LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 173, 9 November 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Judging from appearances, a stranger in onr town to-day would form a lively opinion of Oamaru. Indeed, from an early hour, it seemed a3 if migration on a large scale was taking place, troop 3 of children dressed in their neatest array, and on their best behaviour, m ending their way to the station, in charge of their natural protectors, while a swarm of town Arabs followed the perigrinations of the Caledonian Band, on it 3 tour round the town, greeting it 3 departure in the

train with a pasting yell The ■"" Carnival" and "Papakaiao" were in the 'mouths of everyone, and it was plain to be seen that something off the common was on*the tapis. Up to twelve o'clock, fully 1,503 persons had been dispatched from town, and every train which followed had each carriage crowded. The late hour at which the return was made precludes U3 from giving any particulars in this issue, but it is only fair to say that the Carnival was a grand success, and the manner in which :ill the arrangements were carried out reflects the highest credit upon those in whose charge they were. The only item missed from the lengthy programme was the appearance of Professor Belhari; but the man must indeed have been a perfect glutton who was not satisfied with the ample bill of fare provided. We are pleased to see that in the imposing array of names which constitute tie Squatters' Eing published by our contemporary this morning, there appears in the whole twenty-eight but one gentleman haling from this side of the Waitaki, that exception being Mr. Duncan Sutherland. It is mite evident that a caucus meeting was held afc the late Show at Timaru, and the combination is the result. It is also worthy of note that, with but one or two :xception=, the list published is composed of the smaller station-holders. S.J the Melbourne Cur) of 1873 i 3 an event >f fie past, and the winner of the blue riband 133 scored another victory—the wiaaing of she two events being a thing unprecedented in the annals of the Victorian turf. The j ;ime, it will be seen, was only a quarter of a second beyond that of Don Juan, who claimed :he prize in 1873, with 3min. 36sec, the rastest speed of a Cup winner. Next to Jriseis come 3 Nimblefoot in 1870, and Wo!lomai last year, both of which covere I the ground in 3min. 37sec, or three-quarters of i second in excess of that taken this year. Another feature in the victory scored by Jriseis is, that it is the first Melbourne Cup I jarried off by a mare, the nearest approach to success being that of Musidora, which run \ second in 1872 ; and it is a coincidence that die present winner Briseis is from that dam, !>y Mr. De Mestre's Tim Whiffler, the winner of the Cup in 1867. We presume it is scarcely necessary to Iraw attention to the performance which ;ake3 place to-night in the Masonic Hall, and ohe capital programme' submitted by the Dramatic Club. " Loudon Assurance "is ■me of Boucicault's best productions, and in ;he hands of our local amateurs we feel conident it will have ample justice done to it. There are 557 mile 3 of railway open for traffic in Victoria, 549 miles in New Zealand, constructed by the Golonial Govemneut, and 437 m le3 in New South Wales. The averags cost hii been —Victoria, £21,143 jer mile ; New Zealand (including rollin.-st-.ick), £9,415 ; New South Wale?, £15,579 pjr mile. For year 1575 the Victorian A.ilwiys yieldel£3 103. 7d. per cent., those >f New S.mth Wales £1 7s. lOd. per cent., ind those of thii Oo!o iy (excluding the Provincial lines) about 2\ per cent. Civilised native 3 of Queensland would indeed be a curiosity, yet the Geelonj Advertiser has seen a letber from a gentleman connected with "the Survey Department of Queensland, in which he mentions that an exploring party has discovered a new tribe of blacks in the interior, perfectly civilised with reference to houses, &c. It may be possible that they may have obtained their nore civilised ideas from some of Leichardt's

party. We have had the Champion Walkist, the Champion Talki3t, the Premier smellesS, aad now the man who prides himself upon being the Champion Glutton has been unearthed This person, we are informed, boa-st* of having the most voracious appetite of any man, black or white, south of the equator, and his public performances tend to bear out his pretensions, if swallowing fourteen dozen oysters can do it. Thjs he is said to have accomplished at Albury recently (which town claims the honor of his resilience), and appears to have regarded merely as a gentle stimulant, for the next day he devoured ten dozen, when the stock ran out; " and he expressed disappointment because he could not procure fifty dozen, which he considered a fair allowance to satisfy his appetite." However, he washed down with several bottles of stout any regret he might have entertained in finding no more oyster. shop 3 to The Albury public is further informed that he is identical with the man who devoured a sucking-pig and two turkeys, besides drinkin" a two-gallon keg of Colonial ale, at a recent wedding in South Gundagai; and, finally, " he is proud of being the Champion Glutton of Australia, and doe 3 not think much of the discernment of his fellow-colo-nists, because he was not sent to the Philadelphia Exhibition." The members of the House of Representatives have done a kind and graceful act in subscribing the sum of 100 guineas as a gift to the widow of the late Mr. John White, who represented Hokitika in the la3t Parliament. Mr. Sheehan took the matter in hand on learning that "Honest John's widow was badly providad for, and in a few hour 3 the sum we have mentioned was raised.

The Melbourne Telegraph says:—"The convict Trevarrow, who received the last

instalment of fifty lashes a fewvdays ago, at: Peritridge, is still in the prison hospital. An idea of the frightful punishment he underwent may be imagined from the fact that on his being released from the triangles he was so exhausted that he fell down, and had to be carrisd into hi 3 cell. He is now due for thirty days' solitary confinement on bread and water, but in all probability will not undergo that punishment for a little while longer. There can be no doubt that the. uu* fortunate criminal has received such a shaking to his system as will take years to get over."