LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2126, 18 November 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Labor Settlements, The Government desire it to be known that they are quite ready to throw open land for settlement in other districts on same terms as to the labor representatives in deling on. Political Addresses.— Mr A. E. G, Rhodes addresses the electors at Woodbury this evening and at Scotsburn tomorrow evening. Mr y. Buxton will address the electors at Rangitata Island this evening and at Rangitata Station to-morrow evening.

i AiliEsed Assault Case. —■ A peculiar assault case is reported from Peatherstone. On Tuesday night an indignation meeting of those who had given orders for the ' Picturesque Atlas of Australasia was held, and the delivering agent invited to attend. As some challenged the genuineness of the 1 signatures, the agent went to fetch the 1 order book, and on returning he asserts i that he was suddenly sjized, a sack thrown , over his head, and securely roped. His ! book was taken from him, along with various documents, including cheques, 1 etc., the latter being found near the scene of the outrage next morning. He also 1 states that ha had £9 stolen from him and 1 a seven-chambered revolver (loaded). Detective Herbert has gone up to investigate the matter.

H.M.S. Serpent. —ln a recent cable , message it was announced that H.M.B, Serpent had been lost off the coast of Spain. This vessel of war cost over 1 £91,600 when she was launched in 1887. She was a twin-screw third class cruiser of the Archer class, being the same as the ■ Brisk, Cossack,-Mohawk, Porpoise, Tartar, Racoon, and Archer. She was built of steel, and was of 1770 tons displacement. Her indicated horse-power was 4500, and she could steam at 17 knots per hour ; 1 her total coal-carrying capacity being 475 ’ tons, on which, at ten knots speed, she could cover 7000 miles. Her length was 225 ft, beam 36ft, and draught 14ft 6in. She was built at Uevonport and engined by Harland. Her armament consisted of | six 6in five ton B.L.R. guns, eight threepounder quick firing guns, two machine guns and two launching torpedo carriages,

and one fixed tube for discharging Whitehead torpedoes. Arsenic and Salt. —The N,Z Times on Saturday morning says that bags of salt were landed at Wellington on Thursday from the R »kaia, broken and gaping. At the same time packages of arsenic were put out from the ship, one also broken and gaping. The two had been laden close together and corrugated iron near by. The Times soundly rates those, responsible for this carelessness, and hints that they will be liable to fifteen years’ penal servitude if anyone is poisoned, and advises the firm owning the salt to throw it all into the sea, under penalty of having its name published. It concludes, “ A more murderous, careless, disgraceful, or criminal abomination has not been discovered here since the first ship arrived in Wellington.” The New Zealand Shipping Company put aside all the bags of salt which came in contact with the broken arsenic keg, and intend to throw them overboard in deep water.

Mr Hislop at Gascaru. The Hon, Mr Hislop addressed a large meeting of electors at Oamaru on Friday night. He dwelt pretty fully on the work the Go vernraent had carried out since taking office—all it had promised with regard to retrenchment, and had yearly since taking office reduced the expenditure and put the finances of the colony on a proper footing, tie sail that the Labor Hills of the Government had been to a great extent killed in the Upper House by the members of the previous Government, a majority of whom voted against them. On the question of property tax ha recognised that under it cases of injustice might occur, but at the present time no other objection to it had been shown bj its opponents. The Government’s land legislation had resulted in a Hrga increase of settlement, and the average area of the holdings had decreased. He touched on iha question of dummyism, unions, &c., and said under certain conditions he was favorable to the State aiding Catholic schools. Ho was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.

The Timaru Election.-— Mr J. M. Twomey will address the elec'ora in the Washdyke schoolroom on Thursday n'ght, in the Gler.-it schoolroom on Friday night, and ot Kerrytown on Saturday night.

Living in China.—ln China the coat of food averages little more than 4> a month for each member of a farmer's family. One who buys, cooks, and eats his meals alone spends from 6s 8d a month upon the raw materia! and fuel. T-*o pounds of rice, costing IJd, with relishes of salt fish, pickled cabbage, cheap vegetables and frails, costing £d, is the average daily allowance for each laborer. Temuka Pabk Boar©.—At a meeting of the above board which was held on Friday last the quest'on of improvements to the recreation grounds, aa desired by the deputation which waited upon the board at a previous meeting, was duly considered. Owing to the lateness of the .season it was decided to postpone the arranging out of the improvements for the present, but to go on with them thoroughly in the autumn.

Magisterial. At the ' Courthouse, Temuka,yesterday, before M. Quinn, Esq., J.P., a man named John C ifford was charged with being drunk and disorderly in the public street on Saturday night, and further with using obscene language within the hearing of passers-by. Constable Morton proved the offence. Accused was fined 10s for t e first charge, and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment in Timaru gaol on the second charge.

DahGIBOU* Goods.—They hare a rough fashion of dealing with fractious lunatics on the West Coast. Lately a Chinaman suddenly developed, signs of insanity on the road between Waimea and Kumsra. He stripped himself and flung bis clothes into the bush, and then delivered an eloquent oration to a couple of dead rimu trees. Stoma telegraph linemen bundled him into a sack, tied the mouth of the lack securely, and sent him kto Kumara by coach as a bale of dangerous goods. Crying tor more Taxation.—Seldom, indeed, is a Parliament eotrea ed to impose a new tax. Bnt the thing has just happened at Washington, where the League of Women connected with commerce and industry has commissioned the Committee of Ways and Means to tax every box of cigarettes to the extent of a dollar. The petition is on the score of mercy. It is shown that epilepsy and mental disorders have increased 10 per cent, in establishments where wooidn smoke. The use of tobacco among woman and girls in America is declared to be lamentably on the increase.

Dishonbst QBATfIDiSGBBS.—A curious ftory ia told of a cemetery at Landahm, in Bavaria, where it said the keepers have grown rich beyond the dreams of all other sextons by opening the graves at night and despeiling the coffins. A rigid investigation was made, and the houses of the keepers on being searched were found to contain a large number of valuable articles. The official exhumation of the bodies of all the wealthy people who have been buried in the cemetery within the last two years has shown that the allegations were gruesomely true, and that the tombs have been systematically opened and clothes, hair, jewellery, ornament*, and coffins, when these latter were valuable, abstracted. The Bavarian police should dome down heavily on the gang.

Presentation. —At Timaru on Thursday last Mr D. M. Mackay, who has been appointed manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Waikouaiti, was presented by the Rev. Gillies, on behalf of the congregation of Trinity Presbyterian Church, with a beautifully illuminated address (the work of Mr G. W. Wade), and some silver plate ; Mr Mackay was a'so presented with a very choic* silver dessert frame by the TriniiySundaySchool scholars, of whichhe was superintendent. The Rev. w . Gillies, Mr Jap. Thomson, sen., Mr Crawford, ami Mr Evans spoke in eulogistia terms of Mr Mackay’s services, and wished him and his wife and family every happiness and success in the future.—Mr Mackay was for years manager of the Bank of;New Zealand at Temuka, where ho earned the respect of all who knew him, and ive wish him everj success in bis new sphere.

Salvation Aemy, Tbmuka.—SpscM meetings in connection with the above were held on Saturday night, all day on Sunday, and last night. Colonel Taylor, | from Headquarters, Christchurch, was in , command, assisted by Staff-Captain Vince ! (the new Divisional Officer for the Eastern Division), just out from England, and Captain Orossley, just over from Australia, and on Monday n'ght by Captain and Mrs Hildreth and Lieut. Davies, from Ashbur- , ton ; Captain Hughes, from Waimate; Captain Dixon, from Timaru, and Captain Rattray and Lieut. Scott, from Geraldine. The meetings were very enthusiastic throughout, and quite surpassed any special gatherings of the Army held for some tints in Temuka. Colonel Taylor, though not very well, made a most favorable impression, while Staff-Captain Vinca . will be received with open arms whenever ha likes to return. The Salvation Army Brass Bind made its first appearance o>. Sunday afternoon, and considering they have only had about three weeks to practice they did remarkably well. The attendance throughout was good, the Barracks being too small for Sunday night. On Monday night a musical festival took place, when the Geraldine and Timaru bands also appeared. Saved bt a Plot, —An extraordinary story reached Albury (says the Sydney Morning Herald) from a man named Edward Thompson, formerly a resident of this town, but now employed in lank sinking in the Dnbbo district. Thompson, it appears, was camped with his wife and two young children in the bush. The elder of the children, who is three years old. had been in the habit of playing with a pet pig. One morning tha child was missed, and a search was forthwith instituted, the father and some other men scouring the bush in all directions; the search party continoad their labor all day and the whole night witheut coming upon aoy trace of the missing infant, and in view of the very inclement weather of late prevailing, small hopes were entertamed of finding the child alive. Early next morning, however, the the searchers were rewarded by the discovery of the child being quite comfortab'y asteep on a bad of leaves evidently made by the pig under a hop hush. The pig was neap tire child, and seemingly on guard oyer it, as it resented in a very practical fashion any attempt to interfere with its charge ; and 1 jt was with some difficulty that the father succeeded in obtaining possession of the youngster. Finally, when thef»ther rode away homeward with the child in his arms, the pig followed at the horse’s heels all the way bask to the camp.

Railway Returns. —During the four weeks ended October 11th the railway receipts amounted to £70,690, and the expenditure to £50,874, Property Sale. —Messrs H. B. Webster and Co, hold a sale of freehold property at Temuka to-day on account of Mi E. Prattley. The sale will take place half-at-hour before the slock sale. Mb Buxton at Pleisant Point. —Mr Buxton addressed a crowd-d meeting in ihe Pleasant Point Assembly Rooms on Saturday evening, After a large number of questions bad been answered, Mr T. Ley proposed and Mr Bishop seconded, a vote of thanks and confidence. Aa so amendment a vote of thanks only was moved by Mr Butler, but only a few supported it, and Mr Ley’s motion was carried by a large majority.

Murder in the New Hebrides. —The steamer Rookton arriyed hi Sydney cently, from the islands, and brings news of another massacre in the New Hebrides, the victims being a copra maker and bis son. The natives of a small village near the island ef Sonto, who have become notoriaus for their atrocious sots, feeling tt ßg r i® ve d at the British warships taking away one of their chiefs swore revenge. The unfortunate copra maker was in bed when his but was rushed, and be and bis son were out down in cold blood. The bodies wore taken away and eaten amidst great rejoicings.

Geraldine Floral, Horticultural, and Industrial’Association. —lntending competitors at the Spring Show of ibis Association, which takes place on Thursday next at the Oddfellows’ Hall, will do wall to take notice of an addition to the advertisement in another column. From this it will be gathered that any extra exhibit not specified in the catalogue will be received by th« committee for competition. This should have the effect of securing a good display of exhibits, as numbers of persons have ornamental end other plants which they will thus be enabled to enter for competition.

The Virtues of Strawberries. Apropos of Strawberries, the manj virtues of this fruit do not seem, notwithstanding its popularity, to be fully appreciated. Mot ooly saya ad enthusiastic lady correspondent, are straw berries and cream the nearest terrestrial equivalent for nectar and ambrosia, but the strawberry is particularly beneficial i« sufferers from gout and rheumatism; used as a poultice it quickly reduces inflammation round a wound or sore ; it is excellent as a dentifrice, and the juice used es a lotion will relieve inflamed eyes quickly ; while, to cap everyihing, she adjures lady, readers only to try the effect of Mtbbing'the face at night with strawberries. Persevere for a week or two and then, she says, nous m’sn dires des nouvelles. Mr Rhodes at Orari. —Mr A. E. G. Rhodes addressed a large meeting' l of settlers at Orari on Saturday evening, Mr Corbett occupying the chair. Mr Rhodes dwelt at length upon the land aad education questions, and was quently applauded. At. the close of the meeting, after a number of questiona.'had been answered, Mr Rhodes received a hearty vote of (banks for bis address. . A vote of thanks and confidence was proposed, bnt the candidate asked that as this was a new district to him it night be withdrawn, in accordance with his usual custom. As usual at Orari, the larrikin element mustered in strong force, and smothered tba windows and porch of * the school, ns well as some of the settlers' horses, with rotten eggs and floor. Fortunately only one egg and some flour reached the interior of the sehoelroom, so that the audience had an opportunity of listening to the candidate’s address wi’b some comfort.

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Thos. CadwalUdet—Has accepted C. Loeker’a tender for chippies flax. J. M. Twomey—Ditea of meetings at Washdyke, Qlen-iti, and Kerrylown. J. Muedeli & Bo.—Hold clearing sale of farm stock at Temoka, on account of Mr T. Hobson, on 28th insf. Geraldine F., H., and industrial As* aociation—Advertise additional notice re entries for the show on Thursday.