LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2345, 19 April 1892, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

N.C. Volunteers. — xhe Christchurch. Volunteers had private camps for the pi- holidays. The Mounted Rifles faster ''-nica Peninsula as a flying' column? The City fluS.-* opd Richmond Rifles camped at Sumner, and AO Christchurch Rifles camped at Fort Levy. MileOEL BWW.-The Milford beach just now is a paradise tf hpsfrs of seagulls which are feasting ou the caoascs feoef thrown overboard from Llgmshu'e at Normanby, and which have druu“fl the coast. The ’gulls are doing gooa service as scavengers. A Stranded Turtle. —A stranded turtle was found on the beach near Timaru on Saturday last. It measures about two feet in diameter. It was seemed by a Timaru hotelkeeper, who intends to make as much out of it as possible, first by exhibiting it. and then slaughtering and turning it into turtle soup.

The Mails, The Monowai with the English mails of the 9th ult., left San Francisco for Auckland on April Ist. The Alameda with the colonial mails of the 16th arrived at San Francisco on Thursday, both being time-table dates. Stock Department. —Several changes are impending in the Stock department. Mr Foster, inspector in the Christchurch district, has retired ; Mr Richardson, chief inspector at Marlborough, probably goes to Nelson, and will be succeeded by Mr Moore. The inspectors are now to be called on to perform also the functions hitherto discharged by rabbit boards. Mr 11. G. J. Hull is gazetted inspector of stock under the Sheep Act. The Elginshire.— On Saturday, Messrs Scott Bros, determined to abandon their contract to float the Elginshire. They found it impossible to make the hull airtight enough to enable them to kedge the vessel off. The bunkers and No. 3 hatch are quite dry, but they were unable to patch up No. 1 and 2 hatches sufficiently to make them air-tight or to enable them to pump them out. The agents of the vessel have cabled Home for further instructions. Fire.—A large wool-shed belonging to

!Jas. Livingstone was burnt at Hawera on Saturday morning, about 4 o’clock. It contained grass seed valued at £BOO or over, also a large quantity of oats, agricultural machinery of all sorts, buggy and cart harness, saddles, etc. It is believed the shed was struck by lightning. It was insured in the Norwich Union for £350, the grass seed for £SOO, machinery £l5O, total £IOOO. The loss is believed to be nearly double the insurance. Entertainment at Geraldine. —ln our advertising columns it is announced that Wood’s Popular Concert Company appear in the Geraldine Volunteer Hall next Friday evening. The company is composed of seven accomplished ladies and gentlemen, and the entertainment they provide is one of more than ordinary merit. It is not often the public of Geraldine have ; the opportunity of hearing such a band of skilled professional musicians, and doubtless they will make the most of it. The prices are popular ones—3s, 2s, and Is. Funeral.— The funeral of the late Mrs Woodhead, of Milford, which took place on Sunday, was very largely attended, the friends of the family being anxious to pay their last tokens of respect to her memory. The funeral cortege numbered some seventy vehicles and many horsemen, while awaiting its arrival at the cemetery was a large number of pedestrians. The pall bearers were Messrs Blyth, Henry, Mason, Holwell, White, and F. Parke, The service was impressively conducted by the Revd. Mr Watters. Sudden Deaths, —Three sudden deaths are reported from Christchurch. An elderly woman named Elizabeth Alexander died suddenly on Thursday. A coroner’s jury found that her death was due to natural causes. A man named Francis Burrt was found in the road opposite his dwelling on Friday morning. He was carried into the house but died later on. At the inquest a verdict was found that Burrt died from syncope of the heart accelerated by exposure. A man named Joseph William Desmond died suddenly at Sydenham on Friday under circumstances to make an inquest necessary.

At the inquest it was found Desmond died from failure of the heart’s action. Wanted —Better Taste. —Visitors to the Temuka cemetery, on Sunday, could not but mark with disapprobation the manner in which a section of the general public deport themselves upon the occasion of a funeral. With utter disregard of all propriety, and oblivious of the sacred claims of grief, they thrust themselves into prominent positions around the grave, to the exclusion of the true mourners, and the beauty of the service is marred by the obtrusive and morbid curiosity of the mob. Thoughtlessness may be the reason, but it is time that some change should be made in this respect. Address to Sir George Grey,—The illuminated address which is to be presented

to Sir George Grey on his arrival at Wellington; for the next sitting of Parliament, and signed by Wellington citizens, reads as follows: —“We desire to tender you our hearty congratulations upon your having attained your 80th birthday in the enjoyment of good health and unimpaired mental vigour. As residents of Wellington and colonists of New Zealand, we recognise the fact that while your long life has 'been devoted to honourable and distinguished service to the Empire in many lands and various capacities, your name will ever be most intimately associated with that of this colony, in which so great a portion of your life has been spent. We fully appreciate the devotion you have always shown to the interests and welfare of this colony and your unwearied efforts to benefit your fellow colonists, to improve their condition socially, economically, and politically, and to do ail in your power for the elevation of the masses and the ensurement of the greatest good to the greatest ’ number. On many of the details of the measures you have passed or advocated, opinions must necessarily be divided in an active and healthy-minded community, but we can all unite in admiring the high and noble motives by which your public life has been actuated, in thanking you for the great services you have rendered to your Queen and country, and in earnestly praying that you may yet be spared for many years to devote your energies and great abilities to the promotion of the best interests of your fellow men, and to continuing to advocate the welfare and prosperity of the colony, which affectionately recognises in you its ‘ Grand Old Man.’ Wishing you many happy returns of the day,—We remain,” &c. Home Reading. May I offer as a suggestion for home conversation the progress of current events ? Very few people read the newspaper in a manner consonant with its real worth. They peruse the items which are facetious, and the daily chronicle of deaths and marriages, also the floating paragraphs which refer to society and its doings. Of the progress of politics—the wonderful everyday affairs which are to be set down by>and-by in the history of the century—they know little, unless, indeed, they have been taught how to read.' Stories of crime, mysterious disappearances, sensations of one or another sort, occupy them to the exclusion of the important topics of real interest. A class for the study of the newspaper formed in every household, with the father as its professor, would open up new realms for conversation. Properly read, the daily paper sends one to the cyclopedia, the lexicon, and the atlas, and is itself a key to the finest libraries. Grist for the mill! Never to talk unless we have something to say, then always to say the thing whicli we mean, in English as pure, direct, and elegant as possible are good rules. Frowning upon unkind comments in tf&tever form they come, G3p6Ci3illy giving tliG cold, sliouldGr to j suspicion, and turning envy and jealousy out of doors altogether as forever under ( ban, we will not reject kindly gossip, nor refuse to take a warm, cordial interest in j all the good which may come to neigh- j hors,—Harper’s,

iwmiininw^—»- j* A Drunken Family.— A father and two sons were arrested in Dunedin on Saturday J night, for drunkenness. } Temuka Stock Sale. —The fortnightly sale of stock at Temuka takes place to-day. A number of entries are advertised in another column. Rifle Match. —Yesterday afternoon the monthly rifle match in connection with the Temuka Volunteers was fired at the range. The detailed scores will appear in our next issue, G-ood Suggestion.— On Thursday night \ the Christchurch Milkmen’s Association unanimously approved of all dairies supplying milk to the public being licensed and regularly inspected. Geraldine Races. Owners of horses are reminded that nominations for the Autumn meeting of the Geraldine Racing Club are due on Thursday next. The programme appeared in the Referee on the 14th. Larrikinism. During the past six months 43 arrests have been made in Christchurch on charges of larrikinism, and 67 summonses have been issued, from which it would appear that the police had plenty to do in checking this form of annoyance.

Road Board Election. —An election of five members to constitute the Temuka t Road Board takes place on the 7th May. Candidates must be nominated with Mr Wills, returning officer, before noon on the 30th April. Sporting. —At the Ashburton Jockey Club’s Meeting on Saturday, the Hurdle Race was won by Beltina, the Autumn Stakes by Strathmore, the Sires’ Produce Stakes by Automony, the Mutual Selling Plate by Oxenham, the St. Leger by La ■ Tosca, and the Doncaster Handicap by ' Marvel. Important Sale. —Attention is directed to the sale of live and dead farm stock, farm, etc., which Messrs H. B. Webster and Co. hold on the farm, near the Rangitata bridge, to-morrow, in the estate of the late Robert Jaqueman. The sale will commence at 12 o’clock. Sale at Winchester. The attention of those m want of a vehicle is directed to the sale advertised by Messrs J. Mundell and Co., for Thursday next, on account of MrW. Carston. There should be a variety enough to suit all tastes. Besides traps, drays, etc., several other lines will be sold. Too Old and Innocent. At the sitting of the Native lands Court at Hastings on Tuesday a comical episode ocoured. A female witness was asked why 4 her mother was not giving evidence, as, the , ' question being one of ancestry, the mother might be expected to know more. The i witness naively replied that her mother was too old, that she was not accustomed to the ways of courts, and did not know how to toll lies I The Minister foe Lands, The Minister of Lands returned to Invercagill on Saturday morning, from a visit of inspection to the Wakatipu, Te Anau, and Waiau districts. He was very favourably impressed with much of the country, and will take steps to have it opened for settlement as early as possible. He speaks at Gore on Wednesday, and returns North the following day. In the course of his tour in the Lake District the Minister of Lands was twell received. On returning from Glenorchy to Queenstown he was serenaded by the local brass band, and at the close of the selections the gathering gave three cheers.

Washing Fluid.—ln another column will be found an advertisement referring j to a washing fluid prepared in Timaru by ** Messrs Ogilvie & Co. It claims that by using one tablespoonful to ten gallons of water, clothes will be cleaned without rubbing, and that it is not injurious to the clothes. It has been tested in this J district by several people, and we are as-' sured that it does all that is claimed for it. It is a new preparation just introduced, and as it saves a great deal of work, and expedites the labors of the laundry, it is bound to become very popular before long. It is sold by all storekeepers, the price being one shilling per bottle, and as only one tablespoonful is necessary to ; ten gallons ®f water it will be found very inexpensive. Temuka Mechanics’ Institute,—The monthly meeting of the committee of the Temuka Mechanics’ Institute, was held on the 12th April. Present—Messrs J. W. Salmond (in the chair), Blyth, Geutlemun, Franks, Beri, McLeod, and E twards. After routine, the librarian’s report, enclosing £i 9s (5d receipts during the month, was read. Mr Salmond handed in the sum of £lll4s (id, being the amount he had collected for repairing the institute. Mr Beri’s account of £IJ Kis, for repairs, was passed for payment. The new card showing the names of members of institute (prepared in accordance withi resolution passed at last meeting) was laid on the table. It was decided to repair the broken window in the librarian’s room. On the motion of Mr Blyth, seconded by Mr Gentlernun, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr J. Morton, for the gift of two bluebooks. Ordinary accounts to the amount of 10s 2d were passe .1 for payment. and the meeting terminated wit a the usual vote of thanks to the chair.

Fire Brigade Social. — Last evening a social under the auspices of tne Temuka Fire Brigade took place in the Temuka Volunteer Hall. Proceedings commenced at 8 o'clock, and by ( J o’colck fully 00 couples were present. The chief portion of programme consisted of dancing, Mr J. Figoni supplying the music, an 1 Mr W. MeCallum acting as M.C., to the satisfaction of all. Songs were contributed by Miss Connolly, Messrs Arthur Clinch and G. Barret, and S. Kroon, Mr It. McLeod acting as accompanist. The hall was nicely decorated by a committee consisting of Messsrs O’Grady, J. Anderson, 0. Clinch, J. Henry, J. Findlay, and R. McLeod, and did them great credit. Dancing was kept up with spirit until an early hour this morning, ami all appeared to thoroughly enjoy themselves. The social was in every way a success. The catering was entrusted to Mr IX McCaskill. ~V_ The Lima bean ranch of Dixie Thomp- ' son, in Ventura County, is said to be the largest in the world, 2200 acres being planted in beaus. The crop this year was about 130 carloads. , Consignment of Safety Bicylbs, ex s.s. Pakeha Special offer, immediate delivery. Girder Star £ls, Marriott No, 7 £ls, Marriott No. 13, diamond frame, ball bearings all over, £l7 10s. Adams, Curties and Co., 70 Manchester street, Christchurch. Cycles supplied on the hire purchase system from 5s per week.— Advt.] SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. J. Ashwell, Temuka—ls prepared to dip sheep at current rates. Wood’s Popular Concert Company—Ap-v----pear at Geraldine on Friday evening. J. G. Sargood, Manager, P. 0., Box 980, Sydney—-Notice re earning money at home. Geraldine Pacing Club Nominations for Autumn meeting close on Thursday next. W. Wills, Returning Officer, —Notice re return of five members of Temuka Road, Boavti