LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1813, 8 November 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Welcome Rain. —There was a wi leome fall of rain yesterday, which must vastly benefit the crops and pastures. Temuka Liobnsin# Committee. — The quarterly meeting of the Temuka Licensing Committee will be held on the 7th December. Dance AX Temuka.— A danoo takes placs in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Temuka, to-morrow evening. Dancing will commence at 9 o’clock.

Conceit and Dance at Waitohi Flat.— A concert and dance in aid of the priza fund of the school will be held at Waitohi Flat on Tuesday evening, 20th inst. Pbimititb Methodist Church, Tbmuka. —Anniversary services in connection with the Sunday school will be held in this church on Sunday next, On Monday evening a tea and public meeting wi 1 be held. Address at Temuka. —Mr Geo. Edgeler will deliver an address on Saturday evening near the Temuka Hotel, and invites sympathisers to be present. He will eommeacs his address at 7 o’clock. Train Arrangements. —Th§ morning train to Christchurch to-morrow leaves considerably earlier than usual, and arrives in Christchurch at 12.15. A return train leaves Christchurch the same evening at 9.15. Saturday return fares from any station to any station, available for r eturn until the 14th, are now being issued. Government Land Sale!— During the month of October the area of Crown land disposed of for settlement ifis very large compared with that taken np during the quarter ending September. During last month the cash sales we.-e 10,222 acres; deferred payments 9694 acres • and perpetual leases 39,684 acres ; total 59,601 acres. For the September quarter the figures were Cash sales 17,016 acres; deferred payments 9637 acres; perpetual leases 44,433 acresj total 71,186 acres. For the past month the area taken up under the perpetual lease system amounts to over 110,000 acres.

Temuka Mechanics’ Institute. The ordinary meeting of the above was held on Tuesday last. Present - Messrs J. Elyth (president), Gaatlemun, Ben, Edwards, and Lawson, The minutes of the previous meeting were read aisd confirmed, Correspondents from Mr H. M. Miles was read, tendering his resignation as vice-president, secretary, and treasurer to the Institute, on account of his inability to attend the meetings. Resolved—- “ That the president see Mr Miles, and try, if possible, to induce him to reconsider his determination.” The librarian’s report was read, and subscriptions handed in to the amount of 16s The librarian also wrote tendering his resignation and giving one month’s notice. Mr Gentleman proposed and Mr Beri seconded—“ That the resignation of the librarian be accepted, and that applications bo called for that office, to be sent in not later than Tuesday, the 20th inst.” Ouk Imports and Exports,— Ad interesting; return has been compiled, showing the respeclve imports into New Zealind during the twelve - monthly periods ending 30th September, 1885, 1886, 1887, and 1888, From this it appears that the import value, which in 1885 was £7,439,848, fell in 1886 to £6,982,121; in 1887 still further, to £6,225,058; and in 1888, lowest of all, viz., to £6,027,209, this last being the smallest import noted for 16 years, or since 1872, On the other hand, the exports, after a slight retrogression in 1886, have speedily and substantially increased, until this year they exceed the imports by the large sum of £1 371,920, the yearly totals being as follows : 1885, £6,712,211; 1886, £6,572,570; 1887, £7,044,237; and 1888, £7,399,129, It may be added that the respective customs receipts for those four twelve-monthly periods wsre ; £1,431,309 in 1885, £1,322,921 in 1886, £1,263,261 in 1887, and £1,312,813 in 1888. 1

Geraldine Hiflbs. —An inspection parade of this corps will be held this evening at halfpast seven o’clock. At the range at 5 a.m. to-morrow there will be independent and volley firing, and judging distance practice, when every member must attend. Country members of the corps are requested to make i.rrsngements to sleep in town to-night. Woodbury Sports. —The annual sports under the auspices of the Woodbury Athletic Club take place to-morrow, and bid fair to be as successful as in former years. In our list issue w# published a long list of entries for the handicaps, and doubtless there will be a large number of entries for the other events. All who attend may depend on a first-rate day's amusements. In the evening a dance will be held.

A Battle of Birds.— A truly Homerio baltlo of birds ii reported fco the Frankfurter Zeituogbyan eyewitness, in a letter from Hophia. Early on Thursday morning (be says) we saw an unusually large number of agles, probably about two hundred, taking i heir flight towards the mountains of the Jautra. A crowd of persons watched tha spectacle, and the crowd greatly increased a Few hours later, when a number of storks, not fewer than three hundred, flew straight towards the regiment of eagles, evidently bent on war. In instant, eagles and storks were mingled in a deidly affray. It was a fearful combat. Every now and then a wounded or dead bird, stork or eagle, fell to the ground. The battle lasted for nearly an hour when the two armies, apparently weary of fight, flew of in opposite directions. Upon a rough reckoning it was estimated that at least a third of the combatants fell in tbs severe struggle. The prefect sent some men up into the mountains to count the dead eagles and storks. The people are quite eager to know which of the two armies were victorious. Probably, as in many wars of unfeathered bipeds, the advantage lay on neither side.

Good Templar*. —The usual weekly meeting of the members of the Welcome Retreat Lodge, No, 4i, Geraldine, was held in the Lodge room on Monday evening last. There was a good attendance. Bro. K. McKenzie, P.0.T., in the absence of Bro. W.S, Maslin, W.0.T., presided. The roll of officers having been called and the minutes of the previous meeting, having been read and confirmed, the nomination and election of officers for the ensuing term was prneesded with, and resulted as follows {—W.O.T., Bro. K. McKenzie ; W.Y.T. Sister Pye; W.S,, Bro. A. Fisher 5 W.F.S., Bro. G. H. Patrick ; W.T., Bro. R. Hardy 5 W. 0., Sister Dunlop ; W.M., Bro. B. Stringer; W.1.G., Bro. T. Sherratt j W.0.G., Bro. J. Hay. The nomination of Assistant Secretary and Deputy Marshall were held over. The above were then duly installed by the L.D., Bro. T. Sherratt. The newly elected W.O.T. appointed the following committees Finance. —Bros. T. Sherratt, A. Fisher, and J. Hay. Visiting—-Bros. Hardy, Hay and Stringer, Sick—Sister Pye, D*olop and Gore, and Bros, flay, Hardy, and Stringer. The Lodge Deputy read a circular issued from the Grand Ledge, entitled 11 How to make lodge meetings interesting.” The financial secretary’s report for the past quarter was read and adopted. Sis. Dunlop and the W.O.T. were appointed a committee to carry out the arrrngements tor t he open lodge meeting, to be held on Monday evening next, when refreshmen s will be provided at the small charge of fid admission. The receipts for the evening haring been announced the lodge was duly closed by the W.O.T.

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