THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1891 LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2294, 17 December 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1891 LOCAL & GENERAL.

Geraldine Rifles. —A parade of the Geraldine Rifle Corps takes place to-morrow evening. Shearers and Laborers Union.—A general meeting of the Geraldine brance of the Shearers and Laborers Union takes place on Saturday evening. The Hugo Minstrels. — At Wellington the effects of C. Hugo, the well-known minstrel, were sold under distress warrant, mostly theatrical properties. They realised £ll 9s.

A Grateful Chinaman.— Mr Ting Tong has sent a donation of £1 2s to the convalescent fund of the Timaru Hospital. He was a patient in the hospital in April last, and then paid the regular fees.

The Paynes. —Our readers are again reminded that the Paype Family give au entertainment in the Temuka Volunteer Hall to-night. They have just concluded a most successful season in Christchurch. The Coptic.— The B.M.S. Coptic, from London, via Cape and Hobart, passed Cape Farewell shortly after 1 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, and arrived at Wellington at 11.45 the same night, and anchored in the stream. A Creamery Burned. —Lang Brothers’ creamery at Waiuku, Auckland, was destroyed by fire on Monday. It originated from ashes placed in a box. There was up insurance. Fortunately 100 boxes of butter were sent out from the factory.

Fish Dinner. —Anglers and others are reminded that the annual fish dinner under the auspices of the Geraldine County Anglers Society takes place in the Crown Hotel, Geraldine, on Friday evening. The dinner promises to be the most successful yet held by the society.

Death of a Sister .of Mercy. —The Rev. Mother Regis, one of the Sisters of Mercy at St. Mary’s Convent at Ponsonby, Auckland, and president of the Orphanage, died on Monday. The deceased lady, who was born in Drogheda, has been hi the colony for about 35 years. N.Z. Railways. — In our advertising columns the Railway Department publish the fares for the Christmas holidays. Special night trains will leave Dunedin for Christchurch and Christchurch for Dunedin on the night of the 24th, and both will stop at Temuka to pick up passengers. A Claim for Indemnification.— A writ has been issued by Mr J. R. Scott against the National Mortgage and Agency Company for indemnification for past payments due and to accrue in connection with fie purchase of a run in the Ben Ohm district. This is the matter for which Mr Scott was recent]}' arrested at the suit of the Crown,

Drowned. —A man named John Burns was drowned at Waiau on Sunday, at Parnassas station, while bathing. The body was recovered three hours afterwards. Missing. —Mrs -R. Reynold’s, wife of a well-known settler at Cambridge, Waikato, Auckland, has disappeared from her home, and though a search party has been organised she has not been found.

The Persecution oe the Jews. —At a meeting of Jewish residents at Wellington to form a committee to assist their distressed co-religionists in Russia, about £2OO was collected in the room. The chairman, Mr Jacob Joseph, subscribed 100 guineas. Found Dead. A rabbiter named Sinclair, from Southland, who was working on Terrace station, Cromwell, Otago, was found dead by a search party on Monday. Ho had been in poor health. He was a quiet man, and had been a bank clerk in Scotland.

Railway Returns. During the four weeks ending 7th November, the railway revenue amounted to £74,29(5 (is 2d. and the expenditure to £49,(394 (ss. Last year in the corresponding period the revenue amounted to £75,550 18s, and the exjienditure to £52,390 12s lid. The Buckeye Frameless. —An event of interest to farmers will take place at Mr Snell’s farm, Rangitata Island, to-

morrow, when the Buckeye Frameless will be tried in a field of grass. Mr J. Young, the expert, will be present to give full information in reference to the machine. Further particulars as to the trial, etc., will be found in our advertising columns.

O amaru Woollen Factory. The annual meeting of the Camara Woollen Factory Company was held on Tuesday night. The balance-sheet showed a profit for the year of about £2700, and the directors had decided to devote this to wiping off the guarantee fund, which would be now almost extinguished. The prospects of the company were spoken of in a very hopeful manner, and it was expected that next year the directors would be able to declare a dividend. Temuka Licensing Committee. — The adjourned quarterly meeting of the Temuka Licensing Committee was held on Friday last. The meeting should have taken place on the 4th, but there not being a quorum the meeting was adjourned to the 9th, and from that date day by day to Friday last. The only business transacted was the conforming of the temporary transfers of license of the Wolseley Hotel, Winchester, from J. A. Young to Thos. Langdon, and that of the Temuka Hotel from Thos. McGuire to Henry James Bowles. The police reported favorably on all the houses in the district, there being no complaints of any sort.

Warlike Utterances.— In the course of a speech made at the close of the recent manoeuvres of the German Southwest Army the Gaud Duke of Baden is reported to have said; —“ The time is near when Germany must again uusheath her sword in defence of her independence against an enemy who has not learned prudence by bloody defeat. It will be the duty of the valiant corps of Baden to support the first onset, to fire the first shot, and to carry the palm of victory.”

A Late Marriage. —The oldest man on earth, Hiram Lester, was married on the night of November 3, in the Opera House, Atlanta (Ga), a fee of twenty-five cents being charged to all who witnessed the ceremony. Hiram is 124 years old, and his bride, Mrs Mary Moseley, is eighty-one. The old man fell in love with the old woman, who was matron of the Poorhouse when he was sent there ten years ago. He fell into the hands of fakirs, who hit upon the scheme of having them marry in the Opera House, they sharing the profits. A Strong Boy. —A youthful Samson, named Hermann Hoffer, aged six years, has been sent to the State Reform School, Brunswick (N. J.). The boy is a little over four feet high, with a blonde moustache, and can strike a blow from the shoulder that would do credit to a trained pugilist. He weighs 142 pounds, can lift 200 pounds and set a barrel of flour on its end without the least exertion. The physician of the institution pronounces him a phenomenon, and the instructors have not yet decided what they will do with him. He is anxious to do very much as he pleases.

The Legislative Council. —Death has so far thinned the ranks of the Legislative Councillors since the beginning of this year as to have almost counterbalanced the appointments made by the Atkinson Ministry when on its political deathbed. Sir Frederick Whitaker’s death is the sixth that has occurred within the year, the other deceased Councillors being Sir William Fitzherbert, Messrs Reeves, Peter, Fraser, and Fulton. These were all alive when Sir Harry Atkinson added himself, Mr Fulton, and five other gentlemen to the Council. An Unnatural Mother. —A short time ago we recorded, a strange friendship that existed between a pig on Mr F. Becker’s farm at Southbrook. Mr Becker informs a Lyttelton Times representative that a few days ago the oew gave birth to a calf, and, naturally feeling some curiosity as to how the cow under the altered circumstances would act towards the pig, he narrowly watched the pair. Strange to say, the cow discarded the calf from its birth, and all efforts to induce her to suckle it proved fruitless. Her regard for the pig, however, suffered no diminution, and with the increased milk supply so generously placed at his disposal by his friend, the pig is rapidly getting himself into prime condition. S.C. Flour in Peru. —The following clipping from the Peruvian Mail of Sep] tpmber 30 will be of interest to all interested in the introduction of New Zealand products into new markets : —“ The splendid British iron clipper ship Crusader leaves to-day on her return voyage to New Zealand. This vessel arrived here a short time ago, after the extraordinarily short voyage of 35 days from New Zealand with the first cargo of flopr brought from that country to Peru. The quality of the flour is pronounced to be something magnificent—so much so that it has to be largely mixed in baking with other brands. We understand that the Crusader is likely to return to Callao with another cargo consigned to Messrs Perkins and Campbell.” The Crusader, it will be remembered, was loaded at Timaru by a Dunedin firm. Thirty years ago (seys the Ashburton Guardian) Chili supplied New Zealand with large quantities or flour.

Rain Making at Oamaru. The Oamaru Mail gives the following as the results of three trials by the Rain-making Committee :—“ The first explosion, on the 27th ult., was in the face of a rising north wester, with a quiet, wet atmosphere, it being 4deg from saturation, and rain fell during the night. The second on the 30th ult., was under clouds, though somewhat broken, and with au atmosphere almost at saturation, and rain fell in torrents in about half an hour. On Friday last, % with an atmosphere of 4deg. from saturation and a perfectly clear sky overhead, after the first explosion the clouds gathered quickly, aud the committee donned their overcoats with the prospect of suffering a drenching, but only a few drops fell, and the second and third explosions had a similar ending, but not so marked as the first.”

Volley and Independent Firing.— In the Volley and Independent Firing for 1891 in the South Canterbury District the Temuka Rifles took the third prize in the Rifles Class (£4 18s) with a score of 9.12 and 10.71, and the Geraldine Rifles fifth with an average of 5.93 and 9.03. In the Carbine Class the C Battery (Timaru) tobk first prize, the value being £6. ‘ '

Influenza.— At Christchurch Mr. J. GRuddenklan, a well known resident, died on Tuesday night, aged 62. He was twice mayor of Christchurch, and held that office during the International Exhibition held there in 1882. He had influenza, but had long been in bad health. At Dunedin Constable Willis has succumbed to influenza.

Tijiaru School. —At a special meeting of the Timaru School Committee the voting papers sent to the parents and guardians of children attending the school with regard to the length of the Christmas holidays were opened. It was found that 245 were in favor of a six weeks’ holiday, 66 in favor of four weeks, and eleven were informal. The committee therefore decided to extend the holidays to six weeks instead of four.

The Canadian Harvest, A press message from north-west Canada, dated October 21st, says: The talk among the Canadians is all of the bountiful harvest. The prairie farmers are still struggling with their colossal wheat fields. Foa a month past the vast plain has been alive with reapers and threshers. I have seen miles of grain trains going eastward to the European boats. Farms ore almost blockaded by their own stupendous produce stacks. I have heard of wheat yielding fifty-five bushels to the acre. Twenty millions of dollars from Europe will be distributed amongst 25,000 farmers in Canada, and many settlers will become rich this year. A Denial. —At a meeting of the com mittee of the Conterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr S. Garforth, the president, referred to a statement of the Wellington Evening Press that Mr Seddon had been hissed and hooted at the luncheon at the Metropolitan Show. He said that nothing of the sort had happened, and he hoped the day was far distant when any guest would be hooted at the association’s lunch. He regretted that politics had been introduced at luncheon. Several members present agreed with the president. A Giant Lily. —The Lyttelton Times the other day gave a description of a'remarkably fine specimen of Li limn G-iyantuum, growing in the garden of Mr Arthur Appleby, Armagh street, West Christchurch. Yesterday we were shown one growing in Mr G. Patrick’s, Geraldine, which could vie with it in many respects. The height of Mr Appleby’s is Oft 6in, Mr Patrick’s, is Bft Gin. Mr Appleby measures

the lower leaves of his at loin in length and across, and the plant from stem to tips of leaves 30in. Mr Patrick’s measures are exactly the sanie, in fact in one case the leaves are 14in. by 18in. The flowers on Mr Appleby’s are described as fully 6in in length; Mr Patrick’s are mostly Tin ; and one of them measures a full T^in. Australian Wool. —Mr O.P.McCallura,

who has just returned from New South Wales, has brought with : him samples of wool from Benerembah station, in the Riverina district. This station is the property of Sir George Bally, and has been managed by Mr George Smyth for the last eleven years. Mr McCallura was in charge of the shed this season, and he speaks in enthusiastic terms of the quality of the flocks in that part. The samples may be seen at Mr Gaze’s office. Temuka, and a brief inspection will show that for general excellence Australian merinos cannot be beaten. The sheep from which the wool

on exhibition is taken were Tasmanian rams bred by G. Gibson, Esq. There are about 800 rams of the same strain upon the station, and many of them clipped as high as 191 b per fleece. About 100,000 ewes and lambs were shorn this year, and 2-tooth ewes with 89 per cent of lambs at foot cut 711) of wool per fleece. The Jambs, about 40,000, averaged 2Jb per fleece. These have to be shorn on account of the grass seeding. It will be noticed what a heavy percentage of lambs is obtained from young ewes, and Mr McCallum says that this is by no means unusual. The country grows a wealth of feed, and the sheep are very healthy. Mr McCallum will return there next season. In reference to the attitude assumed by the shearers towards New Zealanders he was agreeably surprised to find that there was practically np hostility and that as manager he had very little trouble. The Caledonian Sports. —lt has been decided to postpone the closing of the nominations for the forthcoming Caledonian sports until Saturday next. The sale of privileges at the sports of the Temuka Caledonian Society were disposed of by auction on Tuesday : —Publican’s booth, £2l, Mr M. Scanned; Luncheon and light refreshment’s booth, £l2, Mr D. McCaskill; Cards, £3, Mr T. Gunnion. —We are informed that the concert is well forward, and the programme will be published in the Temuka Leader on Tuesday. The society have secured some of the best talent in the colony, singers being engaged from Dunedin, Christchurch, and Port Chalmers. The concert will be more mixed than uaual, so as to suit the somewhat cosmopolitan audience of Temuka. The sports this year will be the best held in the district, competitors coming from all parts of the colony, and with the new track some fast times should be recorded. The bicycle race will no doubt be of great interest, the road races lately held having conduced to this. The fire brigade competition will be something new, and will be well represented by the brigades of the colony. The first load of timber for the new fence is now on the ground, and the fence is to be started at once. There is co be a picket fence round the grand stand, which will conduce to the comfort of the patrons of the pavilion. The Largest and most Complete Cycle Works in the Australian Colonies is at 70, Manchester Street, Christchurch. — Adams, Curtiks Sc Co. Safeties from £lO, Bicycles from £5. —1

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS,

N.Z. Railways—Excursion fares for Christmas holidays.

South Orari School —Annual treat and dance on Tuesday next. Rangitira Valley School Committee — Want a sewing mistress.

Thos. Palmer—Wants an owner for red and white cow running on his farm. Trial of Buckeye Frameless —At Mr Snell’s, Rangitata Island, to-morrow. Temuka Caledonian Society—Have postponed closing of nominations until Saturday next.

N. Dunlop & Co—Advertise particulars of Christmas novelties will appear in next issue.

R. H. Pearpoint;—Geraldine. Advertise a Christmas supply of ales, and a collection of novelties for Christmas trade. Alfred. White: — Invites tenders for erection of a house at Gapes Valley. Temuka and Geraldine Good Templars— Hold monster demonstration and picnic at Winchester on New Year’s Day.

J. Mundell & Co—Hold sale of household furniture and effects on account of Mr J. W. Velvin at Temuka on December 22ud,