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North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 40, 24 November 1864, Page 2

Errata —In oui lepoit last week of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr Hunter's sheep ought to have been termed "puie Leice-iters." At the dinner, the name of Mi II B. Mai tin was substituted for that of Mr Main, solicitoi, Dunedin. 'We legiet to state that T. W. Parker, Esq , the respected Resident Mngi.stiate of this district, was seized with illness while officiating in the English Church on Sunday last, in the absence of the Rev. A. Gifford, but quickly lecoveied, and is able to attend to his duties. Mi Paikei's duties consibt not only in acting as magistiate of the distuct, but al-»o m discharging the functions of cleik to hw own Bench, Wlien it is considered that lie also acts as Coioner, and Registiar of Births, Deaths and M.uiiages, he ceitainly has his own shaie of public duty to poifoim, and somewhat nioie. The issuing summonses, keeping registers, &c, are of a clencal kind, inconsistent with the duty and diguity of a nitigintiato, aud the position held by Mr Parker is not onl\ anonialoiii but exceptional. In other distiicts, such as, TokomuiiLo, Waikouuih, Timaru, &c., there is a cleik to the Bench, and we do not know why this one should form an e\.e?ption to the rule. The duties iequned 'lie alri'iiilj suffii lently numeiousto call for such an addition to the (Joint establishment; and were they not so, the town and distuct aie so fast incieasing that it will eie loiij; become imperative. The state of the Court House accoinriodation also requires comment. The building, although a new one, is not in good repair. A poition of the fiont wall is cracked, and said to be in dau»ei of falling down, and the roof admits water; theie is no inagistiate's loom, for the small, dingy, smoky, uni'omfoi table place at present so called, ib quite unsuited for the puiposo. There ought to be a commodious loom fit foi the accommodation of the whole Bench, eipcied at the side of the Court House, and the piesent small loom (being first made habitable) could be appiopiKited to the cleik. Moreover, the Court House itself should he made somewhat to resemble what it is called. AB< nch should be erected, a witness box, and a dock for piisoneis, tho whole sufficiently separated from the body of the Couit. These aie matters which piobably on the repiesentation of the bench of magistiates to the Kvecu'ivo, would meet prompt attention. The piesent of affaus we can only ascribe to some oversight. J

A coi respondent "-.ays —" Happily the moneys required foi your liaibor unpiovements weie not grudged by the Council, and will, 1 hope, be judiciously expended. The sum demanded does not seem quite adequate to the woiks pi nothing less than which can, I fancy, be of much u>,e to } ou. If the total cost does not far exceed the estimate, Mr Balfour may be put down as a model eugineei, and the fact shall be recorded as something new in the lmtoiy of Provincial works."

The advei tisement by the District Secretary to the Exhibition, lcpeated in our piesent issue, requires the immediate attention of exhibitors. Exhibits will not be received by the Commissioners later than the 12th Decembei, and therefoie no time is to be lost in complying with the lequest contained in the advertisement.

Our i eadei s will see by an advei tisement in this issue, that a cheque drawn by Mr W. G. Filleul on the Bank of New South Wales, Dtiaediu, in favor of Mi- Pike for £25, dated "2nd Xovenihei inst., has been lost, and payment is bto]>ped fit the Bank.

"We are requited to announce that Mr Flatnank will held divine son ice (13 V.) on Sabbath first, at 3 p.m., in the open ,vi, in Tjne street, between the stores of Messrs Dilg-ty \nd Should the weather not be piopitioiiN, th., service will be held m Messrs Cat gill and Go's ne ,, / store, whicl* Mr Black hae kindly offeiod for the occa-ion.

In a shoit time the sub-enumerators under the Census Act will cull upon householders for their schedules of the paitioulais of the infoimation requiied from each towards tho maso o£ information which the census returns aie intended to contain. The statistics sought for will, wh 3ii accumulated, be of the greatest value; and it is hoped that householders will carefully make the return;, requned. When not competent to do so themselves, they should seek atshtance to complete their schedules.

/We learn that Messrs Parker have bought Mr Pyke's station, known as Elephant Hill, on the Waitaki, for £10,700, with 9000 sheep, a few head of cattle, horses, and all impiovemonts. The stock has been delivered over to the purchasers under the superintendence of Mr Jas. Home.>

f Our leaders will observe by the report of the last meeting of the School Committee, that there is some difference of opinion as to the rate of school fees which should be fixed for the current term. For our part we hold that a medium rate—that which is at present in operation—is best, and that it is not good policy to bo always changing it. The battle of fees has to be fought at the next meeting of committee, on 22nd prox., when it is hoped that there will be a full muster of the members, in older that the matter may be satisfactorily settled. If any of the public outside should, meantime, wish to express opinions on the subject, our columns are open to tJieuy'

Wβ understand that the contract for levelling Teesjrcreet at the expense of the proprietors, has been let to Thomas Everett for Ll 62 18s 4d. The tenders were— James Oliver, L 30 0; W. M'Murray, L2lO 10s ; Thomas Everett, L 162 18s 4d; Andrew Chalmers, L 39 10s; John Brennan, L3OO ; Jas. T. Anderson, L 25 9; Sumpter aDd Kelleher, L 19 5; John Sharkie, L 215. A good example is certainly shown by the holders of ground in the above named street, but although such impiovements are highly desirable, they cannot always be made from private resources. This example will seive to show the Government that improvements in the town are much needed, and the public must be pi epared next session to go to the Provincial Council and ask for a grant (not a loan, but a moderate grant) for the town, for works urgently required./

In the Resident Magishate's Court, on 18th iiist., before Messrs T. W. Parker, R.M., and Hassell and Valpy, J. P., George M'Leod pleaded Guilty to furious riding in the street on lGth inst., and was fined £2; the fine was paid.—John Munay was accused of perjury while on examination as a witness before the Bench on the 14th inst. The only witness examine , ! Nt this hearing was Thomas Kobertson, farmer, Otepopo, who spoke to some conversation between him and the accused relative to a quantity of posts. At the request of the accused, the case was adjourned to Thursday, the 24th inst. On Tuesday, Nathaniel Tapling was charged with being drunk and disorderly on the previous night, and was fined for being di unk 20s; and foi using obscene

language, 40a,

/ Our readers will see by the report of the meeting of shareholdei s of the Building Society, that the whole of the 750 shares have been eagerly taken up, and we believe there is still a demand. Of course the more shares that are taken, the stronger will be the Society, and the sooner it will be wound up. If this place itself has so quickly taken up 750, it might be well to consider whether the number of sb.nes should not be still further increased on payment of a small fine or premiums

The " Gazette " of 16th inst. notifies that Crown Grants foi land, and in. favor of the persons after-named, are now ready for issue : —Bio ir, "William, section 27, block X, Oamaru. Bruce, James, section 9. block IX, Do. Falconer, James, section 23, block X. Do. Fenwick, F. and W., section 1, block I, Oamaru District. Hill, Christian, section 11. block IX, Herbert. Johnston, John, section 8, block IX, Hawkesbury. Lemon, Charles, section 10, block XVI, Oamaru. Marshall, Anthony, section 11, block IX, Do. Reid, Thomas, section 7, block X, Do Ross, John, section 9, block 111, Hawkesbury. Rowley, T., Hamilton, J., and Wayne. F , section 23, block IV, Hawkesbury District. Sidon, Henry, section 7, block IX, Oamaru Sutherland, Donald, sections 1 and 2, block XXVIII, Herbert. Wilson, Henry, section 25, block X, Oamaru. Davis, Oscar, section 6, block I, Herbert. Davis, Thomas, sections 16 and 17, block XVlir, Palmerston. Floyd, James, section 12, block XIV, Kampden. Fraser, "William, sections 31 and 12, block XX, PJmerstoa. Fraser, William, section 20, block XII, Do. GrenfeD, Michael, section 19, block IV, Oamaiu. Harrison, William, section 13, block XVI, Do. Hayne, W. R., section 3, block XLIII, Hampden Hille, Christian, section 7 block I, Herbert. Johnston, John, sections 7 and 9, block IX, Hawkesbiuy. Lemon, Chailes, sections 12 and 1.3, block XVI, Oamaru. Murcott, William, sections 6 and 7, block XXXV, Hampden. Wade, Richard, section 12, block XXXVI, Do. Watson, Andrew, sec tiou 2, block XLIII, Do. Wright, Andrew, section 5 block XIX, Hawkesbury. Young, John, section 8. block XXII, Palmerston.

The stewaids of the Oamaru Races having investigated the objections made against Poison receiving the stakes for the Hack Huidle Race, decided that Poison was disqualified, and aw aided the stakes to the second horse.

An advertisement in this paper informs the pub'i i that Messrs Royse. Mudie and Co., having leased the premises of Mi H. France, in Tyne street, will open :v branch house heie on Ist December proximo, under tin management of Mr Blundell.

The stroDg feeling which exists about the waste ef rnonpy on the Exhibition Building, and the unpopt. - larity (ai ising from vanous causes) of the Royal Commissioneis, has acted very piejudicially to the interests of the Exhibition itself The Council, actuated by thesd feelings—one section being led by that eager politiciaa Major Richardson, and another by the quietly-exerte i influence of Mr Macandiew, who sees nothing good in a scheme which did not 01 lginate with himself has r< - fused to vote- any fin ther supplies for the Local Committee. The feeling on the subject was so strong aad co evident, that the Government found it prudent to withdiaw the item. A sum which was also on the Estimates for the purchase or hh c of a quartz-crushing machine for an experimental test of the quartz rocks and auriferous cements of the Piovince, was lefused tlirough the same feeling, the proposition having originated with the Local Committee.

"We learn from the " Times" that the City of Hobarfc has brought to the Province another selection of Raribonillet iams, similar to those recently imported by tlo same vessel. "The piesont lot are imported by Mr Gleeson, under charge of Captain Darby, who is entrusted with then transmission by the breeders, Messrs De Giaves aud Co , of Coliban Park, and who is erapoweied, with Messrs Driver, Maclean and Co., to receive orders for the few remaining lots. Already ttis breed of Merinos has been impoited, from the same source, by Mr Bastin and Mr Harvey, of South Lint, and from the fact of their being admirably adapted to improve in fleece and caicase the New Zealand flocks, there is little doubt of still more extensive importations being made, though it is only a few of the proper which are this season left for sale."

The "Times" «ays that Messrs Hoyt and Co mnde trial on Friday of theii large new coach, the " Abbor." Nearly forty gentlemen were invited to the trial trip, and Mr Shepherd drove the splendid team of six horses in excellent style to the Water of Leith, back through the town to the Anderson's Bay Hotel, returning to ttie Empire Hotel at about five o'clock in the afternoon. The coach runs very smoothly, and the passengers expressed themselves highly gratified with the trip.

By pioclamation in the " Government Gazette," Jchn Cargill, Esq , MP.C, is appointed Acting Provincial Spcietary, during the absence of James Paterson, Esq., from the Province.

The " Daily Times " summary says—The Annual Inhibition of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held at Oaroaru, on Tuesday, the 10th inst. This was certainly the first local society of xhe kind formed in the Province ; and from the excellence of the land in the Oamaru district, and the spirit of the runholders, agriculturists, and others, it canrot be doubted that the futui c of the Society will be grer tly successful and most beneficial to the whole Province. The distr'ct is somewhat famed for its Merino sheep, anr» these formed the great point of attraction in the showyard. Other kinds of sheep were well represen' cd.

We learn from the " Wakatip Mail " that Messrs, Cobb and Co, have again Lid on a bi-weekly coach between Kingston (Lake Wakatip) and Invercargill, and reduced the fare to L4.

The ''Daily Mail" states that business in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, has been in an unsatisfactory state for some tirae in consequence of the continued illness of Sir Strode, which is much regretted. It is complained that there is .no regular attendance ou the part of the Bench, and that the business altogeth ?r is conducted in a very hiegular manner. Consideiing the quantity of business with which the Court is ally crowded, it cac readily be believed that the want of the regular attendance of a police magistrate w ill be very much felt,