LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2746, 4 December 1894, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Board Meetings. —The monthly meeting of the Temuka Road Board will be held to-day, that of the Geraldine Town Board to-nijht, and that of the Temuka Town Board to-morrow night. Land for Settlement. —The Government have purchased under the Land for Settlements Act 600 acres of land within four miles of Timaru. The exact locality has not been made known yot.

Customs Returns.— Daring the month of November the customs duties collected at the port of Timarn amounted to £1527 7s. Still Hopeful, —Mrs Yates, who was defeated for the mayoralty of Onehunga, states that she will contest the election again.

Gbbaldino Stock Sale. The fortnightly sale of stock at Geraldine takes place to-morrow. A number of entries are advertised in another column. Free Trade Confbbbnck.— New Zealand will not be represented at the meeting of Premiers at Hobart to discuss the free exchange of Australasian products. The Scarlet Fever Case.— The report of Dr Butcher, of the Gothic, regarding the steward supposed to have developed scarlet fever, is that he was merely suffering from influenza and tonsilitis, which it was not necessary to officially report. Lectube. —On Friday evening next the Rev. George Barclay delivers his interesting lecture, “ Are Rational Beings Confined to This Planet ? ” in aid of the Geraldine Literary Institute. The lecture will be illustrated with limelight views, and is well worth hearing, being both instructive and amusing. Well Treated. —Mr Mercier, the delegate of the Workers’ Union, desires a Wairarapa paper to express his heartfelt thanks for the treatment he reoeivdd from station-holders in the Masterton district daring his tour of last week. Not only was he courteously entertained, but he was given every facility for pursuing his work. Rotobua Railway.— Great preparations are being made for the reception of the Premier at Rotorna at the opening of the railway. The Ministerial party is to be banqueted. It is expected that ISOOnatives will be present from all parts of the district, and will receive the Premier with dances of welcome and hakas. Geealdinb County Council.—Ratepayers are reminded that the nomination of candidates to fill the vacancies on the Geraldine County Council for Temuka, Geraldine, and Mount Peel Ridings must be made before noon on Friday next.. Particulars as to with whom candidates are to be nominated, etc., will be found in our advertising columns. Angling. Our Fakihi correspondent writes to the effect that the Rangitata is now (Saturday) in splendid fishing order. Three local anglers, Messrs W. Gadwallader, H. Williams, and F. Brown, on Thursday night caught fifteen fish, with an aggregate of 561 b. The largest fish scaled 131 b, and was caught by Mr Gadwallader.

Ministerial.—The Premier left Dunedin for the north on Saturday morning, proceeding on to Wellington, and leaving almost immediately to open the Rotorua railway. The Minister of Lauda left Dunedin on Saturday on a visit to Gatlins; and the Colonial Treasurer left for Invercargill, returning to Wellington at the end of the week. Burnt Out.—A number of Maoris have lately been camping in a paddock of Mr James Guild’s, near Mr McLeod’s homestead, Riverslea, and on Saturday their tents were burnt by a fire, arising, it is presumed, from some smouldering embers. The bulk of their blankets and belongings were destroyed, and two children bad a narrow escape. The Railways.—lt is understood that Mr Seddon takes charge of the railways during the first three months of Government control. Messrs W. Hales, engineer-in-chief, and C. Napier Bell, the inspectors appointed by the Government to examine the railway plant, permanent way and bridges, prior to the Government taking over the lines from Commissioners, leave for Auckland on Tuesday to begin their duties.

Primitive Methodist Church, Tbmuka. —The Rev. J. Sharp, of Timaru, conducted the Sunday School anniversary services of the Temuka Primitive Methodist Church on Sunday, when, owing to the inclement weather, the congregations were not so large as anticipated. The rev. gentleman treated bis subjects in an able manner. The collections throughout the day were in aid of the Sunday School.

Advances to Settlers. Mr W. J. Napier, solicitor, and Mr W. Duncan, valuer in the Land Tax Department, have been appointed under the Advances to Settlers Act for Auckland Provincial District. It is understood that Mr Napier will be allowed private practice. The Public Trust Office will be prepared to receive during the next week applications for loans under the Advances to Settlers Act. It is understood that £1,000,000 is already available. Temple op Truth.—At Christchurch on Thursday Mr Justice Denniston dismissed the appeal of the Students of Truth Society or Trust Board against the decision of Mr R. Beetham, S.M., in the action brought against them by Mrs Elizabeth Ayerst Ingram, to recover interest on debentures on which the money for purchasing the Temple site and erecting buildings thereon was raised. Costs, £lO 10s, were given against the appellants. Notice of further appeal was given.

Supreme Court. —At Auckland Mr Justice Conolly sentenced George Murphy, Michael O’Brien, Robert Martin, James Thompson, and George Walters each to seven years’ penal servitude for assault and robbery, stating that if such crimes were continued he would be compelled in future to pass even more severe sentences, as the law allowed penal servitude for life and three floggings. In the Rotorua perjury case the jury returned a verdict of not guilty in connection with the case of the girl Scott. The other parties pleaded “Not Guilty.” The Crown offered no evidence, and the defendants were discharged.

The Bank op New Zealand. With reference to the announcement in the Melbourne Age which has been copied into a number of New Zealand papers that the Bank of New Zealand is going to raise £1,800,000 worth of debentures for the Assets Company, in addition to the £1,500,000 already in existence, the president, Mr Watson, states that there is no truth whatever in it. On the contrary the probability is that before long the £1,500,000 will be substantially reduced. A later telegram says i —“ The £750,000 to be paid off by the Assets Company is not a part of the second million guaranteed by the Government to the Bank of New Zealand, which it was undertaken would be held in liquid securities.” Atf OlDtTjme Incident. — During the recent visit to Wellington of two Uriwera chiefs, Mr G, H. Davies, of the Native Department, obtained some interesting pa; ticulars in reference to the moa He was informed by one of the chiefs that accordin" to Maori history raoas were never very numerous in tub ?fprth Island, but were known to exist in largo numbers m the South. One day a native named Apa went out hunting near Mount Edgecombe, in the Bay of Plenty district, and saw a moa standing, as was the habit of the bird, on one Maori approached it stealthily, and struck at it with his taiahu, whereupon the bird hit out with its other leg with such force that the man was knocked over a cliff. Apa’s thigh was broken, and for the remainder of bis life be was called Apa Koki (Apa the halt.) Gambling with Oysters.— One of the most curious methods of gambling on record is described by the Christian Leader, which states that it has become popular iu Ostend. It is this : A basket of the freshest oysters possible is brought in, and an oyster is carefully laid on the cup side before each player, who must not touch it. but sits at some distance in front of the bivalve, with the stakes at the njiher side of the plate. The oyster that first yawns sweeps the stakes. If the oysters are in good case, p he ■ players perhaps may yawn before them. A game played at Ostend by a dozen gamblers lasted three hours. The excitement of the lookers on was iptopse. They gathered behind the players, and fixed their eyes on the plate. Betting grew fast and furious, though there was really no cause why money should bo staked on one oyster more than another. At last a poor thirsty creature opened wide its sheila. The money ou the table when it Aid bo came to £7OOO.

The Rakaia Bridge. The trains yesterday were delayed nearly an hour through the Rakaia river scouring out some of the piles of the bridge. Obabi Bridge.—The last pile of the Orari bridge was driven yesterday. The balance of the work will now be straigtforward and can be gone on with more quickly. Co-opebativb Society.—At a meeting of Otago farmers held at Dunedin the report of a committee recommended the formation of the Farmers’ Co-operative Association, on lines similar to that carrying on successfnlly in Canterbury. Important Meeting.—An important meeting of ratepayers in the Geraldine 'County takes place at the Farmers’ Club, Geraldine, to-morrow afternoon, when the dual system of rating (the road board and county) now in force in the county will be considered. The Late Fibe at Tbmuka. —We understand that the Insurance Company has decided to rebuild the shops belonging to M» Wright, which were recently burned down in Temuka. The contract has been let to Mr Jameson, of Christchurch, and he is to commence operations at once. Ladies Visiting houses that contain pianos will notice that probably nine out of every ten have been supplied by Begg Sc Co. This fact is significant, and is sufficient guarantee that they are the most reliable firm to buy from. They are located next Theatre, Timaru. SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. G. J. Denby—Lost top-coat. Mrs Pinckney—Wants general servant. Lecture—4l Geraldine on Friday evening. Smithfield Wool Works Four boys wanted. John P. Seeler—Found black hack filly (unbroken). A. and D. Stewart—Notice re 10 hoggets strayed into paddocks. G.F.G. Association Entries Geraldine sale; sale of saddlery and furniture on account of Mr A. S. Jenkins at Temuka on Thursday. G. L. Death Sc Co.—Have rented the premises lately occupied by Mr Williams (opposite the Grown Hotel); grand display of summer novelties; Christmas presents given away.