The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1885. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1349, 4 June 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1885. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Geraldine Town Board.— The monthly meeting of this Board takes place this evening. Held Over.—We have been obliged to hold over till our next, reports of meettings of several local bodies and other interesting matter. The ’Frisco Mail.— Correspondence, etc., by the incoming San Francisco Mail may be expected by the Northern Express to-day. The Grain Season. — Tha number of jacks of grain received bv rail at Timaru up to the 30th alt., was 149,431, and by road, 55,518; making a grand total of 204,949. Fatal Accident. —A lad named Briant whilst engaged in ploughing on the farm of Mr Frank Slee, near Waimate, on Saturday, was kicked by one of his team and died on Monday. The lal was about 15 years of age. The Small Birds Nuisance. —The Clerk to the Temuka Road Board announces that he will supply, free, to farmers in the Temuka Road District, ozs. of ’strychnine, or half a bushel of poisoned grain, for every 100 acres of land in crop. Geraldine Rifle Corps.— ln a late number of the N.Z. Gazette a notification appears to the effect that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to accept the appointments of Ur Fish ao Honorary Surgeon and the Rev. Jas. Preston as Honorary Chaplain of the Geraldine Rifle .Corps. The rifles have arrived, and all members who attend at the drill-shed this and to-morrow evenings will be able to obtain theirs. The Highland Crofters. —Some time ago the Caledonian Society wrote to Mr Gladstone, drawing his attention to the provision made in the Land Bill of the last session for Highland crofters, and asking his influence in making the scheme a success. By last mail t.h> following reply was received from Mr Gladstone’s Private Secretary “ I am desired by Mr Gladstone to acknowledge the receipt of a resolution of the Directors of the Caledonian Society of Otago of which a copy was enclosed in your letter of 29tb January last, and I am to state for the information of the Directors, that he will communicate on the subject with those of his colleagues who are specially charged with the duty of dealing with the Highland Crofters question.” The Panama Canal. —The New York Times concludes in leference to the prospects of Ihe Panama Canal that it cannot be completed in less than 5 years, and not at a less cost than 350,009,000 dollars ; also (hat if its net receipts when completed should be as high as 13,000,000 dollars annually, the fixed charge* would swallow up nearly all, if not quite all, the interest, and that it is extremely doubtful in point of fact, if interest on its obligations could be mat, to say nothing of dividends on its stock. On its being able to raise money when its present resources are exhausted —as they are likely to be in about a year, depends absolutely the abildy of the Company to go on. If it gets into financial straits, what will be the consequences ? Too much will have been done and too much expended to admit of the scheme being readily abandoned. Will not (the Times asks) the interp .isil ion of the French Government then be invoked, and the political complications so often prophesied come in sight ?

Great Fibe at Auckland,— Owen and Graham’s wholesale warehouse, Queen street, Auckland, was discovered to be on fire at a quarter to eight on Monday morning. The fire originated in the basem nt, which was used ns a packing department, and the flames leaped up to the fourth storey, which contained silks and fancy goods, etc. This portion of the store was completely gutted. The Fire Brigade got (he five under in half-nn-hour, but not before the whole building had been completely deluged with water. The loss is estimated at £30,000. The insurances on the stock amounted to £40,000, and on the building to £2OOO. Commerce House, Timaru. —We have been requested to call attentioo to Messrs Drummond and Giasson’s new advertisement in another column, setting forth the arrival of their third shipment of new goods for the winter season’s (rade, ex “ Arawa” and “Kaikourn.” Having now entirely completed their alterations and improvements, they' have every facility for making in their handsome premises a really attractive and tempting display of the numerous wares used by the ladies generally (if not actually required) “to make them pretty and to leave them neat;” while to those who contemplate bidding adieu to the unhappy condition of single (un)blessedness the proprietors of Commerce House announce the unpacking of large quantities of carpets, curtains, blankets, sheetings, quilts, tablecloths, and the thousand and one oddments known only to the fair promoters of domestic comforts and the purveyors. We notice they draw special attention to their Clothing and Tailoring Departments, which, if they possess the many virtues claimed for them by Messrs Drummond and Glasson, should be well worth a visit. —Advt. Mr W. Coltman, Temuka, offers 10s reward for the recovery of a lady’s seal jacket, lost on Sunday last. Tenders are invited by the Chairman of the Pleasant Valley School Committee for cleaning the school for six months. Tenders close on the 26th instant. Under distress warrant, in the case of Cliff v. Cameron, if the same is not previously settled, Mr K. F. Gray will sell a quantity of live farm stock, sheep dogs, etc., at Winchester at 1.30 to-day, Truth and Soberness. —What is the best family medicine in the world to regulate the bowels, purify the blood, remove costiveness and biliousness, aid digestion, and stimulate the whole system F Truth and soberness compel us to answer American Co.’s Hop Bitters, being pure, perfect and harmless. — Read Advt.