LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1389, 8 September 1885, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Parliamentary Union.—l he weekly sitting o£ this Union takes place this evening. Monthly Stock Sale.—Mr K. F. Gray bolds his monthly sale of stock, etc., at Temuka to-morrow.

Rangitiba Valley.—A public meeting of the householders in this district takes place in the bouse of Mr William Wright, on Saturday next, at half-past 7 p.m., to confer oh the subject of establishing a school district, elect a School Committee, and consider the boundaries of the said district.

Cricket.—lVe remind our cricketing friends that the annual meeting of the Geraldine Cricket Club takes places at the Geraldine Hotel this evening, at half-past 7 sharp. The business will be to elect officers for the ensuing season and routine. All cricketers are invited. The Arowhenua Hotel. At the quarterly licensing meeting of the Levels Licensing Committee on Saturday last, a transfer of the Arowhenua Hotel was granted from W, O’Driacoll to Michael Scanned. The police reported that since the hotel had been under the management of Mr Scanned they had had no complaints made. Clydesdale Horse. —We publish an advertisement this morning notifying that Messrs J. Mundell and Co.’s horse “Superior” will travel the district this season. This horse is developing into a grand specimen of his class, and fulfilling the promises shown by him when brought down to the distriet last season. He shouid therefore be sought after by breeders as an improver of the draught stock of the district. He is under Ihe charge of Andrew Agnew, who is well known as a groom throughout the district. Full particulars of “ Superior’s ” pedigree will be seen from the cards, and the advertisement t;ivea particulars as to the districts be will travel.

He Failed to Find the Depression. —A travelling correspondent of a Sydney paper, whole at present “doing” New Zealand, says; -“Everyboly tells me ‘things are awfully depressed in Now Zealand.’ Certainly I could see no signs of that depression in Wanganui. The signs were absent from Auckland. They were not risible in Napier, and in almost every village on our journey we saw only evidences of industry, activity, and progress. Even in Wellington, the much bewailed depression eluded us still. If this be ‘ the awfully depressed slate of things ’ so constantly bemoaned, then New Zealand, when things are brisk and lively, must have been about the friskiest community and the liv< best country to live in that all hisiory makes any mention of.” CHARITT.—The Budget, states that “the duty of paving out charitable relief forms no small part of the Clerk of the Court’s duties in New Plymouth. Every Saturday relief is paid over the counter to seventeen men and twenty-three women. The men receive sums varying from Is to ss, and in one case 10s per week. In nearly every case they are provided with rations. The twenty-three women are mostly wives with families, who have been deserted by their husbands. Their cash relief averages about 4s 6d a household, but they likewise receive rations of more value than the cash paid. In addition to this provision they occasionally obtain work as charwomen and do washing. The men, it m«y be said, are nearly all infirm or cripples, and are quite unable to work. Abont £7OO a year is thus distributed in Taranaki, in addition to the doles of the Benevolent Societies and private charities.” Sad Occhbbencb.— Timaru was the scene of a very sad occurrence on Friday night when s young lady of about 20 years of age, Miss Louisa Cameron, met her death by drowning. Miss Cameron was in very indifferent health, and in consequence much depressed in spirits, and on the night in question was engaged in sewing in company with her mother. Something caused the latter to leave the room, and on returning a few minutes later she found that the girl had left the house, having first taken off her slippers. She aroused a neighbor and her sons, and a thorough search was made for the missing girl. The search was continued all through the night, and on the following morning her body was discovered by her brothers and some others on the beach, partly in and partly out of the water, near the Boating Club’s shed, where it had evidently been left by the receding tide. All haste was made and the body taken home, and medical aid sent for, but life was found to be quite extinct. Hardly a scratch was on the body. The affair created a great sensation in Timaru, where the girl was well known and was a general favorite. For about six or seven years she was a teacher in the Public School, and also taught in St. Mary’s Sunday School. On severing her connection with the former some months ago she was the recipient of a very handsome present, subscribed by her pupils and fellow teachers, and had the good wishes of all in the school. The deepest sympathy is expressed for the parents and relations of the docensod. On Saturday af*ernoon an inquest was held, when ovi' ■r,cp to the above effect was given, and she jury returned the following verdict: —“ i’hat the deceased was found drowned on the beach at Timaru, but how •Hich drowning came about there is no evidence to show." The funeral took place yesterday afternoon and was very largely attended.

Eolipsb OR THE Sun.—An eclipse of the sun takes place to-morrow mornine. The eclipse will begin heie at 6j. 35m. 20-., and end at'Bh. 47m. 565. a.in. The ec ipse vewed from here will not be totsi—about. 6-7ths of the sun being obecu-ed. Seen from Masterton the eclipse will be total. Raukapdra Licensing Committee.— Yeste day was the da’e of the usual quarterly meeting of this Committee, but there being no business to transact the meeting was not hell. The Inspector’s report on the licensed houses in the district was a very favorable one. Young Men’s Club, Geraldine.— lt will be remembered that by the bite fire the Club lost the whole of their pr 'party, and what makes the loss still greater is that at the time of the fire the Club were in debt to some small extent. In order to liquidate this the members have decided to make an appeal to the public for assistance by means of an entertainment. This will be held in about three weeks 'ime. The programme will be a varied one, and every endeavor will be made to make it as interesting as possible, so we have no doubt it will be a success. Chdbch Parade.—On Sunday the Geraldine Rifles held their first, church parade Forty-six of rank and file attended the parade, the Company being under the command of Captain Moore, and with him Lieutenants Pearpoint nnd Ward. The men fell in opposite the Oddfellows’ Fall, and marched to the church in fours. The Rey. Jas. Preston preached a vary impressive and interesting sermon, taking as his text Revelations xrii., 14. After service the Company was marched back to the Hall, and before dismissing them Captain Moore congratulated the corps upon the good attendance and upon the orderly manner in which they had conducted themselves. A Parliamentary Episode.—ln connection with the level nature of the Canterbury Plains, the following little Parliamentary episode is related by an Auckland paper : “Many years ago, Mr (now Sir Wm.) Fox had his attention attracted in the General Assembly to the peculiar habit Mr (now Sir John) Fall had of raising himself on his tiptoes at intervals, in addressing the House, when he desired to be particularly emphatic. Mr Fox, during the course of the debate, referred to the matter, and expressed his belief ‘ that the lion, member was either extracting his ideas out of Iris boots, or acquired the habit through craning his neck over the Canterbury Plains in an endeayonr to find bis sheep! ” Inspection of Schools,—The Inspector of Schools reports on secondary schools; “ I have the honor to report that since the 15th of September last I hare inspected the Training Colleges at Dunedin, Christchurch and Auckland, and most of the High Schools of the colony. It is unnecessary to give details as to the staff and attendance at each school since then, as my annual report of the several institutions, which will be made at the end of the year, will supply full statistics. These reports will show clearly the general character of each institution with respect to the, scope of instruction imparted and the completeness or imperfections of its organisation. The local authorities generally exercise a very careful supervision of the affairs of the schools, and have intrusted the charge of them to very competent principals, who in their turn efficiently direct and inspect the work of their subordinates. As a rule, the subjects of instruction are properly adapted to the wants of the pupils, and the instruction in subjects is adequate to the pupils’ requirements. The distribution of school time is judicious, and the hours provided in the Dime-table are punctually observed. I may add in most of the schools there is an alacrity of movement that may be taken to indicate habitual energy on the part of the teachers and habitual attention to their work on the part of the majority of the pupils,” Stanley on Livingstone.—Mr Stanley, the celebrated traveller, said in the course of a recent interview ;—I have been in Africa for'seventeen years, and 1 never met a man yet who would kill me if I folded my hands. What is wanted, and what I have been endeavouring to ask for the poor Africans, has been the good offices of Christians ; ever since Livingstone taught me, during those four months that I was with him. In 1871 I went to him as prejudiced as the biggest athiest in London. To a reporter and correspondent, such as I, who had only to deal with wars, mass meetings, and political gatherings, sentimental matters were entirely out of my province. But there came for me a long time for reflection. I was out there far from a worldly world. I saw this solitary old man there, and asked myself, “ How on earth does he stop here ; is he cracked or what ? What is it that inspires him ?" For months after we met I simply found myself listening to him, wondering at the old man carrying out all that was said in the Bible —“Leave all things and follow Me.” But little by little his sympathy fjr others became contagious j my sympathy was aroused ; seeing his piety, bis gentleness, bis seal, hie earnestness, and how he quietly went about his business, I was converted by him, although he had not tried to do it. He converted people by example. How sad that the good old man should have died so soon. How joyful he would have been if he could have seen what has since happened there.

District Court, Timaru, —This Court was occupied all Friday and a part of Saturday in the hearing of the case of Mads Hansen against James Sanderson, the claim being £l4O. The statement of the claim and the evidence of the plaintiff was most voluminous. The plaintiff alleged that he deposited the deeds of a house and section of land at Temuka with Messrs Sando and Sanderson as security for an advance of £SO wherewith to purchase a half share in certain soap works near Timaru, at that time being worked by a man named Hase.l but on the understanding that trie property was not to be mortgaged. He averred that though the mortgage deed was read over to him he did not understand its purport, and was not aware that the property was mortgaged till he was informed that it was, for £250, by the Manager of the Bank of N.S.W. He had taken possession of the soap works, and was willing to allow £6O as their value ; he was also willing to allow the £SO paid to enter into the partnership with Hasel, and claimed the balance between these sums and the amount for which the property is mortgaged, viz., £l4O, Mr H, L Forster, the solicitor who prepared the mortgage deed, gave evidence that he read it over in the presence of all the parties concerned, and as Hansen seemed a little deaf he “shouted” the clauses at him. To him Hansen seemed quite capable of taking care of “No. 1” He read over the document and explained it most carefully. Hansen asked about the £250, and it was explained that £l5O was the price of the soap works, and 'he £IOO represented the amount put in Mio j business. He saw Sanderson a few davs afterwards and satisfied himself the £IOO 1 had been paid in by examining the , deposit receipt.— Ultimately the case was adjourned till the 16th instant.

Temoka Rifles.— The Tern u fed Rifle Volunteer Company held an open air parade last night. They assembled at their'hall in considerable force, and after being put through a number of evolutions by the officers in command, paraded the principal streets. They were beaded by their brass band, playing inspiriting music, which was much appreciated by the general public as well as hy the members of the Company. Very Slow Travelling.— Wellington people are growling at the alow rate of speed at which the train to Masterton travels. Many sarcastic stories and ironical remarks are told in Wellington regarding the train in question. One of these, which however looks suspiciously like an old friend in a new guise, is told by “ Asmodeus ” in the N.Z, Times as follows A gentleman and his sou—a wellgrown lad—took tickets—well, I’ll say at Masterton, but won’t swear to the place. The lad, being under age, was booked at half-rates, and all went well till the train neared its destination, Then the guard went round on a ticket-collecting expedition. “Tickets, sir, please,” came the smart demand. “Yes,” said the gentleman, delivering promptly. “Uni,” ejaculated the guard, “ the boy to me, sir, seems over ago ; don’t think, sir, he ought to travel on half-fares. Really must trouble you, sir, for the balance.” “ Well,” replied the gentleman dryly, “he does look old. I will, however, take my oath he was under age when ho left Masterton, but 1 wouldn’t vouch for it now.” The guard stared, twigged, grinned, and passed on.

Fatal Boating Accident.— A terrible accident occurred at Port Chalmers on Saturday morning at 11 o’clock, when a boat containing eleven persons was capsized in the lower harbor, below Acheron Head, and James, Alexander, John and Mary Fergusson, children of Captain James Fergusson, the local agent of the Union Company, and Christina his niece, were drowned. Three of the bodies have not yet been discovered. Captain Fergusson is greatly exhausted, and fears are entertained for him. The rest of the persons are doing well. There was a strong S.W. gale blowing at the time of the accident. [After the foregoing was in type we received the following particulars Between 9 and 10 a.m. on Saturday Oapt. James Fergusson, local agent of the Union Company, accompanied by six children and Mr and Mrs Arthur Jackson, with their two children, took a waterman’s boat at Port Chalmers for the purpose of paying a visit to Mrs Jackson, senior, grandmother to the whole of the children. They proceeded down the harbor under sail, and after rounding Acheron Head the weather became exceedingly squally, the wind veering from N.W. to S.W. and blowing fresh. The sail was wrapped round the mast prior to the mast being unstepped, when a sudden gust struck the boat causing her to heel over, and precipitated the whole of the occupants into the water. The were placed on the bottom of the boat, but she again rolled over and the children were thrown into the waterwich the result that four of Captain Fergusson’s children, named Mary, John, James and Alexander, and Christina Jackson were drowned. Several fishermen living in the bay seeing the accident put off without loss of time and succeeded in saving Maggie and Agnes Fergusson, Mrs Jackson and her daughter Catherine, with Captain Fergusson and Mr Jackson. They also recovered the body of Mary Ferguson. Captain Fergusson is greatly exhausted, and almost prostrate with grief at the accident. It is a severe blow to him, following closely on the death of his wife,] This 0-bbatbst Elbasiko.— A simple pure, harmless remedy that cures every time and prevents disease by keeping the blood pure, stomach regular, kindney and liver aotive, is the greatest blessing over conferred upon man Hop Bitters is that remedy, and the American Co., the genuine manufacturers, are being blessed by thousands who haya been cured by it, Try it.--See Adyt.

SYNOPSIS OP ADVERTISEMENTS,

J. Mundell and] Co Notice re horse Superior.

S. C. Board of Education —Notice to inhabit nts of Rangitira Valley. W. S. Halem, Geraldine Notice re accounts.

Drummond and Glaason, Commerce House, limaru Announce the arriral of their spring and summer goods. They have » •election of the finest English and Continental goods, and customers will be hard to please if they cannot be suited out of the splendid stock now on yiew at this establishment.