LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1841, 17 January 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Winchester Fruxt-Peebbbving Company,—A general meeting of the shareholders tokos place to-morrow evening. Sale at Temuka. Messrs Gray and Montgomery hold a sale of valuable town and country property at their salerooms, Temuka, to-mortow. Particulars of the lots to be submitted will be found in our advertising columns. Tea Meeting at Waitohi Flat. A tea moetine m connection with the Wesleyan Church will take place in the Waitohi Flat schoolroom to-morrow eyepipg. Tea will be on the tables at 6.30, and the public woeting will commence at 8, .

South Oeaei River Board.—Mr James Guild being the only person nominated with Mr Wm. Wills to fill the vacancy on the South Orari Riyer Board, on Tuesday, was duly elected. Reaper and Binder Teials.—A field trial of the All-Steel Deering, Massey, and Wood Reapers and Binders takes place on Mr B. Burke’s farm, near the Geraldine Dairy Factory, to-morrow. An account of yesterday’s trials will be found in another column. Saltation Army Tea Meeting. A monster tea meeting in connection with the Salvation Army, Temuka, will take place in barracks ou Tuesday evening next, Captain Aston, from Kaiapoi, in command. The proceeds are to be devoted to paying for additions I to the barracks, and, os the charge for the tea is only a shilling, there should be a large attendance. The Position-Finder.— The Watkins position-finder, for which the British Government paid £45,000, has been proved to bo very efficacious in finding vessels and like objects that could not bo seen from the battery which was aimed at them, and such objecls were struck very frequently by the guns from such battery, abhough invisible therefrom. Brutal Muedeb. —A brutal murder was committed at Young, New South Wales, on Friday, January 4. A hawker named Hans Oluud, an old resident in the district,,who was camped on the roadside close to Burrangong street, was found lying in a pool ot blood, with his brains protruding from a deep wound in the head behind the temple. He died shortly afterwards. The deceased was dressed, and, judging from the position of tbs, body, was in the act of serving a customer when the blow was struck. Oluud, who was of sober habits, was heard on Thursday to say that lie sometimes carried large sums of money about him, but none was found among his belongings. 1 A Narrow Escape.— On the 4lh of Inst September a Frenchman and a Spaniard look tickets from Paris to Dijon, pliced their luggage in a compartment already occupied by a party of English travellers, noted the number of the carriage— 20,977—and betook themselves to the refreshment room until the moment for starting should arrive. On reluming to the compartment they found that the English travellers had bribed the guard to remove (heir goods and chattels to another carriage. They were indignant, but there was no time for argument. They jumped into the carriage assigned them, and escaped unhurt in the Velars disaster, which, occurred a few hours later, while the occupants of the compartment they had at first chosen were all either kilted or horribly injured. The Chinese,— The North China Herald says the quality of nervelessness distinguishes the Chinaman from the European. The Chinaman can write all day, work all day, weave, b*at go'ri, carve ivory, do infinitely tedious j >bs for ev<*r and ever, and discover m more signs of weariness and irritation than if he were a machine. This quality appears early in life. There are no restless, naughty boys in China. They are all appallingly good, and will plod away in school without recesses or recreation of any kind. The Chinaman can do without exercise. Sport or play seems to him so much waste labor. He' can sleep anywhere—amid rattling machinery, deafening uproar, squalling children, and quarrelling adulis. He can sleep on the ground, on the floor, on a bed, on a chair, in any position. The Wall Surrounwn# Paris.—A

financial syndicate has offered the War Minister £4,400,000 for the fortification wall circulating Paris and the ground belonging to it. The wall was built at a cost of £3,705,000, The stone in the masonry would be serviceable in building the foundation of houses. Two years ago a similar proposal was made to the War. , Office, but rejected by the Defence Committee for Paris. Seventeen generals and colonels of engineers belonging to that body wore against the proposal, and fourteen in favor. The syndicate in question bought some years ago a good deal of ground adjoining the circular wall. The interest on the money meanwhile has been lost, but it would be amply recouped were the proposal made by it aacepted by the Defence Committee. The superior and permanent Council have recommended the demolition of the circular walls of Paris and the fortified places of the north, Chinese Funeral in New York.— A very curious funeral was recently seen in New York, that of Li Yu Doo, a Chinese general, who led his countrymen in the rebe'lion of 1861, He was one of the richest Chinamen in the country, and owned largo amounts of properly in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Nine days were occupied in preparing for the funeral. One thousand Celestials followed the body of the former 'general to the grave. The deceased was dressed in the robes of a mandarin of tho dynasty of Ming. His queue was wound round the top of his head, tilled with gold pieces. Gold was put in his band, and Chinesa paper-money in his coffin. The casket containing bis body was also surrounded by various articles of food for use on his way to the other world. The money was for the use of paying the expenses of his journey. The funeral throughout was conducted with all the ceremony of Pagan pomp, and exactly in the same fashion as if it bad taken place ! in China. A Dangerous Lotion.— The credulity of human nature is (moralises tho Evening Standard) nowhere more remarkable than amongst the fair sex, or that portion of the sex,whose vanity induces them to use all kinds of advertised nostrumns for enhancing their attractions. Sparkling eyes, faultless figures, splendid complexions, and wo know not what besides, are the baits set to catch the woman who is pretty, but.wants to b» prettier, or is plain and wants to be pretty. Some of the advertised beantifiers may be harmless ; but others are distinctly contrary, as a young American girl has learned by painful experience. She was really beautiful, and had no reason for tempering with her person, But she imagined that her eyes were not sufficiently lustrous, and she bought a certain lotion warranted to remedy this fancied defect. She used it for a period—it is conjectured that she used it, moreover, to excess, and tho consequences have been very disastrous. One of her eyes is completely destroyed, and has had to be removed, while the other is sightless, so that tha unfortunate young lady, the only daughter ot wealthy , parents, is now totally blind. The American papers, in relating the case, do ; not say whether measures are lo be takeu ( to prevent tho sale of a beautifying lotion ( which injures, and even destroys, the j s'ght; but it ia to be imagined that if the , lotipn fpally caused tho evil something J | ougjjt to ijp 49 u ‘-‘; i i

PEEL Forest Horticultural SflOTf.— Owing to the backward spring, the committee have found it necessary to hold the show on Friday, February Bth, instead of on January 25th ; and, should the day be wet, the show will be open on the following day. The Great Eastern.— The sale of the hull and fittings of the steamer Great Eastern haa realised over £43,000, the copper bringing: £2960, the gun metal, etc,, £4480, brass £3980, lead £3185, outer iron plates £12,500, inner iron plates, beams, and rivets £12,230, and anchors about £3OO. The breaking op of , the steamer was to commence on the Ist January, will occupy a year, and will probably coat in labor from 10s to 15s per ton of material. Coming Lecturers.— Says the Home correspondent of the Lytteton Times You are to hare s regular Parnellite invasion of Australia : not only is Mr John Dillon going out, but also Sir Thomas Esmonde, M.F., and Mr Deasy, M.P., have arranged to leave on December 19th. They first visit Kimberley and Natal, and, proceeding to Australia, will speak in most of the important towns of the colony, remaining three or four months. They will thence go to New Zealand and return by way of California and the United States. Sir Thomas is only 26 years of age, and came into the baronetcy 12 years ago, on the death of his father. He represents South Dublin in the House of Commons and is a rising politician/ Mr Deasy, who represents West Mayo, is also a young man, being bat 32 years of age. He is a son of one of Cork's most noted civil engineers, and wAs first elected to his seat in Parliament in ; ,1884. Temuka School Committee. The'l monthly meeting of the Temuka School Committee was hold on Tuesday evening. Present —Messrs flayhurst (chairman), Brown, and Blyth. The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed. Letters were read from the Board of Education asking for the report and balance-sheet for the year ; also, asking the committee to nominate three members to fill the vacancies on the board ; also, asking the committee to recommend a pupil teacher to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr M. McLeod. It was decided to advertise for a pupil teacher. The nomination of members to fill the vacancies on the Board of Education was left over to a special meeting, to be held next Tuesday. The secretary read the report and balance-sheet to be forwarded to the Board of Education. The balancesheet showed a balance to credit of 7« 4d. Accounts to tha amount of £2 I3s were pasted for payment. Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst was appointed visitor for the ensuing month, and the meeting adjourned. Victorian Breach or Promise Case, —The Victorian breach of promise case alluded to in a recent London cable message (says an exchange) arose out of the following circumstances : Mr Lament was head teacher at Daylesford, and Mias Lumley the daughter of a leading Government official there. The day for their marriage in that town was fixed and Iho Ernests invited, when, at the last moment, Mr Lament, who was absent on leave, postponed the ceremony on the plea of illhoalth. After in vain trying the Education Department to retire on a pension, he resigned and departed for England. After his arrival in London he wrote to Miss Luraley, requesting her to come to London in order to be married there. On her arrival in England she found Mr Lament absent on the Continent, and on his return he repudiated the engagement, announcing that ho was engaged to be married to a wealthy heiress, with whom he had become acquainted in Paris, Miss Luraley, acting on the advice of her friends in London, thereupon sued Lamont for breach of promise of marriage, and got a verdict for £IOOO.

Anecdotes ot Hospitality. —We are indebted lo Mr John Mclnness, of Tsmuka, for the following, which he copied from some ancient volume ;—“ In the library of ' Trinity College, Dublin, there is preserved the fragment of an ancient Irish M.S., which contains a description of the Banqnetting Hall of Tamar, or Tara, which is very curious. It states that the palace of Tamar was formerly the seat of Conn of the hundred battles; it was the seat of Art and Cairbre Liffeachar, and of Catharmor, and of every king who ruled in Tamar to tho time Niall. In tho reign of Cotmac the Palace of Tamar was 900 feet square, the diameter of the surrounding path seven din or casta of a dart ; it contained one hundred and fifty apartments, and one hundred and fifty dormitories or sleeping rooms for guards, and sixty men in each. The height was 27 cubits ; there were 150 common drinking horns, 12 porches, and 12 doors ; 1000 guests daily, besides princes, orators, and men of science, engravers of gold and silver, carvers, modellers, and nobles. The eating hall had twelve stalls or divisions in each wing, with tables and passages round them. There were sixteen attendants on each side, eight to the astrologers, historians, and secretaries in the rear of the ball, aud two to each table at the door—loo guests in all. Two oxen, two sheep, and two bogs at each meal, divided equally to each side. The quantities of meat and butter that ware daily consumed here surpasses all description. There were twenty-seven kitchens and nine cisterns for washing hands and feet, a ceremony not dispensed with from the highest to the lowest.® . An Incident op the Australian Floods, —The total damage by the New Year’s Day flood at Castlemaine is estimated at about £50,000. There are five lives known to have been lost, bub it is generally believed that some solitary miners and Chinese must have been drowned, though no certainty exists on this point: Much indignation is felt in the town at tho conduct of Mr Philpotts, in whose house Mrs Matthews and her child were drowned. At the inquest Mr Philpotts deposed that Mrs Matthews and her infant visited his place on Tuesday afternoon. Towards evening very heavy rain fell, and a flood surrounded bis premises. He tried to persuade Mrs Matthews to leave, but she would not. As the water was rising rapidly he left the woman and child, and waded to the back door, clambered up the verandah, and got upon the roof. He was qn the roof for about two hours, and during that time only saw the Rev, Mr Crawford and Mr J. McKenzie, whose attention - he tried to attract, but could not do so. When he descended he found McKenzie and Horn in the front room trying to recover the bodies. In reply to the coroner, witness said he knew it was his duty to try to save the woman and child, but had be remained there longer ha would not have been alive to give evidence. Ho could not persuade Mrs Matthews to leave. She was excited ; witness was cool, Tho coroner; I cannot compliment you upon your coolness. Tho coroner recorded a verdict that deceased had been accidentally drowned. With regard to Mr Philpotts’ conduct, all he could say was that, unless he hud “completely lost his head,” bo was the most arrant coward he had eyer rpet vyith for not tryipg to saye tfie vyoman and the ttyild who ’ met’ tfyeir death in fyis house, (

Charging a Son With Thbnt. At Christchurch on Monday a man named Joseph Tindall gave his son, 12 years old, into custody on a charge of stealing a Witch belonging to a fellow-workman named Charles Pearce. The boy confessed to stealing the watch, which he bid in the garden. The Raii/wax CoMMtssiONßßa. The appointment of the railway commissioners has no doubt struck different members of Parliament m different ways. The way it struck Mr Vincent Pyke was peculiar. That gentleman despatched a telegram to the Premiar, which, if not in precisely the following words, was to this effect“ A ridiculous hoax has been palmed off upon the Dunedin papers to the effect that Government hare appointed Mr J. M'Kerrow Chief Commissioner of Railways, and Messrs Maxwell and Hannay ; Assistant Commissioners. Please authorise j me to give the statement an unqualified denial.” The necessary authorisation has not yet been received by Mr Pyke.—O.D. Times, Education Reserves in Victoria.—ln the Victorian Assembly Mr Gillies moved a few days before the close of the session the second reading of the Education Commissioners’ Endowment Bill, with the view of placing the matter before the country. It provides for the permanent endowment of land to cover the cost of education. Five commia--1 sioners are to bo appointed, but at only nominal fees. The laud to be reserved wonld be in extent 18,970,000 acres throughout the different parts of the colqny, and this in 10 years’ time would, it,is estimated, give an ample revenue for the expenses of education. At the present time the land was valued at £4,000,000, the cost of the education establishments to the colony at the present time being £600,000 per year. During the debate on it something like a scene took place, Mr Browne contended that the bill provided for simply ao extensive system of land jobbing, and the Minister of Lands interjected : “ Oh, you are such an unmitigated ass.’ ~Mr Browne warmly replied, and informed the Minister of Lands that if he was in any other part of the House he would kick him for the expression. The Speaker ruled the expression out of order, and for a considerable time the aggressor refused to withdraw, but eventually did so. The Dark Continent.— Africa is destined to swallow up a good deal of the world’s surplus energy. Some years ago Gordon went to find the Mahdi; then Emin Bey followed in the hope of finding Gordon ; Stanley, after waiting a year or so, started out to hunt up Emm Bey ; and now Lieut. Wissman has begun a search for Stanley. Before very long it will become necessary for some daring fellow to look for Wissman, and he will, of course, be followed by another explorer, who in turn will be sought for by another, and so on indefinitely. If this sort of thing is to go on there will be an endless procession of fellows getting lost in the jungles of Africa, in their vain endeavour to reach the oher fellows who have gone before. The Dark Continent is an almost boundless land of mystery, and the fate of the adventurous explorers may never be known. One thing is certain, these numerous expeditions into the heart of Africa are blazing the way for civilisation. Whatever may befall the early explorers, nothing can prevent the final subjugation of Africa by the whites. The Continent will be divided oat among the European Powers, and at no distant day will it become one of the most important regions on the globe. Let the procession of explorers go on. Many of thtm may be lost, but others will follow, and in the end the indomitable energy of the white man will conquer and hold this mysterious land and all its treasures, —Exchange.

How to Pbote the Earth's Motion.— It baa puzzled the beads of a good many youngsters to know how the earth turns round. A demon educational ■journal published in Frankfort giyes the following directions for proving that the earth “ does move ” > “ Take a good sized bowl, fill it nearly full of water, and place it upon the floor of a room which is not exposed to shaking from the street. Sprinkle over the surface of the water a coaling of lycopodium powder—a white substance which is sometimes used for purposes of the toilet, and which can be obtained at almost any apothecary’s. Then upon the surface of this coating of powder make, with powdered charcoal, a straight black line, say an inch or two in length. Having made this little mark with charcoal powder on the surface of the contents of the bowl, lay down upon the floor a stick or soma other straight object, so that it shall be exactly parallel with the mark. If tbe : one happens to bo parallel with a crack in the door, or with any stationary object in the room, this will serve as well. Leave the bowl undisturbed for a few hours, and then observe the position of the blaok mark with reference to the object that it was parallel with. It will be found to have moved from east to west —that is to say, in the direction opposite to that of the movement of the earth on its axis. The earth in simply revolving has carried' the water and everything else in the bowl around with it, but the powder on the surface has been left behind a little. The line will always be found to have moved from east to west, which is perfectly good proof that everything else has moved the other way.” A New Motive Power. Another revolution in motive power is promised. The Scientific Ameiican of a late date says ; ferred to a new invention by one William Timmins, which, if successful, will revolutionise motive power. The inventor is an unpretentious English mechanic residing at Pittsburg, Penn., who claims to have invented a machine by which united motive power can be stored or used without the expenditure of fuel. The story goes that he has been engaged for years in perfecting the invention, and is now negotiating with the Governments of England, Russia, and the United States for the sale of the right to use his discovery, which, if after examination it proves to be what it claims, will revolutionise the motive power of the world. He claims to be able to create a pressure of 20,0031 b per square inch—more than sufficient to propel the largest ocean steamer afloat, or 80 laden freight cars in one train. The machine seems to be simply an air compressor of the simplest sort, it consists of one small cyclinder, with a balance weight of 751 b, which runs the entire apparatus ; another small cylinder Sin in diameter, with 7in stroke, compresses the air into a tank from which the power is utilised. Under the piston plate the inventor has placed two layers of bars containing 11 different minerals, the magnetic influence of which is the secret of the invention. The advantages he claims are durability, economy, and simplicity. Experts have examined ths machine and pronounce it a bucc§s&, In submitting his design to the Governments named, Mr Timmins claims that the pneumatic generator can not only be applied to war vessels as a motor, but can bo •■ used as a defence against hostile attacks by means ot air chambers placed bthiud|tho anqor plijting 4j I

Milford School.—A tea and concert in connection with the anniversary of the public and Sunday schools takes place at Milford to-day. Temuka Rifles.—Ar inspection parade of this company takes place on Tuesday eveniDg next. After the parade important business is to bo dealt with. UNSUCCESSFUL.—The Temperance Hotel i Company at Chriatohuroh, formed ten years ago, has been wound up. The hotel, furniture, and other assets have been handed over to Mr W. H. Packer, the mortgagee, who has paid the company's overdraft. The Late Catholic Bazaar.— A meetI ing of the committee elected to carry out tba bazaar to clear off the debt onvSr..,'' Joseph's Church, Temuka, took place latft evening. Accounts in connection with the baziar wore received and paseed for payment, with one exception. The gross receipts were stated to be £558 2s 3d, and the expenses £45 ,15s 2d, leaving a net balance of £522 7s Id. Votes cf thanks were passed, and the meeting terminated. In our advertising columns the Uev. Father Fauvel thanks all who contributed to the success of the bazaar. Edison Fbiohtbnins His Guebt.—Odd stories are told of the doings at Mr Edison's home. One of the most amusing occurrences there happened not bngsince, when a stranger was visiting the inventor. After an evening largely devoted to a discussion of electricity, the guest drew the coders over him and settled down to sleep, when a voics, apparently from the clock on the dressing case, said, in measured tones, "It is now eleven o'clock 1" The startled guest threw off the bed-clothes, sat bolt upright, and then, getting out of bed, turned en the electric light, searching every corner of the room, and finally called in Mr Edison. The latter assured him there was nothing in the room, and, with half quieted fears, the guest returned to bed. Just as ho had persuaded himself that the sound had been only part of a dream, and was going off into a half-doie, th« same veiee itf" measured tone called out, " The hour of midnight has arrived ; prepare to die!" There was no mistake this time, and the horrified | guest, without waiting to turn on the electric } light, rushed across to Sir Edison's room. The wizard, broad awake, and half dead with laughtor, permitted his guest to rap three or four times, and then responded to his call. "Mr Edison," said the disturbed sleeper, "there is something uncanny about this house, I would not sleep here all night if you'd give me the place." Edison suppressed his laughter, heard his gaest's story, and then, going to the room, showed the stranger that there was a tiny phonograph concealed in the clock, and so set as to give forth its solemn announcement of the hours. Baxtee's Lung Pbbsbbyeb has gained great popularity in this district as a speedy and effectual remedy in the ireatment of Coughs, Colds, Bbonchitis, and other chest and throat complaints. Head advt. BXNOPSI3 OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Temuka School Committee—Advertise for pupil teacher. Temuka Rifles—lnspection parade on Tuesday evening; review erder. Peel Forest Horticultural Show—ln Scotsburn schoolroom on February Bth. Salvation Army, Temuka—Monster tea meeting in barracks on Tuesday evening. John Murray, Manager Orari Station— Invites tenders for stooking 400 acres crop. B. R. Macdonald, Bulmer, Rangiiara— Inviteß tenders for stooking and forking bat^v' J. MoOoll—Notice re two English LeicferterV rams (unshorn), strayed to the Arowhenua ; estate. Rev. Father Fauvel—Thanks all who contributed to the success of the reoent Catholic baiaar. W. Wills, Returning Officer—Notifies that James Guild has been elected a member of the South Orari River Board. Webster and Macdonald—Announce that the Wood's single-apron harvester will be on Mr E. Burke's farm, near Geraldine, tomorrow.