LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1286, 6 January 1885, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thmdka Road Boaed.—The monthly *eetmg of the above Board takes place today. Tenders must be in before 10 a.m. Binding Twine. The Christchurch merchants, owing to local disagreements, have reduced the re'ail price of Manilla binding twine of colonial or imported manufacture to 9d per lb. Dieect Steamer. — The New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer longariro arrived at Wellington on Friday night at 12.30 from London. The passage from Plymouth has occupied 42 days, including stoppages. Legal, Messrs White and Smithson Timaru, announce that they have admitted W. S. Gr. Raymond, barrister and solicitor, into co-partnership with themselves, the style of the firm being in future “ White, Smithson and Raymond.” Monthly Stock Sale—Messrs J, Mundell and Co., auctioneer, Geraldine, hold their stock sale to-morrow. The entries already received comprise some prime beasts, and the sale should ] rove an exceptionally good one. The auctioneer will receive furllur entries up to hour of sale.

Young Men’s Club, Geraldine.—The monthly meeting of the members of this Club will be held in the club rooms tomorrow evening. Geraldine School Committee. The ordinary meeting of this Committee will be held in the schoolroom to-morrow evening ut half past seven. Winchester Fair.—The usual monthly fair will bo held at Winchester on Thursday. There is, we understand, an unsually large entry this time, and as the last feir was a great success it is expected this will be one of much activity. Picnic. The children attending the Timaru Catholic schools hold a picnic at “ The Gums,” Winchester, to-day. A special train will leave Timaru for Winchester this morning to convey the children and their friends to the scene of the day's outing, and it is expected that the gathering will be a large one. Woodyear’s Circus.—Wood year’s Circus is now on a tour through the colony—which has so far been a most successful one—and intends to make a stay in Temuka on the Bth and in Geraldine on the 9th insts. Mr Wyburd, the energetic agent, was in town yesterday making the necessary arrangements. Since the circus lust paid us a visit many new features have been added, and altogether the circus is one of the most entertaining and complete that has ever visited us. After their appearance in Geraldine the company travel on to Ashburton. Attempted Assassination. —Late Aus. tralian news states that a tremendous commotion was caused in the Roman Catholic Cathedral, Annidule, on Christmas morning. During the service, as Bishop Torrezziani was about to celebrate Mass, a man named McCafferty, an Irishman, walked up the church with a sword in his hand, and when ho got to the altar he raised the sword to strike the Bishop, but some of the congregation prevented him. As they did so McCafferty fired at the Bishop with a revolver. The ball passed through the Bishop’s vestments, but he kept cool and proceeded with his religious duties. McCafferly, who is believed to be mad, was arrested. The Timaru Hospital.—A meeting of the Timaru Hospital Commissioners took place yesterday, there being present Messrs T. W. Hall (Chairman), J. H, Sutter, F. LeCren, R. A. Barker, and His Worship the Mayor. The House Steward, Mr Jowsey, was instructed to order 25 wite-wove mattresses from a furnishing firm in Christchurch, The Chairman teported that a gang of prisoners hod been told off to improve the Hospital grounds fronting Queen street. Accounts amounting to £232 19s lOd were passed for payment. The return of patients for December shows that there were under treatment during the month 19 male and 11 female patients; discharged, 8 male and 3 female j remaining under treatment on January 1, 11 male and 8 female ; outpatients treated, 9 male and 16 female. 1.0.0. F., Geraldine. The usual monthly meeting of the Loyal Victoria Lodge, 1.0.0. F., Geraldine, was held in (he hall on Friday evening. Bro. A. Owles, N.G., opened the lodge in clue form, and Bro. W. Stonehouse took his seat in the V.G. chair. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed, 'the Secretary, Bro. J. W. Pye, read a letter, amomr other correspondence j from the lodge at Fairlio Creek, in which was a cordial invitation to the brethren to attend a banquet, when the opportunity would be taken to make Bro. C. Pye a presentation. The installation of officers of the Lodge for the ensuing term was postponed till the 16th inst. A proposition to change the night of meeting from Friday to Tuesday was also postponed till that evening l . This being all the business the N.G. then closed the Lodge in the usual form. Town Improvements.— Talbot street, the main street through Geraldine, is undergoing a thorough overhaul at the hands of the Town Board. When the contract between Huffey’s and Mcllraith’s is completed, there will be little to do to it beyond the ordinary maintenance work by the surfacemen. The footpath being formed between Huffey’s and Mcllraith’s will be somewhat rough for a time, but as there is plenty of binding material among the shingle it will set down into a good footway. Persons should be careful when driving down the street past Mundell’s auction rooms in the dark, as the opening in the road, which is being made for a new culvert, would be a dangerous place to get into. A light is kept burning by the contractor during the night, and as the opening is being made from the river side of the road, anyone will understand upon which side to drive. On a Mysterious Errand.—The Wellington correspondent of the Press scuds that journal the fallowing strange item of news“ There still appears to be some! hing mysterious about the movements of the Ilinemoa. She left on Friday evening, presumably for Napier. Indeed, it was stated by Ministers that, the Colonial Secretary wou’d land at Napier. It now appears that the steamer has not been seen in the neig|ibomhood of Napier. It, was rumored on Saturday that she will call at Taurnnga and take aboard a detachment of the Armed Constabn'ary, and that after landing Sir Julius Vogel at Wauvera she will go on to the Bay of Islands for a cargo of coal. The Post last Friday evening says: ‘The Hmemoa last night took with her four constable? and a sergeant of the Armed Constabulary, who, it is understood, on’y received orders to go about an l our before the steamer left. Their destination is unknown. The steamer’* crew was also greatly sf eijgthened by the addition of extra seamen and and stores, and she was specially provisioned as if for a long voyage. What ail this means we do not know.’ ” j

The Hon. W. Rolleston at Geraldine. —The Hon. W. Rolleston visited Geraldine yesterday and was met by the Chairman and Overseer of the Town Board, who thanked the honorable gentleman for the great attention he had given to Town Board matters. In replying, Mr Rolleston promised to do everything in his power in future for the improvement of the town. The Police Offences Act.—The first case under the Police Offences Act was tried «t Dunedin on Saturday—a charge of obscene language. The case being the first under the Act, the offenders were let off with 24 hours, but an intimation was given that in future cases would be dealt with as intended by the Act, which fixed the maximum penalty at 12 months' imprisonment without the option of a fine. A Bad Practice.—At a meeting of the Board of Education at New Plymouth the other day Dr. O’Carroll, one of the members, spoke strongly against a practice which is prevalent in perhaps every school in the colony, that of the children making presents to their teachers. Dr. O’Carroll said the system partook too much of the form of “corruption and bribery.” Other members were of the same opinion, but did not think it the Board’s office to interfere in the matter. Ultimately the d?ctor decided not to propose any resolution anent the matter, but be still maintains his opinion that the system is a bad one, and this yiew is undoubtedly correct. The New Loan. —In connection with the cablegram published last issue re the stock Exchange protesting against the alienation of the sinking fund, the Press Association are requested to state that “ The Stock Exchange acts through its Committee of Management, and if it had taken any action it would have been taken through tbs Committee. That some members or members may have said or written something is quite possible, as out of so many there are probably men who write without accurate knowledge, and to say that the alienation of the sinking fund is threatened, is a gross perversion of the facts. By last session’s legislation it was expressly provided that before any sinking fund should be absorbed, the whole loan to which it belonged should be extinguished j or that sufficient should be left in the bands of the trustees to pay off the balance of interest and principal outstanding. Be that as it may, it is certain the Stock Exchange has taken no action of importance, as the Government have been in close correspondence on the subject of the loan with the loan agents during the last fortnight, and no mention of anything of the kind has been made. If there had been any action worthy of notice, it would have been reported to the Government,” An Amusing Case. Magistrate’s Court, Wellington the other day, Joseph Mackay sued W. A. Thomson, manager of the Equitable Insurance Association of the United States, for £IOO damages for wrongful dismissal. Mr Henry Howorth for plaintiff, and Mr Shaw for the defence. The case was a most amusing one. It was sought to be set up for the defence that Mackay was not altogeter compos mentis judging by his actions at a lecture he delivered. The impeachment was vigorously denied, and judgment was given for the nominal sum of 20s. This is a portion of Mackay’s cross-examination : Did not introduce a breakdown. Witness was on his knees at the time, and had been on his knees 20 years before Mr Stout, whose favorite piece was “Hot Coffee.” The newspapers spoke of this recitation as a song—they were no judges of literary matters. Had never been dragged out .of Dunedin Harbor when attempting to commit suicide. Fell into the harbor one day. An experience like that strengthened the mind. There was not a stronger-minded wan in the South Island than himself. Was not excited on the night of the lecture ; on the contrary, he was prepared tD take 100 lives. After the 1-cture defendan said to witness: “You are not, responsible fo your actions.” Subsequently plaintiff said, “Better mb me of 10,000 lives than take away my character.” Our readers will hardly want to be told that the Mackay referred to in this case is the same whose case with the Government Insurance Department created such interest a short time ago. Since his arrest, and subsequent discharge he has been continually in hot, water, his only object in life apparently being to obtain redress for his alleged wrongs. The Geraldine County Acclimatisation Society. -A meeting of the members of the above society was held last Saturday evening in the Royal Hotel, On the motion of Mr K. F. Gray, Mr A. M. Clark took the chair. The Chairman said he need not go into any particulars of what had been done. A Committee consisting n£ himself, Dr Hayes and Messrs Gray and Aspinall had been appointed to draw up rules and get the Society proclaimed. As they had accomplished that, it was not necessary for him to give any further details. He would read the advertisement. After reading the advertisement, the meeting proceeded to elect officers, when the following were chosen -Chairman, Mr A. M. Clark ; Vice-Chairman, Mr K. F. Gray ; Treasurer, Dr Hayes ; Secretary, Mr Aspinall; Members of the Council, Messrs W, H, Hargreaves, S, D. Barker, J. Findlay, D. In wood, J. Meyers, and J. M. Twomey. On the motion of Mr Findlay, seconded by Mr Biuley, it was resolved —“That the Hon. Mr Rolleston be elected a life member of the Society in consideration of the great trouble be "TP* t° ' n H proclaimed, and that a cordial vote of thanky be accorded to him.” The Chairman brought up the subject of getting a refund of some of the money paid by' people from this? district for licenses to the South Canterbury Society, and it was resolved—- “ That it be an instruction to the Council to arrange as to the division of funds

between this Society and the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society conformably with section 32 of the Animals .Protection Act.” Mr Gray was appointed ko see to the printing of license forms. 'The meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman. Temukv Fire Brigade —The above Brigade turned out to practice last evening, but as there were only seven members present, and they found the working of the engine too heavy for them, they limited their operations to one well. In that they found plenty of water. It is to be regretted that more interest is not taken in the Brigade. Doh't Dib in the House,— “Bough on Bats " clears out rats, mice, beetles, roaches, bed bugs, flies, ants, insects, moles, jack rabbits, gophers. Kempthorne, Prosser and Co., Christ church, 1 T. Hardcastle, junr., Woodbury, notifies that information will be rewarded as to the whereabouts of a chestnut gelding lost from Greenall’s, Hae-hae-te-moana, Good Rbboiutions. —At the commencement of every new year hundreds and thousands of our young men—and old as well —form resolutionii for their guidance for the coming year. Many keep them, while others break them. To such we wish to give a word of advice. In order to auatdn your determination of leading a betfer life in (he future you should use Hop Bitters. The judicious use of Hop Bitters ntrcngthens, cleanses, and purifies the stomach, bowels, blood, liver, nerves, and kidneys, and iu just what you want to build up and invigorate yourself.—Greenbush Dem. Bead Advt.