The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 73, 15 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1876.

LOCAL AND GENERAL. ♦ According to a statement made by Sir Jtittti* Vogel in ti*e House last night, Abolition is to come into force on the 29th of September, instead of the Ist October, the latter day being Sunday, ami the 30th September is a public holiday. We are inclined to think that, with the Government supporters, the 29th September will be a holiday. The Premier also state*! last evening that the Superintendents would be provided for out ot' the revenues of the different Provinces they respectively represent, instead of out of Colonial revenue. Our local amateurs have issued a first-class bill for two nights" performances, to take place on Thursday and Friday next; the proceeds of the first night's entertainment to be given to the funds of the Oaiiiam Hospital. Amateurs, as a rule, are ambitions, and some people will thiuk. in this case, the members of the Dramatic Club have soared a little too high in selecting so heavy a piece as "Still Waters* Knn Deep," to say nothing of playing a different farce each night, but to judge by what we have seen of the Oamaru amateurs, and the preparations that are being made for these performances, we think that the entertainments will be worthy of a visit. The programme, with the full cast, appears in our advertising columns. A new industry has commenced in Oatnant —namely, wax-flower making. We notice that Mrs. Alfred Grave has opened a fancy repository in Thames-street North. The wax-flowers we have had the pleasure of inspecting are so close an imitation of nature that it would be almost impossible to detect the difference. Mrs. Grave announces that she will give lessons in the art of flower making, and no doubt m»ny young ladies in town w.U avail themselves of the opportunity to become proficient in this really useful and ornamental pastime. The Globe Combination Troupe appear at the- Masonic Hall this evening, for the first time in Oamaru. We are giveu to understand that the troupe will l>e able to play four times, instend of three, as originally intended. Arrangements have been made with Mr. Charles Kussell, who had engaged the hall for Monday, by which the company will tie able tt> appear on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings of next week.

A solitary "drank," discharged with a caution, constituted the business at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning.

"From a telegram received by Shb-Inspector M'Claakey, and kindly placed at our disposal, we learn that a laborer, named John Moran, committed suicide, by hanging himself in the Moeraki Bush, last evening. Those of our readers who may be fond of mathematical calculations will find a nice little sum to work out in the Provincial Abolition Financial Statement Bill, which will be found in another column, as telegraphed to us from Wellington. For a little bit of real complicated figuring, the provisions of this Bill cannot be excelled. For instance, if a Road Board wishes to construct a bridge, the members must ascertain if they have the funds to do it, and to arrive at this result, they must divide two-fifths of a Id. rate by a third of the subsidy derived from subscriptions at a shilling in each pound subscribed, and then add the tenth part of the Education rate to the fees paid under the 25th clause of the Scab Act. Having done this, all that remains is to substract two-thirds of the licensing fees for the current year, and add that amount to the subsidy to be paid on any rate in excess of the scale provided by the Act. For the first two years the revenue will be charged H per cent. ; for the three years, 1£ ; and then one-eighth less for each successive year. The provisions of the Bill appear quite plain to us, but we are afraid there will be found some persons who will fail to understand them. At any rate, we don't think it was worth telegraphing 800 words of this Bill from Wellington, but it is astonishing how liberal some persons are with other people's money. The Press Agency is no exception. In answer to a telegram 6ent by a committee of gentlemen who worked for Mr. Shrimski at the last general election—requesting him to stand for the office of Mayor —the following reply was received to-day: — " Gentlemen, —After due consideration I am reluctantly compelled for many reasons to decline to allow myself to be nominated for the office of Mayor. Thanking you sincerely for your confidence, I am, &c, S. E. Sheimski."

Borrowing, borrowing, borrowing is (remarks the "Lyttelton Times") in the eyes of Sir Julius, a panacea for all evil. He is a man made, not of money, but of loans : in them he politically lives, moves, and lias his being. If he cannot negotiate a loan, he will be eager to hypothecate the attempted negotiation ; and if lie fail in that, he will devote himself to Treasury Bills and overdrafts. He is a statesman of three letters—l OU. What " 'orses and dorgs" were to Mr. David Copperfield's companion on the coach between London and Dover, bonds and bills are to Sir J. Vogel. "They're wittles and drink; lodging, wife, and children ; reading, writing, and 'rithmetic; snuff, tobaccer, and sleep." Fortune would be unkind in confining him to New Zealand. He should become Khedive of Egypt, or Premier of Peru.

The financial difficulties of the Government (says the " Wellington Post ; ') appear to be thickening. Lately they tried to sell £1,250,000 of unguaranteed debentures in London, and failed. Then they tried to raise a loan of £1,000,000 on the security of these debentures, and the matter was alleged to be in suspense at the time of making the Financial Statement. It now turns out that thej' have hypothecated the whole of the unguaranteed debentures and possibly the guaranteed £SOO,OOO as well—to the Bank of New Zealand as security for an advance of £100,000,000. Verily, the Government is getting into sore financial straits. The " Ballarat Star " learns that a lady residing in that town, a countrywoman of Mdlle. de Murska, lias received intelligence from Hungary that that distinguished vocalist, who, at her recent marriage in New Zealand, with Mr. John Hill, declared herself to be only twenty-eight years old, is really either thirty-eight or forty yea-s of age. From the same source, the "Star" learns that Mdlle. de Murska, before she appeared on the stage, was married to an army lieutenant, two children being the result of the union—a son, now twenty years old, and a daughter seventeen. Not long after her marriage the talented singer went on the stage, and subsequently M. de Vivo engaged her to travel round the world and give a series of concerts under his management.

The Gisborne correspondent of the "Southern Cross" tells the following story : —"A somewhat curious and exciting scene took place last Sunday evening in the Presbyterian Church. Whilst the Rev. Mr. Root ! was in the middle of a most eloquent sermon, he was suddenly interrupted, and the congregation startled, by the frantic screaming of a female at the door of the church. Some thought it was the Maoris, othere that a fire had occurred, and to solve the problem nearly the whole of the congregation rushed pellmell out of the sacred edifice, when it was found that the female who had been shrieking so was a Mrs. Drummond, who resides a short distance from the Presbyterian Church. That lad} - breathlessly informed the congregation, who crowded round her, that her house had been broken into by robbers, and begged for assistance. This appeal was readily answered by the sterner sex, who rushed over to Mr. Drummond's house and searched every nook and corner, but unfortunately the robber or robbera had decamped and left no trace —and so the matter stands shrouded in mystery."

We have to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of Nos. 2, 3, and 4, of "Hansard," and a batch of Parliamentary papers, from the Government Printer.

The " Southland News " is responsible for the following :—" There is a polite, affable, gentleman in town who was ' awfully sold' the other day. A party" had called at his office in the matter of filing his schedule when the gentleman referred to happened to be absent. On returning to the office, this circumstance was duly reported. Not long afterwards the same person—as our friend supposed—came back, and was at once courteously and civilly told the expense would be the small sum of £6*. The visitor seemed astonished, was dumb, in fact, and a glimmering idea seemed to cross the mind of the official that there * was a screw loose,' for he put the question, 'Don't you want to file your schedule ? ' No,' thundered the other, ' I want a marriage license.' Tableaux —then prompt attendance to the wishes of that customer."

There are very few people who give humbug the credit for being the fine social power which it really is. Some time ago a County Court judge and a young barrister were travelling together to attend a session, when the judge discovered to his dismay that he had come away without that absolute necessity for the judicial wisdom—the wig. His young friend at once offered to lend him his, but his Honor suggested that if this were done the clients of the former would suffer, as legal etiquette might stand in the way of his appearing for them, - " Oh! you can easily overlook it if I apologise to the Court." So said, so done. When the first case, the only one upon which he was engaged, was called, young Briefless stood up and gravely apologised to his Honor for appearing before him in half-rig, but in the hurry, &c, &c. The judge looked grave, and seemed to consider for a few moments, a3 if he were evolving from- the depths of his legal consciousness a precedent for this proceeding, and then, without winking, said although it was against his own convictions, he did not think it would be right to punish Briefless's client negligence by depriving them valuable assistance. Briefless, also without \yunking, bowed gravely to the Bench, and went in and won. There was a rush for him among the other suitors ; and he is now leading counsel in those parts. Truly, if I had a wig, I should like to lend it to the judge.—"Atticus," in the Melbourne "Leader."

The special correspondent of the "Wanganui Herald " writes from Wellington : —The new Speaker is a little raw in the formalities of the chair, but on points of order his experience and intellectual vigor at once lead him to give the right decision with a brevity and in a manner not to be excelled, and Ms general bearing is at once kindly and firm. Alluding to Sir Julius Vogel's little bill, the "Grey River Argus" says:—But it is time that these frequent and costly trips of Ministers should cease. What would be said in England if the Prime Minister were, without saying a word to Parliament or resigning his office, suddenly to rush off to Constantisettle financial difficulties with the Sultan, and remain away for a year ? Why, he would certainly be impeached. If important business had to be done in London there is the Agent-General of the Colony to do it, if loans have to be raised there are the Crown Agents to raise them —there is no necessity whatever for a Cabinet Minister, still less the Premier to absent himself from the proper sphere of his duties. Besides, these frequent long absences very naturally induce people to ask themselves whether there is any necessity for the office at all, seeing that the Government of the country appears to go on just as well. And we fancy that when the expenses of the Premier come to be discussed, there will be some very plain speaking to the same effect. The "Lyttelton Times" learns that Mr. Monk, of the Kaikainui Hotel, at Kaiapoi, has erected at his own expense, at a cost of £SOO, works for the production of gas, which he finds afford an ample supply of good quality. It is thought it would be a good thing for the public of that place if the Borough Council would make some arrangements with Mr. Monk to light up the town, as he could j>roduce quite sufficient gas, if necessary, for that purpose.

The Wellington "Argus" remarks that the sound of the division bell is music in Mr. Stout's ears. He calls for divisions every time the voices go against him, even on the most trivial matters, and if he goes on throughout the session as he did one night last week, he will add a week or two to the length of the session.