THE EVENING MAIL. THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 338, 24 May 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL.

THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1877.

' Words are things, and a drop of ink falling upon a thought may produce that which makes thousands think."

A numerously-signed requisition has been presented to Mr. Cornelius Todd, asking him to allow himself to he nominated for the seat in the County Council rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. W. Young. Mr. Todd has eoinplied with the request. We would remind our readers that the Calcined Corkonians ■noil make their first appearance this evening, at the Masonic Hall, when the proceeds of the entertainment will be given towards the Oamaru Mechanics' Institute. A very good programme has been arranged, comprising enough of variety to please all tastes. Not the least noticable of the items on the programme are the feats of legerdemain to be pei formed by "Professor Jum Bang." Taking into account the praiseworthy object for which the performanee is given, and the known ability of many of the Corkonians, there should be a crowded house. T' late cold weather seems to have brought prominently before some persons the necessity for providing themselves with rugs. At any rate, so we should judge from matters which have come under our -notice lately. Only a few evenings ago we recorded an impudent attempt to steal one of those comforting commodities from the front of one of our leading drapers' shops. That effort was thwarted through the timely action of a couple of gentlemen. Last evening, however, some fellow seems to have succeeded in providing himself with a rug, without the necessity of paying for it. During a stoppage of one of the handsome cabs for about a minute in front of Craig's boardinghouse, and while the driver was delivering a message, the rug mysteriously disappeared, and though search was made, no trace of it, or the thief, could be found. Amateur Brass Bands are somewhat noted for the strange freaks they play at times, and it appears that the Oamaru Caledonian Band is no exception to the rule. At the parade of Volunteers to-day, in honour of the Birthday of her Majesty the Queen our men of "brass" actually commenced the proceedings by playing the-Russian National Anthem. It is true that the national melody of the Muscovites was arranged simply as a march ■ but this fact rendered its performance on the anniversary of the birthday of her Majesty the Queen none the less noticeable. Whether the band played the National Anthem of Russia out of pure love and respect to that nation, or whether its performance was done in order to conciliate the Muscovites, was not made known ; but, doubtless, when the fact of so much honour having been done to the Russians on so great an occasion becomes known to the Czar, he will give strict orders for Oamaru not to be molested in case of hostilities being entered upon between England and Russia. In this way the blowing of the band may be of more service to the town than the powder of our Volunteers. There is a wonderful amount of forethought in the brain of some member of the local brass band, and we should like to take the far-seeing young man by the hand, and give him a friendly grip.

The regular meeting of Lodge Waitaki, 1111, E.G., Masons, will be held this evening at half-past 7 o'clock. A public ball, in celebration of the Birthday of her Majesty the Queen, will take place at the Volunteer Hall this evening, the arrangements in connection with which are of a very complete nature. Mr. T. R. Proctor, of Christchurch, is at present on a visit to Oamaru, with a quantity of jewellery, which he will have on sale at the offices lately occupied by Messrs. Swanson and YVarburten at the Star and Garter Hotel. The Bruce Herald tells of a sportsman who got benighted at Wayne's Creek, near the mouth of the Tokomairiro river, and made direct for a light he saw in the distance with the result that he got firmly embedded in a marsh. He remained there till three o'clock the next mornirg, and when he was released by a search party, he resembled an Egyptian mummy very much. There is now on view at the Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, a washing machine, the invention of Mr. Fraser of that cifc y Mr. Fraser (says the Argus) has just got letters patent for this invention, and has placed it at the Chamber of Commerce in order that everyone who wishes may inspect it. The machine is a most simple arrangement, and is on the wringing-machine principle. It has been tested, and found to be superior to any machine they have tried. It has one advantage. It does not damage the clothes put through, as there is only pressure and no friction in the process. It can be fixed to any kind of tub, and its cost is trifling. The Guardian says :—" The painful case of the death of the gardener Smith from blood-poisoning has had a sorrowful sequel. The Rev. Dr. Stuart appeared as a witness at the Police Court yesterday in connection with a very distressiug case. Three little children, named Charles, Jessie, and Mary Smith, appeared on the floor of the Court charged with being neglected. Dr. Stuart j stated that they were the family of the unfortunate man who had died some time since from blood-poisoning, the result of a scratch received while exhuming the remains of the late Dr. Huline. Since the death of her husband, the mothsr of the children had given way to drink, and on Saturday evening last a visit to the home of the bereaved family in Castle-streefc revealed a deplorable state of affairs—Mrs. Smith lying in a helpless state from drink, while her youngest child was undergoing a perishing process, uncovered in a cradle. The worthy doctor at once interfered, handing the children over to the charge of a neighbour, and calling the attention of the police to the state of affairs. A promise was exacted from the mother, who appeared in Court, to the effect that she should amend her conduct for the future, and on these conditions her family was restored again to her control. This is a case of total desolation descending on a family with the death of the breadwinner, protector, and guide. We have already urged the claim of these poor children on those who have inherited the great wealth of the late Dr. Hulme, for it is impossible to dissever the death of poor Smith from its cause. We have heard that the claim has been represented somewhere or to someone interested in those bequests; but whatever may be the ultimate result, we have here, in the meantime, this immediate scene of wretchedness and ruin. A little timely help, judiciously given, might have spared this. Now, the prospects of those poor orphans is a very dreary one."