LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2427, 19 November 1892, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Wesleyan Church, Temuka. The services for to-morrow will be found in our advertising columns. Wellington Rages.—At the Wellington Races yesterday the Hurdles was won by Aorere, Grand Stand Handicap by Arundel, and Hunt Park Handicap by Revolution. Gored by a Bull.—Mr Sydes, a farmer near Wilson’s siding of the Eyrotou railway, was on Wednesday attacked by a bull, and severely gored. The wounds had to be sewn up. Alleged Murder.—The inquest on the death of Thompson, of Waikomati, Auckland. was further adjourned to Wednesday next, owing to the analysis of the stomach not being completed. The Inspectors op Police. —A meeting of Auckland Justices resolved to urge on the Defence Minister that the removal of Inspector Broham is not in the best interests of Auckland.

A Prettj Missionary.—At last week’s meetingof the Benevolent Trustees Dunedin it was stated when a relief case was being considered that the only breadwinner iu the family had gone to China as a missionary. Forgery.—John Currie, a young man, supposed to have come from Wellington, was committed for trial at Dunedin for forgery of a cheque for £3. There are six other charges, tradespeople receiving the cheques in each case. Primitive Methodist Church.— The services for to-morrow in connection with this Church will be found in our advertising columns. The anniversary soiree of the Church will be held in the Volunteer Hall, Geraldine, on Thursday evening.

Marvellous Melbourne. Figures published of the loans obtained by various Melbourne institutions show that during the past five years no less than £75,000,000 of British money were borrowed and spent in that city of some half million people. The Weather. Captain Edwin says that there are now very strong indications that there ■ will be heavy gales and rain from northward in almost all parts of the country between noon of the 20th and midnight of the 23rd inst., the wind changing by west to southwest by about the latter date.

Accident to a Traction Engine.—A traction engine belonging to Mr McLaren, of Christchurch, on its way to the Dnnediu Show, ran over the side of a bridge across Little Pig Hunting Creek, about six miles to the south of Timaru The driver escaped with slight injuries, but the steersman was badly hurt, and had to be taken to the Ti nam Hospital. Something wept wrong with the steering gear.

Appeal Court.—At Wellington yesterday the Court of Appeal dismissed the app ‘a! in the case National Mortgage and Agoucv Company v. Scott, with costs on the ■ l 'ost scale. The court were unanimous hig ’ >m ihe question of illegality that apart u, that Scott had there was nothing to s. -Jodit to contracted himself out of

idemnitv arising from the circumstances, and further that it had not been made out t lat the arrangement between Scott and the Company was an illegal one and void on that/.round. Leave was given to appeal to the Privy Council and stay of procee lings granted on the Companv giving secnribv. The Court adjourned till the Kith De ember, when judgment will be delivered in Isitt and others v. Quill (Sydenham licensing case), and Stokes v. Davenport (patent leadheaded nail case).

South Quart School Committul —The regular monthly meeting of the South Orari School Committee was hel l in the school on Saturday evening. Present— Messrs Ellis (chairman), Bracefield, Pearce, and Edwards. Correspondence was read from the Board of E hication, advising payment to the credit of the committee of .‘■ls, fourth quarter incident ils. From the same enclosing quarterly returns of atteudancies. The head master’s report showed 117 names on the roll, and that the average for the past month was 87. The school had been open 127 times during the past three months, and several children had failed to jattend less than half that number of times. It was decided to let them stand over till next meeting, and if they still fail to attend they will be summoned at once. The committee and teachers have gone to some trouble in trying to get them to attend, and they will be compelled in future to summon all defaulters straight away. The visitor reported visiting the school and found things working smoothly. The chairman stated the tender of R. Searlhad been accepted for trimming fences. The work being done satisfactorily, the account was passed for payment. The meeting adjourned to the second Saturday in December,

Suicide,— An old man named Dr Scott, formerly Government dispenser for the natives on the East Coast, N. 1., committed suicide at Gisborne on Tuesday night by drinking a quantity of carbolic, which had been prescribed for a diseased leg. Weekly Half Holiday.— At a meeting of shopkeepers at Christchurch on Wednesday evening, attended by over 100, it was decided to observe Thursday as the half holiday instead of Saturday. The reasons assigned are heavy losses and inconvenience to country settlers. The Premier.— The Premier and Mrs Ballancc arrived by express at New Plymouth on Tuesday night, and intend remaining there for a few days. Mr Ballance is improving in health, and it is expected that he will be able to resume his official duties by the end of the month. Fatal Accident. —George Kirk, aged 10, was loading a dray at Lincoln railway station, near Christchurch,on Monday, when his horse became restive. He jumped to cate 11 it, but missed his hold, and was jammed between the dray and the goods shed, receiving internal injuries, from which he died on Wednesday evening. Great Fall of Earth.—A tremendous fall of earth and rock occurred at the Bluff Napier, on Wednesday night, at a place where operations have been going on in connection with a road from the town to the breakwater. The cliff, which is over 800 feet high, has slipped for a length of 100 yards by a depth of 50 yards, and a gully exists where the point of a bluff previously stood.

Meeting at Geraldine.— An important meeting will be held at Geraldine on Tuesday evening in the Town Board office to consider the advisability of adopting the pan system, and other sanitary matters. Sanicary matters are of great interest to the town, and it is to be hoped there will be a good attendance of ratepayers to discuss them.

Dissatisfied Volunteers. Major Somerville states that the non-arrival of the Martini-Henry rifles, ordered by the Government eight months ago, is having a disastrous effect on the Association. Over 150 have been applied for, and the only answer the Defence Department has given is that they are expected daily, and the men are getting dissatisfied.

Farmers’ Co-operative Association. —We would remind shareholders in the Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Association that the annual meeting of shareholders takes place this morning at 11 o’clock. The business to be dealt with includes :—The consideration of the annual report and baldnce-sheet; the election of directors ; the appointment and renumeration of auditors for the ensuing year; The alteration or amendment of articles of association Nos. 56 and 58, and the amended article substituted for Nos. 51, 61, and 63. A, & P. Show.—The annual show under the auspices of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association began on Thursday in splended weather. There was a large attendance. The show of Ayrshire cattle was smaller than last year, but of other cattle there was an increase. The light horse class was also larger. There was a splendid turnout of sheep, especially Merinos and Leicesters. Mr J. Gennell took the Cup for Ayrshires, the Hon. M. Holmes for Lincoln and Leicester sheep, and Messrs Me Master for merinos. There was a good show of implements, etc. The Burnt Mails. —The Secretary to the General Post Office has received a cable from the Agent-General, in London, stating that the only Australian mails burnt at Nevada last month were those from Adelaide. The New Zealand portion escaped destruction. Although the New Zealand mails are supposed not to have suffered in the Nevada fire, the Wellington Evening Post says that it has seen a cable received in Wellington from Glasgow, stating that important documents forwarded by that mail have not been received, and had been destroyed cu route. The Baptist Union. —At the Baptist Union at Dunedin on Thursday a motion was moved to re-admit the Rev. C. C. Brown, of Timaru, but the resolution passed at Wellington, regretting that Mr Brown holds and gives prominence to views concerning conditional immortality, to still remain in force. The Hon. T. Dick said that if the Union began to inquire into the doctrine held by each member a good many would be thrown out. He knew that he would. After discussion, Mr Brown explained, with regard to his pledge of loyalty, that he reserved to himself the right to lecture on conditional immortality when he was invited, although he would be careful not to harm the Baptist Church. The question was referred back to the committee for a further report. Scene in the Synod.-—At the Anglican Synod, Dunedin, on Wednesday afternoon the Rev. Mr Gifford advanced to the table and said that he had come to take his seat under the recent decision of the standing committee. Bishop Nevill upheld his ruling of the previous day that the ruling of the commission was null and void, and that Mr Gifford could not take his seat. The latter then shook hands with the president and retired, Mr Lubecke then asked the Bishop to quote the canon which constituted him an authority to review the decision of the committee. The Bishop denied the right to ask such a question, to whioh there could be no answer, as there was no canon dealing with it. Mr Lubecke said that the Bishop had set a bad example by refusing to obey the law, —(“ Order, order ”) and he (Mr Lubecke) would retire. After further slight discussion Mr Allen gave notice of motion challenging the Bishop’s ruling.

National Insurance Company. —At the annual meeting of the National Insurance Company, Mr Ramsay, in moving the adoption of the report, said “ Perhaps the most gratifying feature of the report is that we have made an indemnity profit for the year of £5278, and are able to recommend the payment of a bonus of 2i per cent, in addition to the usual 10 pep cent- dividend. The profit is not large, but it is a great improvement on our experience of previous years, and I hope it as an earnest of better things to come m the near future. Our losses for the year amount to £24,951, and include an unusually large number of risks in A 1 steamers and sailers that have come to ■rripf, and in high class private dwellings by Ilf o, I'hp net result of the destroy bdit'6f than for the operations is laying, In preceding period, and. arte*. * *“• »or addition to the dividend, a bonus or -g cent., we start the year with m . ore 1 the good than we had at the beginning o the period now under review-" MP Williams becomes general manager, and Mr Jack takes the management of the London office.

Salvation Army. —Captain Mercier and his Lieutenant, who have been in charge of the Temuka Corps of the Salvation Army for three months, are farewelling from Temuka on Sunday next. During their stay the work has been forging ahead, soldiers being added to the roll and a number of penitents having sought salvation. One feature of their visit has been the wonderful success of the selfdenial effort this year, which beats the record of any previous year by £7. On Wednesday night last the officers, accompanied by a portion of the Salvation Army Band, paid their final farewell visit to Pleasant Point, where a very enjoyable meeting was held. Among the items of interest was the dedication of three children to God and the Salvation Army, and the enrolment of two recruits as soldiers. There was a good attendance, and the financial help was very good. The Army work at this outpost is in splendid condition. As will be seen by .advertisement. a coffee supper will be held on Tuesday evening next, when the officers will’take their last opportunity of bidding adieu to the many soldiers and sympathisers who have so kindly supported them. Captain Mercier and Lieutenant Freeman go to Milton, Otago. Captain Andrews will be stationed at Temuka,

The U, S. Go’s Benefit Society.—At the annual meeting: of the Union Company’s Benefit Society, the report stated that the receipts, including the balance from last year and the Company’s contribution of £378, were £33.16 19s 4d, and the expenditure £1147. The amount expended in medical aid was £566 6s; sick allowance, £339 8s lid to 48 members; four death claims, £3B 9s 6d. Mr J. Mills, the chairman, said that the membership was now 911, and, as intended, the crews of steamers running from Tasmania and Australia will probably all join. It is suggested that permanent shore hands should be eligible. There are medical officers now at all the principal ports. It is proposed to supply medicine to members and their families, and to make an additional charge of 6d per month. Careful inquiries are being made to ascertain if such benefit can be extended beyond twelve months, also in regard to a pension fund. Proposals will be made shortly as to surrender value when members retire, and the giving of members a larger say than at present in the election of the committee. Manufacture of Wild Men.—There are many curious trades in the world, but the most strange must surely be the “ artificial manufacture of wild men.” Yet (says the Homeward Mail) a well-known English doctor in China has just certified, from his own personal experience, that this art is regularly practised in the Flowery Kingdom. First a youth is kidnapped, then bit by bit he is flayed alive, and the skin of a dog or a bear grafted piece by piece upon him. His vocal chords are next destroyed by the action of charcoal to make him dumb, and the double purpose of causing “ etoliation ” of the skin and utter degradation of the mental faculties is effected by keeping him immured in a perfectly black hole for a number of years. At last he is exhibited to the entirely credulous Chinese as a wild man of the woods, and his possessors reap a rich harvest. Closer Settlement of Large Estates. —Our Pleasant Point correspondent informs us that Colonel Eichbaum addressed a large and representative meeting of settlers at Pleasant Point on Thursday evening on the subject of village allotments. He read the preliminary correspondence that had passed between himself and the Department, and then mentioned that by some mishap the former petition sent up by the residents of the district had not been presented to the Minister of Lands. This petition asked the Minister to acquire some of the fine lands adjoining the township from the Levels Estate of 70,000 acres, belonging to the New Zealand and Australian Land Company. The Lands Purchase Bill of last session was read, and each important clause was thoroughly explained to the satisfaction and pleasure of the audience. By this Bill the Government can purchase for cash or on debentures lands to the value of £50,000 each year for five years, and lands thus acquired may be cut up and let in blocks from 5 to 310 acres on perpetual lease (999 years) at 5 per cent on the capital value, payable half-yearly in advance. In the course of a well-thought-out speech, the Colonel dwelt on the many advantages of the Point district for village allotments. The rich downs, the fertile and well-watered plains, the glorious climate, the proximity of well-to-do farmers, and large employers of labor, and the scarcity of Crown lands, all tended to make it desirable that the Government should secure a part of the vast sheep walk that now shuts out settlement. He mentioned that a second petition had been sent to the Minister of Lands praying him to enquire into the advisability of acquiring a block of two or three thousand acres under the new Act, and throwing this block open for selection. It was decided to take no further action in the matter until an answer be received from the Minister of Lands. A hearty vote of thanks was, on the motion of Mr Morris, accorded the Colonel for the interest he had taken in the subject.—S.C. Times. Now is the Time to get a cycle repaired and made equal to new. Separate department for repairing at New Zealand Cycle Works, 70, Manchester street, Christchurch.—[Advt.]