LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1877, 11 April 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Minister FOR EDUCATION. —The Premier has been appointed Minister for Education. Bank Holiday.--To-morrow will be observeil ua a Hpecial bmk holiday at Geraldine. Paeliament.— A proclamation in an extraordiaavy Gazette further prorogues Parliament until the 9fch May.

The GoTBBNOB.r—It has been determined that the swearing in of the Governor shall take plane at Wellington.

Capture ob a Snake.—Last week Sir G. Wnitmore captured on his run,near Gisborne, an ugly snake, two feet six long, yellow and blaok. Sale op Bridge Timber.—An auction sale of fourteen lots of old bridge timber will lake place at the Upper Rangitata bridge to-morrow at noon.

Midlandßailwat.—The Premier received a cablegram from the Agent-Goneral on Tuesday, announcing that the Midland Railway Company had been successful in obtaining the money necessary to carry out the works. Mr A. L. Halkett Dawson.—Mr Halkett Dawson, M. A., rector of the Tim«ru High School, has been appointed Professor of English and Literature, and Lecture? on Political for the ensuing term in tho University of Otago.

Supreme Court. The Evoning Press states that owing to the Supreme Court work at Wellington being in arrears, the Chief Justice having undertakan the duties of acting-Governor, tho authorities have been seriously contemplating the appointment of cto acting-Judge. The Unemployed.—A number of unemployed iu the Timaru and Levels districts have been applying to tho Timaru Borough Council and Levels Road Board for work, and gave evidence as to the scarcity of employment duriog the harvest. It was decided to ondeavor to find the men employment.

Entertainment «t Gebaldinb.— Tho Tiinaru Sunuy South Minstrels give an entertainment at Geraldine thia evening in tho Volunteer Hall, and we are aura that all wlxn attend will be thoroughly amused. The entertainment will be of the usual Christy Miaatrel character, comio and instrumetal selections, dancos, sketches, etc. A dance will follow. The Bhnd and Agbd Pooe.—A movement is on foot at Auckland to render assistance to persons afflicted with blindness, and a committee, including Bishop Cowie, has been formed to make arrangements. Iho tender of T. J. Matthews, at £7297, has been accepted for the erection of the new Costlsy house for uged poot to be built at Epsom, Auckland. Mobe BITTNDBBINfI-.—lt has been ascertained that tho warrant of commitment in the case of William Christit l , who was sentenced to four months' imprisonment at Oamaru on Monday, arising out of his connection with the Colonial Investment Company, is void, owing to the word " March " being inserted in place of " April." A writ of Habeas Corpus will be applied for to secure the release of Christie. The Saltation Abmt.-—Tbe sixth anniversary of the Solvation Array commencing operations in New Zealand was celebrated bv a monster tea meeting at Dunedin on Tuesday night, at which about 800 were present. A procession marched through the town, and at the meeting afterwards about 2000 attended. Six years ago Captains Pollard and Burford and Mrs Burford landed in Dunedin, and commenoed by playing a concertina in the streets. There are now 53 corps, 80 outposts, 136 officers, 3250 soldiers, three rescue homes, and a prison gate brigade. Teasin« an Elephant.—Afc Brussels recently a tragic event happened in the courtyard of the houKG bolonging to the Corporation,of Fishmongers. A travelling menagerie had arrived, and attracted great attention by its enormous elephant. A boy of seventeen, who was employed distributing handbills of the menagerie, was in the habit of teasing the elephant by twisting his tail. The elephant never remonstrated with tho boy, and submitted to all his prank* with extraordinnry patience, till one morning the boy threw a bucketful of water over the elephant's head. This was too much. The weather was cold, and the elephant lost his temper. With one whisk o£ its trunk it seized the youth by the right ankb, and whirled him twice over its head, and then dashed hiai against tho wall. Death was instantaneous.

Lecture at Geraldine.—Professor 0. E. Hugo delivered one of his interestiog and thoroughly enjoyable lectures on physiognomy at the OJdfellows' Hall, Geraldine, on Monday evening 'asr, in aid of the funds of the Geraldine Literary Institute. Owing doubtless to othsr attractions in the town the attendance was not large, but the audiencn was a thoroughly intelligent and oup. The Bev. J. Preston occupied the chair. Mr Hugo decided to tike as the subject of his lecture " Lips and Mouths," and for an hour and a-half kept those present interested and amused by the way he bandied his subject. At the conclusion of the lecture Mr nugo read the characters of several of those present from their style of walking, and of others from their handwriting. Mr Hugo was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks for his kindness in lecturing on behalf of the lustilule free of cost. It was intimated that he would remain in Geraldine for a day or two to allow of those who wished to do so obtaining charts of their characters.

The Avstbalian Squadron.—H.M.S. Orlando, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Fairfax, left Auckland on Tuesday afternoon for Sydney. The stay of the squadron at Auckland has been good for trade. There has been at times 1500 men, who must have put in circulation among the tradesmen over £IOOO, while the repairs to the Dart cost over £llOO. The .Admiral is thoroughly satisfied with the work executed. He has had 2000 ' tons of Westport coal distributed to the squadron, and has recommended the Admiralty to obtain a shipment for the use of the English squadron on the China station. He considers that the price for carriage of Westport coal—by colliers 8s per ton for 265 miles, and 2s 6d per ton for some 10 miles by train—is altogether too high. The squadron will rendezvous at Sydney and thereafter be distributed as follows :•—The Opal and Lizard to the New Hebrides, the Eoyalist and Kaven to New Guinea. It is not expected that the fleet will return to our waters till Novem- i ber next. During part of the summer rendezvous at Hobart ihe Admiral intends to send one or two warships to Dunediu at the time of the Exhibition. The Admiral will go home to England, in ;ill probability, about the middle of March IlOXt.

Ohab&r against a Constable. •At Timuru, yesterday, tho oharge against Constable Kenny of being in a hotel brawl in the "small hours," whilst on duty, was dismissed, there being no evidence against him.

Skating Rink at Gkealdinb. Tomorrow evoniug the Columbia skating rink will be re-opened in Geraldine, and in future the rink will be open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening from 7.30 to 10, and every afternoon from 2.30 to 5.

Scratches.—Mr T. Kearney's Torrent and Mr W. Russell's Swamp Hen have been scratched for tho Handicap Hurdles, and Torrent for the Antnmn Handicap at the Geraldine Racing Club's Autumn meeting, which commences to-day. Personal.—Mr Angus Macdonald, who sustained a fracture of the wrist and a sever* shaking a little over a month ago, owing to a trap accidont, is now able to get about again, and he was heartily welcomed by a large number of friendß in Geraldine, where he made his reappearance yesterday. Cafe de Paris. —ln the Supreme Court, Christchurcb, on Tuesday, Mr Arenas, proprietor of the Cafe de Paris, sued Mr W. Savagage for £looodamages, on account of a breach of the'lease of the Cafe. The defendunt, says tho Lyttolton Times, made no appearance, and the plaintiff and another witness proved that £IOQO would scarcely cover the loss Mr Arenas had sustained. The jury ignored the evidence, and found a verdict for a farthing damages.

Serious Accident at Timaru. — Mrs Collis, wife of tho harbormaster's coxswain, was found at 12.28 a.m. yesterday lying on the main road near the drillshed very seriously injured. A medical examination showed that a very severe scalp wound, compound fracture of both arms above the elbows and internul injuries had been sustained. She was sensible and stated she had been knocked down by a four-wheeled t'ap and the wheols went over the uppor part of her body. The doctors do not expect her recovery. The police are trying to find out tho vehicle. Temuka Rifles. A Government parade of the Temuka RiflUs was held yesterday evening at the drill shed. Present—32 rank and file, under the cornmaod of Lieut. White. Staff-Sergeant Major Jone 3 was on parade, andexercised thamen in bayonet drill; firing practice, and guard mounting. Lieut. Findlay subsequently read the regulations issued by Government in referouca to the approaching encampment, and instructed those intending to tako part in the Easter review as to th,eir requirements. A good proportion of tho corps signified their intention of going into camp. Special recruit drills will bo held during the onsuing week.

Payment of Rates and Matbimdny.— The conneotion between matrimony and the payment of one's rates does not at first seem apparent, but a oaso enuie under tho noiice of a local body recently which showed that at times there is a close relationship. A woman who owns a small property a the district had bad her rates reuaitted year after year in consideration of her circumstances. At a late meetin? of tho body a letter was received from the property owner thanking them for their past consideration of her position, and asking that the rates be remitted up to tho end of March Slst, after which she would p-iy them as they became due. A sentence at the end of the letter explained the whole matter. It ran—" I have only changed my name three weeks." —Press. G-BBALDINK Stooi Sam. The monthly sale of stock at Geraldine has always been noted as one of the most important stock sales in South Canterbury. They have continued to grow in extent, and on Wednesday last by far the largest sale of stock which has ever taken place in tho yards was conducted by the two local firms of auctioneers. The spacious yards, which hitherto have been found equal to all demands made upon them, proved much too small to hold tho large quantity of stock offered, and several large lines had to be submitted on the road. In consequenee of the rapid increase of business, and the impossibility of getting through the work in one day, it has been found necessary to notify that in future the stock sales will be conducted fortnightly, instead of monthly as heretofore. The change is amch appreciated by owners who will thus be able to get through their sales and start for home before dark.

Sympathetic Brothers. A curious story of twin brothers is at present going the round of the American Press. The two, Erskine and Carmine Kemp, had for Ihe past thirty-three yeitrs resided in the town of Stafford, Connecticut, the firstnamed, Erskine, being just thirty-aix hours older than his twin brother, Carmine. Over the latter all his tife he had absolute control, and, it is said, whenever one brother was ill the otherwould also become so. A short time ago it chanced that the brother who came into the world thirtyaix hoars before the other was taken ill with typhoid fever, and precisely thirtysix houis afterwards Carmine was stricken down with the same disease. Erskine succumbed to it, and all hope of saving Carmine's life was given up until about thirty-six hours after his brother's death, when ho rallied in a most unexpected way. From that moment he grew rapidly better, the latest tidings of the patient being that he is on the high road to recovery.

Football.—A special general meeting of the Temuka Football Club was held hat Tuesday evening in the Walliugford Hotel. There was a large attendance of members, and Mr J. L. Flint was voted to the chair. Tho minutes of the last annual meeting were read and confirmed. Several new members were proposed. Mr J. E. Donald tendered his resignation as captain of the club, »3 he had left the district. Jt was resolved that Mr Donald's resignation be accepted, and that the appointment of captain be left over for the present. The awarding of trophies for the bast back and forward player, respectively, in last year's team was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows: Best forward (Mr E. Cutten's trophy, value £2 2s), £. Carr; best back (Mr J. L. Flint's trophy, value £2 2s), G. Velvin. It was resolved that a ball be held on Thursday, May 2nd, in connection with the club, when the trophies sill be presented. It was decided to ask Mr A. M. (Jlark, vice-president of tho club, to kindly perform the ceremony of presentation. The following were appointed a ball committee to carry out the necessary arrangements :—Messrs E. Cutten, J, L. Flint, J. W. Velvin, W. Donald, E. S. Smith, E. Carr, aud T. Gunnion. The meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks to tho chairman.—The opening match of the season of the Temuka and Darktown Clubs takes place on Saturday next, and all members are particularly requested to boon the ground, Mr John Ball a house at Kaikorai Valley, Otago, was burnt on Tuesday night. Tiie premises were insured in the Standard for £l3O.

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS.

Chas. Bishop, Winchester —Is t. cash buyer of haree.

Columbia Stalling Eink, Geraldine —Open to-morrow evening. Primitive Methodist Church, Tomuka Notice re anniversary services, commencing on Sunday next.

Drummond and G-lasson, Drapara and Clothiers—Notify that they are now making a display of autumn and winter drapery in Geraldine, and will stay for one month ; enumerate a number of special lincß on view, and yivfl quotations.

T. and J. Thomson, Draperß and Clothiers, Timaru Advertise their second important shipment of seasonable goods, which have arrived per Aoran^i; note specialties in tinsels, transfers, fans, ciewel and fancy silks, ribbons, hosiery, handkerchiefs, frilling*, gloves, French merinos, velveteone; mantles, jackets, milliaary, etc., etc.^