LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1177, 13 May 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Temuka Town Board. —The proclamafcion constituting Wallingford a Town District under the name of the “ Temuka Town District ” appeared in last Thursday’s Gazette, which came to hand last night. The thing is therefore settled. The number of Commissioners—that is, members of the Board—is fixed at fire. This is too small; seven members would have been better. The date for the election of members is fixed for Thursday, the sth of June, and the 11th of Juno is fixed as the date of the first meeting of the Commissioners. Mr Wills is appointed Returning Officer. Pkomenadb Conchbt and Gut Auction. —At 7.30 o’clock this evening a promenade concert and gift auction will take place in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Geraldine, for the purpose of disposing of the goods left over from the recent fancy bazaar in aid of the funds of St. Mary’s Anglican Church. As there is a large and varied assortment to choose from, many bargains will doubtless be obtained. The proceedings of the evening will bo enlivened by a promenade concert. The whole will be under the monagement of Mr Shiers (Churchwarden) and Mr Willoughby, whose very names alone are a sufficient guarantee of the success of the undertaking, and a handsome sum will probably be realised for the purpose for which the promenade concert and gift auction were promoted. The price of admission is one shilling.

Coubsing.—The second meet of the season, under the auspices the S.C. Coursing Club, takes place at the Levels to-day when the South Canterbury Cup will be competed for.

The Parihaka Meetings.—The natives at Parihaka are mustering horses for the purpose of holding a large sale there shortly, in order to raise money to provide provisions for a series of monthly meetings to be held by Te Whiti at Parihaka.

GrKBAiDnfH Bbass Bajcd.—The members of the Geraldiae Brass Band played a selection of tunes In the open air on Saturdsy evening last, the execution of which displayed a great amount of improvement since their la«t appearance in public. The evening was remarkably fine aad a great many persons turned out to listen to the music.

Mobtgages IN THI CoiOHT. —After a deal of labour (says the New Zealand Times) a return of all the money lent on mortgage in the Colony has been prepared. It gives some curious and most interesting facts. The total amount of money so lent is, in round numbers, £30,000,000. By many persons it had been estimated at £60,000,000, and to these the news must come as a pleasant surprise. The amount comes very near what was expected by those best informed on the matter. Of this large amount it is pleasing to find that one half—viz., £ls,ooo,ooo—is owned by people living in the Colony. This sum is surprisingly large, and it is most gratifying to find so large a sum owned by colonists.

TOKPBDOKS JOBTHIN.Z. GrOTIBHMWT.— The ship Lyttalton which arrived at; Dunedin on Friday hai two torpedo boats for the New Zealand Government. The hulls of these reasels measure 63ft in length, with a breadth of beam of 7ft 2in. They are entirely built of steel, and are water-level, and as thej hare no decks they will present a rery peculiar appearance. For the entire length from the bow towards the stern they are coTered with a kind of turtle-back roof, which giyes protection to the crew and increases the engine space. There is a small tower of steel, abore which on a flat roof will be mounted a Nordenfelt gun. The boats hare two funnels, and on the fore part will be placed the torpedo, which will be worked by means of a tackle. McEroy's torpedo will be used. Db AWING A Coif pabison.—Said Col. Q-. A. Peirce in an address at Fort Wayne, Indiana : —A short time agor a discussion arose in Chicago as to the relatire duty of lawyers and newapapers, and the following query occurred to me: What would be said of any respectable journal that would take a fee for trying to make black appear white—that should undertake the defence of a notorious murderer, for instance. Not secretly, and while pretending to be impartial —that, of course would be intensely hypocritical and dishonourable but openly and notoriously. The accused party would say, for instance: " I want defenders, I will hire lawyer So-and-so and newspaper Such-a-one." What an outcry would go up, an d yet what is it that makes such an act highly dishonourable on the part of a newspaper, and proper and permissible on the part of an attorney t Is newspaper honour held too low ? I beliere the time will come when a lawyer's duties will be confined to seeing that murderers and highway robbers hare a fair and just trial according to law, and when no amount of money will be allowed to conrert them into paid eulogists of dangerous men. TIMABIT A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the Committee of the abore Association was held in Timaru on Saturday. It was agreed to accept Messrs Maolean and Stewart's offer of the use of a room for £4O par annum, payable half yearly. A committee was appointed to collect at least £l5O for prizes to be given at the next annual show. The Manager of the Bank of New Zealand wrote asking when the overdraft of £45 would be cleared off. It was decided to reply to the Bank that tha Committee would do what they possibly could to reduce the OTerdraft, and that they hoped to pay it off after the next show. A letter was received from Mr Pilbrow drawing a comparison between drills of English and Colonial manufacture, and suggesting that the Assooia* tion should hold a trial of drills at the proper season, the same as they did with reapers and bindsra. The matter was deferred till the next meeting. As there is a great, difficulty is getting a sufficient number of members of Committee together to form a quorum, the following notice of motion was giren:— " That at next general meeting the following addition be made at the end of By-law No. 6: ' and if any member of Committee is abssat for three consecutive meetings, the Committee ■hall have power to appoint another in his place until the next annual meeting.' "

How Not to Entebtaik Visitors.— If Archibald Forbes, obserTes the Otago Daily Times, made a wry face oyer the cramming with statistics he received in Dunedin, how much more must Hanlan bare felt inclined to reject a similar dose, to which he has been treated in Sydney. It is stated that Mr Charles Oowper, the sheriff of the colony, gave a luncheon to Hanlan, the champion sculler. In proposing the simple toast, that of Hanlan's health, Mr Cowper obserred that ' he did not think that he would be wrong if he were to give Mr Hanlan a short history of the progress which the colony had made since its foundation in 1788.' He proceeded to mention some leading politicians and their achievements, and went onto quote formidable and highly arithmetical statistics about railways, population, trade, wheat production, tramways, and similar matters. The Australasian thinks Mr Cowper's speech was as little apropos as that of the Texican politician who, when the horse thief was asked, before undergoing the extreme penalty of Lynch law, if he wished to make any remarks to the crowd, observed, ' If our unfortunate friend does not desive to avail himself of the opportunity, I should like to make a few observations to the gentlemen present about the new tariff.*

Afologt. —ln another column Mr James Patrick apologises to Mr Elijah Brown for his behaviour to him in Temuka on Saturday night. Impounded.—The Temuka poundkeeper Mr John Lawson, will hold a sals of no less than 16 head of cattle on Thursday next, unless the same are previously released. Owners of cattle straying at large would do well to peruse the advertisement. 11l POBTAHT FBKIHOED PbOPBMX SAM.— To-day Messrs J. Mundell and Co. will submit to the hammer at Mr Isaac Harrison's farm, close to the Geraldine township, 21 acres splendid grazing land, together with dwelling house, outbuildings, live and dead stock, etc. The sale will commence at twelve o'clock, and luncheon will be provided, Fibb.—Another fire occurred in "Wellington at 2.30 yesterday morning, the houses occupied by Mr Preston, wine merchant, and Captain Steele, of the steamer Manawatu, being destroyed. The fire originated in the house of the latter, who is away from Wellington, his wife and four children remaining in the residence. Both houses arc the property of Mr George Brown, contractor, The insurance on Mr Preston's house is £250, and on the furniture, £SO, both in the National ofiice. The house occupied by Captain Steele is insured for £IOO in the National, and the furniture for £IOO in 'the j South British. ■•-" '" Goon Advice.—ln a recent issue we called upon the clergymen of Temuka to use their influence in putting down the unseemly con* duct which some of our youths were indulging in. We are glad to say that the Rev. D. Gordon has responded to the call. At the morning service of his church last Sunday he referred to the matter, and advised parents to look after their children and insist upon their remaining at home at night. He pointed out in forcible language the dangers to which they were subject by association with persons of ill behavior, and urged that it would be more christian-like to have them at home, to take part in family worship before retiring to rest, than roaming about the streets. We hope the rev. gentleman's advice will be taken, and that it will lead to an improvement in the conduct of our youths. At any rate he has done his duty, which is what all men of any influence in the town should do.

Expkbihbsting with Dbinx. ■—Surely cases of drunkenness are common enough in England to render it unnecessary to produce intoxication by special means, with a view to scientific experiments? Howarer thia may be, a correspondent of the Standard calle attention to the reckless fashion in which Dr Bichards (not to be oonfounded with Dr Benjamin Richardson) has bean ad* ministering brandy to habitual drunkard!, moderate drinkers, and abstainers in order to test the effects of alcohol in heightening or lowering the temperature of tha body. To make an habitual drunkard " dead drunk,* twelre ounces in one dose were found sufficient ; and so hardened was the confirmed inebriate to the effect of spirits that no reduction of hia temperature waa caused. A bey who had bean in tba habit of drinking was treated in divided doses, with from on* to eight ounces of brandy for a weak, and then with twelre ouncea daily for three days. How hia temper was affected it is not stated ; but it is interesting to find that through medical skill this originally sober boy waa enabled to take daily his twelve ounces of brandy—just one bottleful, that ia to say. Despairing Bankers. —The" number of suicides among the brightest and most capable of business men, bankers ana others, will be reduced to a happy minimum as soon as the specific virtues of Hop Bitters are known. A« all men who work with their bruins and neglect totake the needed exercise, the food taken: does not nourish ; and dangerous debility, physical nnd mortal, ensue. Read Advt. The Mount Peel Road Board invite tender* for shingling Ford's Road, Orari Gtoige. A reward is offered for a brown retrierar dog, lost in Geraldine. Skinnt Men .—'Wells' Health Renewed, restores health and vigor, cures Dyspepsia, Impotence, Debility. New Zealand Drug Co., General Agents. 1

Two quarter acre lections (adjoining) in> the townihip of Geraldrae are offered for sale at a rery low price. The firm of Pratt and Kruse trading in, Geraldine as painters, decorators, etc.j has been disioJTed from Ist May, 1884. Kbmidt for Hard Times. Stop spending so much on fine clothe?, rich food, and style. Buy good food, cheaper and better clothing, and stop the habit of using expensive or quack doctors or humbug medicine that does you only harm, but put your.trust in the greatest of all simple, pure remedies, Hop Bitters, that cures always at a trifling cost, and you will see better times and good health. Read Advt. , .