LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1126, 15 January 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

R.M. Court, Tehuka. —At the above Court yesterday, before S. D. Barker and John Talbot, Esqs., J.P.'s, Samuel Kirkpafcrick was brought up, charged with haying broken into the bousa of Daniel Seafcon, and remanded for a week. Dibect Steamer.—The New Zealand Shipping Company have received a cable message to the effect that the s.s. Aorangi arrired at that port «n Saturday, and reported all well on board. She was to leav* aarly on Sunday for Wellington. The Weathbb. —From an early hour on Sunday morning last a very heavy downpour of rain in this district lasting till about 8 p.m. "We have not as yet heard at to crops being damaged thereby but it is to be feared that those heavy in ear must be laid flat.

The Revenue or thh Colony.—The public accounts for the quarter ended December 31st show the ordinary revenue—total. L 1,197,337 16i 7d ; expenditure, L 865,481 3s 3d ; balance, L 331,856 13s 4d; Land Fund receipts, L 153,359 Is 4d ; expenditure, L 65.830 16s 5d ; balance, L 87,528 4s lid. The Claimant. —-A rumour is published in a Home paper that on the claimant's release from Dartmoor on a ticket-oMeave next year, it is proposed to start him in a publichouse where he is sure to " draw." It is proposed to have in the public-house a sort of museum of Tichborne relics, and the house is to be called the Tichbourno Arms. Dbbadful Cbubltt to a Hobsx. —At the sitting of the Wanganui Police Court on Saturday morning a settler named Thomas Hollywood was fined LlO for cruelly illtreating a horse by over-riding. The evidence went to show that the defendant was drunk, and rode the horse, an old racer named Astronomer, to such an extent that it fell down from pure exhaustion. Its legs were terribly swollen, and one of the back tendons was burst right through, and the sides of the poor brute lacerated with the stirrups. S.C. Caledonian Society.—At a general meeting of the above Society the Secretary submitted a provisional balance-sheet, which showed that, commencing the last financial year with a credit balance of L7l 4s, the Society would now have, after payment of all accounts a credit balance of L 127. Th» President congratulated the members on the success of the last meeting. The total receipts, including last year's balance, were L 447 odd, to which gates and prmleges contributed L 257, and the concert on New Year's night L2l odd. The prizes amounted to Llßl 17s. It was agreed that a donation of L 5 be made to the Timaru Hospital. A Comparison of thh Colonies.—Mr F. Whitaker, a short time ago the Premier of this colony, one of the delegates to the Intercolonial Conference re annexation at Sydney, in an address the other night at Waikato, contrasted Australia with New Zealand greatly in favor of the latter. He stated that though great wealth is tc be found in the Australian Colonies this is a better colony, and h« would not change New Zealand for either Victoria or New South Wales. In Australia great fortunes might be realised, but the land wai held in large estates, of hundreds of thousands of acres, and the colonies were not nearly so well populated as New Zealand. By and bye the population of New Zealand would be three or four times as large as those colonies. For occupation by the people and for tha people here we have better opportunities by the settlement of the country by a small class of independent shareholders than they hara in either Victoria or New South Wales. He also compared the climates of the colonies and slated that in some of the settled districts in Australia they had had no rain for three | years.He concluded by predicting that New Zealand has a great agricultural commercial future before her.

Spobting.—At a meeting of the South Canterbury Jockey Club last Friday night the programme for the coming race* was drawn up. It was decided to give £IOOO in stakes.

No. 1 Compakt, T.R.V.— The officer in command notifies that eight or ten new members are wanted for this corps. Those intending to join are requested to forward their names to Lieut. Findlay, and attend the parade next Friday evening, when they will be sworn in.

Selwyn Election.—Messrs Wakefield and Richardson met on Friday at Leeston, and had a long interview with some of the leading electors of the district. The result of the discussion was the decision that Mr Wakefield should be invited to become a candidate forthe vacant seat.

The Cask of Kate Boyle.—Nothing has yet been decided as to the fate of Catherine Boyle. The question of her disposal will be duly considered by the Government on the report being received from the learned Judge who tried the case, but so far no report has been received from his Honor.

The West Coast Mubdeb.—The police have obtained a lot of evidence with respect to the recent murder case at Maori Creek. Plans of the locality have been prepared, and it is thought that the umbrella and knife will be identified as the property of the accused, Donohue. The prisoner is very sullen and uncommunicative.

The New Loan.—The New Zealand loan of L 1,000,000, being the second million under the L 4,000,000 Loan Act, has been covered. The Agent-General telegraphs that the whole loan has been placed above par. There were 600 tenders, the total amount tendered for being L5,0?0,000. Tenderers at LIOO 5s 6d receive 54 per cent, the remainder being placed above that price.

Tbial of a Twine Bindeb.—The trial of W. A. Woods' improved twine binder took place on Friday in a very heavy crop of green oats, the property of Mr Taylor, 4shburton. The oats were fully seven feet in height. The working of the machine (says an exchange) was stated to be all that could be The farmers present expressed themselves .well satisfied with the work done.

Methodism. The Primitive Methodist Conference in Dunedin has considered the proposed basis of Union of the Methodist Churches in New Zealand, and a resolution has been carried by 22 to 8 adopting heartily the basis of union agreed to by the Christchurch conference last July, as embodying a fair and workable constitution, meeting the needs of Methodism in New Zealand.

Profitablh Husbands.—Some of the women here (says an exchange) would like to have a law in force similar to one that obtains in one part of the United States of America. At Brooklyn, according to a late paper, two wires sued publicans for selling intoxicating liquors to their husbands, and received respectively LSOO and L4OO. What a haul some colonial wives would make. In Brooklyn a good drinking husband muit be almost as good as a gold mine.

I TIMAKTT A. AWD P. ASSOCIATION.—• A meeting of the Committee of this Association took place last Saturday, when the Sucre tary, produced a rough balance sheet, showing that the receipts for the past year were £632, and the expenditure, when all the prizes and accounts had been paid, would be about £3O less. The President remarked that the Association was in the same position as after the Show of 1882, with an overdraft of £SOO. A proposition was made that the outgoing Committee should guarrantee £IOO prize money for nex*; show, but was not carried. It was decided, however, that a substantial prize should be given and a subscription list was prepared and passed round, £SO being promised in the room. It was decided to hold a reaper and binder competition, provided five machines by different makers were entered, the first prize to be £lO, and the second £5. Wire binders are not to be allowed to compete. Mr Henry Ford gave notice of his intention to move at the general meeting of the Association in March—" That a Committee be appointed to canvass the country between the Rangitata and Waifcaki, with a view of raising £l5O to bo given in prizes at the Show of 1884, to be given as the Managing Committee may direct."

Or/B Railways.—'The Wellington correspondent of the Press says:—The railway accounts are not yet finally completed for the three quarters, but a rough approximate balance has been struck, with the result that the actual gross receipts for the period have been just about £700,000. As the estimite for the full year was £1,020,000, this is £65,000 less than three-fourths of the year's estimate. As, however, January, February and March, are always good months, they may reduce this large deficiency somewhat, but I fear there will inevitably be a heavy deficit. The net profit for the nine months is approximately £IBO,OOO, which is £40,000 less than for the corresponding period of the previous year. This falling off is not due to diminished traffic, for the returns for the thirty-six weeks, which are complete, show a large increase in the goods and live stock, and an increase (though smaller) in the passen gers. The respective increases are as follows : —Good?, 106,260 tons, or 10 per cent. ; live stock (numbers), 110,862, or 35 per cent But receipts for the thirty six weeks(£63s,4ll) were only £ISOO more than the previous year, although thirty-four more miles of railway were open, while the expenditure showed an increase of £43,800. On the Hurunui Bluff line the receipts showed a decrease of £5500 (or £22 per mile), while expenditure showed an increase of £28,000 (or £49 per mile). With regard to the o'her line.", Auckland, Wellington, Napier and Greymouth hid largely increased receipt?, and Nelson a small increase; but Whangarei, Wanganui, Taranaki, Westport and Picton lines had a considerable decrease. The grain traffic showed an increase of over 40 per cent, in quantity, but a large reduction in revenue derived tlnrcfrom.

Fabmbbs' Co-opebative Absociatiojt.—» Mr W. B. Howell was on Saturday elected * Director of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-

operative Association. The Dunedin Stabbing Case. — In Pearce's case yesterday, the full right of challenge was exercised by th» prisoner's counsel. The Crown challenged one juror. Mr Haggitt, in opening the ease, said that after prisoner's committal he admitted to Detective B,»in that he had thrown his fishmonger's knife into the Bay.

Roman Catholic Church, Gebaxdine. —On Sunday last, the newly-appointed priest for the district, the Rev. Fathtr Keane, preached his first sermon to a crowded congregation. A a meeting held subsequently, over which Father Keane presided, it was unanimously resolved to build a substantial presbytery for the residence of the priest, and a goodly ■um was promised for the furtherance of the object in view.

Eitba obdinaby Accident.—An extraordinary accident has occurred in Nottingham. 4£i»s Hiokliug, a young lady, while walking in Waverly street, had her dress set on fire by matches with wkich some boys were playing. Her dress-improver greatly facilitated the spread of the flames, which instantly covered her whole back clothing. A spectator wrapped her in his coat, and rolled her on a neighbouring lawn, but Miss Hickling was severely burnt. A moment's delay would have caused her deajh. The New Bankruptcy Act.—An application was made at Dunedin by the creditors of a bankrupt named Charles White, on Friday, to the Judge to transfer the estate to the official assignee. The fi'ing h?d been done on the last day of the year, the offices having to be specially opened, and his Honor said that alone seemed sufficient to cause him to make the order, as it seemed the debtor had something to gain or to fear. His Honor •aid it also seemed to him to be the policy of the Act that all debtors who had filed so close up to the expiry of the old Act should be handed over to the official assignee. A New Convent.—Dr Redwood laid the foundation stone of a Convent at NewPlymouth on Sunday. There was a large concourse of persons present. In his address he spoke Btrongly against the Government system of Education and said that it was not consistent with what the English called fair play. He said the building would be a credit to the Catholics, and he hoped the children of the place would attend the school. The Bishop gave a subscription of £3O, and a large amount was also placed on the •tone.

House Struck by Lightning.—The Oollingwood (Nelson) correspondent of the Colonist reports a violent thunderstorm in that district early on the morning of the 9th. While Mr G. Hislop was at breakfast his house was struck by lightning which split the corner from top to bottom, tearing; away the weatherboards and lining, and passing along the ground plates and the ground for 40ft., and then exploding and throwing up a quantity of earth. Mr Hislop was thrown to the ground, and his wife and two children in the cowshed, close by, were also thrown down. None of th«m were seriously injured.

Forgery.—At theR.M. Court, Timaru, yesterday, Chae. Littlecott was charged on remand with forgery of a cheque for £7 2g. Michael Mitton, mincer for the Hon. J. B. A. Acland, gave evidence as to paying the accused a cheque for wages due to him, amounting to £l 2<. The cheque produced was the one paid accused, but it had been altered from £1 2s to £7 2s. Mrs Mackay, the wife 0 f D. Mackay, of Peel Fores*, grave evidence as to cishing the cheque for accused, who came to her store to pay an account, Frederick G. Shury. leiger keeper at the Union B ; ink, *nd Detective Kirby also gave evidence, and accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in Timaru. Prisoner reserved his defence. Bail was allowed, accused in £IOO, and two sureties of £SO each.