LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2314, 4 February 1892, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Dog Show. —There are 250 entries for the Wellington Dog Show, from all parts of the colony. Customs. The Customs revenue collected at the port of Timaru last month amounted to £KiO3 Os 9d. I.O.O.F.—The installation social of the Victoria Lodge, Geraldine, takes place to-night in the Oddfellows’ Hall. Dancing commences at 8.30 p.m. New Liberal Paper. —A new evening paper is to be started at Wellington in the Liberal interest. Considerable promises of support have been secured, and in a few days it will be placed before the public in a company form.

Smallpox. —Two fresh cases of smallpox have broken out among the crew of barque Umvoti on the quarantine island at Fort Chalmers. The disease made its appearance on Monday. One of the men is slightly better but the other is covered with pustules and in a feverish state

Accident. —A man named Patrick Dunn, a pensioner, was laying on the Epsom tram lino, Auckland, on Monday night, when a car ran into'him, fracturing his skull and

almost tearing off one of his legs. He was taken to the hospital, but died at eleven o’clock. He was of eccentric habits and had no settled place of abode. . The Harvest. —The gathering in of the harvest in this district this year should be one of the quickest on record, for, beyond a light shower of rain on Monday evening last, the weather for nearly a fortnight has been all that farmers could desire. Advantage has been taken of the weather throughout the distrist, and much of the crop is now in stook. The Picturesque Atlas. Judgment was given against the Picturesque Atlas Company in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, on Monday, in a case in which they sued a subscriber for the recovery of £lolos, Mr Robinson, R.M., holding that the agent had wrongfully made a false statement when obtaining the defendant’s signature to the order. Disappeared. —A telegram from Manaia on Monday says: Kearin, who is wanted on a charge of assaulting Weyburn, is not vet arrested. The police called at his residence at Midhurst on Monday night, when they ascertained he had left letters to his wife and brothers saying that he was going to meet his death, and leaving a signed cheque for his balance in the bank. Search parties can find no trace; of him. The new Governor. Neither the Governor nor the Government have yet received any intimation as to who the new Governor is likely to be. The Chief Justice, by virtue of what is known as a dormant commission,_ wiH be sworn in as aetin o- -Governor, receiving halt pay both as Judge and Governor. This will mtefere with the Napier session, and some arrangement will have to be made. Auckland Sheep PAiR.-The first sheep fair of the season at Auckland was held on Tuesday by Messrs A. Buckland and Sons, at their Remuera yards. The attendance was the largest seen at these fairs tor some years. About twelve thousand sheep were sold. Prices were satisfactory, those for Lincoln ewes reaching 20s 6d each given for som°. bred by Mr Robert Hall, of One Tree Hill. £l2 each was paid for ram hoggets bred by Mr Baird, of Atahuh. An Unruly Colt. —A young 1 man named Edward Smith got a few bad exits about the head on Tuesday last at Geraldine while holding a three-year-old colt for shoeing. The colt reared and brought its front hoofs down on Smith’s head, knocking him down behind an anvil, and then let out with its hind log’s, which, fortunately foi omitn, . struck the anvil. The injuries received were not very serious, and the young man is able to attend to his business. Land Office at Timaru.— The land office at Timaru is now open to the public on Saturday only between the hours of 9 am. and 1 p.m. Persons wishing to communicate with the department on otherdays can address Mr J. W. A. Marchant Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, at Christchurch, and those wishing to forward instalments of purchase - money or rent can transmit the same to the Receiver of Land Revenue, Christchurch. t q.G-.T.— At -the meeting of the Welcome Retreat Lodge, Geraldine, on Monday evening the following officers were installed by GWCT Bro. BaxterC.T., Bio. BowVptt • V T Bro. Patrick ; Marshall, Sister S e DM., Bro. McKenzie; 0.G., Bro. Dickens; 1. G., Sister Waßock ; Secretary Bro. Newport; A.S., Bro. C. L. Sherratt; F.S., Bro.N. Sherratt; Treasurer, Bro. Sutherland; Chaplain, Sister Morrison. New Firm, —In our advertising columns Messrs Guinness and LoOten announce that they have commenced business as wool, grain, and produce brokers, auc tioners stock, station, shipping, and insurance agents, etc, in the premises lately in Mr Moss Jonas’ occupation, ihe new firm conduct stock sales at all the principal fixtures, and have appointed I\lr Arthur G. to act as their agent in the Geraldine and Temuka districts. Apple Blight, —People whose apple tress are suffering from the American blight or woolly aphis may be pleased to learn that one orchard in the Ngaire district has been freed from the pest by the minting on.qf cream on the branches m the winter ° time. Gpe application almost abolishes the blight and a second on? completes the cure. If this remedy proves to be as certain as it is represented to be, we may again see Pippins and Blenheim Orange Apples in the market before long ; apples which aj?e both firstclass, but are much subject to the woolly blight.—Hawera Star. Customs Revenue. The amount of Customs revenue collected in the colony durin o, last month was £734,810, of which Auckland contributed £29,037. Wellington £2O 416, Christchurch £20,825, and Dunedin The returns for the previous month showed a total of £131,381, and for January, 1891, a total of £115,044. For the ten months of the financial year there is a surplus of :uM,l3w 9s od, the Colonial Treasurer’s estimate for that period being £1,279,160 13s 4d, while the amount collected peaches £1,313,399 . 3d. Last months beer duty paid the colony was £4883 as agates* W for the preceding month and £4840 for the corresponding month of the previous year. The estimate for ten months was £50,000, but the amount collected np to the present only reaches £47,013 17s 3d, leaving a deficit of £2986 2s 9d, The Legislative Council Appointments,—Referring to the question of the Legislative Council appointments, the Wellington Evening Post says that it has good authority for stating that the Governor has promised the Ministers to make fifteen appointments to the Council. The names will be submitted on his arrival at . Wellington. The list will almost certainly include Mr Fraser but not Mr Jcllicoe. The Premier, on the other hand, assured an interviewer on Tuesday that it was as likely as not that the names would not lie submitted to Lord Onslow at all, but to his successor. The Government had absolutely come to no determination as tp the names, but the number would be considerable, very likely as many as fitfeeu. Among them would be a proportion of labour representatives strictly drawn from the rank* of the actual working class.

The Railways. —The railway revenue for the past month has gone up with a bound, and of the £20,000 deficit all but £7OOO is now wiped off. The Governor. The Governor arrived at Invercargill from the West Coast Sounds and left for Dunedin by the express tr-.in at noon yesterday. Temuka Road Board. —The regular menthly meeting of the above board, which should have been held on Tuesday last, was adjourned, harvest operations claiming the attention of most of the members. A Surprised Hare. —The Ashburton Guardian records a somewhat surprising incident which occurred on the farm of Messrs Watson, at Ashley. A crop of corn was being cut with a reaper and binder when a hare was seized by the machine and bound up in a sheaf. The creature was unhurt, its whereabouts being discovered by its repeated cries. Fruitless Search. Admiral Scott informs the Governor that the Royalist searched Solomon Island and could find no survivors of the wreck of the Kentish Lass. The vessel had been seen, bottom upwards,, with logs floating about, but she could not be found. Had any of the crew landed they must have been seen. No further search will be made in that locality. Unclaimed Property. Among the measures being prepared for next session is one empowering the Government to take possession of all unclaimed moneys in the banks, and all unclaimed land. They will probably be placed under the control of the Public Trust Office, which will administer them and after the lapse of a certain time hand over the proceeds, if still unclaimed, to the Colonial Treasurer.

Accident. —Mr Donald McLean, of Lagmhor, and a groom met with a nasty mishap as they were driving home from Ashburton on Saturday evening. The belly band of the harness gave way, and both were thrown heavily to the ground. Mr McLean fell on his head, and was rendered unconscious for sometime, and the groom dislocated his shoulder. They were assisted by a passer-by, and Dr Tweed was soon in attendance. Both sufferers are now progressing favourably. —Press. A Claim For Board and Lodging.— At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Timaru, Annie Clark sued Estelle Hayhurst for £B3 3s lOd for board and lodging. Mr Raymond represented plaintiff and Mr Kuubley defendant. The plaintiff deposed that the claim was for the board and lodging of Mrs Hayhurst, two children, and a maid, at £2 10s a week. Further evidence was given for the service of the summons, &c., and judgment was given for plaintiff for amount claimed, with costs of Court £2, and solicitor’s fee £3 3s. Ashburton Wool Sale. The second wool sale of the season was held at Ashburton on Tuesday, and was again a success. There was not so much wool offered as at the first sale, and owing to farmers being busy with harvest work not many of them attended. Bidding was not quite as brisk, but the prices realised were about equal to those ruling at the last sale. Crossbred wool brought up to 9d, and merino up to 7£d, and very few lots were withdrawn. Lyttelton Times.

The Leech Pest. —The Nelson Colonist says that a natural enemy to the pear and plum ieeeh has been discovered. Mr H. Batt, a fruitgrower residing at Wakefield has been fortunate enough to discover an enemy of the leech blight, which is proving so destructive to the foliage of pear and plum trees, as well as to hawthorn hedges. The enemy is a small ladybird, having a trunk which it thrusts into the body of the leech. In Mr Bait’s garden several plum trees had been completely cleared of the leech, and it is to be hoped that in a short time the ladybirds will keep them down altogether. Coach Accident. —A serious accident happened to Cobb’s coach between Rae’s Junction and Island Black, Otago. The king-bolt broke, and the horses bolted with the forepart of the coach. James Mclntosh (the driver) was thrown out against the bank. Brownlee, of Dunedin, was precipitated over him, but escaped without serious injury. Mclntosh was badly hurt,, and was evidently dragged by the horses for some distance. Mr and Mrs Peters, of Roxburgh, were injured; also a lady from Alexandra. —Later accounts say that no serious results are apprehended, and that Mclntosh has regained consciousness. Terrible Disaster at Sea.— A New York telegram of November 29th in an English exchange says: According to advices from Mexico a vessel which has arrived at Manzarillo reports having passed the wreck of the brig Tahiti, which was floating bottom upwards. Tnis news has excited a painful interest here, for the Tahiti arrived at Drake’s Bay, near San Francisco, in September last, in distress. She had on board 220 natives of Gilbert Island, in the Pacific, who were under contract to work in Mexico at starvation wages. As the unfortunate people were practically slaves, tuere was much talk of BCii'.ip o ' (he vessel, but it was decided that the authorities had np right to do so, and the brig eventually sailed. It is believed that the officers and crew, together with the 220 Gilbert Islanders, have perished. The disaster must have occurred a month " O-Q, Gorgeous Spectacle. —A gentlemen, who has recently travelled over-land from the West Coast to Chrsitchurch, thus writes of the magnificent spectacle pre- . sented by the rata blossoms this year 1 have jqst come through the Otira Gorge for the second time in three weeks. Something new for me; but it is a rata year. The rata only flowers in special splendour once in seven years. _ I have been nearly forty times across the hills, and never saw anything half so gorgeous. It is all on the West Coast side, of course ; and pn the flaj, most of it has faded. But on the high land in the Otira Gorge it is still in full beauty. The mountains are fairly sheeted with ruby frqm the bed of the torrent to their highest crests. Every landscape painter in New Zealand and Australia ought to have been there for the last fortnight, but I doubt if any living artist could do the rata justice. And if he did h, e would be abused for gross exaggeration. One thanks Gpd for having been permitted to see ifc.”—Qtagp Daily Times. An Iir?QEIMI Decision. —At the B.M. Court, Tiinafu, yfiStwtoy* Hls Worship gave judgement in thi cases Geraldine Cpquty Council v. W. Ashby, claim £1 13s 9d, and same y. T- Markham, claim 18s 2d, for water-race maintenance rates, the evidence in which was heard previously. It was admitted, His Worship said, that defendants were not supplied with water, and they pai(J the interest rate. Under the county waterworks bylaws every occupier in a district is liable, but the question was whether the County Council have power under the statute to levy a rate on all alike, whether supplied with water or not. On going through the Act, and especially the sections of it relied upon, it seemed to him that defendants could not be charged, the Council having only power to prescribe terms and conditions on which any water may be used and the rate to he charged for water supplied. Judgment must be for dcfeuduuts,

The Payne Family.— There was a very good attendance at the concert given by she Payne Family in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, last evening. The entertainment as usual, was excellent, and the applause was frequent and enthusiastic. The performance consisted of bellringing, . singing, and instrumental music, rnd every item was rendered to perfection. We have neither time nor space to enter upon a full criticism of the performance and must content ourselves with stating that It was cheerful, perhaps the pleasantest ever held in Temuka. The company leaves his morning for Ashburton. Tall Talk. —At the annual meeting of the Wellington Equitable Building and Investment Company last Tuesday night, the chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said several shareholders were disappointed at the interim dividend being only 4 per cent instead of the usual 5 per cent, but the fact was that the half-yearly balance sheet, together with the taxation policy of the Government, decided the directors that only 4 per cent could fairly be declared. Under the new" system of taxation the amount the company would have to pay would be equal to a property tax of l-jd in the £. This increase to their taxation arose from the resolve of the present Government to tax all a company’s deposits. Now as a large proportion of these consisted of small sums which under the Property Tax were exempt, he did not think small depositors had much to be thankful for to the Government. As the increased taxation might mean a larger margin between depositors and borrowers, either deposits would come down or the borrowers would have to pay a larger rate of interest.

The “ Star ” Cycles are Easy to Buy, Easy to Bide, and can be obtained on payments from 5s per week, or discount for cash.—Adams, Curties&Co., 70, Manchester street, Christchurch. Cycles from £5. —9 SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Mount Peel Road Board—lnvite tenders for shingling 21 chains of road. Temuka Town Board—lmportant notice re registration of dogs, and unpaid rates. J. W. Miles, the Hall, Temuka, —Genuine reductions in all departments. J. Mundell and J. A. Grade —Important notice re accounts due to Messrs Vallender & Watt, butchers. J. W. A. Marchant, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Christchurch —Important notice re land office at Timaru, etc. D, Taylor, Grocer and General Storekeeper, Temuka—Groceries, crockeryware, and ironmongery, as cheap as any shop in town. Guinness & LeCren Have started business in' Timaru as auctioneers, commission agents, etc., in the premises lately occupied by Mr M. Jonas.