LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2093, 2 September 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Vital Statistics, Tbmdka. —The following are the vital statistics for Temuka for the month ending August 31st. Births 10, deaths X, marriages 1. Sale of Rack Privileges, —To-morrow at 3 o’clock Messrs J. Mundell and Co. seli the privileges in connection with the forthcoming Spring Meeting of the Geraldine Racing Club. Board Meetings. —The monthly meeting of .the Temaka Road Board will be held tortiay, that of the Geraldine Town B"ard this evening, and that of the Temuka Town Board to-morrow evening.

Early Closing Movement.— Yesterday the stores in Temuka closed at six o’clock in accordance with arrangement, and on Thursday next the half holiday movement will come into force. This should give employers and employed e reasonable opportunity (for reoretion.

Dunedin Hospital. —At the inquiry into ; the alleged, insanitary condition of the Dunedin hospital, befo r eSir J. HecW and Mr Carew, Dr Lindo Fergussou, in his evidence, strongly condemned the condition of the hospital as it affected the oplbalraic pract'ce which he undertakes.

Geraldine -Stock Sale; ’The fortnightly sale of slock at Geraldine.takea place to-morrow. Messrs J. Mundell and Go., Messrs H. B. Webster and Co., and Mr A. E. Cox (associated with Mr E. R, Guinness) advertise a number of lines to be offered, aad book further entries up to hour of sale.

Temuka Dairy Company.— \ meeting of the shareholders in this company will be held in th® Wallingford Hotel thia evening at half past 6 o’clock, when Mr Sawer, Government Dairy Instructor, will deliver an address dealing particularly with the Temuka Factory, it is to be hoped that there will be a large attendance.

A Breakdown. —Messis Aepitiall and Co.’s traction engine broke down on Saturday last, just after crossing the Waihi river, while on the journey from Temuka to Geraldine. Some difficulty was experienced in crossing the river, and; just after doing so the pipes in the boiler commenced to leak and put the fires out,; and rendered further.progress,impossible.; The engine was brought _ to Temuka last evening. 2 r Shaheful Conduct.— Yesterday evening, about six o’clock, some cowardly scoundrel chased throe young girls on the road near the railway gates, r 'Temuka, and caused them serious alarm, sue of their number fainting., Fortunately people were passing at the time or a more grievous outrage might have been committed, but K unfortunately the ruffian, whoeyer he was, managed to get out of the way, but it is to be hoped he will yet be caught. ! • Sheep Returns. —The annual sheep returns now in show a highly satisfactory state. The Minister anticipated an increase of a half million. The approximate increase is 626,000. The approximate increase in [ each provincial district is as follows : —; Auckland 101,000, Napier 360,000, Welling- ! ton and West Coast 50,000, , Marlborough 20,000, Canterbury and Kaikoura 18,000; Otago 77; 000. There is a very large increase in South Otago and Southland, but a decrease North Otago. Footbald. —Footballers are reminded that the first trial match will taka place at'Timaru on Thursday, September 4th. As many players as’possible are requested to be present as it is of importance -that the best team possible may be selected for the Union match. —The football match Wellington v. Hawkes Bay, played at Napier on Saturday was; won ■by Hawkes Bay by 7 points toJ3.— A report of the match Temuka Second y. Waihi Second, which took place in Temuka on Saturday will be found on our fourth page. Bishor Julius. —To-night the Right Reverend Bishop Julius will deliver a lecture in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, in connection with St. Saviour’s Church. The churchwardens - intend, as far as possible, to make the occasion a memorable one. Refreshments will be provided at the close of the lecture, after which a very amusing comedy entitled “ A Rough Diamond ” is to be performed by - local amateurs. The tickets are being sold freely, and it is expected that there will be a good attendrnc#.

The Chinese and Smugglers.— The Chinese have a characteristic and apparently most effective way of patting down smugglers, which, however, from the point of view of strict jastice, leaves something to be desired. The North China Herald is responsible for the following account of a smuggling foray, which it describes in a cold-blooded fashion in its issue of June 27 ; —“ A few days ago it was reported that some smugglers had been levying black mail on the fishermen, and the Ningpo authorities sent a taimung to capture them if possible. Having sighted the smugglers, the crew of the taimung opened fire upon them, which was returned with interest, for it was stated that two of the taimungV crow were killed. In the end however, the smugglers were overpowered after several of them bad been shot, and the remainder of them fell into the hands of the victors, who proceeded to Cbinbai, where they landed some of the prisoners, and beheaded four of them. Two others were tortured ; one bad his hand cut off, and both wore burned with red-hot irons, which were thrust into their feet, probably to nuke them confess who their confederates were. The taimung then proceeded to Ningpo, having on board the four heads and the two tortured prisoners.”

1 Electric Welbinc. —The Electrician saysln the United SUtea electric welding machines are now being employed for a large variety of purposes, I’he most astonishing feat appears to bo that qf splicing, by an acpurnte weld, wire cable such as is used in wire; rope tramway driving, the cable being fused nearly solid at the joint for about one inch of its length, but not stiffened tos much to permit of its passing quite readily over pulleys of large diameter by which it ja driven. Eyen the operation of rivalling appears Ip be quite within the grasp of this most yalpaple too 1 * the rjyets bejog first placed jp their respective boles and there heated apd compress'd ip situ, Had the engineers of Ifie Forth IJridge been furnished with such implerpopts, they need not have had to carry up and down the structure any rivetting furnaces ; a small special appliance to be moved from point to point, and e pair of conducting wires to convey the current?, being all that they needed to drive the rivets home. It is quite* conceivable that when the next big bridge comes to be built, tbe whole design will be different from what it would h«ye been b .the electric welding machine peyef been heard of. Indeed, it is almost impossible * to tbe possible ap. plications to which Ibis invention may lead, j

Supposed Suicide.— Robert McKnight, head bailiff at the Resident Magistrate’ll Court, Christchurch, was found lying dead on (be door of his office at a quarter to 13 o’clock on Saturday night. He did not go home, and the under bailiff, named Friedman, went to the office to look for him and found him dead, The door waa not locked. A bottle of strychnine was on the table. Deceased bad ev dently been-dead some time, as the body waa cold and st'ff. His health bad been bad for some time, and he waa in financial difficuHies, He had been bailiff at the Resident Magistrate’s Court) for . nineteen years, and was previously a sergeant in the Christchurch police, and had served in the Irish'.Constabulary. ; His daughter stated she saw her father about 12 o’clock oa Saturday, and that he was then despondent because -be- was in monetary difficulties. Ihe deceased purchased the poison from Mr Wright, chemist, stating ft was to kill rats.

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Mrs Reeve, Geraldine —Ladies’ nurse. Geraldine Road Board—lnvite tenders for work. H. B. Webster and Co.—Publish special entries for stock sale to-morrow. . W. E, Barker, Waikonini, Peel ForestWants a sing’e mao. Arowhenua Town Board—Have struck a general rale,of one half-penny in the £. 0. E. Sherratt, Returning OfficerNotification re Geraldine Town Board election. W. A. Nalder, Woodaide, Geraldine— Offers £2 reward for rrtnrn of 150 lost half-bred ewes. Arthur Foster, Temuka—Has firewood, posts, ‘ rails, and stakes fer sale; full measurement guaranteed. A. Gabites (late Gabitsa and Plante), The Corner, Timaru— Advertises bargains in men’s and boys’.clothing, boots, etc. » - Chief Postmaster, Timaru—lnvites tenders for inland mail service for (be Postal District of Timaru for the years 1891 and 1892. . ' - Melville Gray, Timaru—Has- agricultural lime' for sale at 21s lOd per ton id trucks at' Temuka, and proportionately low prices at other stations ; testimonials on application.