LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2934, 18 February 1896, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Excursion Fares to Dunedin.— Particulars re cheap railway excursion fares to Dunedin will be found in our advertising columns. Temuica Stock Sale. —The fortnightly sale of stock at Temuka takes place at the yards to-morrow. A number of entries appear in our advertising columns. Wellington.—The city valuation for the current year shows a total of £803,705 as compared with £349,841 for last year an increase of £13,924. 274 new buildings were erected during the year. Ten Per Cent. —The Geraldine County Council notify that after the 22nd February 10 per cent, will have to be added to unpaid rates in accordance with the Act. Ratepayers should bear this in mind. The Weather. —There was a pleasant shower of rain on Sunday night, which had the effect of refreshing the pastures and vegetation considerably. Yesterday clouds hung about most of the day. Property Sale. —Messrs D, Maclean & Co. hold a sale of freehold town properties on account of Mrs J. B. Binley at Temuka to-morrow. Particulars as to site and area will be found in our advertising columns. Agricultural Returns.— Auckland’s agricultural returns are : —Area sown : wheat 8923 acres, oats 6253, barley 954, maize 11,734, potatoes 7304 acres; cattle 245,194 head, horses 55,790, sheep 1,529,159. Temuka Rifles. —A Government parade of this corps takes place to-morrow evening at half-past seven o’clock. Important business will be brought forward and every member is requested to attend. Fishing for Trout Without a License. —At 2 a.m. on Sunday morning Mr Boyd Thomson, the ranger of the the Geraldine County Acclimatisation Society caught a Timiru man who cannot produce a license, fishing for trout in the Ophi river near the beach. lie will have to account for his conduct before the Stipendiary Magistrate. Gold. —Owing to the exceptionally dry season, the Waihi Company (Auckland) only average 73 stampers working out of 90 at the battery, otherwise the return would have been still larger. For the period between January 3rd and February Bth. 3060 tons of ore were treated, and yielded bullion valued at £11,140, In addition to this, 2230 tons of tailings were treated, and yielded another £2405, making a total of £13,515 for the period. The return is a very satisfactory one.

Ti.maku Hum School Boaiid.—-At the last meeting of the Timaru High Sohool Board, the chairman reported that Mr It. B. Low had been appointed to locum tencns in the room of Mr Robson, resigned, and the ollice was directed to take the usual steps to fill the vacancy, A report was read from Messrs Meaaon & Marchant on the threatened damage to Reserve Pi! 8, Orari. The report stated that the river threatened to do serious damage to the reserve unless protective works were constructed. There was an old chat uel leading through the middle of the rese. vc ; the river was encroaching on the laud, i ad if it broke into the old channel it would divide the reserve in two by a shingle riverbed, destroying a large quantity of excellent laud. It would require dl chains of protective work, consisting of largo willow trees anchored along the bank in the water. There would be no danger now till next winter, and the late autumn would be the proper time to carry out the work. The cost would be LTD or £7o.—lt was decided to bring the matter up agaiu at next meeting. Tbe secretary submitted a statement of the linanccs, showing L.'JIo in the bank besides £IOOO a recently paid-off mortgage awaiting re-investment as capital; about £2()() to come in as fees add £IBO due for rents. The last item, outstanding rents, Major Bamlicld stated, was lower than it had ever been before. The average expenditure was stated to be about £l.iO per mouth, and the revenue was caTmatcd at about £2OOO a year, Ciias. Bego Sc Co., next Theatre, Timaru, don’t keep a large stock of pianos and organs just for the sake of looking at them. They are for sale. If you mean business they can give you a chuai’EU instrument, because it is a hextek one than you can get elsewhere at the same money, and on Uftei that will suit you,—[Auvr,]

Temuka Mechanics’ Institute. —Members are reminded that the annual meeting takes place this evening, when the annual report and balance-sheet will be presented, and office-bearers for the coming year elected. It is hoped there will be a large attendance of members. Tuberculosis in Pigs.— The Clutha Leader states that Mr Park, Government veterinary expert, ordered the destruction of an entire herd of pigs owned by a farmer in the district, as they were badly affected with tuberculosis. Hospital Saturday,— A telegram from Wanganui says :—The success of Hospital Saturday in aid of the new hospital building is assured, and a large amount of money will probably be reported on Tuesday. The public generally have been very generous, and among other large sums given is 150 guineas by the Wanganui Jockey Club. Limelight Display.— At the Geraldine, Volunteer Hall, to-night, Adjutant Perry, of the Salvation Army, is to give "a magnificent limelight display,” commenciigat 8 pm, The prices for admission are: Reserved seats, Is ; back seats, Gd. We can recommend the display as something far superier to the ordinary run of limelight entertainment. ■Nelson Brothers. —Nelson Bros, have issued a circular to their clients in which they state that the present disastrous condition of the meat market at Home, and the general outlook for the future, make it absolutely necessary for the firm to ask for some further concession in price on the rate contracted for the supply of stock. The proposal is that the price of wethers and maiden ewes be reduced by id per lb., which was the amount of a reduction made last year. Nelson Bros, intimate that they think that prices are likely to come much lower.

Cycling. At the “ Complimentary Benefit Race Meeting ” at Christchurch on Saturday, the Half-Mile Open Handicap was won by G. H. Lethaby (80yds) in Imin 6 l-sth sec; One Mile Second Class Handicap by F. N. Chainey (40yds) in 2min 27 l-sth sec; Five Mile International Scratch Test Race by W. Martin (America) in 13min 42sec ; Two Mile Second Class Handicap by F. M. Cha'ney (80yds) in smin 1 2-sthsec ; One Mile Open Handicap by W. Martin in 2min 20sec; Three Mile Second Class Handicap by E. G. Laud (210yds) in 7min 55sec ; One Mile Scratch Test Race by W. Martin in 2min 43 2-oth sec; Three Mile Tandem Race Handicap by J. Boyd and T. Chainey (300yds) in Gmin 35seo. Presbyterian Assembly. —At the annual breakfast in connection with the Presbyterian Assembly at Wellington on Saturday morning Mr Duthie, M.H.R., advocated that State schools should be opened each day with a simple form of prayer acceptable to all denominations, and he saw no objection to the introduction of a text book of an equally colourless character. He said that there was ne doubt a lack of reverence throughout the community, and he had the authority of Mr Martin, S.M., in saying that there was not the same reverence for the oath in Court as was the case some years ago. It was a question whether this irreverence was not brought about by the present secular system of education. Bank of New Zealand, —Shareholders in the Bank of New Zealand have just received notice of the call of £3 6s 8d per share to the reserve liability of shareholders, made in pursuance of clause 9 of “The Bank of New Zealand and Banking Act 1895,” which made the call cornpulsery. The call is payable by four equal instalments of 16s 8d per share, the first instalment to be paid on the 30th June, 1896, the second on the 31st December next, the third on the 30th June, 1897, and the fourth on the 31st December, 1897. A rebate at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum will be made in respect of payments in advance, while interest at the rate of 7 per cent, will be charged upon amounts in arrear.

The Codlxn Moth.— The Akaroa Mail says : —A representative of this journal in consequence of reports, visited a number of Akaroa orchards on Wednesday, and found the truth worse than the representations made. He saw apples bored in a dozen places, feid in dozens of trees, all young and full of well-grown fruit, could not find a single one sound. He saw that the moth has changed its habits and now deposits eggs all over the surface of the fruit. One lady told him that after carefully cutting up a couple of buckets of apples she hardly got enough pulp to fill a tea cup. Another lady said that she had put away some apples in a room near some raisins, and showed our reporter the raisins riddled by and full of the caterpillars of the codlin moth. Nor are apples the only fruit that are suffering, for pear tree after pear tree was examined, and in every case the presence of the pest was detected. One large tree of William Bon Chretien had its fruit riddled through and through, and all the others were more or less affected. The peaches were not so bad, but still the dreaded hole could be discovered in many, and no doubt next year thyy also will be completely destroyed. A Mesmeric Feat.— On Monday, 11th, at 8 p.m., at Wellington, Kennedy the mesmerist, placed Frederick Keating in a trance with the intention of keeping him in that state until 10 p.m. on Saturday. Keating during the time of his enforced sleep was visited by large crowds. The hall in which he was reposing has been open day and night. At various times he has been subjected to various tests, all of which failed to wake him. On Saturday he was subjected to a most severe test. A Sydney doctor (Sweet) inserted surgical scissors under Keating’s Roger nails, and strong ammonia was applied to his nostrils. Dr Sweet declared the man to be in a perfectly lit state for any surgical operation, and said that he hoped the day was not far distant when the medical profession would follow the example of the French School of Nancy. Dr OTessy, of Nelson, also examined Keating and confirmed the former statements. Precisely at 10 o’clock on Saturday night, in the presence of a large audience, Keating awakened, apparently none the worse for h : s long sleep. The New Zealand Times says that the entranced man. Keating has been twice previously in a hypnotic sleep lasting a week —once in Melbourne (where ho met Mr Kennedy) and once in Adelaide. Keating’s employment is that of tally-man in a timber yard. He has a wife and two children in Melbourne. The weight testa show that he has gained 111 b since he was first hypnotised. In mentioning Mr Kennedy’s statement that only ten people in a hundred can be hypnotised, the same paper says that a man, ou Thursday afternoon, who asked for a trial, closed his eyes slowly, as ordered, and submitted to the usual stroking of the face and nose, but was able to reapeu his eyes freely, and the hypnotist had to admit that the passes in this ease did not have the slightest effect. Our Forests. A correspondent at Nelson sends the Wellington Post the following ;—"The Government timber expert, who is now hero, has been struck with the waste of valuable birch bark on the West Coast. It is not generally known that the finest Russian leather and the best Bordeaux calf for the upper leather of expensive boots can only be tanned by the hark that wc are recklessly burning. Mr Freyberg has pointed nut a simple method of extracting the tannin in any strength that may bo required. Oak bark is daily becoming scarcer, and best leather in the old country is rising in price ; therefore , our tanners have a good opportunity before them, as birch bark can bo obtained ou the West Coast in large quantities very cheaply, and skins arc not particularly dear.” The West Const Times states that in Hokitika Mr I'reyborg was shown some mottled red pine, which ho said lie believed to be the most beautiful timber in the world. lie said he intended to suggest to the Xhremier that a suite of furniture of mottied red pine and rewa-rewa should bo made and presented to the Prince of Wales by’ the colony as a means of introducing these beautiful timbers.

Geraldine Terminating Building Society.— We understand that the first draw in this society will take place some time next month, and therefore all intend* ing new members should make a point of taking up shares at once, so as to participate in the first draw. A Disclaimer. —In our report of the last meeting of the Education Board it was mentioned that " a letter from the master at Rangitira urged that certain pupil teachers should be appointed there, despite the board’s new regulation, but the board declined the request.” The master at Rangitira informs us that he had no communication with the board as stated above. Gapes’ Valley School. —The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the Gapes’ Valley School took place on Friday last in the presence of a large attendance of children, and their parents. Bach child in the school was presented with a prize accordinng to meric, after which a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Miss Oxbey for the most efficient manner in which she had trained the children under her care, the chairman speaking highly of her abilities as a teacher. 1.0.0. F.—At the last meeting of the Victoria Lodge, 1.0.0. P., the installation of officers took place, when the following were installed by the District Deputy, Bro. J, W. Pye.—N.G., Bro. Bowkett; V.G., Bro’. J. Boughton; Secretary, Bro. Thomas ; Treasurer, Bro. J. Pye. The N.G. afterwards appointed the following Conductor, Bro. Turner ; Inside Guard, Bro. E. Fronting; Auditors, Bros. Preston, and A, E. Hardy. Fruit Evaporation,— A fruit evaporation and preserving company has commenced operations in Wanganui. Among the plant are three apple-cutters. Each one peels, takes out the core, and slices the fruit, depositing the apple down a slide into a tub ready to receive it, while the core and parings fall into another box provided for that purpose. Each machine is capable of turning out 30 bushels of fruit per diem. The services of an expert from California have been secured, and the Wanganui Herald anticipates that fruit-growers who hitherto have fed their pigs on surplus fruit will now have a market for this produce. The fruit will be paid for according to quality.

Parish op Temuka.— The Rev, T. A, Hamilton, of Ashburton, and the Rev, T. Farley, exchanged pulpits on Sunday last. At St. Saviour’s, Temuka, the Rev. Mr Hamilton celebrated Holy Communion at 8 a.m., conducted a special children’s service at 10 a.m.,andat 11 a.m. held the usual service. At the children’s service there was a good attendance, but at the 11 a.m. service the church was packed. The lev. gentleman too k for his text Mark xiv., part of the third verse: ” Then came a woman bearing an alabaster box of ointment, spikenard, very precious, and she broke the box, and poured it on His head.” On this ho preached an earnest and impressive sermon on the duty of the congregation to their church. In the afternoon he conducted a service at Rangitira Valley, and in the evening one at St. John’s Winchester. Special collections were made in aid of the general fund of the parish. The rev. gentleman’s old parishioners were glad to see him amongst them once more. In order to introduce Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy here we sold several dozen bottles on strict guarantee, and have found every bottle did good service. We have used it ourselves and think it superior to any other. W. I. Mowbey, Jarvisville, W. Va.—For sale by J. 0. Oddie, Temuka, and Morrison Bros,, Geraldine. SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. D. Maclean & Co. —Entries Temuka sale. C.F.C. Association—Entries for Temuka stock sale, N.Z.L. & M.A.Co.—Entries Temuka stock sale. Jesse Davis—Tenders for pulling down and rebuilding premises. Salvation Army Limelight entertainment by Adjutant Perry to-night. T, Wagstaff—-List of new books on sale. Mrs Charteris—Four-roomed cottage tolet. Temuka Rifles—Government parade tomorrow evening. Glasson & Co.—Particulars of salvago sale on account of Messrs N. Dunlop & Co. Temuka Mechanics Institute Annual meeting of members this evening. S.C. Board of Education—lnvite applications for female assistant at Hilton school.