THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1892. LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2323, 25 February 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1892. LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Road Borrd.—There was no meeting of the Temuka Road Board last Tuesday.

Gored to Death. A settler at Coromandel, Auckland, named Robert Darling, while yarding a bull, was gored by Cue animal so badly that he died of his injuries. Clearing Sale at Temuka.—Mr W. S. Maslin holds a clearing sale of a general dealer's stock-in-trade, on account of Mr J. Moran to-day, in the premises lately occupied by Mr D. Taylor, commencing at 1 o'clock.

Property-Tax. The property-tax received to February 23rd is £384,000. As a large quantity of revenue from insurance companies and other sources is still to come, the Colonial Treasurer's estimate of

£355,000 will be considerably exceeded.

Farewell Tea. —We would remind our readers that a tea and public meeting, to bid Jewell to the Rev. W. C. Wood (who has "been " "Pointed to the Wellington circuit), takes p> oe in , the Primitive Methodist Church, TenT:? I "*' thls evenm £- .Retiring. Officers.— The Evening Post understands that J

Ministry are considering the propriety of retiring a number of officers of the Justice and Postal Departments on the ground of age, as has already been clone in the Customs. Temuka Mechanics' Institute—Mr Salmond informs us that he has collected £ll 17s in subscriptions towards repairing the Temuka Mechanics' Institute, and has also got eleven new subscribers. Mr ■Salmond deserves great credit for the energetic manner in which he has gone to work, Fungus.—There is on exhibition in Mr E. C. Dann's chemist shop Temuka, the largest specimen of the Bolettu s-iuioeolens, better known as a puff-ball, we have ever :>een. It measures 5 feet in circumference, and its diameter in one part is 1 foot 7 inches. It was picked up by Mr Dann, near the Swamp road, where it was growing over where a horse had been buried.

Supreme Coupt.—At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, yesterday, the jury in the case of Rose Adams, charged with larceny from the person, were locked up for four hours and then returned a verdict of not guilty. John Davis, farmer of Mount Gray, was acquitted on a charge of stealing 28 sheep, the property of James Brodie, a neighbouring farmer. Found Drowned.—A telogram from Blenheim states that Benjamin Wearmouth was found drowned in the Wairau river near Rock Ferry, about 15 miles from Blenheim. Deceased was returning on horse-back to his home at Onamahutu from the Wairau Valley, where he had been working. He was a married man, 45 years of age, and leaves a wife and five children, most of whom are grown up.

N.Z. University.—The Universito Sonata opened its sittings at Wellington yesterday, Sir Jas. Hector, Chancellor, presiding. Returns showed that the number of candidates for all separate examinations in 1889 was 782, as against 711 the previous year. The income for the year ended 31st December was £5501) and expenditure £5123, leaving a credit balance of £385. The Senate adjourned t,;JI this morning. HARy-GS'i'-—The weather still continues favorable for harvest operations, and if not retarded by unforeseen circumstance, a few days more will suffice to get all the crops in stack. We have made inquiries as to the damage done by the bad weather of a fortnight ago, and the general opinion is that the loss will uofc be as serious as was at first anticipated. If wheat is kept in stack for two or thres months it is expected that the damage will be comparatively small. Alleged Libel.—ln chambers at Wellington on Tuesday, before the Chief Justice, the defendant in the libel action Hutchison v. Ballance was ordered to file a more explicit statement of defence as to his connection with the Wanganui Herald newspaper. Defendant's plea, which alleged certain matters having reference to what Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.R., is said to have told defendant as to alleged conversations with plaintiff on the subject of the Payment of Members Hill, was struck out as being irrelevant to the action.

The Late Flood.—At a meeting of the Waitaki County Council the engineer reported the damage on the Kurow road alone, by the floods, woul 1 cost £llOO to repair. The total damage to the roads and bridges, etc., under the Council's supervision exceeds £2OOO. Civil Service Examinations.—The following have passed the senior civil service examinations with distinction: — H>.nry Parker, "Wellington; Reginald Dixon, Christchurch ; Charles Eves, Nelson; James McLaren, Thomas Richard Warden, Blenheim. The last two are bracketed as equal. Damages Wanted.—The North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association has been served with a writ claiming £3OO damages in connection with the accident at a shooting gallery by which a young man named Genge lost his life. The writ is issued by the father of the deceased. John Cooper, the owner of the shooting gallery, has been served with a writ claiming a like amount.

Alleged Di/mmyism.—At Dunedin on Tuesday, Mr Justice Williams reserved his decision in the case J. It. Scott v J. M. Ritchie and others. The individual defendants were both recalled and examined as to original documents which were asked for by the opposing side, and the evidence was then closed. The address of counsel occupied nearly three hours and a-half, after which Mr Justice Williams intimated that he would take time to consider his judgment. Ministerial Paper.—The prospectus of the company which has purchased the New Zealand Times (Wellington) is published. Among the provisional directors are the names of Messrs Ballance. Reeves, McLean, Jellicoe, Fraser; and Martin Kennedy. The promoters promise to preserve the tone of fair and courteous argument, and add: "It is hoped that the exposition of the side-current of public affairs which has hardly ever yet been fairly exhibited in Wellington will have the effect of silencing some alarming cries and removing many groundless apprehensions."

Sudden Death.—Yesterday morning a girl named Martha Pratt, aged (> years, was on her way to the Geraldine School, and being a little behind time, hurried herself into a run. When close by the school she fell down in a faint. The children about at the time called the headmaster, who immediately sent off for the child's father and Dr Craig. The father arrived just in time for the child to expire in his arms, and the doctor came a few seconds afterwards. The deceased was subject to fainting fits, and it was supposed that her heart was affected. The body was afterwards taken into Mrs Brown's house, near the school, and an inquest was held last evening- at the courthouse, but too late for publication.

Mount Peel Road Board.—A meeting ' of this board was held on Friday, February 19th. Present —Messrs G. J. Dennistoun 11. Thew, and J. D. Acland. In the absence ' of Mr C. Gr. Tripp, Mr Dennistoun was voted to the chair. Correspondence was read and considered. The tender of Timothy Sugrue for shingling Fergusson's Eoad was accepted. Mr Smith asked the board to allow him timber for a bridge over the creek, so as to give him access to the road. Granted. Resolved clerk write to defaulting ratepayers, notifying that unless rates were paid by March 11th they would be sued for. Accounts amounting to £22 7s were passed for payment. The board then adjourned till March 18th. Successful Teachets. The following are Class D passes of South Canterbury teachers Herbert Allison, Annie Bruce, Maude Cartwright, Annie Mcllroy, Theophilus Strong, and Donella Sutherland. Partial passes, class D, Elizabeth Bruce and John McLeod. Under an order in council three prizes each in experimental science and drawing are given to the candidates in Classes D and E at the teachers' examination who head the list in these subjects. This year the prizes are awarded as follows: —Science, Class D, Margaret Smythe, Otago; John Pringle, Otago; Julia Bourke, Otago, and John Coughtley, Hawke's Bay, equal, third. Drawing, Classes D and E, James Lindsay, South Canterbury; Henry Low, Taranaki; Marv" ensaaw > Auckland. An INCORir TGIBIiE IKL - —Annie Harding, of Dunedin/who > s c «"H> e £ the police authorities so much trou2 e heretofore by absconding from the Girls' .industrial School, was on Saturday at Auckland slgam charged with absconding, and also with larceny. Sergeant-Major Pratt asked that the girl be remanded. He stated that she was an inmate at St. George's* Bay School, but on the night of the Kith she absconded and entered Mrs Etheridge's house and took the property named in the charge sheSt. The girl was only found that morning. A remand was granted. It appeared that the girl originally came from Dunedin, where she absconded from the school. Afterwards she was sent to Auckland. At, the time of her arrest the girl was wearing some of the stolen clothes. She is charged with taking a portmanteau, ladies' clothing, and five bottles of hop beer, and appears to be a kleptomaniac. She is 14 years of age, and appeared in the dock bareheaded.

The Volunteers. —From the returns now available it appears that in Auckland Provincial District the numerical strength of the various volunteer corps is 37 behind the minimum strength; in Wellington 20 behind; in Otago 7 behind; and in Canterbury 160 behind. Auckland has 5 corps whose roll of members is below the minimum; Wellington 4; Canterbury 11; and Otago 8. There is great improvement in Auckland, Wellington, and Otago districts for the year, and a slight improvement in Canterbury as compared with the previous year. Under regulation 132 those corps that are behind the minimum strength on the 31st December in each year are not entitled to receive capitation, but the Minister of Defence intends to pay the whole of the companies capitation who have otherwise qualified for the past year. Those corps that have heen continually working with considerably less than their minimum strength will be asked for an explanation, with a view to having their full strength restored within a reasonable time. Until the explanation is * forthcoming the pay- I ment of the capitation to those companies whose numerical strength is 20 per cent, behind, the minimum will be held over, but the Defence Minister does not intend, unless iu extreme cases, to withhold capitation that has been earned, so long as the efficiency of members of the corps has been maintained. Officers commanding the several districts ' and volunteers officers will be urged to endeavour to fully keep up the numerical .strength of their corps, failing which if any corps below the minimum strength at the end of the present year were in the same position last year their s&rvices will be dispensed with. The new commandant, Captain Fox, R.A., is expected to arrive in the beginning of M;vy, and immediately afl(if his arrival an inspection of the volunteers in the colony will take plage. ,

Geraldine Resident Magistrate's Court.—C. A. Wray, Esq. R.M. occupied the bench at this court on Tuesday last, when W. Lawson, was fined £l, with costs, for slaughtering four sheep without a license. Mr F. Wilson Smith appeared on behalf of defendant, who admitted the offence, and explained that not being able to obtain suitable premises at the present a license had not been taken out, but as soon as arrangements could be made for a slaughter yard Mr Lawson's intention was to again take out a license. There had been no intention on defendant's part whatever of evading the law with regard to licenses. The Magistrate took a lenient view of the case and imposed the fine aforesaid.

The Bishop of Nelson.—Archdeacon Mules, the bishop-elect of Nelson, was consecrated bishop at St. Paul's procathedral, Wellington, yesterday morning, the Primate officiating. All the visiting bishops and clergy were present. The Epistle was read by the Bishop of Dunedin and tbc Gospel by the Bishop of Auckland. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Thorpe, of Nelson, who explained that he had undertaken the duty at the request of the bishop-elect because they had laboured together for over 24 years. Bishop Mules was then presented to the Primate when the usual oath was taken and he made profession of obedience to the Primate of New Zealand. The ceremony was witnessed by a large congregation, principally ladies. Cyclists!—Avoid Collisions, and use. Lamps by Night and Bells by Day. Accessories of all kinds at the New Zealand Cycle Works, Adams, Curties & Co., 70 Manchester Street, Christchurch. Catalogues free. Cycles from £5. —6 SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. J. Blyth—lnvites tenders for erecting cottage at Winchester. Thomas Bull—Notice re debts contracted by his daughter. Woodbury—Gospel will be preached in schoolroom on Sunday afternoon. Geraldine County Anglers Society—lmportant meeting on Monday next. T. & J. Thomson, Timaru—Make a special display of Autumn and Winter goods in all departments on Monday and Tuesday next. J. A. Gracie and J. Mundell, liquidators —Notify that all debts owing to the estate of, Vallender and Watt will be sued for if not paid on or before th 27th instant. J. Ballantyne & Co., Timaru—Advertise distinct specialities for autumn and winter, 1892; first shipment to hand of tweeds, coatings, hats, scarves, etc.; high-class tailoring at moderate prices.