The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1884. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1146, 28 February 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1884. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Resident Magistrate's Court, Gekaldine.—There will be a sitting of this Court this morning, at the usual hour. Cricket.— The return cricket match between the Tasruanians and a Christchurch team resulted in a win for the local team by 6 runs.

Licensing Committee Meeting.—The usual quarterly meeting of the Raukapuka District Licensing Committee will be held at the Resident Magistrate's Courthouse, Geral* dine, to day.

An Unprofitable Vessel. The s.«. Takapuna made her last trip on Monday, for the present. She returns to Lvttelton next Saturday, and will sail in the afternoon for Port Chilruers, where she is to be docked for •verhaul and then laid up.

Religious Instruction in Schools.— The religious instruction classes in Stato schools, started in Dunedin soma uu.ii'n ngo by the city clergy, are still carried on, but the attendances gince the vacation have not been large, and it is admitted the movement is a failure. A meeting of clergy will be held shortly, to consider tbe question of stopping the classes.

An Elopement Frustrated.—A. few day ago a married man named Walter G. Smith, for many years chief clerk in the Wellington gas Company's office, obtained leave of absence to go to Christchurch for a few days. It now appears that in company with a bar maid from an hotel near the gasworks, he was about, to take a trip to Australia. His wife having got scent of this, laid an intormation charging him with deserting her and their three chi dren. He was arrested at the Bluff at 12 o'clock on Saturday night and remanded to Wellington. Business like Native3.—News from Fiji states that four employees of the Denba Sugar Company, whilst in a boat off Denba, were capsized. They stuck to the boat, and were washed ashore after eight hours' immersion. The whole affair was witnessed from the shore by native?, who put off, not to rescue the drowning men, but to ascertain what amount would be paid for so doing. The drowning men offerod £5, but this was not enough, and the natives put back without rendering them any hep. Rotorua Railway Company.—A deputa tion from the Railway Company waited on the Hons. Rolleston, Minister of Lands, and J. Bryce, Native Minister, in reference to obtaining endowments of land from Natives towards the completion of the second section of the line from Lichfield to Botorua, or of obtaining extra endowments from the Government, to enable them to make good the deficiency created through the action of the Nhtives. The interview ended simply with Ministers giving an assurance that they would use their best endeavors to obtain free cessions of land from the Natives, and still had hopes of success as to making up the deficiency. The Government could only act according to law.

The New Zealand Gkain Agency.— In another column will be found an announcement by the Timaru agent of the above Company, Mr A. H. Turnbull, to the effect that the Company is prepared to ship grain on farmers' account during the coming season to the Home market, and will make, when required, liberal cash advances, free of interest and commission. Mr Peter Cunningham, so well and favorably known as a straightforward business man, is now in London, and will give shipments of grain through this Company 1 is special supervision. The Company will have their own line of vessels loading direct from Timaru during the season, and applications for space are now being received. No doubt the Company will receive a due share of patronage.

Mr Bradlaugh.—Mr Bradlaugh is a public nuisance. If Mr Gladstone had tackled him properly from the outset, he would never have obtained any further notoriety than his collaboration with Mrs Besant in the production of an unmentionable work procured him. But the Premier anticipated in this m.ntter the shiveryshaky policy which he afterwards pursued in Egypt. He allowed Sir Stafford Northeote to lead, or rather to mislead, the House on the subject, and Mr Bradlaugh has become a martyr. He may not have got into the House yet — though he certainly will before long,— tut he has gained a public position which it would have taken him years of speaking in House of Commons to attain. In chese days notorietj is everyihing, and Mr Bradlaugh reigns in hell if he may not serve in Heaven. —Exchange.

Wheat fob Shipment.—Under this heading a correspondent writes to a contemporary as follows : —3ie, —May I ask you to kindly insert a word of warning to those farmers who are now threshing vheat, in the hope that it may cause them to consider if the wheat when threshed will be in such condition ns to be fit for shipment. I hare seen a good many samples of this season's wheat, but very few that are likely to be accepted by a, shipper. The wheat, owing to the reason is "soft," and will to a certainty "sweat" if shipped. After last year's experiences, when growers had their wheat rejected at ship's side in consequence of its not being up to sample, and tha costly experiment of some who shipped their damaged grain to England, the greatest caution one would haye thought would hare been exercised this season in Beeing that grain was in fit conJition oeforg being sent in from the country. If growers will insist on threshing in a season like this out of the stook, or after it has been a few days in the stack, they must not be surprised if the rejection at the ship's side and the unsatisfactory returns from Loudon for damaged grain are again repeated.

Lunacy.—At the Police Court, Tiraaiu, yesterday, two men were committed to the Sunnyside asylum. Their names were Geo. Parkes alixs Parker, and —Griffiths. R.M. Court, Temuka.—At the above Court, yesterday, before S. D. Barker, Esq., J.P., John Jones was fined 20s or the usual alternative, for having been drunk and disorderly. The 'Frisco Mails.—The City of Sydney with the January English mail?, left San Francisco for Auckland on the 17th inst., two days later than the timetable date. The s.s. Australia, with the January colonial mail?, arrived at Pan Francisco from Auckland on the 25th instant, two days earlier than the time table date.

Packing the Teeth. A writer of mathematical bent fin'ls from the ceusus returns that there are about 17,000 dentists in the L'nited States, who, he estimates, pack into the teeth of the American people a ton of pure gold annually. He calculates that in the twenty-first century all the gold m the country will be buried in the graveyards.

Fatal Fire.—At Masterton, Wellington, a house occupied by a man named John Harding was burned down yesterday morning. A spark from the kitchen chimney is supposed to have ignited the shingles on the roof. Three adults and eight children were in bed at the time. All were saved excepting a boy nine years old, who was sleeping in "a room upstairs, and whose charred remains were subsequently found. The house wss insurad for £2OO in the South British office. Post Offics Changes.—We understand that Mr Oliver, who. for many years has occupied the position of assistant to Mr O'Salloran in the Post Office, Temuki, has been transfered to the Timaru Post Office* and that his place has b*en filled by Mr Burke, who comes from Wellington. Mr Oliver has always beeu a most obliging and attentive officer, and everyone who ever had any business to do in the Post Office will be glad to hear of his promotion. Alleged Embezzlement. —At the Resi de t Magistrate's Court, Geialdine, today, Joseph Mackay will be charged with six counts of alleged embezzlement of funds belonsing to the Government Insurance Department. The accused was arrested on a warrant at Dunediu on luesday morning while out on bail, and a report of the proceedings at the Dunedin City Po ice Court, where he was brought up, will be found elsewhere, which throws some light on the ma'ter.

The Accident to the s.s. Waibabapa.— The Wairarapa has arrived at Dunedin. She has sustained serious damage to her port quarter through the S.B. Adelaide oolliding with her. The port quarter was indented, and her poop deck raised up by the beam end being forced up considerably eut of position, and the bolts in the iron upper deck in the second saloon are started. It appears that the Wairarapa left seven minutes before the Adelaide, and was going full speed. She was followed by the Adelaide, which vessel was being pushed to such an extent, that flames fully 6ft high were issuing from her funnel. Upon entering the narrow part of the West Channel tbe Wairarapa held on her course. The Adelaide struck her on the port quarter, ciusing her tc heel oyer on her beams ends. There seems to have been considerable confusion on board the Adelaide, and one of her passengers jumped on board the Wairarapa. The passengers interviewed state that no blame ia attached to Captain Chatfield, and that in their opinion the boats were not racing. A later telegram states that some of the pas sengers by the Wairarapa givo an altogether different account of the collision. They assert that there undoubtedly was a race, and that the Wairarapa waited below Williamstown for the Adelaide to come up to her. It was fully known on board that a race was intended. An enquiry is now being held at Port Chalmers. The Wairarapa in her passage from Hobart to the Bluff made the fastest passage on record.

The Wsatheb and tub Chops.—The damage done to the crops through the heavy downfall of rain on Saturday night and Sunday last wa j , we are glad to say, of but a trifling nature. Monday and Tuesday last were fine, but during Tuesday night a gale of wind of unusual severity was expert enced. Up to midnight " nothing more uncommon than a good deal of lightning marked any change in the weather, but shortly after the hour of 12 o'clock the wind commenced to rise, and from that time to 3 a.m. it blew with hurricane force. Some people assert that the gale was preceded by a shock of earthquake and thunder, but although we were in a position to have felt it we cannot confirm this. The wind was the fiercest we have felt, but we have not heard of any damage done by it to house property. Rain fell yory heavily at different periods of the night. We are afraii, however, that much damage has been done to the grain crop, and that farmers will suffer considerably. About 8 a.m. the weather again cleared up and the nor'westerly gale subsided, but the wind kept in that quarter throughout the day. A great many stooks were blown over during the night, but they were speedily Bet up again by willing hands. The farmers are doing all they can to get in their crops. According to the Lyttelton Times of Tuesday last, recent deliveries of this season's wheat have arrived in Christ church in bad condition, the grain having been threshed too soon after being cut. Farmers should consider this well or their receipts will be very small indeed, as unless grain is quite dry and bard it will not stand the voyage to England. Thk Life of an M.P.—An M.P., deploring 'Jie evil effects of London habits on the health, said that were it not for Hop Bitters he could not live through the irregular hours he was forced to keep. Slid lie : "As soon as I feel weak and exhausted from long night sessions and meals at irregular hows, I rtsort to my Hop Hitters instead of stimulants. They regulate my bowels and keep my appetite good, my brain clear, and my strength and health are preserved." See Advt.

The Dokb of Edinbubgh.—A cablegram from London states that it is probable that the Duke of Edinburgh will be employed in actiTe service in Egypt.

Harrow-tired Wheels.—The days of nairow-tired wheels (says an exchange) are numbered. The Waitaki County Council, taking advantage of the provisions of an Act passed last session, has passed a byelaw decreeing that the width of tires of the wheels of waggons drawn by eix horses or less shall be 4£ inches, and of vehicles drawn by seven or any greater number of horses, six inches. The example thus set by Waitaki will probably be followed by other Counties, and the heavy public lo«s resulting from the use of narrow tires will become a memory of the past. Thb Pbohibition Question. —Out of the many orders (says the Press) issued by the Magistrates against persons who, by excessive drinking of liquor, misspend, waste, or lessen their estates, injure their healths, or endanger and interrupt the peace and happiness of their families, vide see. 167 of the Licensing Act, 1882, few produce the results which it was hoped would be obtained by making such orders. During the hearing of a case on Monday Mr Whitefoord, E.M., said he had, however, suggested a remedy which the Minister of Justice has promised to consider, namely, that of a criminal proceeding against any prohibited person found under the inj fluence of drink after the order was made, and that the offender should be liable to imprisonment for disobedience of the order of the Court; for the first offence for a term of one month, the second two months, the third three months, and so on. At present the Act is framed to deal severely with persons suppljing prohibited persons, but in spite of this the latter get liquor outside the districts in which they are prohibited, or through the agency of friends.

Typhoid among the Maohis.—Mr John Morse Grace, at the special request of Mrs Hard man (the late Judge Maning'a daughter), interviewed the Native Minister, for the purpose of urging despatch of medical nid to the typhoid-stricken Natives of Waitapu ar»d Eferekeno (Hjkianga district). Mr Grace pointed out that the Natives were neglected, and that the disease was attended by great mortality, and that the kainyas attacked would be completely decimated unless a doctor were speedily sent for their relief. The Native Minister said he had enquired, and was informed no medic il aid or medicines would be of any avail until a better sanitary state of the villages was obtained. He also said the Government had always spent and were now spending large sums on medicines and medical aid. The Nauve Minister then requested Mr Grace to suggest in writing a scheme by which this could be done. He said that in the meanwhile the resident I doctor of Mongonui, who is in the pay of the Government, would be instructed to attend on the Natives at Waitapu, Pukepoto, and Herekeno. This terminated the interview. Mr Grace forwarded a feasible scheme for the curing of the evil referred to. He recommended that " Laws of He dth" should | be made a compulsory branch of instruction in Native schools ; that explanatory papei* in Maori on infectious and contagious diseases should be circulated amongst the teachers and chiefs ; that a prize be offered yearly for the best drained and most cleanly kainga or village, the best built, most roomy and cleanly whare, and for new kaingas on healthy sites, and also for the cleanest child on the year's average attendance ; that ordinary " sanitary laws" should, with prudence, ■be enforced against the Maori; that a Board of Health for each kianga be nominated or elected, or in default of these latter provisions' that the work mentioned should be done by a Resident Magistrate ; and that a building to serve as a hospital should be erected in every village. Pbbsbttbbiait Assbmbitt. —At the Presbyterian Assembly in Wellington on Monday morning the General Treasurer'! report was received, which showed the ohurch was in a prosperous condition as regards funds. The report was adopted. The deputies from the Church of Otago were received and they conveyed to the Assembly the fraternal greetings of the Southern Church, and the Assembly was addressed by them on the question of union. At the Presbyterian Assembly on Tuesday, overtures were received from Timaru re an itinerant evangelist, and the Timaru Presbytery was appointed to bring up a report at the next meeting of the Assembly. The Kev. Mr West read a repcrfc on Temperance, prepared by Mr McGregor. The report stated that the Bands of Hope for children were becoming a settled part of Church work, and recommended first that in congregations where temperance societies did not at present exist, and no other general society wa* at work, they be recommended to organise such ; secondly, that eich Presbytery be requested to appoint one or more members to visit the congregations for the purpose of forming such societies ; thirdly, that where practicable, temperance sermons be preached at least once a year to the various congre gations. The Rev. W. Gil'ies said that the past year had been one of very great progress. The House of Commons had passed a Local Option Bill by a large majority, and he gave several instances of great work done in England. Major Atkinson had stated that the cause of poverty in this country was intern perance, yet he had not courage to take steps for its suppression, but had proposed a fanciful scheme of insurance. Let him lay the axe at the root of the evil, and deal with poverty afterwards. After a discussion it was decided that the second recommendation be carried out as far as practicable, and the report was adopted. A Committee was appointed to undertake the compiltkm of a code of rules and forms of procedure for the Church. Votes of thanks to the Press and to those who had extended hospitality to members of the Assembly, and various other votes having been given, and all the business being disposed of, the Moderator in a short coi eluding address gave a resume* of the work done, and closed tb» Assembly.

TEMtrKA Bltjk Ribbon Aemt.—Choir rehearsal in connection with the above takei place this evening in the Presbyterian Church, commencing at 8 o'clock. Mr K. E. Gray will hold his monthly stock sale at his yavds. Temuka, to-morrow. The Temuka Road Board invites tenders for a concrete bridge over the Ohapi, and for cleaning drain in the Park. Messrs J. Mundell and Co., will hold a sale of household furniture and effects on the premises of Mr J. Y. Ward, Q-eraldine, tomorrow. Messrs R. Wilkin and Co. will hold a sale of freehold property and book debts in the estate of the late J. M. Shepherd at their rooms, Titnaru, to day. At 3 p.m. they will sell a quantity of furniture and effects on the premises of Mr J. R. Wardle, LeCren'a Terrace ; and immediately after, a quantity of masonry* worked and unworked, in the yard immediately opposite Smith's coal yard, Main South Road, io-morrow they will sell the righf. to crop 46 acres in the Pleasant Point Domain.