LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2008, 15 February 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Presbyterian Church, Geraldine.— The Rev. Robert Thornton will conduct the services at this Church to-motrow.

No One on Relief Works.— Thursday was the first day since, 1878 that the Government books have been free of the unemployed.

Keane v. Aspinall & Co.—ln the abova case beard last Tuesday in Timaru before fxis Honor Judge Deum'ston] judgment has been pjven for the pluhviff for the amount paid into Court, but h« will have to pay defendant's coats.

Licensing Elections.- Ratepayers are reminded that persons willing to serve on the Pemuka aDd Geraldine Licensing Committees for the ensuijg year must be nominated by noon to-day, er as socn thereafter as possible. Mr Ash wall will receive nominations for the former, an 1 Mr C. E. Sherratt for the latter. Island Settlement.—Ooe of the settlers of Sunday Island in the Kermadec Group, Mr Stratford, formerly of Napier, is at present in Auckland and is endeavouring to induce the Government to promote settlement on Sunday Inland hy dividing the available land into suitable sections. Those who left this colony in the Dunedin to iake up their abode at Sunday Island are already prospering, but there is room for an additional 200 people,! and when settlement has advanced sufScient'y it is the inten'ion to secure regular communication with the Island and Whangarei. '

Our Population. The estirmted population of the colony onJDecember 31»t last, exc'ueive of Maoris, was 62§,279. On the same date, 1888, it was estimated at 607,380, and the Hegis rar-General puts the increase during the year at 12,899. This is made up of excess of bir'hs over deaths, 12,685; excess of arrivals over departures, 214. The Maori population, according to the census of 1886, than which no more recent information is available, was 41,969 ; giving the total population of New Zealand as 662,248. Of these 354,611 are males and 307,637 females.

A Rough Voyage.—The Norwegian barque India, Captain Anderson, which loft Auckland nn January 19Ui for New Tcoik with 650 tons of kmri gum and dressed fl-ix, put back on Thursday mornin distress for repairs. On January 31-t when 400 miles off the coast of New Zealand, a south-east hurricane was met with and one heivy sea coming on board over the fore "part of the ship did all the damage. Two boats were emashed, and the two storehouses forward were carried away, the forward deck smashed, the bulwark rails and stannchions carried away, deck hamper lost, several sails lost, and the fore-hatch stove open. The cargo was partly damaged; one seaman was hurt while lying in his bunk, but is now recovering. The ship is making water, is strained, and will be surveyed.

OwNBKSHir Settled.—Judgement was on Thursday given by the Native Lands Court at Hastings on the ownership of tha Omaha block, over which there have been so tmny disturbances and bloodshed. It was for alleged trespass on this bbck that Taranga Karuria, brother of Airini Donnelly, was shot by Waatara Wi, one of Brouuhlon's natives who claimed ownership under the will of Kenatu Kawepo. After an investigation extending oyer several months, the Court has given judgment almost entirely in favour of Airini Donnelly and her people. Some insignificant portions have been awarded to Renata's people, on the ground of special gifts by Airini's ancestors. Leprosy.—Considerable excitement has been occasioned in St. Clair, Dunedin, at the spread of rumors to the effect that a leper was living in the township. Searching; inquiries have been instituted, with the result that no doctor his unreservedly declared it a case of leprosy in its malignant form, but that it is probably a dsvelopment of what is called tubercular leprosy ; that the sufferer, a Portuguese, was rabbiting about the country prior to coming to St. Chir, and that he is so ill that death cannot long- suspend the coup de grace. Steps will doubless be immediately taken for the man's removal from the position in which he is a source of alarm, if not of danger. The Local Board of Health has commuuicated with the Government.

N,Z. Mutton.—ln a recent number of the London Echo in the " Notes and Queries" column, says the Ohris f church Press, tke Rev. J. S. iSonlley, well known to many in Canterbury, beara (.he following testimony to the quality of New Z aland mutton :—"ln reply to the inqviiiy. why New Zealand mutton should not be as good as Eoglish, I beg to any that I do not' kuow of any reason. I have resided for eighteeu years in the colony, and for the past two and a half years in the Old Country. Daring the latter period 1 and my friends have eaten New Zsaland mutton almost aa faequeally as Eoglish and the only difference recognisable was in favor of the colonial aiticle. Oq one occasion a joint, of Home, and another of colonial lamb was placed without remirk before a friendly parly, including several doctors, and no one observed any distinction' but equally relished both. I may add that one coat 6d and the other Is 4d per lb. Lbt me conclude by snying I have no personal interest in the sale of New Zealand mutton."

A Family Ghost.—A peculiar case of aupposed ghostly visitation has just been cleared up at Stawell (says the Age). Mrs Williams, residing in Ligar street, bus forsorao weekß been very much alarmed by peculiar noises and voiceß proceeding apparently from various parts of the house during both eight aod day. At night also the furniture has been <!iaplaeed. At last the voice became very offensive in its remarks, and some neighbors were sent for, who in (u'n pent for the police. When Constable JFiizmaurice arrived a voice, seemingly from the chimney, asked him what lie wanted. The ohimnvy was searched, but no clue to the mystery was obtained, aud the next came from under the floor. The bonis were pulled up, but nothing was found. The place was kept under surveillance n«xt day, aud nl a large crowd composed of business meu and otliars' assembled at the ph C e, without, however' being able to elucidate the mystery', r. hough the Hounds were still heani! Fually the myalory was cleared up. Mrs VVilhaißS had a grand-daughter livina with her, ;. child between 11 and 12 yours™ and this precocious ioveuilo bus ooufessed that she is a ventriloquist, and was the causo of the trouble. i

A Wise Judge. The judgment of Solomon was recently nearly enacted by a Transatlantic justice in Georgia. Two parents claimed the r:iluo negro baby, and evidence was bo even that the puzzled jurige suddenly thought of the wise king's expedient. He se : zed the bowie-knife and prepoeed to halve the child, but both claimants rushed forw.-.rd simultaneously, crying "Bobs ! don't kill him. You may have him I" So the judge had to decline a present of a b'ack btiby that he h»d no use for, and was us fur from a decision as ever.

Sudden Devth. We regret exceedingly to learn that Miss Kerr, eldest daughter of Mr E. G. Kerr, of the Timaru Herald, died very suddenly last Wednesday morning. Miss Kerr was in her twenty-first year, and anyone who ever know her will be deeply pained by the news erf her untimely and unexpected death. She was an amiable and accomplished young lady, and a general favorite wherever she was kuown. Her ailment is said to have been steppage of ihe gallduot, and during the few hours that she v\as ill she suffered excruciating p>in. It is only a couple of years ago, also, since a bright, promising young lad of the same family was drowned. We tender Mr and Mrs Kerr our eincere sympathy in their bereavement.

Magnifying Glass, A well-known Wellington resident (says the Evening Press) was very much surprised on Tuesday evening last to find, on entering the front room of his dwelling house, a hole about the aiz9 of a five shilling piece burnt right into the wall of the room. It was at first thought that one of the children had got a red-hot pofrer, or something, and hid been amusing himself by : branding, but the boy stoutly denied having anything to do with it. After vainly endeavoring to find out the cause for a long time, a thought struct the gentleman as he was looking at the spot, and on closer inspection his suspicions were .confirmed. It appears that upon a snull table, abont a foot fjom the wall, there was a very potvetful magnifying glass (similar ones may be seen in very many drawing-rooms) for looking at photos, etc. Opposite this glass was a large bay window, and during the day, which had been very hot, the sun haii shone through the window and magnifying glasp, and the result was the hoe burnt in the wall. Lucki'y theie were no curtains or drapery of any sort near, or the house would almost certainly have been burned down, HLd there would not have been a trace left as to the origin of the firo. People possessing those glasses will do well to keep tLom out of the line of the sun's rays. The noted quality of the Coffee made ia the Cafes of Turkey, Franoe, and America ia chiefly due to the fact that only Fresh Roa»ted Coffee ia used ; bo that none of ths volatile oil and other essantiala are loat. Ask your grocer for Anderson's Coffe?, and jou Will have & bßverage alike refreshing and imulating, aa it is fresh roasted and ground at the factory, Timaru.—[Advx, ?J Do Yoy Know That T. A. Williams intends to submit the whole of his stock of drapery and fancy goods to auction on Tuesday, the 18th iost., at 11 o'clock sharp, on the premises, opposile the Bank of Now Zealand, Temuka 1 Gray and Montgomery, auctioneers, And tniudy ou don't forget it !—(Adtt,)

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Temuka Licensing Committee—Quarterly meeting on Monday, 10th Maroh. Presbyterian Church, Geraldine Rev. Robert Thornton will preach to-morrow. R. H. Pearpoint—Adveitisea a complete clearance of tke whole of his stock of drapery. H, B. Websber and Co., Auctioneers, Geraldine—Publish entries for stock sale ; want a well-bred pony.