LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1543, 17 August 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Impassable Ford. —The Overseer to the Temuka Road Board notifies in our advertising columns that the ford on Palmer’s Hoad, near the Oxford Bridge, is impassable. Cricket Tho match between the Australian Eleven and an All England E'even concluded on Saturday, the Australians sustaining an overwhelming defeat. In their first innings the Englishmen scored 434. The first innings of the Australians c'osod for 68, and tho second for 155, and they were therefore defeated by oee innings and 10 runs. Roman Catholic Church. —At the above Church last Sunday t'm Rev. Father Fauvoi announced that a mission would commence in the Church on Sunday the 19th of September, and finish on the following Sunday. He exhoitod the congregation most earnestly to attend to tbeir religious devotion during these days. The missioner will, we understand be the Rev. Father TLeophilus Le Manant Des Chesnais, who held a mission Imre a few years ago. New Invention.— Mr H. Williams, wheelwright, of Temuka, has invented a very useful article. He has affixed to an old dray one of Messrs Booth and Macdonald’s rootcutters, and on the top of this he has placed a rail, which has rendered tho machine a selt-feedor. Heretofore it took two men to feed the machine ; now all that is necessary is to fill the rail on the dray with turnips, or whatever root one desires to cut, and drive along the paddock. As the dray moves along the roots are falling into the machine, where they are cut and dropped to tho ground, and wherever it goes a continuous stream of cut roots remains behind it for sheep to feed on. The machine can easily be put out of gear, and the cutting stopped, Mr Williams has made this to the order of Mr Parke, of Milford, and, as the necessity for winter feed is becoming every year more and more apparent, doubtless a good many farmers will go in for a similar contrivance before long.

A Promising Goldfield.-Io connection with the report of Messrs Carey and Hyndmtm as to the field for prospecting at Big Bay and neighborhood, the Otago Daily Times slates that Captain (Malcolm, well known in Dunedin, formed one of the party, and he, although not in a position to snpply additional particulars, confirms the report. The narty was sent, out by a Syndicate to search for the somewhat fabulous treasure said to have been discovered there years ago by a French vessel, the crew of which were said to have murdered the Maori guides who hud shown them to the spot where gold to the value of £IOO,OOO was secured in a short spice of time. If the story of that amount of gold having been secured is somewhat overdrawn, it does look as if there was something in it. How Carey and Hyndmau came to report to the Minister of Mines (adds our contemporary) is not clear, but he appears to place implicit reliance on it. In reply to a request from Invercargill, Mr Larnaoh stated that tho Government do not intend to send a steamer to Big Bay on the chance of passengers offering, as miners can now get south by steamer from Hokotika. If a largo number of miners were prepared to go far south to prospect he would consider favorably the question of arranging with a steamer to carry them. Lkotgrb.—On Sunday evening the lecture which was to haye been given by the Rev. G. Barclay on the previous Sunday, but was postponed on account of the inclement weather, was given by that gentleman in the Good Templars’ Hall, Geraldine, the subject being “ What Christianity lias been doing for Society.” There was a good congregation, the hall being well filled. The rev. gentleman took for his text Is. Ixv., 17. He proceeded to show that a great number of the changes prophesied in the Old Testament often involved ages and centuries in their fulfilment. He then went on (o trace tho rise of slavery, which, he stated, had existed in the earliest times, and the lecturer followed ils course down through the periods of time daring which the system of slavery had been in existence, and had finally disappeared from England, France, Norway, Sweden, Spain, America, and other places. The rev. gentleman gave a number of interesting statistics of the number of slaves computed to have been caught aod scut from Africa during certain periods of time, and also of the proportion of slaves lo free men at various ■ periods of the history of Rome, Athens, Corinth, China, and other large centres of population in earlier times, and gave some interesting details of the extent to which slavery was carried in England in the time of Ethelwulf and William (ho Conqueror. The rev. lecturer also gave a vivid description of the condition of slaves, and tho absolute power their masters or mistresses had oyer them, not. only ».s to their freedom, but also over their lives. The slaves were treated in many cases in a most cruel and barbarous manner, Mr Barclay described how they were branded with hot irons, as we brand cattle and horses, chained together in gangs, or to the house, as watchdogs are now, or sold or killed just at their master’s pleasure. The rev. gentleman also gave an account of the revolting cruelties practised by the slaveowners ; of how enormous numbers of slaves were sent into the arena at Rome to fight wild beasts, and how one such scene, in which there were ten thousand slaves, lasted four months, until the arena was ankle-deep in blood, and the cries of the unfortunate slaves and howls of wild beasts made day und night hideous. Mr Barclay then went on to show what influences had been at work in sweeping away this terrible state of things, pointing out that it was not the influence of paganism that had done so. He refuted the arguments of those who said that it was owing to the march of civilisation, and those who denied that Christianity had been the great power that had brought about tho reformation. He also quoted the opinions of such great philosophers as Aristotle and Plato upon the question of slavery, pointing out that they were not averse to the system, Mr Barclay pointed out that it, was the humanising influences of Christianity that had wrought the change. He also briefly reviewed the work done by the Church in the cause of slavery, by such men as Clarkson, Wilborforco, Peel, Macaulay, and other men of this stamp, asserting that it had always been the truest and noblest men, the men who had lived nearest to the Lord Jesus Christ, that had ever been tho most strenuous opposers of the system, and had done their best for the amelioration of their enslaved fellowcreature», and the sweeping away of a system that, was a disgrace to the world. Mr B irclay concluded a highly interesting and instructive lecture by pointing out to his hearers that there was another species of slavery in which men wore held—the slavery to sin—and pointed bis audience to the only One who could give them liberty from such chains as sin and Satan hud thrown round them. M.r Barclay's lecture prove! both highly interesting aud instructive, and was listened to with great attention by the audience. i

This Bazaar.—The mating of 1 irtier advertised to be held last Saturday to make arrangements for a bazaar in aid *f Ihe di ill shod in lemuka did not take place owing to the inclemency of the weather. This ans the third time time the meeting had to bo ad■journed through the same cause.

Public Meeting at Temuka. —Mr K, F, Gray, the Chairman of the Temuka Town Board, in our advertising columns convenes a-publij meeting for Thursday evening nest, to take into consideration the advisability of forming a River Board of Conservators for Temuka. The matter is one of the utmost importance to Tetnukn, and no doubt there will be a large gathering of the ratepayers to consider it.

Football, —The team to represent Temuka against Merivale on Saturday, the 31st inst., at Ashburton, will be chosen from the following :—Haines, Gotten, J. Velvin, D. Moore, G. Velvin, Bethune, Thrnston, E. Smith, Hart, Blyth, Thomson, Carr, Polashek, Dyson, Stewart, Shallard, Ogilvie, G. Wood, Gray, J. Clinch, and Angland, The ball will be on the ground every afternoon at four o’clock. All players are requested to roll up. The final selsction will take place to-day.

Township of Aeowhenua,— Tho nomination of candidates for seats on the Board of the newly-constituted Town Distriot of Arowhenua took place last Saturday in Mr Lee’s store, Mr Wills presiding as Returning Offioer, For the five seats 13 candidates were nominated, their names being as follow ; —R. Austin, H. Dunford, Gv Edgeler, W. Fawdray, H. Goodey, G. Hobbs, E. Lee, G. if. Lynch, J. Mclnnis, J, Proudlock, 0. Story, and E. Yallender. At the close of the nomination Mr Lee moved a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, and also spoke in complimentary terms of the Committee who had worked so assiduously to bring the town under tho provisions of the Town Districts Act. The poll will take place next Saturday. Church Parade,— The church parade of the Temuka Volunteers was held last Sunday. There were present about 33 of tho Temuka Rifles, 26 Of the Temuka Cadets and 14 Bandsmen, under their respective officers. The men fell in at the hall at 10.30 a.m., and marched up tho main street, headed by the Bund playing appropriate music, to St. Saviour’s Church, whore they attended Divine worship. The Rev. T. A. Hamilton officiated, and delivered a very able ssrmon on the text Corinthians xvi., 13.: “ Walch ya j stand fast in tho Faith ; quit you like men • be strong.” After service the Volunteers marched back to the hall, where they were dismissed. They presented a first-rate appearance, and, considering tho time the Cadet corps has been formed, they did remarkably well. Bad Bargain. —Lastyear the Government bought in Auckland some land on which to erect defence works, and it was said too much money was given for it. A petition to the Assembly in reference to it is being circulated for signatnre in Auckland by a strong local Committee. The petition sets out that by the said purchase a very great public wrong was committed, and also avers that if a Committee was appointed to lake evidence upon (ha spot the petitioners believe it can be shown that a conspiracy had been formed previous to the sale to defraud by misrepresentation to the Government, and thus rob tho taxpayers of the colony of a large sum. They pray the House will appoint Oommisdoners to take evidence herewith in view to the punishment of those against whom such offence as aforesaid may be proved.

Verdict of Manslaughter,—An inquest was hold yesterday (says Saturday’s Press), afternoon, at the Cambridge Hotel, Lyttelton, before R. Beethiun, Esq., touching the death of Thomas Kelly, which occurred on the 11th inst., under circumstances detailed in the evidence. Helen Hawkins deposed that she lived near the deceased. She saw him last on Saturday, between three and four o’clock, on his way home. He went into bis house and she did not see him come out again. Owen Higgins deposed that he saw deceased last on Saturday forenoon, between nine and ton o’clock. He appeared to be in his usual health. Lilian Tieleaven deposed that she saw Mrs Kelly push her husband over (he verandah, and he foil down the stairs. This was on Saturday, between two and three o’clock. Dr Harrison deposed that ha made a post mortem examination on the body of Thomas Kelly. On the lower part of the spine be found a lerge patch of blood, extending from the spine, about four inches by about three inches broad. He also found the brain and spinal column, and tho covering of the membrane, congested. Death resulted, in his opinion, from concussion of the the spine. After the Coronsr had explained what constituted manslaughter and the important points in the evidence, the pry returned a verdict of “ Manslaughter ” against Mrs Kelly, the wife of the deceased.

The Weather.— The extremely unpleasant weather we have been experiencing for the past ten or twelve days broke on Saturday evening, and Sunday morning dawned clear and bright, causing most people to hope that at last wo were to en-joy tho luxury of a few fine days. All day Sunday the weather remained bright aud cheerful, and the roads soon presegted an appearance of dryness they have not had for some time. With the close of the day, how- ■ ever, the sky again became black and threatening,and during the evening a light rain began to fall, which increased to a steady downpour. Yesterday morning also broke wet, aud during the day heavy ahowers fell, which during the afternoon settled into a decidedly wet day. So much rain at thie season of the year is decidedly bad for the farmers, more especially sheep-farmers, as any lambs that may have been born have very little chance, indeed, of surviving such a long period of continued rain. An hour or two’s sunshine, with a good breeze, would give the lambs a chance of getting dry and picking up some food, but with the present continuance of rain the former, at any rate, is impossible. On ploughed land the wet will not cause a great deal of inconvenience, except it be that of beating it down and causing it to cake. A return of fine weather would be heartily welcomed by all. All the rivers between here and Christchurch were high yesterday, anti a great deal of water was lying on tho low lands.