LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1471, 23 February 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Geraldine Monthly Stock Pale.—ln another column we publish the entries already received by Messrs J.Mundell and Co, for the monthly stock sale at Geraldine on Wednesday, March 3rd.

The Waihora.— A telegram to hand yesterday gives the gratifying intelligence that the Waihora lots been floated and reached Port Philip Heads at 8 o’clock yesterday morning. Stack Firing,—Mb W. Budd, of Winchester, offers a reward of £2O for information wbioh will lead to the conviction of the person who set fire to his wheat stacks at Winchester on the loth February. Harbor Board Loan,—Our cablegrams inform us that the Timaru Harbor Board’s loan of £IOO,OOO has been placed on the market. The minimum has been fixed at £llO, and tenders will be opened on the Ist March, Monday next. A Good Investment.— During the past year the Timaru Gas Company have paid dividends equalling 15 percent, and earned forward £690 13s 4d. The Direct ors_think they will be able to reduce the price of gas if the number of consumers increase.

The Tichborne Henry Alfred Doughty Tichborne will come of age and enter into possession of his estates not May, and, in spit* of the £120,001) spent in opposing the “Claimant,” lie will be a rich man, his rent roll amounting to more than £28,000 a year.

Daylight Parade.— A daylight parade of the South C nterbitry Volunteers takes place in Timaru next Thursday. Members of the Tenmka Hifles are re quested to assemble at ti e Volunteer Hall at 11 a.m., to proceed by the express t r ain to Timaru. The Bible Association Meeting.— Lieutenant Findlay, of the Tetnuka Eifler, and Lieutenant E, H. Ferguson and Privates Bowley and Henderson of the Timaru Eifles, inff nd to proceed to Wanganui to take part in the nr ze firing about to lake place there. We wish them every success. The Skye Crofters. -Tlie Skye crofters are apparently determined to persist in their “no-rent” policy. At collections at G’endale and several districts on Lord Macdonald’s estates scarcely a single payment was made, and the poor and school rates are also far in arrears. It is estimated that on the estates in Skye there are at present arrears of rent to the amount of £20,000. The Future of our Railways. Yesterday morning the Mayor of ChrLtchurch, on behalf of m«ny of the leading inhabitants of Canterbury, presented Mr F. Back, TiafficManager of the dantubury; Kail ways, who is leaving for Tasmania,” with a cheque for £3OO. In reply ing to the kind wishes expressed Mr Back remarked that in ten years, under careful management, the railways of New Zealand would be the best paying railways in the werld» 1

Tins New Shops.— Thu coniiacois for the now shops now being erected on the scene ot : iho late fire at Geraldine are making good progress wifi th« works. The outerfranie work of the walls is now up, and the carpenters were yesterday engaged in getting the walls of the old building ready for taking tho roof. Tire simp for Mr It. S. Cook, chemist, will be a voiy neat one when finished. The Victorian Railways. —Mr Service, Premier of Victoria, in a speech said ; “J want (lie people of Victoria to hiy it down as a rule that these railways should be made to pay the interest on the national debt, and always to pay for it, for us soon as ibis can he done taxes can be reduced in all diiertions, and in time you have one of the finest properties yon could ever wish lo possess If you adopt that principle, mid only let. it be known in England, the credit of Victoria will he the best of any country under the sun.” Life at a Hoarding School. — A telegram from Napier last week announced the mysterious disappearance there of a school girl. A local paper now s'at.es that the young lady about 17 years old, arrived fiom Auckland a >me three weeks ago to attend a secondary school, and although of irreproachable family —a family which has won an honorable place in the martial annals of the empire —■ was not in the habit of dressing in the very extreme of fashion which the other school girls round li r affected, and was in consequence made a. butt by them. Ridicule and contumely were heaped upon her hr tlv budding aristocrats, until the poor girl’s life was made unbearable. NaiKally of a sensitive disposition, she allowed the persecution to which she was subjected to prey or. her mind, and took advantage of the luncheon hour to flee from the school which the cruelty of her schoolfellows rendered unendurable. From that time she wandered about Napier and the Pnlane beach, until the police got upm her track and she was restored to her friends. Who Does This Refer to? —The Nelson Colonist says :—’He was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, and he had not gone straight during the sos-ion. His constituents incited him to meet them and explain things, and it so happened that tho 1 te difficulty between England and Russia, was at fever limit as he faced the music. .After the preliminaries had been gone through he grasped his ne’tle thus; “ Gentlemen, I am quite sura that an interesting lecture on the situation in Afghanistan will b ■ infinitely more entertaining I ban any dry details concerning my conduct in Parliament can be;” and in spile of all interruption he delivered his lecture, which turned out, so good that those who wen* to scoff remained to applaud. The second time he was called on to give an account of his slewa'dship, owing to a vari'-ty of causes, only five persona attended. “Gentleman,” he said, “it is n A worth my while addressing so limited an audience, come and have a drink.” (cheers). All hough the place of meeting w>s barely 300 yards from the hosleTy tho procession had increased to twerty-five by the time it. got there.

SIFLB Matches.—On Friday last, a match was tired between members of the Geraldine KiflrS, sides being chosen by Lieut Ward and Color-Sergl. Hughes, the latter side winning by 4 points. The distances were 200, 300 and 500 yards. The scoring at the first range was above the average, and some eood individual scores were made at the two latter ranges, but as the match was not fired till late in the afternoon, the light became too poor for good shooting. The beat scores were made by Lieut. Ward, Corpl. Millard, and Private* Fleming and G. Betlmne ; Corpl. Millard being the top scorer.— A match takes place to-dav between the Geraldine and Timaru Rifle Corps, each corps firing on its own range. The following will represent the Geraldine Rifle* ■•AsLieutenant Ward, Color-Sergeant HugtfesrCoi'P°nd9 B. Hardcostle and F, Betlmne, Privates G. Bethune, B. W. Crafer, W. Fleming, L. Newport, J. M, Sutherland, and C. Foster. The Timaru team consists of the following : —Lieut. Ferguson, Color-Sergeant Macpherson, Sergeant Pearson, Corporals Gunn, Beckinglmm, and Bruce, Privates Rowley, Henderson Warrington and Mackay. The Geraldine men will commence firing at 6 n.ui. Fxokcibing an Evil Spirit,— The following anecdote is related by a correspondent of the Naples Pungolo : —“A man who had given indications of insanity was denounced by his neighbors I o bis wife ‘ as having an evil spirit.’ Influenced by their suggestions, she had recourse to a wizard of high repute near at hand, with whom she entered into an agreement for the cure of her husband at a certain price. The poor madman was taken to the house of the scaccia (the exerciser), who was a peasant. After having been well beaten and pounded he was taken home half stupefied. Three days after, the experiment was repeated in the presence of his wife and some relatives who accompanied him. The ecnccia began to strike him with his fisls—inflicting heavy blows on the he id—then, seizing him by the hair, he dragged him about the room, and lastly got on his chest and kicked him. On being put info bed he suffered great pain, throwing up a quantity of blood, and expired in five hours. The police, on being informed of it, arrested the -ooccia, as well as the wife and relatives of the murdered man. There will be a, tri-d, of course, and, with extenuating circumstances, 'ho jury of this enlightened country will probably dismiss the criminals with a nominal punishment,”

Me Ballance at Lawrence.—The Hon, Mr Ballance addressed a meeting at. Lawrence on Friday night, Referring to the depression he said that looking at the price of their staple products they could expect nothing dsn but depression ; bill he did not despair of the future, as there were hundreds of industries they could inrn to to compensate for the depression. He said the movement for retrenchment was not sincere, for as soon as the people’s own district were touched they cried out, —Otago regarded the Otago Central line as I lie most important; Canterbury the East and West Coast line, and the North the Main Trunk line. He did not know what Government would do with regard to borrowing, but they were of opinion the colony could not stand still without going backward. He would not be averse to abolishing the exemption from (he property tax, but he would advocate a graduated tax on properties, atm ting will), say, |d in (lie £ on £10,030, and (mother farthing on every additional £IO,OOO, The next question, be said, was protection, which had been making sensible progress. He maintained that it was not the artisan class alone which was benefited by protection. He thought it would steady the wages, and benefit artisans in the town and farmers in the country. The Government were in favor of protecting local industries, and of a cautious and prudent expenditure of public money, which would make the colony prosperous—not for one day, or one year, or ten years—but would induce u prosperity from which there would be no reaction. A vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Ballance as Minister for Lauds aud Native Affairs was passed) ?

Cardinal Moran at Wellington.— There was a large congregation present at the Catholic Church attached to St. Patrick’s Coll ge, Wellington, on Sunday morning, on the occasion of the dedication of the College by Cardinal Moran. The College wag formally opened some time ogo, and advantage wag taken of the visit to the colony of His Eminence to dedicate it. Cardinal Moran was met at. the entrance to the chapel and tscorled to tho Throne by Bishops Luck, Murray, Aforan, Redwood, and Reynolds, and about 30 prusis. Pontifical High Mass wat celebrated by Bishop Reynolds, of Adelaide, aft or which Cardinal Moran delivered a powerful address, in which the objects and aims of the College were sot forth. In Ihe course of his address, and referring to the subject of State aid being granted to schools, he said he had no doubt that before many years the present slate of things would be remedied, and they would receive aid, but in the meantime they must, continue to urge their inalienable rights in this matter, although they should do so wit li all moderation and due consideration of the rights of others. The proceedings were brought to a close by Bishop Reynolds pronouncing the Benediction. The offertories, amounting to £SOO, go towards the building fund. The conversazione to the Cardinal on Tuesday night p omises to bo very successful. The exhibits which have been lent for the occasion have been insured to the extent of £IO,OOO.

Fatal Accident. • -We regret to have to chronicle a sad accident, by which a well-known and very old resident of Temuka—Mr Martin Dunn—lost his life. Mr Dunn had the for carting flax for the Linseed Factory Company, and also for building the stacks. At about 2 o’clock on Saturday afternoon last be was employed in building one of the stacks, and when it was about 10 feet high he accidentally fell off and broke his neck. He never spoke afterwards, and died almost instantaneously. An inquest was held yesterday at 3 p.m., before J. S. Beswick, Esq., Coroner, and the following jury;—Messrs M. Quinn (Foreman), A. R. Allan, J. Angland, J. Bnen, W, McS. Gentlemnn, and J, Daily. After having been sworn in the jury went to a trap to view the body, which was lying at his late residence, and after returning the following evidence was taken:—Robert Lavery gave evidence to the effect that he was forking up to the deceased, who was on the stick. The stack was about 10 feet high. The boy that was with him on the stack, throwing the sheaves to him, sang out witness he had fallen. Found him on the ground lying on his face and partly on his left shoulder. He did not speak. Lifted him up and his head fell back and liis eyes closed. He seemed to live for about a quarter of an hour. Sent fora doctor, who arrived in about half an hoar. Sent also for the police, who removed tho body to the residence of the deceased. Linseed sheaves are more slippery than any other sheaves, Daniel Quinn, a laborer, stated that he resided at Milford, and was on the stick with deceased on Saturday afternoon when he fell off. He went rather far out on the sheaves, overbalanced himself, and fell off. He fell sideways, but turned his face towards the stick as he was falling. He made no grab at anything, and he said nothing. Some of the sheaves were scattered about where he fell. The stack was about 10 feet high when he fell. F. C. Singleton, duly qualified medical practitioner, was called to see deceased, and found him already dead. He had been dead about a quarter of an hour. The cause of death was that he either broke his neck or fractured the base of his skull. He could not positively say without making a post mortem examination, but he was of opinion that he fractured the base of his skull. A verdict of accidental death was returned.—Mr Dunn was a member of the Alexandrovna Lodge of Oddfellows, Temuka, and the brethren mustered in large numbers at the funeral, which took place at 4.30 yesterday afternoon, and was very largely attended. He leaves a wife and a large family, some of them helpless children, to mourn his loss.

Cubed op Dbinkinq.—A young friend of mine whs cored of an insatiable thirst for liquor, that had so prostrated his system that he was unable to do any business. He was entirely cured by the use of Am. Go’s Hop Oitti-rs. It allayed »11 that burning thirst, took away the appetite for liquor, made his nerves steady, and he has remained a sober and steady man for more than two years, and has no desire to return to his cups.—From a leading R R, Official.

SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS.

Temuka Rifles —Parade at Volunteer Hall next Thursday at 11 a.m.

K. F. Gray, Temuka-Sdls hack, saddle, and bridle, and tether rope, to-morrow, at 2 o’clock.

Licensing Committees—Result of poll for election of Committees for Temuka and Raukapuka districts.

J, Munucll and Co.—Publish, entries for monthly stock sale at Geraldine on Wednesday, 23rd March. They are now booking orders.

W. I3udd, Winchester —Offers a reward of £2O for such information as will lead to the conviction of the person who set fire to his stacks.

Drummond and Glasson, Commerce House, Tiraaru-r-Ahnounce the arrival of their first shipments of drapery and clothing, suitable For autumn and winter seasons. The shipments comprise splendid lines in dress goods, millinery, mantles, ulsters, paletots, underclothing, aprons, ribbons, fur trimmings, hosiery, gloves, laces, etc. A special line is a case of new laoe flouncinga and mo.-aique lace with edgings to match, which must bo seen to be appreciated. The Manchester and clothing departments have also received large additions to their stocks. In the hitler two cases of cen'» waterproof coats are of exceptional value.