The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 78, 21 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1876.

LOCAL AMD GENERAL. It is notified that a select harmony entertainment will tic given this evening, by the Resette Lodge. 1.0. G.T., in the Oddfellows* Ha|l,.eommeiieiug at eight o'clock. A varied programme has been prepared, which should draw a large attendance. -""- A special meeting of the Shearers' Union is announced to be held in the Mechanics' Institute, to-morrow evening, at eight o'clock. The postal authorities intimate that British and other mails, via San Francisco, will close at the post office. Oamaru, on Tuesday next, the 23th inst., at 4 a.m. Money orders and registered letters the previous day at 4 p.m.. and newspapers at S p.m. The postage on letters for the United Kingdom, via Brindisi, has l>ecn reduced to Sd. per half ounce; newspapers under four ounces in weight, 2d. The Lotteries Bill, passed by the Legislative Council, forbids, under a penalty not exceeding £IOO. any "person, under any pretence from denomination or description whatsoever, to sell or dispose of, or agree or promise, whether with or without consideration, to sell or dispose of, any lands or tenements or any estate or interest therein, or any ahip or vessel goods ware or merchandise whatsoever" to or among any person or persons whomsoever, by means of any game either of skill or chance or of any other contrivance or device whatsoever whereby any such lauds or tenements or estate or interest therein, or any ship or vessel goods wares or merchandise, shall be sold or disposed of, or divided or allotted to or among any person or persons, by lottery or chance, whether by the throwing or easting of any dice, or the drawing of any ticket* cards l»ts numbers or figures, or by means of any wheel, or otherwise howsoever.-' The only exception is in favor of gentrtno art ttnfons, held under warrant from the Attorney-Genera!. The Canterbury contingent (writes the Wellington correspondent of the "Guardian ") evidently consider themselves the elite of the House. They sit nearly all together, on the left of the Speaker's chair—occupying the back benches. The most marked figure is that of Stafford."who sits against the wall, about half-way down the side benches. He looks younger this year than for some time back, but not more amiable. So far he has said little, and does not seem comfortable. Conspicuous in a velveteen shooting coat and heavy moustache, which be spends much time in training, is the member for Geraldine, who evidently considers himself a representative man. He takes many notes of the proceedings, without apparently making any use of them, and when the new members are in any way referred to, he draws himself up and looks dignified. The approach of an attack of speaking is always to be recognised in the way in which this member's hair gets rumpled by the passing of his left hand through it, and-"a certain wild rolling of the eyes for some time previously. When he does speak he has not much to sav, and says it in a solemn, impressive way, and in a tone which is rather too assuming for a young man. He is a man of few acquaintances, and seems to consider himself fairly* installed in the position of lieutenant to Stafford, whom he invariably consults before speaking, and always turns to for approval when he sits down. His speaking is far from forcible, and not even effective. He is affected with a special horror of Rees, who sits where he can stare in his face. If a glance could wither, Rees would be nowhere.

A good story is told ahont the late Saltan of Tnrkey, who has jnst ended his career by committing suicide, while captive, and confined in a fortress, that became his residence in the meantime. His children received instructions in French, and from a professor who daily visited the prison for that purpose. Abdel was so pleased with this teacher that he startled the abactions fellow one day by presenting him with one of his wives. The poor sool, who, by the way, was already provided with a wife, and one possessing a good

share of that superfluous temper for which Xantippe is so widely celebrated, was not particularly rejoiced with the Emir'a generosity, ancl'had the greatest difficulty to make him understand why he could not accept the gift, or why hi3ey csan<l BCal P would be in danger if he ventured to introduce a second wife into his household.

A Bill regulating the practice of medicine in Sandwich Islands is now before the Parliament of that Kingdom. It is entitled "An Act to secure intelligent medical and surgical treatment, and to insure a more general and useful dispensation of medicine." It provides that any licensed physician shall be compelled to visit any sick person whenever called, excepting when sufficient cause can be shown to the satisfaction of any cornpotent court of jurisdiction for refusing to attend. Physicians will not now have to auk beforehand, " Who is going to pay their hfUi ?" for it is here provided that the Board of Health shall be authorised to pay them a reasonable compensation for their services when called to visit the actually destitute.

The London correspondent of the Auckland "Star," writing by tiie last mail, draws the following gloomy picture :—"Things are pretty black in the commercial line at present. There is no break in the clouds. The dull grey of ' bad times' is unrelieved by a single ray of sunshine. Railway traffic returns are on the wane, and iron and coal companies are mostly working at a loss. Big failures are rolling up in every direction, and prices are so low that the present rate of wages will not permit of contracts being taken. The consequence is that lots of work is going abroad, and yet the workmen are such lunatics that they can't for the life of them see that they are cutting their own throats. Most of the biggest and most important trade unions of the men are in a hopeless and abject state of bankruptcy; only the men, who are not professional • figuri3ts,' can't see it, and go on paying in their money, and fancying they are providing for old age, whereas they are merely contributing to the support of their idle fellows. .Such is life, dear boy."

The Christchurch " Star," under a full heading " Flogging in a Gaol," gives the following account of a thrashing three boys recently received : —" A bran new triangle and two maiden cats having been provided, and the surgeon being in attendance, the boy Donnell}' was first called upon. Not comprehending exactly the nature of the entertainment, he stepped boldly to the triangle, and was duly triced up. The first stroke elicited a yell of pain, and each succeeding sweep of the cat produced similar but rather more emphatic, exclamations. When the dozen was complete, his back presented a mo3t uninviting appearance, every tail of the cat having inscribed its mark, and he was quite undeceived as to there being any species of joke in the matter. He was succeeded by Pearson, who had previously been watching the proceedings with lachrymose interest. The yells of this boy were, if possible, louder than those of Donnelly, although the instrument employed was lighter, the boy appearing rather more delicate. Last came the ringleader, Falloon, to whom a double dose had been awarded. He stepped shuddering to the triangle, and even before the first lash fell did his utmost to akirm the neighbourhood, but writhings and shrieks were futile. A short pause, however, was allowed by the doctor, who was present during the whole of the punishment, to give the patient some water, but as it was found that he was still capable of enduring the remainder of his sentence, the full amount of strokes were duly delivered.

A Wellington correspondent of the "Marlborough Times" gi\-es the folio wing pen-and-ink sketch of the member for Auckland City East:—As many know, from intercourse with liim in Melbourne, on tho West Coast, and in Auckland, he is a comparatively young man, comparatively gifted with "gab," and by no means comparatively tnode3t. He is not a "dare devil," but he is distinctively a " fear nothing" where fools rush in and angels fear to tread. In the House the style of his exits and his entrances betoken outwardly the inward character of the man. American in his attire, with velvetcollared surtout of ample skirt, and prominent waist-bands of stiffly-starched linen, he marches, rather than walks, into the House, with that pronounced step which is sometimes seen on the stage. In speaking, he commands sufficient attention by his clear but Yankeefied enunciation, or, when that fails, by the loudness of his voice, and the "fustian" of his thoughts. Beneath him—far beneath him—he sees the Ministry wallowing in corruption; within himself a Hercules : and above him, the Colony, the Colonies, Europe, the world, and aU the gods looking on at the spectacle in which he on the one hand, and the Ministry on the other, are active parcipators. The fecundity of the hare is beginning to make itself disagreeably perplexigg. to large estate owners. Two gentlemenioccupying large station properties in the BallSrat district are (says the " Chines GuardiafT")„already in great plight as they watch their rapidly vanishing grass falling under the mowing teeth of the little depredators, aiid purpose next season taking active stepsrto exterminate their tormentors. In the Western District they seem to multiply exceedingly, for the other day there were counted sixty-nine of them within a distance of less than two miles and within a few yards of the public road. "•