LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2023, 22 March 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Novel Events. The Irish Athletic Sports at Invercargill on Wednesday were very successful. The competitions in bush work, cross-cutting and chopping, excited keen interest. Football.—The TemukaClub will open the season to-day with a practice match with the Waihi Club, play starting at 3 p.m. All members of both clubs are particularly requested lo be on the ground punctually to time. The Electoral Districts. -- The Repreeenta'ion Commission has finished its work, but the report and accompanying maps will not be ready for some days. The boundaries will be greatly altered from those fixed in June, 1887. Robbery.—The house of a farmer residing near Temnka was entered on Wednesday last, and some £l3 or £l4 in cash taken. The matter is in the hands of the police, but they have little or no clue to follow up. Oue Distbist at the Ram Paib.—The reputation that Temuka and Geraldine has always enjoyed as a district in which good classes of farming stock are to be found is likely to be well maintained, at all events as far as sheep are concerned. At the Sam Pair held under the auspices of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association our loeal breeders were well to the front, both as buyers and sellers, as reference to our commercial columns will show. Canterbury A, ano P. Association.— At the annual meeting of the Canterbury A. aed P. Association it was shown that there are 136 life members and 422 annual members; outstanding subscriptions amount to £l6l. The association’s overdraft at the bank is £3740 19s 4d, or £126 13s Id less than last year. The’raceipts for the year have been £3145 4a 6d and the expenditure £3OIB lls 6d. The committee express regret that so little progress has been made towards promoting a better system of butter-making, and that noxious weeds are on the increase. Sir John Hali was elected president. An Emblematical Pumpkin,—The editor of this paper was the recipient yesterday of a well-grown pumpkin, which bore upon it a spirited delineation of a female of stalwart proportions, wieldieg wh&t at first appeared to be a scroll of paper, but which a married member of the staff quickly identified as a pot-stick of unusual thickness. Beneath the figure were the words “ Home Rule.” Inquiry made reveals that the inscription and emblematical figure are traced upon the vegetable at an early period of its growth, and increase with it. This art is described by the inventor, Mr Qeo, Levens, as “ electrepumpkinchology,” and ha will be happy to show several fine specimens at his residence Main North Road, Temuka. ’

Pawierston Poetry.— The Manawatu Standard has raised a poet, who exercises his talents on the Police Court reports This is last Wednesday's effusion on thre» : 7 ‘bu T Waß - UD ° ld boozer > Joh “ Boyle who filled up with fusel 01. For more did he hunger, but Tony Isemonger his nice little game did spoil. So the .Beak severe, in seclusion drear ordered poor Jack to linger. For seven long days he must not raire to his lips his litile finger.—Benjamin Harrison drew a comparison twixt the known merits of whisky and ale. But twas embarraasin’- mixing was harasain’. Benny was lugged by the cop to the gaol. Then said M?Snelson • V ff ls SOI) ’ a, w fco kee p fiom the liquor away. As this is your first, and I hope your last, burst, ’tis only Bh '>li°gß ,PH ask you to pay.William Nicholl got in a pickle, drinking of Pascoes beer. The fine was five shilling, which Billy was willing to plank and get away clear.”

Geealdine Liteeaey Institute.—Members are reminded that the annual meeting of this institute takes pDco at 4 o’clock on Monday afternoon, in the library. The Exhibition. — At a meeting of the Exhibition Commissioners on Thursday it was decided to definitely close the Exhibition oq the 19th April, and notice is to be given to the orchestra that they will not be required b-yond the 12th prox. Immigration and Emigration. The immigration and emigration returns for February show the arrivals in the colony to have been 1537 persons, and the departures 1600 persons. The arrivals were principally from New South Wales, 587 ; Victoria, 581 j United Kingdom, 249. Of the departures 780 ivent to New South Wales, 593 to Victoria, and 128 to the United Kingdom. Influenza Epidemic. —The influenza epidemic is said to be spreading in Dunedin, asd several schools have been closed, When it breaks out in a factory, it is said to take all the employes. Luckily the sickness is of short duration, only lasting a day or two, and leaving those attacked none the worse, if ordinary precautions are taken. The Dunedin chemists are said to be averaging 100 patients a day. Land foe Settlement —The attention of those looking out for homesteads is directed to the announcement re Crown lands open for settlement in the Hinds, Rangitata, Alford, and Mount Somers districts, which appears in another column. First and second class lands are included, and the selector can determine whether he will take up his allotment on perpetual lease, on deferred payment, or for cash.

The Railway Buildings. -The fiDishing touch of paint has been put upon the railway buildings at Temuka, and they now present quite a smart appearance. The busy appearance the stati«n presents now that grain carting is in full swing should convey a very favorable impression to the numerous travellers dai y passing through. One or two lit tie improvemoms, however, might bo made in the arrangements for trucking stock. Temuka Mechanics’ Institute. The monthly meeting of the committee of this institute was held on Wednesday. Present—Messrs J.Blyth (president), Rutland, Sira, Coira, W. Storey, sen., Beri, Gentlemen, and W. Storey, jun. The librarian enclosed in his report £S 18s 6d for subscriptions, &c. The offers of Messrs Rutland and Mogridge, to take the Graphic and Illustrated London News, and Harper’s Magazine, for 5s and 6s respectively, were accepted. Accounts amounting to £6 19s 91 were passed for paymei t and the meeting terminated. A Word of Warning. paragraph two accidents through chaffcutting machinery are recorded. Accidents, it is said, are unavoidable, and occur in the best regulated families, but chroniclers of those accidents have it forced upon their notica that many of them are due to carelessness. The law takes stringent measures to protect factory hands working amoagst machinery from injuries, but numbers are constantly maimed through their own neglect of the commonest precautions. In the same way parents through sheer thoughtlessness permit their children to play around farm machinery, traction engines, and so forth, until the wonder is that there are not even more fatalities to record. A little more care, and perhaps wholesome correction occasionally, may cause many a serious accident to be avoided.

South Obaei School Committee. The monthly meeting of the South Orari School Committee was held on Monday last. Present—Messrs J. McLeod (chairman), Ellis and Bates. Correspondence from the Education Board was read, notifying that Mr Corbett, of Fairview, had been appointed to the position of head master. The teacher’s report showed that the roll number for the quarter was: Boys, 49 ; girls, 39 ; total, 88. The average attendance was : Bovs, 35 4 . girls, 28,62 j total, 65.2. There "were admitted during the quarter 10, and withdrawn 11. The average attendance was very unsatisfactory, owing to no harvest holidays having been held this year. A list of those pupils who had not attended half time during the quarter was handed in to the committee by the master, and the matter was left to the chairman. Two full holidays were allowed on the race days, and one week at Easter, the school to re open on Monday, 14th April. Mr Ellis was appointed visitor for the ensuing month, and the meeting terminated.

Accidents.— On Thursday morning a three-year-o!d child, son of Mr °Eli Prattley, met with a painful accident, He was watching his father, who was feeding a chaffcutter, and managed in some unaccountable way to get the fingers of his right hand among the cog-wheels while the machine was is motion. The fingers and palm of the hand were so badly crushed that Dr Hayes, who attended the sufferer, found it necessary to amputate all but the thumb and butt of the palm. The child is progressing as favorably as possible under the circumstances, but Uio shock, apart from the injuries, must have been very severe. —Mr T. King, of Arowhenua, also met with a slight injury while chaff-cutting. He was filling bags at Mr Love’s machine, when the bottom burst out of a weak bag, and Mr King was thrown forward and struck the sharo edge of the elevator of the machine with sufficient force to cut the third finger of the left hand almost through at the top pint. His injuries ware attended by Dr Blunden, and he is doing well.

The Grain Season.— Farmers are busy carting their grain to the several stores or to the railway. The weather continues favorable, and the town presents an unusually animated appearance. From reports to hand it seems that the Temuki district is again favored in the matter of th .® avera S 0 will not come up to that of’ast season. Still, as compared with the reports from other centres our local growers have every reason to be avaiffh alt '; oU 8 h th& y will doubtless avail themselves of the low prices to exercise the privilege accorded their class of unlimited grumbling. The quality of the gram this season is for the most part good, and although prices do not leave a very wide margin of profit over expenditure, still buyers are plentiful, and competition for really good lots is fairly keen Attention has frequently been drawn to’ the folly of threshing from the stook ims practice was always a reprehensible’ one, and almost invariably led both buyer and seller into trouble, more especially when such gram was shipped. I n these days of advanced milling it is still more to be reprobated, for only grain of first class condition will be purchased by roller millers. Softer samples were purchased in fche old days of stone mills P an d ht le was heard of them, but the keen competition amongst the large mills of M,a present days keeps each n n the qtd vive 5° n ?' V «nd farmers will do well to note the fact and take advantage of it.

Dog Registration.— Surely the owners of our canine stock will tike a lesson after the test cases lately brought before the Resident Magistrate who has stated on both occasions that where the residence of the owner was acknowledged to be on Ist January, and up to the 14th, there the dogs should be registered, and that district cm claim the revenue. Owners of unregistered dogs should register at once, and in the district they may reside otherwise legal expenses will probably be* incurred. A Hopeful Sign.— The array of empty shops that a few weeks ago made the r main street of Temuka a far from lively spectacle, ceases to obtrudo itself upon one’s notice. Nearly every buildbg i 8 occupied, and the new comers display a confidence that it is to be hoped will not be betrayed. Unhampered by heavy n-nts and with only nominal taxation our local tradesmen should be able to compete successfully with any town, and settlers would consult their best interests by backing them up. Sudden Deaths.— The Christchurch Press of Tuesday last says:—“Quite a gloom has been cast over the Leeston district by the sudden death of Mrs Hamilton, wife of the Rev. Staples Hamilton, and Mrs Johnston, wife of Mr W, Johnston, tailor, Leeston. Both the deceased were well and favourably known in the Ellesmere district, and up to within a few days of their death were in good health. Mrs Ham Iton expired at 1 p.tn. op ‘Sunday, and Mrs Johnston at saven o’clock yesterday morning. The deepest sympathy is felt by a large circle of friends.” The Mrs Hamilton alluded to is the sister-in-law of the Rev. T. A. Hamilton, of Temuka, where the deceased lady had several friends who keenly felt her loss. The verdiot of all who have used the “Jumbo” brand Baking Powder is that it makes light, nutritious, ani digestive bread cakes, pastry, etc. As the ingredients are of the finest qualities, and no injurious element being used in the preparation, bread, etc. made with this powder will keep fresh and moist longer than with any other powder. Ask for Anderson's “ Jumbo” brand Baking powder.— CAdvt. 1.1