THE Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1927. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10052, 10 February 1927, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1927. NEWS OF THE DAY.

The "Leader" offers an apology to many readers in the country who received their papers late on Tuesday. The motor used in the delivery had a day off, no less than three punctures occurring during the trip, which was not completed until 11 o'clock.

The lettering authorised to be done at the Temuka Library on the doors and: newspaper stands, has been completed, and Mr D. Grant yesterday afternoon gilded the lettering over the main entrance Yesterday, the Temuka Territorials returned home from Burnham, where they had been in camp for a week. They spent a very good time in camp, though a complaint was made over the food. The Temuka Borough Council gang has completed tarring and sanding the sides of King street, and were yesterday engaged in tarring and sanding the path in front of the - Temuka Library and Post Office 'and the space in front o,f the Fire Station.

Members and the public are cordially invited by advertisement to the opening ceremony of the new Library buildings, Plunket Room and Rest Room, on Saturday, 12th February, at 2.30 p.m. Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., will perform the opening ceremony.

Owing to harvesting' operations being in full swing, executive members of the Tes-muka branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union were unable to attend the monthly meeting convened for Tuesday afternoon, and the meeting lapsed for want of a quorum. The secretary of the Temuka District High School Committee has received advice from the Railway Department that the special train for the annual school picnic at Caroline Bay on Thursday .next, the 17th inst., will,, leave Temuka at 8.45 a.m., arriving at Timaru at 9.10 a.m., leaving Timaru on the return trip at 6.10 p.m., and arriving at Temuka at 6.3'9 p.m. The Timaru Municipal Band will give two programmes at GeraMine on Sunday, in aid of the funds of the local Band* Their generosity should appeal to local people, who it is to be regretted, do not givp their own Band the support it deserves. The first programme will take place in-the Park at 3.30-p.m. and the Band will also play in the Town Hall at 5.15 p.m.

At a meeting of the Geraldine District High 'School Committee held on Tuesday evening, final arrangements were made for the picnic at "Caroline Bay, which takes place to-day. Buses will leave the school at 8.30, to catch the special train st Orari, which leaves at 9.30. The return train will leave Timaru at 6.10, and will be met by buses to convey the children to Geraldine.' After a long spell of dry weather rain commenced to fall at Geraldine at 2 p.m. yesterday. The land about Geraldine is getting very dry, only, 45 points of rain having fallen In the past three weeks, and a good shower would do more good than harm. Harvesting operations are hardly in full swing yet, though many have started cutting, but the gardens are suffering in many places for lack of moisture.

At the Temuka Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, before Mr C. R. OrrWalker, S.M., William. .Richard Todd (Dunedln) appeared on remand from Timaru, to answer a charge of attempted carnal knowledge and of indecent assault of a girl under the age of 16 years. Accused was represented by Mr Mcßae, and entered a plea of not guilty to both charges. (After hearing evidence, Mr Mcßae' submitted that a prima facie case had not been made, and asked for the dismissal'of the ease, but the Magistrate held that the evidence of two independent witnesses was sufficient to put accused on trial. He was therefore committed for trial to the Supreme Court, Timaru, bail, being allowed-■■in-£IOO self and one surety of £IOO.

A costume or suit for everyone in Temuka, suits that will attract, at simply amazing prices. See C. Davidson's of advertisement, '•Charley's Aunt," which was screened at the Geraldine Municipal Theatre on Friday and Saturday evenings, drew a record attendance for the Town Hall since it was first used as a Municipal Theatre. On Saturday night, the full accommodation was made use of. The film used was a very old and dilapidated ono —on its last legs, so to speak—bill Mr Knight put it through without any perceptible break occurring; though it was evident to those who knew the play that the film had been in the wars and had suffered from amputation. A new film of the popular play«is being sent to New Zealand shortly, and Mr Knight, at the request 'of several of his patrons, has promised to put it on his list. When special pictures are shown at the week-end in Geraldine, they will be shown on Frida.y as well-as Saturday, so that those who wish to avoid the Saturday crush may have an opportunity at seeing the picture in more comfortable, surroundings.

It is estimated that South Canterbury woolgrowers will be credited with £330,000 as a result of the sale at Tim am last week.

The meeting of the Geraldine Borough Council, which would have taken place on Tuesday evening, has been postponed for a week, the Mayor (Mr J. Kennedy) having left for Palmerston North, where he is attending the Municipal Conference.

Tin ■ .Geraldine members of the Ist Battalion of the South Canterbury Regiment of the Territorials, arrived home yesterday from Burnham, where they have been in camp lor ten clays, Good weather .was experienced throughout the period.

The wheat crops this year have proved deceptive, for experienced farmers have underestimated the yields, while on the other hand a few crops have been much lower than the estimate. The best crop yet reported is that of Mr W. J. Tozer, Rangitira Valley, which has yielded 58 bushels to the acre, ■

Those who believe that the rat is one of the intelligentsia wall not cast doubt on the story related in a Home paper. An engineer env ployed in a large factory found that despite a liberal supply of oil the bearings of the overhead gearing were bone-dry every morning. Unable to suggest an explanation, he kept watch one night and saw a number of rats travel across the steelwork and thrust their tails into the oil .cups, after which they licked away' the clinging moisture with every appearance of relish. The following evening the engineer mixed poison with the oil. The rodents came again, but at the first taste scuttled- away with squeals of alarm, since when they have ceased from troubling.

Five fossilised eggs of the brontasaurus, a monster reptile, 90 feet long, that weighed forty tons, have been found in North America for the first time. L Volney Stevens, a mining engineer, discovered the treasures in a rich setting of silver and lead. Mr Stevens reported that he found the eggs in a canyon cut 6000 feet by the Yakui River in the State of Sonora, Mexico' They were about the size of ostrich eggs, and were in the process of: hatching. Each contains the fossilised embryo of an elephant-like animal of the dinosaurus group, with a well-formed trunk. No such partlyhatched specimens were ever found before.

A bather was attacked and bitten by a shark in Menzies Bay, Christchurch, yesterday. , The man, whose name is not available, but who is a labourer employed by Henry Conrad, of Menzies Bay, was in three feet of water, when a shark, ten feet long, bit him on the thigh, lacerating it badly, before being beaten off. The shark failed to secure a proper hold. The man, while trying to push the monster off with his hands, had both of them cut. by the shark's teeth. He succeeded in beating the shark off,> and got out of the water. He was taken to the' homestead of Mr H. Menzies, where he received attention, and he may yet have to go to. hospital. Menzies Bay is open to the sea, with deep water close inshore, and is a place where sharks might be expected. It is known that sharks are numerous this summer round the Peninsula and in Lyttelton Harbour, but this is the first occasion on which a bather has been attacked.

An extraordinary fracas was .witnessed in Lower High street, Blenheim, on Tuesday night, when n crowd of about thirty men stood stupidly by and watched B. Hester engaged for upwards of ten minutes ■in a deadly struggle with a dangerous m<aniae, no one offering to go to his assistance. Fortunately Mi' Hester, who has more than a little knowledge of the science of wrestling, was able to hold the man until the arrival of a constable, but once he relinquished tlie "double Nelson," which he had imposed on his opponent, the maniac took a new lease of life, and the constable had a warm time getting the handcuffs on him, having to call on two bystanders for assistance. The man was taken to. the 'police . station, where he again made a big struggle before being introduced to the cell. As a sequel to the affair, SeniorSergeant Clarkson intimated to the Bench yesterday morning that the, man was still too violent to appear, and a remand for eight days was granted. Medical attention subsequently certified him insane, and he was removed to a mental hospital. The man is a visitor to Blenheim.

The Bit Better Biscuits —Milderson's —especially Jam Tit Bit at 1/6 per lb. Try them with your next order from the grocer. Rattray and Sons, Timaru, Agents

! MR H. L. HENDRA, for many years with Tonson Garlick, furniture craftsman, Auckland, wishes to notify the public of Temuka and surrounding districts that he has taken over Mrs Beri's Cabinetmaking and Undertaking business, and hopes to give satisfaction to all customers (past and present) by manufacturing on the premises modern and up-to-date furniture with good workmanship. Mr Hendra will also specialise in shop, office and show-case fittings. Also stocking a good class of Carpets, Runners, Rugs, etc., and General Furnishings. Undertaking will be car-; ried on as usual at shortest notice, in a capable land /trustworthy manner. Telephone No, 34 Continuous,.,.,..

A Temuka motorist who went out to Mt.. Somers yesterday, reported on his return to Temuka, that very heavy rain was experienced on the trip. Light showers fell at Temuka yesterday afternoon and later in the evening.

The secretary of the Temuka Municipal Band reports that correspondence has been received from the Geraldine Brass Band, stating that they will be coming to Temuka ■on the 20th iust., to give sacred concerts during the afternoon and evening, in aid of the instrument fund of the Temuka Band. At the Domain in the afternoon band music: will be. played, but in the evening at thir Theatre, vocal items will form part of the programme.

At the Supreme Court, Palmerston North, the hearing commenced on Tuesday of one of two charges of murder against William George Sloman, that of murdering Margaret Abigail Sloman. Outlining the case, the Crown Prosecutor stated that the parties had lived at Levin for seven or eight years. On the morning of November 4th last, an employee named Strong, going to work at accused's poultry, farm, found the house, shut,,, and no , one about. On investigating, he saw accused's , son lying on the bed with his head battered. The police found Mrs Sloman and her daughter Rita in, a similar condition, and accused was in an unconscious state, having taken poison. Mrs Sloman died on the way to hospital, and Rita Sloman died later. Accused was acquitted on the grounds of insanity, and ordered to be detained in close custody during the pleasure of the Minister of Justice.

DonT~miss the two snips Morrison Bros., Geraldine, are advertising in this issue. You need a car —get busy about these.