The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1888. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1703, 25 February 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1888. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Comet. —A. telegram from Melbourne •tales that' b .comet has been observed in Victoria.

Football. —The annual meeting of the Geraldine Football Club will be held on Thursday evening next in the orderly room of the Volunteer Hall, A Beautiful Pbbsbnt. —The presentation to be forwarded from South Australia to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales on the celebration of their silver wedding on March 10th will be a handsome bracelet and necklace in colonial rubies, encased in a casket made of Australian silver.

Parliament.—The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times has reason to balieve that the Legislature wi'l be summoned to meet “ for the despatch of business” about the first week in May, and states that preparations are already in active progress for the opening of the session about that date^

Geraldine Licensing Committee,— The election of the Licensing Committee for the Geraldine Town Distiict took place yesterday. Very little interest was .taken in it, and but few votes were recorded. Messrs $. Dunlop, W. S. Maslin, M'Connolly, iTW!' Pye, W. Coltman, H. N. Hiskens, G. Ward, and A. Fisher .wer.e ; ' ; the candidates, and the first fiye named were elected. Prolific. —The Oanu.ru Mail has been shown a sample of ripe wheat from Mr B, Hay’s farm at Waiareka. It is of f tbe variety known as “ Mold’s Ennobled.” Some of the heads measure eight inches in length, and contain eighty wheat grains, weighing about half an ounce. They are hard and well-colored. The paddock from which they are taken promises a grand yield,

Ewecib oi Pubho Opinion.—A cable message from New York, dated February 21st, elates that, yielding to the representations made by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to the Young, asking that the performances of Hoffman, the musical prodigy, should be restricted, as he was being overworked, the boy’s parents have determined to withdraw him from the platform for some years, but, being poor, they complain of the pecuniary sacrifice they are making. The Government.— The North Otago Times of Thursday writes: —“The Government, judged by its land legislation and the tendencies of its Minister of Lands; is beyond doubt a favorer of land monopoly. " It would, perhaps, be difficult to give to Ministers a worse character, but It is not we who give it to them—it is their own handiwork.”

A RritoMD ‘‘Slice or Luck.”—A rumor ( has reached the Nelson Mail that a liverystable keeper at Blenheim has had a windfall. It is stated that a brother of his whe went to Australia some years ago, and died there, left to his Blenheim brother a number of Broken Hill ahares, which are now said to be worth ever £150,000. Tha Mail cannot vouch for the truth of the story, but it was told as an unquestionable fact. Both the brothers were at one time pupils at the Nelson College.

Not Guilt!.— Much lurprise was occasioned in Melbourne on Wednesday evening by the sudden appearance of Mrs White, alleged to have been connected with Bearder, the jewel robber, some months ago. Mrs White stated that she merely happened to go home in the same steamer, and upon arriving in England Beorder saw her safely in care of her friends and she saw no more of him. As soon as she saw the newspaper reports she determined to return to Melbourne at once, and clear herself of the suspicion in which she was held in connection with the jewel robbery. The Inspector op Schools’ Reports.— On Tuesday last the Waimate School Committee had before them the Inspector’s report on their school, and after consideration it was resolved—“ That in the opinion of this Committee the Inspector’s report on the school is not satisfactory, especially as hie remarks are so extremely meagre ns to give the Committee no information to account for the failures, nor directions or suggestions for guidance of either themselves' or the staff.” In his reports Mr Gow certainly wastes no Words. They are remarkable for their brevity. . The Hessian Flt. —Government have engaged a Mr Sicily to instruct the settlers of Bangitikei in the matter of eradicating the Hessian fly pest. A deep farrow plough, ordered to bo sent to Rangitikei from the Agricultural College, Lincoln, is now in Martbn, and Mr Sicely has received instructions to lose no time in commencing operations, which will consist of burning stubble and ploughing it in deeply. The order given to a Christchurch firm to make two more ploughs has been countermanded, as it has been ascertained that two implements of the kind are on board the ship Pleiades, now 60 days out, and these can be purchased on arrival.

Ahothbb Eruption Predicted.—Hinemoa, the Maori prophet, may not be so far out in his predictions about Tarawera after all. The Bay of Plenty Times say*: —“ Lake Rotonaabana is again filling up with water, and will be considerably larger than the lake was formerly known. There is no visible outlet for the accumulation of waters, and it is believed that this coming winter they will have risen to the base of the mountain and will find an outlet either m the fissure or rise ‘to such a’height as to again make Tarawera . their outlet. In the former case things will be mors lively than ever in the mountain as the contest between firs and water becomes fiertsr and fiercer, and in time this is pretty certain to lead to another eruption, though, such would not bo likely to be so extensive as that recently experienced. Dr GbIICBI !»' TimabU.— The Bight Rev. Dr Grimes left Temuka by the evening train last Thursday for Timaru. A deputation of the parishioners of Timaru came out by the late train in a special carriage to escort Hi« Lordship to Timaru, The deputation consisted of the Eev. Father Foley and Messrs Lynch, O’Borks, Burns, Harney, and Gosling, and they waited on the Bishop at the Presbytery, where-they were presented to him. His Lordship, accompanied by the Rev. Father Fauvel, returned with them to iimaru by the 7.26 train, and ha met with a grand reception. A procession was formed, and, headed by the band playing appropriate ausie, marched from the station to the church. Here illuminated arches were erected, and everywhere evidence of giea' enthusiasm was manifested. There vyqe an immense number of people in the church, and addresses of welcome were presented by the elergy and laity, the Hibernian Society, th Children of M» r y> the Altar Society, and the Holy League, His Lordshfp suitably replied, mrl the whole affair was most enthusiastje. His Lordship will preach in Timaru tq : morrow, and go to "Waimate towards the end of the week.

Fieb Brigades Demonstration. At the United Fire Brigades Demonstration on Wednesday, the following events were decided ; —Hose and Hydrant, for 5 men ; Gisborne, 55 secs., 1* Dunedin City, 55 3-sfchs sec., 2. Ladder lace ; Lieutenant Brady (Dunedin South), 13 secs., 1; Branchman Morrison, 13 l-sth secs., 2, Hose and Hydrant, for 2 men : Christchurch, 23 4-sth secs., 1; Spit, 26 l-sth secs., 2, Go-as-you-Please, for 5 men i Dunedin City, 46 3-sth secs., 1; Gisborne, 47 2-sth sens,, 2. Ambulance, 5 men ; Napier, 1; Port Chalmers, 2. Ambulance, 5 men (No. 2) ; Addington Railway Werkshops, 1; Christchurch City, 2. The Tug of War, North Island v. South Island, was won by the latter. On Thursday the following ware the results: -Steam Fire Engine, 5 men; Spit, 39 2-sth secs., 1, Dunedin Railway, 44 2-sfchs secs., 2. The Consolation, for 5 men, was won by Gore and Gordon in 1 mm.

Scene ik Paeliament.— Another violent and disgraceful scene took place in the House of Assembly at Sydney on Thursday night. Mr G. R.Dibbs accused Mr Garrett, Minieter of Lauds, whose absence has caused the Land Bill to be hung up tor some days, with having been blind drunk. Mr Dibbs repeated this taunt at intervals in various forms, until Mr Garrett became exasperated and seized a water-bottle 1 and attempted to strike his tormentor. A number of members seized Garrett, and wrested the bottle from his grasp before any damage was done, Mr Garrett then retorted that Mr Dibbs’s statement was false >and msliaious. The House presented a scene of great disorder, which was ended by both sides making lame apologies. There had previously been a brisk skirmish over the White Mine incident, during which oaths and accusations of lying had been fresly bandied about. Dunedin Races.— ln our last issue we gave the results of the Hurdle and Cup events. The Champagne Stakes, of 250 sovs, was won by Mr O’Brien’s Carbine, with Mr Vallance’s Mao second j the Publican’s Handicap, of 200 sove, was won by Mr Goodman’e Silvemark j the Maiden Plate, of 80 sovs, by Mr Pilbrow’a Wakatipuj the Two-year-old Selling Race, of 100 sovs, by Mr Stephenson’s Chic, and th» Steward’s Purse, of 100 eovs, by Mr Lyon’s First Lord. On Thursday, the Tally-Ho Handicap, of 100 sovs, was won by Mr Smith’s Dunluco j the City Stakes Handicap, of 160 sovs, by the Middle Park Company’s Raveniwing; the D.J.O. Handicap, of 350 sovs, by Mr Stead’s Gipsy King, with Mr Goodman’s Silvermark second j the Rovel Race, of 8 sovs, by Mr Twohill’s Cinderella, and the Suburban Welter, of 120 sovs, by Mr Hammond’s Sultan. Great an was expressed with the start for the City Stakes, and the starter, Mr Driver, was hissed. The totalisator dividends were for the most part small, but in the Tally-ho it amounted to £7 17s 6d, in the Stewards* Purse to £l2, and in the Railway Plats to £l2 4s. Baitbb’s Lung Pbesebtbe has gained great popularity in this district as a speedy and effectual remedy in the treatment ot Coughs, Colds, Bbonohitis, and othei chest and throat complaints. Read advt. and try it.

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Geraldine Football Club—Annual meeting on Thursday evening next. J. Mundell and Co. —Hold monthly stock sale at Geraldine on 7th March.

Martin Kennedy, Slack’s Valley—Offers £5 reward for information that will lead to the conviction of person or persons who stole fruit or vegetables out of garden in his possession.

R. Morrison, General Storekeeper, Geraldine Notifies that ho is agent for the British and Hong-Kong Tea Company’s blended teas, the demand for which is daily increasing 5 publishes prices.