin telegram dated Sunday last, says:—Two High School boys, boarders at tho Rectory, named Lane, from Oamaru, and Lovegrove, from Timaru, went sea fowl-nesting on a rock off Ocean Beach, about four miles from town, yesterday afternoon. The tide was low and they had not very far to swim to the rock. After amusing themselves for some time on the rock they attempted to swim ashore, but one of them taking cramp, they returned- to the rock. The tide having risen considerably, it became evident to some of their companions who had remained on shore that they could not get off. A good deal of excite' ment sprang up on the situation of the boys being made known, and some 60 persons, among whom were Inspector Weldon, several members of the police force and Dr Brown, congregated on the beach to render what assistance they could. A telegram was sent to Port Chalmers, and the Harbor Master despatched the steamer Plucky to rescue the lads. After some hours' steaming, the vicinity of the rocks was reached, but owing to the darkness nothing could be done. Fires were lighted as a signal to the steamer, and also to show the lads that steps were being taken for their recovery, and at halfpast three in the morning Messrs Whelan (who has on several ocsasions been instru mental in saving life in Dunedin), Miller (a very old resident in the district), Ainsly (of Mosgiel), and a young gentleman whose n ime has not yet transpired, swam out to tbe rock with ropes. The water was one mass of foam, and after reaching a point of the reef, two of the swimmers had to go through a channel where there was a very swift current' to get at tbe boys. They found them sheltered in a cave, and with tbe aid of the ropes brought them ashore. Beyond a few bruises and suffering a little from exhaustion, having been naked on the rocks for twelve hours, they were not a much the worse for their adventure. There was a good deal of rejoicing and oheenng when they were safely landed, and a proposition to present the brave fellows who so pluckily went to their rescue, with some public mark of the appreciated of their valor, mooted at the time, is likely to be beard mors of.

REASONS fob a Divobob. —Among th e reasons urged by a Peoria woman for a divorce are: Drunkenness, swearing, obscenity, arron, filthy habits, incompatibility, infidelity brutality, cruelty, laziness, bigamy and nonsupport. She married him to spite, her father for hoxing her ears. Thb Tbhdka Brass Band.—We understand that the above band is taking steps to get uniforms, the order for the making of which has been given to Mr H. T, Clinch, To enable the band to pay for the uniforms the public will be asked to subscribe, and it is to be hoped they will do so liberally. The band is a credit to Temuku, and the source of much pleasure to its people) and consequently it ought to be supported. They will appear in uniform on Boxing Day.

Thb Club Hotbi, Timabdv—The above well-known hotel has recently changed hands, Mr Parsons having sold out his interest in it to Mr W. Darby. Since Mr, Darby took possession he has effected, many for the better. He has placed a magnificent billiard table in the old dining room, and made a private bar at the end of it, with a door communicating with the main street. This, is now the most commodious and accessible billiard in Timaru; it contains the besttableinthetown, and as it is under tb« care of Mr Peter Bell it ought -"certainly to prove a popular resort. Mr Darby is well and favorably known throughout the district north and south of Timaru, and ought to do a good trade in the hotel. We."wishhim success. ,;■ V

Sam ob Township Lasds. —To-morrow » sale of section! in the Government, townships of Geraldine, Orari, and Arundel will take take place at the Courthouse, Geraldine, Fifty-three town sections in' Orari, nearly all being one quarter-acre each, a few larger but under half-an-acre will be offered,, at an upset price of £3O per acre, and thirteen! suburban sections of three-quarters to one acre each, at an ; upset price of £5 per acre. In Geraldine thirty rections, will be offered.' ataaiupsetof £l2 per quarter-acre.' , In Arundel twelve quarter-acre sections, at an upset of £5 eaob. On the following day thirty-three*-squarter-acres in Arowhenua will be offered .at the Courthouse, Temuka, at an upset of £l2 each. Plans may be seen at the Railway stations at Ash burton, Hinds, Orari, Ardwhobua and Temuka, arid particulars obtained at the Land Offices, Christchurcb and Timaru. The Illustrated New Zealand News* —We have received the November num> ber of. the Illustrated New J Zealand News, and mast compliment the proprietors for the enterprise they have displayed in its production., ..Several efforts have been made, to produce illustrated papers in New Zealand, and this is the.only one that survived the ;i first few months of their existence. The-number before us shows great signs of improvement. With it is published a 3 a Supplement an engraving of the picture by N. Chevalier entitled "Wiil you* Buy?" being a picture of a young Tahitean girl. It is certainly splendidly got up. The illustrations in the paper itself consist of several New Zealand scenes-, uuch as « Dusky Sound," " A Modern Maori Pah" and the "DunadinHigh School." There ore also capital likenesses of the I ate Rev. X Lyndsay Mackay, the late Mete, Kingi, the Rev Dr Stuart, and Dr Macdonald (of Dunedin), and the Earl and Countess of Rnseberry, now on a visit to the Australian Colonies. There nre also several scenes from the Melbourne races,, including a good likeness of Martini-Henri. The number of the News befofe us is certaiuly interesting, and shows many signs of improvement.