LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2297, 24 December 1891, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Ourselves. —To-morrow being Christmas Day we wish our readers the compliments of the season. This paper will not be published on Saturday next. Dance at Temuka. —A dance will be held in the new schoolhouse, Temuka, on Saturday evening next. Social at Arundel. A social takes place in the Arundel schoolrom this evening, commencing at 8 o’clock. Parliament. A Gazette issued on Thursday evening further prorogues Parliament to January 28th. Drowned. —A boy of eleven years,-Frank Thomas Darker, son of a settler in the Puhoi district, Auckland, has been drowned in tbe Pukapuaka river. N.Z. Railways. —We would once more draw attention to the train arrangements and fares for the Christmas holidays, more particularly to those for Christmas Day. A Public Bequest.— The late Mr J. G. Ruddenklau has bequeathed the silver plate presented to him as mayor in 1882-3 to the City of Christchurch, to be used in city festivities. “ The Messiah.” —On Thursday evening, at Timaru, the oratorio “ The Messiah ” was given by a company of eighty voices under the direction of Mr S. Wolf. As a musical effort the oratorio was a great success, but the attendance of the public was only small. Gambling. —At the Dunedin City Court Martin Taylor, of Christchurch, pleaded guilty to a charge of promoting a Calcutta sweep, and was fined £lO and costs, to be paid within 14 days; in default one month’s imprisonment with hard labor in Lyttelton prison. Charge of Wilful Murder.— After a lengthy sitting the coroner’s jury, empanelled to enquire into the death of Samuel Robertson, who died after being stabbed by Michael Sullivan on Wednesday evening, returned a verdict equivalent to wilful murder against Sullivan. Arowhenra Town Board. —The following tenders were received for cutting and bank in Alexandra Street —J. W. Boulter, £4; P. O’Mara, £3 5s ;G. Washington, £2 10s; J. Davis, £2 7s. The tenders were opened by the chairman, Mr J. Ashwell, and that of Mr J. Davis accepted. Fires. —At Wellington on Tuesday afternoon a two-storey house in Tutchen street, owned by Mr H. Baker and occupied by Mr Hicks, was completely destroyed by fire, and a five-roomed house adjoining, owned by Pilot Shilling and occupied by Mr Hewson, was gutted. The insurances amounted to £475. Magisterial. Messrs Hayhurst and Quinn, J.P.’s, presided at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Temuka, on Tuesday morning. The Resident Magistrate forwarded his decision in the case of McGuire v. Breadley, and gave judgment for the plaintiff for £lO, solicitor’s fee £2 2s, and costs of all subpoenaed witnesses. Accidental Death. —At the inquest ou the girl Lily Wilson, who was run over at Gisborne ajxd killed on Saturday, a verdict of “ Accidental death ” was returned, the evidence showing that the two little girls had been riding behind a coach and the horseman came suddenly upou them, he having no chance to get out of the way. Life Insurance Policy. —At Christchurch on Tuesday Mr Justice Denniston decided in re the bankruptcy of John Mann and the proof of debt of Samuel Garforth that a creditor holding as security a life insurance policy for the amount protected by the Life Assurance Policies Act over the life of a bankrupt need not value such security in proving against the estate. Supreme Court. —The cases of Batthclor v. Gore, in which plaintiff sought to recover £125 for medical attendance, and the crossaction, Gore v. Batchelor, in which £SOO damages were claimed for improper and negligent treatment, were concluded at Dunedin on Tuesday night. The jury, after retiring for an hour, gave a threefourths verdict for Dr Batchelor for the full amount claimed by him.

oUiciDE, * rancis agea. ou, wharf turncock in the employ of the Auckland City Council, was found dead in the harbor on Tuesday morning, he having committed suicide in a most determined manner. He had tied his feet and hands together and thrown himself into the water. . He had also tied himself to the wharf steps. Heirling was a native of Denmark, and an old seafaring man. His accounts were considerably deficient, and this was probably the cause of the suicide. Ohbistchuech Atheletic Spoets. The weather was fine for the second day of the Amateur Atheletic Club’s meeting at Christchurch. Lady Onslow presented the half-mile championship cup to J. F. Grierson. The attendance was good, and the following are the results of the principal events: Two Mile Walking Handicap F., A. Joynt, 350yds, 1; G. Smithson, 150yds, 2. Won easily by forty

yams, xime, ixmin o 4-orn sec. nairMile Ladies’ Bracelet—Peter Wood, 3yds, 1; G. H. Cooke, 35yds, 2; J. F. Grierson, scratch 3. Sixteen started; won by two yards. Time, 52 4-sth sec. One Mile Handicap —C. G. Rees, 10yds, 1; F. W. Johnston, 40yds. 2 ; T, J. Roebuck, 25yds 3. Won easily. Time, 4min. 38 2-sth sec. One Mile Handicap T. Rollinshaw, 10yds, L; W. H. Langdown, 40yds, 2; T. Clarkson, 110yds, 3. Won easily by fifteen yards. Time, 2min. 39 3-sth sec. Five Mile Bicycle Handicap —T. Rollinshaw,. scr., 1; W. H. Langdown, scr., 2; W. J Hayward, scr., 3. Won by three yards. Time, 14min 59 4-sth sec. Boil Your Milk. —There seems to be no doubt that the milk of cows suffering from diptheria will communicate the disease to those who drink it unless it be thoroughly cooked. If this be so, and Dr. Thorne offers evidence of a very convincing kind on the point, what must be thought of those parents who, to save themselves or their servants a little trouble, will not be at the pains to insist that all the milk of family shall be boiled before it is used ? Many people are under the impression that milk boiled is milk spoiled. But if the milk be boiled immediately after it is received- from the milkman, and then allowed to cool before it is used, its flavour is in no way interfered with. Milk ought no more to be taken raw than beef or pork. It may be that the raw milk which was universally used in the country twenty years ago, and in double or treble the quantities taken by townfolk, had a great deal to do with the increased prevalence of diptheria in country districts. — Hospital ,

Temuka Rifles. —The last Government parade for the year of the Temuka Rifles was held last night, when there was a good muster. Captain Cutten was in command, and Sergeant-Major Jones was also present. Before dismissing the parade Captain Cutten gave details of the arrangements to come into force for the ensuing year. Christmas Literature.— -The Special Christmas edition of the Canterbury Times just to hand is perhaps one of the most interesting papers published in this colonyIt contains 50 pages, including an. elegant cover, and besides the usual reading matter there are five origional prize stories, in addition to several childrens prize stories. It speaks volumns for the energy and enterprise of its publishers.

Enlargement op Premises. —Elswhere Mr L. Newport, Wheelwright and Coachbuilder, Geraldine, advertises that he is now prepared to undertake the building of all kinds of vehicles expeditiously. Mr Newport’s workshop has been re-built throughout and greatly enlarged. The building now measures 54ft x 20ft and is divided into coachbuilding, and wheelwright’s shop, paint shop and general smithy. The smithing is an entirely new branch of work in Mr Newport’s workshop, and should prove a very valuable help in connection jvith the other departments of work. Another Pest.— The Wairarapa Daily states that the wheat crop around Masterton, especially in Makora and lower Manaia, is being destroyed in a wholesale manner by a small black grub. The little pest, which is not unlike a maggot in appearance, attacks the wheat at the root and works its way up the stem until it completes the work of destruction. The grub has only lately been discovered. One farmer at Makora states that his wheat, which a week or two ago was in a flourishing condition, is now quite brown and unfit for cutting, while the fields of several others have been attacked in like manner. Singularly enough the grub has not affected the oaten crops. Specimens of the pest are being sent to Sir James. Hector.

Geraldine School Committee.—A meeting of this committee was held on Tuesday evening, those present being Messrs R. H. Pearpoint (chairman), Williams, Shiers, Riordan, Maslin, and White. The only business of the evenin was the question with regard to the class of prizes to be given. £4 was voted to Miss Pearson for sewing and prizes in the infant division, and it was agreed to give pizes to the value of 3s 6d each to regular attenders, and the balance of the prize money to be devoted to a picnic for the school, to be hell after the holidays on a date to be fixed. Several special prizes for sewing were also offered. Mr White intimated that Mr Aitken would be willing to repeat the entertainment recently given, at a future time, and it was resolved that, with the consent of the teachers the entertainment be repeated on a future date in aid of the incidental fund. The meeting then terminated. Natives and the Land. —A native meeting has been held at the settlement ,at Tekuni, near Otarahanga, at which the Ngatimaniopoto tribe decided to return to “ King ” Tawhiao, and allow his maua to hold sway over their lands. Several hundred Maoris were present, with a large number of the chiefs of the Ngatimaniopoto. Tawhiao was specially invited to attend. Wahanui and Taonui were both unavoidably absent, but were represented. The Natives regretted that they had taken their lands from the jurisdiction of Tawhiao, and expressed disgust at the action of the Government in first inducing them to pass their lands through the Native Lands Courts and afterwards declining to allow them to sell their property to anjmne but the Government at any price the latter choose to pay. They resolved that they would attend no Courts and allow no surveys, and they affirmed that the sole authority over their lands should be vested in 4 Tawhiao as formerly. They declared that they would not meet the Hon. A. J. Cadman, Native Minister, and further decided to hold a conference of Native chiefs at Maungka, Waikato, on May 2, to discuss matters regarding their land.

Our Hire Purchase System offers Special Inducements to buy Cycles, Payments from 5s per week. Adams Curties Sc Co., 70, Manchester Street, Christchurch. Bicycles from £5. —4

SYNOPSIS OP ADVERTISEMENTS, A. E. Cox —Notice re lost black came whip. T. Palmer, Temuka—Wants an experienced ploughman. Mount Peel Road Board—Will sue for all outstanding rates. S. Bates, Orari—Wants an owner for a stray cow and young calf. J. W. Miles, Temuka—Makes a show of Christmas novelties this day. Primitive Methodist Cake and Apron Fair—Open to-day at Temuka. Rangitata Station School —Annual school treat and social on Wednesday next. Temuka Quadrille Assembly—Dance in new schoolroom, Temuka, on New Year’s night. D. McCaskill Baker, Temuka—lnvites inspection of his shop and rooms; bargains in every line. L. Newport—Advertises, coachbuilding, blacksmithing etc. done on the shortest notices at moderate prices. J. P. Douglas—Has purchased a new threshing plant and will be glad to receive a share of support from farmers and others. J. Harrison, Temuka —Has all kinds of new dried fruits, essences, etc., and a large quantity of fancy goods, suitable for the Christmas trade, on hand.