The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 339, 11 January 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1881. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Contingent n{ the p.y. Cavalry paraded for foot drill on End ay evening last. The troop was taken to g paddock owned by Mr 0. Storey, and were there put through a number qf movements by Sergt. Scott. were pleased to notice a great improvement, ty)th as regards their military appearancp, and the prompt way in which they executed the different manoeuvres, \ye understand tljp froop is still increasing in numbers, and have no doubt, ere long, but they will compare favorably, both jA tptmljecs aryl efficiency, with the other contingents in Canterbury.

The monthly inspection parade of the No 1 Temnka Rifle Volunteers took place in the Volunteer Hail on Friday evening last. Tiie company was inspected by Captain Young. There was only moderate attendance. After inspection the corps was taken outside and put through various movements, which were gone through very creditably. The usual monthly meeting was held immediately nfts r the parade, when various matters in connection with the company were, discussed, and a resolution was proposed, but deferred till next meeting, to procure white belts to replace the ones at present used by the company.

We understand that the farm of the late Mr Landsborough, a few miles from Timaru, comprising 290 acres, has been bought by Mr Raynor, chemist, of this town, for £l3 per acre.

Mr Moss Jonas, on Friday last, concluded the sale to Mr H. Le Cren of Mr H. J. Sealy’s residence and land (contiiuing 40 acres) for £OOOO cash.

A jiciiic will he held in the Temuka Park on Friday next, for the purpose of introducing the Rev. J. Chaffers-Welsh to Ins parishioners. A variety of sports will be held on the occasion, and the Temuka Brass Band will be in attendance, and no doubt will add considerably to the day’s amusement. A concert will be held in the evening. To-day three members have to be returned for the districts of Rangitata, Milford, and Temuka. to represent those places places on the Temuka Road Board. There, five candidates in the field, two of whomare reside in the Milford district. The late member for that district, although not now living in it, is a candidate. For such Boards ns those w® have always been in favour of a member being elected who has a stake in the district, and if lie lives in it, his inducements are tiie gi eater to do justice to it. We would not make invidious distinctions. An}' of the gentlemen whose names are on the list, we believe would make good members. For the Milford district, however, the competition will he very keen. The following are the polling places.—Road Board Office, Temuka ; Mechanic’s Institute, Winchester : Mr. Buxton’s, Rangitata; School house, Waitohi. The state of the pol{ will be declared at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, (to-morrow.)

A meeting of the Committee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club took place on Friday evening, at the Grosvenor Hotel. Present—Messrs D. Maclean, R. Stansell, J. R. Stausell. J. Hall, J.Meikle, D. McGuinness, and E. G. Kerr. It was decided to hold the next race meeting on April 28 and 29. A sub committee was appointed to prepare a draft programme, and submit the same to an adjournment meeting of the committee to be held on Friday next.

At Wellington, on Christmas Eve, the police took exception to the decorations outside the shops in Cuba and other streets, and ordered the removal of ferns and nikau palms which shopkeepers had gone to some trouble and expense to have placed against their verandah posts and other corners. The police considered these decorations obstructions, which should not be allowed to exist in a well-regulated community. The local papers were unanimous in declaring that this was carrying “ duty ” to an absurd length. Mr Brudlaugh (says the European Mail) has received the following reply to his appeal to the Premier on behalf of the imprisoned Maoris, of whom, however, 25 have been released since Mr Bradlaugh’s first application to Lord Kimberley : ‘'Dear Sir, —I am directed by Mr Gladstone to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist inst. respecting the imprisonment of certain Natives in New Zealand, and to inform you. in reply, that the matter is one entirely within the control of the Colonial Government, but that the Government has been directed to send a full report, wit|h a view to its being laid before Parliament, —I am, your obedient servant, J. A. Godley. C. Bradlaugh, Esq, M.P.” Mr Herbert Cox, F.G.S., assistant Government geologist, is now engaged in Nelson in re-examining the extent and value of the chrome deposits which are to be found in various parts of that Provincial District. This mineral is likely to come into great prominence, owing to the recent discovery in Germany of its enormous value in the process of leather tanning. By the use of chrome the tanning pf leather may be completed in from two

to three weeks, whereas by the old process it took from 18 months to years—indeed, to tiirn out the ]oest leather seven yeaps hg.ve bpeq occppieu. It will thus be geep ttyat the chrome deposits in Nelson are not unlikely to prove of immense advantage not paly to that district, hut to the polony at lapge. The Government haye ppnseqtcd tq assist in sending Home a trial shipment of about five tons of chrome, aijd it is part of Mr Cox’s duty to select the deposit from which this shipment shall he procured

The Rev. Father fezant, who died recently at Mr C. Redwood’s residence, Riverlauda, Marlborough, was one of the pioneer missionaries of the Colony, having been in New Zealand, upwards of 40 years From the Marlborough Express we learn that on Jlth July, 1840, he landed at JKororareka, i.i the North Island, from the French warship L’Aube, and since that date many are the places where he has carried the good teachings and consolations of religion, and many are the friends he has wdn to himself by his cheerful and jcmd disposition. Shortly after his arrival in the Colony, he apcpmpanied Bishop Pompallier to Akaroa, then a French settlement. Afterwards he attended the districts of Tauranga and Rotorua for four months, and spent three years amongst the Natives of Waikato. It may be mentioned that in the opinion of the most competent judges Father Bezant was deemed to be one of the best Maori scholars in New Zealand. The rev. gentleman performed his missionary duties for some time in Auckland and Wellington. He had the charge of Taranaki for nine months, and afterwards of Otaki for about six months, but tiie place of his predilection, where lie spent 17 of the happiest years of his life, was Wa.ganui. During that time, or at least nine years, he had to visit New Plymouth several times a year on foot. His last 11 years were passed in the Provincial District of Marlborough, where he died. Some extraordinary scoring was witnessed on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on December 2nd, when a Ballarat eleven (minus Figgis and J. Morep, their best bowlers), tried conclusions with the premier club of Victoria. The latter held possession of the wickets for the whole day, making 482 for the loss of eight wickets Of that number Dunne made the tall score of 233. Melbourne is not likely to fare so well in the return, as Ballarat will then play her two bowlers, and have a tower of strength in Midwinter, who has been engaged us professional.