LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2354, 10 May 1892, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Geraldine Stock Sale.—The fortnightly sale of stock takes place at Geraldine to-morrow. A number of entries are advertised in another column. The One Thousand Gunieas.—At the Newmarket meeting on Friday the race for the One Thousand Guineas resulted as follows: —La Fleche 1, Sinew 2, Adoration 3. Coffee Supper.—A coffee supper takes place in the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Geraldine, this evening. During the evening songs will be given by the Jubilee Singers, etc.

The Minister of Lands.—The Minister of Lands is announced to meet intending settlers at Waimate to-morrow, and will address a public meeting there the same evening. Burglary.—The house of Mrs Hey wood, widow of the Rev.Mr Hey wood, atßemuera, Auckland, was broke into during Thursday afternoon and jewellery valued at £SO stolen. The Premier. —The Premier was waited on by deputations on several local matters at Invercargill yesterday. He spoke in the Theatre Royal last-night, and afterwards was entertained at a social. Funeral of Mrs Millar.—The late Mm Millar, who was a very old identity of Gapes's Valley, was given a very large funeral on Friday last. The Rev. A. B. Todd, officiated at the grave. Sale of Riverslea Stock.—Attention is directed to the important sale of sheep cattle, horses, harness, implements, etc., by Messrs Guinness and LeCren, at the Riverslea sheep yards at 11 o'clock to-day. A Groundless Rumor. —In Wellington on Saturday a rumor gained currency that theßotorua had been lost near Timaru. Not until a telegram was received from Dunedin announcing that the steamer was safely moored at one of the wharves was the excitement allayed. Concert and Dance at Hilton.—A concert and dance in aid of the prize fund of the Hilton School will be held at the Hilton Schoolroom on Friday evening next. A number of singers will be present from Geraldine and other places, and a good programme is expected. Geraldine Races. Owners of horses are reminded that acceptances for the handicaps and entries for the Disposal | Stakes, to be run at the Geraldine Races on Thursday, are due to-day. Elsewhere will be found the corrected weights for the Orari and Welter Handicaps. The train arrangements for tne convenience of those wishing to travel to the races by rail, will be found in our advertising columns. Pleasant Point.—At a meeting of the Tengawai River Protection Committee, at Pleasant Point on Friday, it was reported that £3B of £6O promised towards the cost of protective works had been collected. It was decided to postpone commencing the work until the whole of the money was in hand, and the meeting adjourned until the 11th.

Foul Play Suspected. The police suspect that William Alexander Dickson, who was found in a dying 1 condition in a paddock off Sydney street, Wellington, last week, and who succumbed to his injuries, was the victim of foul play. A strict investigation is being made with a view to bringing fresh facts before the Coronor at the adjourned inquest on Friday. Heavy Rainfall. —At Wellington, on Saturday, 2.G inches of rain fell, mostly between 2 and 4 p.m. Several culverts burst in various places, flooding the adjacent buildings, and in the business portion of the town the water got into one or t<wo buildings. A good deal of damage wtxii done by the water washing away portions of gardens and streets,

Salt Works.—A commencement has been made with construction of salt works at Eangitoto Island, Auckland. The process is evaporation of water. Fire.—On Friday morning last, 36 sacSs of wheat, valued at £ls, were destroyed by fire on the farm of Mr Simpson, of Waitohi. On the previous day a quantity of wheat from the same place was carted to Temnka, and it is thought that the men engaged in the work inadvertently caused the fir e. The wheat was the property of the Christchurch I Finance Company, and it is believed was insured. Death of an Old Soldier.—After a brief illness of twent-four hours Colonel Green, C. 8., late of Bengal, died of internal haemorrhage at Gisborne on Thursday. The deceased was on a visit to his mother and sister and was to have left on Friday for England via Hobart. He had just retired from the Native Service, having had a distinguished military career, and having gained fame in the campaign against Cabul in 1879. Suicide. A married woman named Wren, aged fourty-four, whose husband is a miner at Lyell, Nelson, committed suicide on Friday. Her two younger children had been sent to school, when the mother, who had been attending tent meetings and was much depressed, went out, bought a rope, and fixing it to the rafters in a back unoccupied room, hung herself. An inquest was held on Saturday afternoon and a verdict of temporary insanity, caused by religious mania was retnrted. A Charge Dismissed. The charge against Captain Itomeril, of the steamer Kahu, for alleged cruelty to sheep through overloading, whioh occupied the Resident Magistrate's Court at Christchurch all Friday, was dismissed, each party to pay its own costs. The evidence for the defence showed that though 850 sheep were stated on the Customs manifest, only 685 sheep were actually shipped. The number lost was due to weather and not to too close packing. Tug-of-Wae.—We understand that a tug-of-war will shortly be held in Temuka, under the auspices of the Cricket Club, the proceeds being devoted to the purposes of the Club. Messrs Cutten, Dann. Hayhurst, Herbert, and MeLean have been appointed a committee to make arrangements. The Maori team who recently went to Dunedin to take part in the tug-of-war there, won a pull against a Scotch team on Friday evening, after a pull of 84 minutes. The contest was to be finished last evening. Native Lands.—Mr Cadman, in an interview with the natives at Kihikihi, replying to jrequests that he should stop buying native land, said that they might as well ask him to stop a river from flowing. The Government were being pressed on all sides to buy native land. They had purchased 100,000 acres during the year, and could have purchased double the amount if money had ben available. The Government only wanted to push on settlement, and were indifferent whether Europeans or natives cultivate the land so long as it was cultivated. He asked whether the natives would cultivate even 10 per cent, of their reserves, also whether they were prepared to pay rates as Europeans did. The meeting was of mutually satisfactory character The Season.—lt seems that the farmer never is to be blest. Just as the land was getting dry enough to be ploughed with advantage there has fallen sufficient rain to keep it sodden for weeks. It would not be quite so bad if the threshing was finished, but a lot of wheat remains out in the swamp 3 and heavy ground, and the machine owners are chary about taking their engines there. In one or two instances grain has had to be carted out of the paddocks to the combines; in others the the tractions have been taken in, and only got out with difficulty. In a paddock adjoining the swamp road last week Mr Goldsmith's engine was so deeply buried that only the funnbl and cylinders were visible, and only for his getting some assistance from Messrs Smith & Stickings it is just possible it might have disappeared altogether. Mr Bateman had a bad hour or two in Mr Tom Davies' paddock, and throughout the season the mill owners have been more or less in trouble. The correct thing to do, it appears, is to have a man in front with a long spear, who " prods " for soft spots. If the spear goes in easily over a foot it is better to try some other track. Of course all this " sticking up " has spoiled the prospect of the hands earning good money, and plenty of them have only made about ten shillings a week and their board. It is regretable also that the grain has not thrashed up to expectations, and there can be no doubt that the average yield is far below the estimate. Another source of regret is the fact that sheep are not prospering as well as they might, —the very luxuriance of the grass militating against them, while footroot is prevalent, and lung worn is again making its appearance.

The Bot Ely.—lt appears that the bot fly has made its appearance with fatal effect in the Temuka district. Mr Henry Hearn, manager of Ruddenklau's station, Rangitata, was in Temuka on Friday, and stabled his horse at Mr Nicholas' stable. On leaving- in the evening- the groom drew his attention to the condition of the horse, which was much swollen, and which had been exhibiting symptoms of uneasiness during a part of the day. Its condition, however, did not appear sufficiently serious to prevent its being driven, and Mr Nicholas himself advised its being worked, as the swelling was probably caused by wind, and would work off as the horse warmed up to his work. The horse went pretty well until the Orari was crossed, when it began to stagger a little and Mr Hearn concluded to take it from the trap .and drive it in front of him. He attempted to do this, but the horse fell down and shortly after died. Mr Hearn made the best of his way ]

! home, and on the following day opened the j [ horse with the view' of discovering the | cause of death. The organs generally appeared to be in a healthy state, but at the neck of the stomach was literally a mass of the lavae of the bot fly, which held on so tenaciously that they could scarcely be removed with the fingers. There have been several deaths lately amongst horses, • many of which may or may not have been caused by this pest, but there can be little doubt about the case in question. Mr Henry Hullen also has lost a very valuable mare which he bought recently for £3llos. For a day or so before she died she exhibited symptoms of pain and refused food. When opened, her stomach in several places was nearly punctured, as if it had been ulcerated, and there was a very large quantity of worms found in it, some of which were a quarter of an inch long. Mr Levens has had some larvae (not from

Mr Hullen's mare) under the miscroscope, and he is of opinion that it is the real English bot fly. It is a very serious matter, but from all that is known of the fly it is very difficult to kill in the horses' stomach. Mr Hullen informed us that he applied kerosene to a nestofthefly which was on the jaw of one of his horses last harvest, and that it killed them immediately. Kerosene is sometimes drunk in small doses by human beings, but It is said that its produces peculiar effects on the bones, making them crooked, and eventually brittle, and easily broken. ?

Temuka Road Board.—The poll for the election of five members of the Temuka Road Board took place on Saturday last and resultedinthe return of the old members, — Messrs Snell, Fraser, Woodhead, Bienett and Talbot. In our advertising columns, Mr W. Wills, returning officer, gives the official result of the poll. Accidents. A woman named Susan Davies, wife of a fisherman residing at Ohau Bay, Wellington, met her death on Makara road on Saturday night. She was returning from town in a trap at about 7 . o'clock after delivering a load of fish, and-'' it is surmised that the horse shied, and | threw the trap over the embankment into the stream, which was in flood. Deceased was driving alone at the time of the accident, and when the body was extracted, life was extinct. The immediate cause of death is supposed to be drowning, but the woman had a bruise on the side of the head.—>A narrow escape from a fatal accident occurred at Ashburton on Saturday. The groom of Mr David Thomas was driving his employer's horse and gig across the railway line in the centre of the town, when the gig collided with the train arriving from Mount Somers. The horse was dragged two hundred yards and fatally injured. The harness gave way and the trap escaped damage. The driver sustained * a severe scalp wound, and it is feared concussion of the brain, and he also sprained his ankle. Two other vehicle accidents occurred within a few minutes.—Mr J. L. Cooke, master of the St. Andrew School, (for many years master of the Winchester School) met with a rather serious accident on Friday. While out walking with a party of friends, he slipped into a and broke his right leg in two places. He was taken to the Timaru Hospital for treatment. The Postmaster-General at Winton. —The Hon. Mr Ward, Postmaster-General, addressed his constituents in Winton, Southland, on Friday night. He was accompanied by the Premier, the Minister of Lands, Messrs Earnshaw, Kelly, and Macintosh, M.H.R,'s. Mr Wilson, mayor of the borough, presided, and the hall was packed. Mr Ward had a great reception, a brass band heading the procession to the hall. The first portion of his speech consisted of a defence of the Government's taxation policy, accompanied by numerous instances of the amount paid by large estateß under the property tax and land tax, showing that taxation under the latter would be . very much heavier. Speaking of his own>i Department he said that a reduction of the telephone charges had caused a small loss of £1707 as compared with the revenue of the previous year. A reduction of the foreign letter postage had given an increase 23 per cent of inward correspondence, and 88 of outward. The revenue last year was £300,422, and if the departmet took credit for work done for other departments, the revenue over the expenditure would have been £134,328. The actual surplus was £52,68 6. The following motion was carried unanimously. " That this meeting thank the Hon. Mr Ward for his able address, expresses his confidence in him as the member for A warm, and heartily supports the policy and administration of the present Government." His explanations re Land and Income and absentee tax were particularly well received. After the meeting the Postmaster-General was banquetted. It was the largest ever held in Southland, 250 being present. Great enthusiasm prevailed, the Premier, the Minister of Lands, and Postmaster-General being accorded a splendid reception. Visitors were presently from all parts of the district, a special train taking np most of the leading business men of Invercargill. R.M. Court, Temuka. —At the above Court last Saturday.bef ore Mr J. M. Twoiney%i J.P., Peter Kennedy, anlold offender, yyggt* brought up charged with having been drunk on the previous evening in Temuka. The accused pleaded guilty, and begged hard to be let off, as he had work to go to. He was sentenced to imprisonment until the rising of the court. Mr Twomey said he would give him a chance of going to work if he would, but if he did not do so, and came up again, he would be dealt with as severely as the law would allow. Mary Anne Wilson, a miserable-looking creature, pleaded guilty to a charge of having been drunk on the previous evening in a public place in Temuka. Constable Egan gave evidence to the effect that the accused " graduated " amongst Chinamen in Dunedin, and gave her altogether an unsavoury character. The accuse i denied that she was leading a bad life, as sho was living with one of the prisoners before the court. The prisoner was a swagger, and she lived in a tent with him. She was fined £1 or seven days' imprisonment with hard labour, as the court did not think her a desirable citizen, and wished to get hver with having made use of obscene in a public place, in Temuka, on the previous evening. The prisoner pleaded that he had no recollection of anything that had taken place, as he had bjon under the influence of drink. Constable Bourke said that the prisoner j,c „ orapanied t he female ouftof the town.-Charles Hanscnwas charged

prisoner, and both were very disorderly. The prisoner was trying to get the woman away. They began at fie Stir Hot.d and came along the street as far as the lY'inuka Hotel. The prisoner male use of obscene , language, and he arrested him. As t'osJL. language was not of the worst kind, he was • let off with seven days' imprisonment with hard labour.—A young man who appeared for the first time charged with having been drunk, was let off with a fine of 53. The court then rose. —Yesterday morning, before Messrs J. T. M. Hayhursfc and J. M. Twomey, J.P.'s, Patrick Synamore was charged with having been drunk and disorderly on the previous afternoon. Accused pleaded guilty, and was fined 5s or 2-i hours' imprisonment. He was further charged with breaking a pane of glass in Mr J. W. Milus's window, and lie admitted he st.iggod agaiust it, and broke it. H. M. Miles gave evidence to the effect that the value of t;ie glass was 255. Constable Egan deposed to having arrested prisoner who admitted he had broken tae glass. His face was oo&by falling through the glass. Tne prisoner was ordered to pay the cost of the glass or

go to gaol for seven days. He was further charged with stealing a hat of the value of six . shillings. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. William Thomas, sworn, stated that after dinner in the Temuka Hotel on the previous day he went to sleep, and his hat was stolen from him. The hat produced was the hat stolen from him. Constable Egan stated that when he arrested the prisoner he found- the hat produced in his pocket. He said he had bought it in a shop. Afterwards he said when accused of having stolen it that he bought it for two drinks. The prisoner, who gave evidence on oath, stated that on the previous day a man came into the Temuka Hotel and offered him the hat for 3s because he wanted the money to get a drink. Witness had not the money, but the man forced the hat on him forfewo drinks. He did not know the mankind would not know him again. Did not know who was in the bar at the time. He was under the influence of drink. The court thought Ids excuse about buying the V. hat from a man he did not know, would not know again, a lame one. He Vas fined 20s, or seven days imprisonment with hard labour. The. court then rose.

Fire.—A house occupied by Mr W. G. Fox, Collector for Southland County, was burned yesterday. The house was insured for £l5O, and the furniture for £125, both in the Eoyal. Er,ECTROPATHic Society.—Members of the Temuka Electropathic Society are reminded that a meeting 1 to deal with important business takes place in the Volunteer Hall this evening. Temuka Rifles The annual soda under the auspices of the Temuka Rifles will be held on the evening of the Queen's Birthday, and, judging by past socials arranged by the corps, should be most enjoyable and successful. The annual prize firing will take place on the same day. Concert and Dance.—A concert and dance will take place in the Seadown Schoolroom on Thursday evening next We bclLvj the committee have spared neither trouble nor expense to make this entertainment an enjoyable one. The besi talent of the district will occupy the platform, many members of the Timaru Liedertafel, as well as friends from Temuka, having consented to be present. The services of a good musician and of the usual excellent M.C have been procured for the dance, and it is to be hoped that the public of the district will not miss this opportunity of spending a pleasant evening. The Dobson Kennedy Company.—We direct our readers' attention to the fact that the Dobson-Kennedy Company will appear on the 11th inst, in the Volunteer Hall, Gerakline, in the famous play of " Con the Shaughraun," and on the 12th in the charming play of " Little Lord Fauntelroy." The same company played in Temuka on the 2nd and 3rd instants, when we had the

pleasure of seeing them, and can confidently assure the public of Geraldine that they play the two pieces above referred in a firstclass manner .It is no exaggeration to say that they are the best dramatic company that has ever visited the town. Mr Kennedy is the best Con the Shaughraun we have seen; he is really excellent, and he is capitably backed up by the company. Amongst them there are no sticks, but real good-all-round actors. As for "Little Lord Fauntelroy," this is really a most enjoyable drama, and the company play it in a manner that must give satisfaction. The public need not be afraid of being taken in by this company, they will get excellent value for their money, and we hope they will have good houses. In Temuka on the first night there was only a fair house, but on the second night, when it became known that they were worth seeing, the hall was full. Under these circumstances we have no hesitation in recommending the company to the Geraldine public. Canine Sagacity.—The sagacity of the dog is proverbial, and many stories are told of his wonderful instinct, but the latest authenticated one relates more or less directly to South Canterbury. Not 50 mile 3 from this office a medical gentleman resides, who shares the love of his profession with a taste for natural history and sport. Among his possessions is a very clever spaniel slut, who at intervals rears some particularly clever puppies. One of these was given to a brother practitioner in a neighbouring township. At first it displayed the usual vagaries of puppyhood, but after a time it followed its new master pretty well. One house, however, it would not pass without stopping, and the gentleman who resides here is one of the few who does not encourage the local doctor, but always sends for the sporting medico. The ] singularity of the dog's proceedings never struck anyone till the other day, when, hearing the doctor calling his dog, this gentleman remarked: "Isn't that one of Doctor So-and-So's breed? He doesn't seem to know you very well." "Oh yes, he does," remarked the other, just a little testily " but he knows Doctor So-and-so's | patients better. Come along Moses, you bad pup." That puppy's action is another argument in favour of heredity. Special Offer of " Star " Cycles.— No. 7 Star with one-inch solid tyres, £IG 10s; No. 8 Star solid tyres, £lslos. Send for catalogue. Star Cycles on Hire Purchase from 5s per week. Adams, Curties, & Co., 70 Manchester Street, Christchurch. —Advt.

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. Jas. Gaby.—Has dry firewood for sale. Temuka Road Board—Result of election. Hilton School—Concert and dance on Friday next. Seadown School—Concert and dance on May 12th. Geraldine Racing Club—Acceptances and entries due to-day. Temuka Licensing Committee—Annual meeting on 10th June. Temuka Rifles—Annual social and prize firing on Queen's Birthday. Bailiff R.M. Court, Temuka—Sale of live and dead farm stock on Friday next. Temuka Road Board—lnvite tenders for carting shingle and forming footpath. N.Z. Railways —Train arrangements for Geraldine Races at Orari on 12th May. B. Richardson. Undertaker—Funeral notice re late daughter of Mr and Mrs G. O'Neill. C. A. Wray, Sheriff—Further postponement of sale in re Mundell v. Ensor, until SBth June. J. Mundell and J. Gracie—First dividend of 7s 6d in the £, now payable in the estate of Vallender & Watt. W. G. Rutland—Meeting of those interested in forming a Glee Club in Temuka on Monday evening. G. H. Mogridge, Draper and Clothier, Temuka —Is now showing special lines in blankets, flannels, ladies' ulsters, boas, men's and boys' clothing, etc., etc. Miss Wethey, Ashton House, Temuka— Notice re reopening of school on 18th; lessons given in music, painting, etc.; dancing and calist'aenic class during the ensuing term.