LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1149, 11 March 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Geraldine Hoad Board.— The monthly meeting of the Board takes place to*day. New Railway Tariff.—A supplementary Gazette has been issued containing the new Railway Tariff. It is very voluminous. Deserted Infant.—Last Friday evening an infant about three months old, wrapped in a shawl, was left on the doorstep of Watson’s hotel, Dunedin. The police are making inquires into the matter. The Oil Mania. —One thousand acres of land adjacent to the South Pacific Petroleum Company’s site, about 18 miles from Gisborne, have been secured for a new Company, to be called the New Zealand Petroleum Company.

Painful Accident. A farmer named Geo. Fisher was driving a harvester at Loburm near Christchurch, when the horses bolted and threw him in front of the machine, part of which caught his left arm and stripped the flesh off in -a frightful manner. He was attended by a doctor and is doing well.

The Maori King.—The Waikato Times says Tawhiao held his last meeting, prior to going to England, at Whatiwhatihoe on Friday. Topia and Rewi were present, Tawhiao and party leave by tka next mail via San Francisco. An address to Her Majesty and the English Parliament was signed by those present, asking that their territory should remain under Tawhiao’a administration only' and complaining that the : Government were surveying, making roads, erecting trigs, otc. ; without their consent, or rather that of Tawhiao.

Entertainment. Mr Joseph Mackay, travelling agent for the Colonial Mutual Insurance Association advertises that he will give entertainments at Geraldine, on Wednesday, Peel Forest, on Friday and Woodbury on Saturday, commencing each evening at 7 o’clock. The entertainment will consist of songs, readings, and recitations, followed by a short discourse on “ happy homos, and how to make them.” The entertainment in each case will conclude with a short sketch on the rights and privileges of British citizens, the liberty of the British subject, etc., with Colonial applications. Mr Mackay will give his entertainment in Temuka shortly.

Raukapuka Licensing Committee, — The quarterly meeting of the Eaukapuka Licensing Committee will be held to-day at the usual hour.

New Zealand Manufactures, —Gorernment have ordered a further supply of two gross of railway carriage lamps from the Freeman's Bay Glass Company, Auckland.

The Tempbbancb Movement. The members of the Roman Catholic body, Auckland, are urging on their clergy the advisability of establishing a temperance organisation under the aegis of the church.

Melbourne Races. —It the Victorian Racing Club’* Autumn meeting, on Saturday, the Champion Stakes of 25 sovs. each with 1000 sots, added, was won by Le Grand. Off Colour came in second and gets £2CO, and Commotion third, gets £IOO out of the stake. Martini-Henry was the fayorito, but was badly beaten. The Weather. —On Saturday last the hitherto fine weather broke, and toward erasing a ‘ Scotch mist’ fell, which about ten p.m. gave way to a heavy downpour of rain, lasting throughout the night and Sunday with more or less force. This will again retard the operations of the farmers, for a few days.

Fatal Accident to a Horse. — A horse belonging to Mr M. Connelly, saddler, Geraldine, for some little while past had been kept kept in a paddock belonging to Mr E. S. Cook, and a few days ago being missed, search was made, when it was found in an unused well in the paddock, having fallen down. On being extricated it was found to be quite dead. 1.0.G.T.—T0-morrow evening the member* of the Welcome Retreat Lodge, 1.0.G.T., Geraldine, will unite in celebrating the formal opening of their hall by a public tea meeting in the hall itself, when tea will be on the tables at half-past five p.m. At the conclusion of the tea a grand concert will be given in the Oddfellows’ Hall by the members of the Philharmonic Society, commencing at 8 p.m,

Gbbaldinb County Coubsino Club.—On Saturday night last the annual general meeting of tha Geraldine County Coursing Club was to hare taken place at the Bush Hotel, Geraldine, but owing to the inclemency of the weather a sufficient number of member* did not make their appearance to form a quorum and the meeting was adjourned till last night, at the Crown Hotel. A report of the meeting will appear in our next issue.

The Shooting Season. The South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has fixed the shooting season for native game at four months from the Ist April, and for cock pheasants and Californian quail at three mouths from the Ist May. It was resolved to ask the Governor to re-establish a close season for hares, as winged game were shot by those ostensibly in pursuit of hares ; also, to endeavour to (introduce French partridges. It was generally admitted that the introduction of English partridges has been a failure.

A Last Resource. The following memo, has been received, which will explain the cause of the interruption to the overland line since the sth instant : “ The repairing party on the Port Darwin line, report having found a man dead under the line, 120 miles north of the Peake station. In despair he had cut the wire to bring assistance. His horse was also dead alongside the body. The nearest water was twenty mile* distant.”

Clever Thrives.—The following good story appears in the Warehouseman and Draper of December last:—Two well-dressed men entered a large retail shop in the Westend and informed the principal, with whom they had a private interview, that they were detectives from Scotland-yard, on the look-out for two clever female thieves who would according to “information received,” drive up in the course of an hour in a brougham and would order a general parcel of darpery, tendering for it a cheque for £SO with a well-known name attached, but which would be a cleverly forged document. The officers of the law proposed that they should take their stand as salesmen behind the counter, that a hansom should be engaged with a horse, to wait outside, that the goods should be delivered and the change be given, and that then they would follow the brougham, and by that means detect a wholesale system of swindling. The principal is said to have agreed to this. The ladies came as advertised, and the goods were handed to the coachman, who drove off with the ladies, followed by the detectives. Need it be said that neither brougham, cash, nor detectives have since been heard of !

1 Thhßecxdiviste Question.—A cablegram just published states that a Blue Book issued on the recidivists question shows that the English Government informed France that they would regard it as an unfriendly act if the number of convicts in New Caledonia was increased, and repeatedly urged that they should be sent elsewhere. M. Terry, in replying early in January, suggested that the display of colonial feeling on the question was prompted bv a thirst for annexation, to which Lord Lyons really, stating that the feeling of the colonies against the recidivists scheme was rapidly genuine and rapidly growing stronger. M. Terry stated that the recidivistes now being sent to New Caledonia were not many, and that they were not positive criminals, and were strictly prohibited against leaving the island. Most of the French criminals were now sent to Cayenne. He, however, refused to give any pledge that no more should be sent to New Caledonia but said he would pay reasonable respect to the feelings of the Australian Colonies in the matter, and the Governor would be instructed to apply for the extradition of all escaped convicts. —It appears that in September last the German Government formally complained to England about the alleged slave dealing practices of Queensland and Fiji labor vessels in Now Britain and New Ireland.

Parish Meeting:— Attention is directed to the advertisement which appears elsewhere, intimating that a meeting trill be held to-morrow evening in the St Saviour’s Church, Temuka, to consider the proposed gift auction, and other matters. Ladies are specially invited to attend.

Unprofitable. The Directors of the Dunedin Tramway Company in their report state that the car mileage for 1882 was 387,455 ; and for 1883 was 383,589, and the receipts for 1883 were £1382 less than for 1882. The revenue account shows a credit balance of only £2368 ss, and the profit and loss account, after paying interest on the cost of the concera, showa a debit of £1214 15i. The supply of horses for the car haulage has been contracted for, and the general management has been undertaken for the company by Messrs Reid and Duncan. Temuka Linseed Company. —An error occurred in our report of the Temuka Linseed Company’s annual meeting. W& stated that the balance in the bank was £35 9s lid, whereas 'it was £435 9s lid. We have to add that the Secretary well deserved the compliment the Chairman paid him. It is fortunate for the shareholders that the services of so careful and intelligent an officer have been secured, for we feel sure very little will go wrong if he has anything to say in it. We regret we cannot say as much for the Directors.

Accident.— On Saturday last Mr J ames Skinner, of Hilton, met with a rather nasty accident whilst cutting down his crop in a paddock with a reaper and binder. The three horses attached to the machine were having a spell, but through some mischance took fright and bolted, throwing Mr Skinner with much violence * from his seat on the machine to the ground, hurting his back. He was, however, able to walk to his house not far from the scene of the accident, and is now recovering from the severe shaking he

received. St. Patbiok’s Day Spoets.—ln another column appears the programme of the athletic sports to be competed for in the Geraldine Domain on Monday next, St. Patrick’s Day, It has been drawn up on a most liberal scale, their being thirteen events to be competed for. Athletic sports have not been held in Geraldine for a long while past, and as the subscription lists are now out it ii to be hoped that the public will respond most liberally thereto, in order to render them an unqualified success, domination* lor the handicaps are to be made to the Hon. Secretary by noon on Thursday next, the 13th inst. at the Guardian office, and the handicaps will be declared in next Saturday’* issue of this paper. The Doings op a Saltation Army Captain.— The Devonport captain of the Salvation Army, named Bushel!, has disappeared under disgraceful eircumstances. He was previously stationed at launceiton, and a girl of 18 from Launceston recently visited him and his wife at Devonport. Last Tuesday, says an exchange, the “captain” received a letter from this girl makiig an appointment to meet him at the railway itation, Plymouth. Bushell told his wife he had to go to Plymouth, but would bo back in time to conduct evening service. He failed to return, but on Thursday a letter was received from him from London, saying that he had been summoned to London on special service, and was to be made a “ major.” This, however, proved to be a fiction. It is now known that Bushell had helped himself to Army fundi, and met the Launceston girl as appointed. They were seen to go away by train. Fires,—-A fire broke out last Friday night in the same premises at Hawera as where the fire occurred on Wednesday morning. Suitor’s place was on this occasion gutted and Brooks’ partly so. Bobbins, Pisrds and Co,, Pitcher, M. D. King, and others lose' owing to damage by the removal of goods. The circumstances are so suspicioue that Suitor was arrested on a charge of arson. He was brought up last Saturday morning and remanded, £SOO bail being demanded. A house of ten rooms, occupied by Mies Nantes as a private school, was burned down at Balclutha on Friday afternoon. The fire ’s believed ho hare been caused by ashes thrown down behind the kitchen. The building was the property of Mr Aspinall, solicitor, Temuka. It is believed to have been insured for £6OO, The furniture was mostly saved ; it was insured in tha Norwich Union for £2OO. A house of five rooms adjoining, belonging to Mr Kennent, County Clerk, caught fire and was also burned down. It was insured for £250 in the Norwich Union, and £SO in the Colonial. The furniture and effects were saved. They were insured in various offices for £BOO. Novel Breakwater.—A most ingenious invention (says the Liverpool Journal of Commerce), called the Greenway Breakwater has come before our notice, and is one which if we can judge from successful experiments made, will in a short time be brought prominently before the public. The object of this breakwater which is simply a line of buoys, is not to resist the force of the waves, but to turn them against one another, and are triangular shape, with a sharp point, which is directed towards the sea when the buoy is m position. They are held by two anchors to each buoy, fore and aft so as to keep them m position, with the space of a buoy between each. The draught of each buoy is ten feet. When a wave strikes the sharp prow of a buoy it is divided into two parts j the divided wave then rushes towards the buoys on either side, and in the space between it meets that portion of another wave which has had similar treatment from the neighbouring buoy, with the result that the diversion and collision reduce or entirely break the force of the wave, and the water is carried inside of the breakwater. Such a breakwater could be constructed'in a very short space of time, while the cost compared with that of a concrete or stone breakwater, would be trifling.

IT IWWl mmmmmmmmmmmm—mmmm ■ Narrow Escape on the Railway. —Says the Press : —The departure of the 6.40 train from Ashburton was considerably delayed on Saturday morning by one of the waggons being thrown of the rails. The train was being taken down the line previous to backing up to the platform, and the shunter was using one of the waggon brakes to ease the train down the incline. On passing the points the handle of the break came in contact with the rod used to work the points, and glancing off the rod struck the sleeper, the result bsing that the stout iron brake was snapped and twisted like a piece of hoop iron, the waggon wheels being thrown off the metals. Fortunately the shunter was not riding on the break at the time, and was able to get clear without receiving any personal injury. Cbicket.— On Saturday last a return match was played in Timaru between the Timaru Sigh School Juniors and the Temuka High School First Eleven. The Temuka boys, remembering the thrashing they had received from their opponents only a fortnight since, determined to prevent them doing so again. The Temuka captain having won the toss, decided to take the field. R. Hallamore and A. H. Jones were the first to face the bowling of A. Franks and W. Storey, which proved to be very effective as the innnings closed for 39, C. Plante scoring 10. The Temuka players then handled the willow, and put together 51, A. Austin securing 17 and W. Storey 14. In the second innings both Franks and Storey were again dead on the wicket and soon disposed of their opponents for 16, bringing their grand total up to 55, This left 5 runs for Temuka to make in order to win, which they did after the loss of 3 wickets, thus winning the match by 7 wickets* Great preparations had been made to give the visitors a good reception, and this was done without fail. A sumptuous luncheon was tastefully laid out in the schoel, by some

ladies who also kindly waited on the boys, ■ mustering OTar 50. When full justice had been done to all the luxuries o n the table, Mr Wilson, of the Timaru High School, addressed the boys with some very interesting remarks as to the benefits to be derived from cricket matches in connection with the schools. This was followed by Mr Grurr, of the Temuka District High School, who accompanied the lads on their journey, Mr Millar and others, A vote of thanks wac prised to the ladies and others. Messrs Clarke and McCaskill performed the arduous duties of umpires very successfully. ' Drunken Stuff.— How many children and women are slowly but surely dying, or rather being killed, by excessive doctoring, or the daily use of some drug or drunken stuff called medicine, that no one knows what it is made of, who can easily be cured and saved by Hop Hitters, which is so pure, simple, and harmless that the most frail woman, weakest invalid, or smallest child can trust it! See Advt. Mrs Dunn, Temuk?, has a 7*roomed house to let. Mrs Moore, Gapes’ Yalley, Geraldine, advertises for a general servant. The drawing for the prizes in Messrs Gahites and Plante’s art union takes place tomorrow. Tenders for the right of grazing sheep on >v6s acres of the Temuka Park, for a term of '' ’ two or three yean, close to*day at 1 p.m. ‘ Messrs Maclean and Stewart, in conjunction with Mr K. F. Gray, will hold a clearing sale of live and de-d stock etc., on the premises of Mr S. Currie, Waitohi, he having disposed of his farm. Messrs J, Mundell and Co, instructed by the owner, will hold a clearing sale of freehold property, draught horses, sheep, farm implements, etc., on the homestead of Mr F. Hide, on Friday, 4th April next. Tenders for the several contracts advertised for by the Overseer of the Geraldine Road Board are to be sent in, addressed to the Chairman and endorsed with No. of contract, by ten a.m. to day.