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Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 344, 31 May 1877, Page 2

It is comforting to know that; in the turmoil of Avarlike trouble, the clanging of bayonets, and the booming of guns, on the Continent—not unmingled with considerable anxiety on the part of Great Britain as to the course events are likely to assume as regards herself—we are thought of. A telegram received to-day announces that our harbour defences are to receive attention at the hands of the home Government. We direct attention to an alteration of the mail notice in another column, intimating that a supplementary mail for Europe, for transmission via Christchurch and San Francisco, will close here at 9 a.m. to-morrow. The outward mails via Suez will close on Saturday morning at 6 o'clock. Mails for Melbourne, per Albion, will close at the Bluff at II a.m. to-morrow. The appointment of Mr. William Fidler to the Oamaru Grammar School was confirmed by the Education Board at its meeting yesterday. The Chicago Minstrels, who have won such a rejratation, and succeeded so eminently pecuniarily during their tour up north, will give an entertainment on Tuesday evening next, it the Masonic Hall. As this will be their only appearance in Oamaru, we would advise those who are in love with good vocal music well sung to patronise them. J

A special meeting of the Harbour Board will be held on Friday morning, !for the purpose of investigating the charges preferred by Mr. Lemon against one of the members of the Board. '"? .

Larrikinism in one of its worst phases is still rife in this town. -An advertisement in this issue announces a reward of £5 to any person or persons who shall give such information as will lead to the conviction of the person or persons who, on the night of the 29th or 30th inst., uprooted five trees growing in the public gardens, Tyne-street. Such wantonness is surely the work of boys of immature years. We can hardly imagine that boys approaching manhood would be guilty of perpetrating this act, and yet the damage done must have necessitated more than childish effort and strength. We trust that the offering of the reward will have the desired effect, and that the birch or other suitable means of punishment will be administered to the culprit or culprits in such a manner that it will not only be remembered by them, but will have a salutary effect upon others possessing similar proclivities. It is a shame that the Council should be thwarted in their endeavors to ornament the town and provide the means of recreation for the public ; and we therefore trust that the action of the Council in offering the reward will have the desired effect. The whole of the banks and business places, with a few exceptions, have been closed throughout the day in consideration of it being the fast day of the Presbyterian Church. The usual service was held in St. Paul's Church this morning, and was largely attended. The sermon was preached by the Rev. David Borrie, who is at present supplying Waiareka. The rev. gentleman took as his text the Bth verse of Matthew V.— "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." The sermon was a very good one, and was preparatory to the Communion Service which takes place on Sunday morning next. Another service in connection with the Fast-day will be held this evening at half-past six, when the same gentleman will preach.

An impudent theft was perpetrated this morning, at about a quarter to eleven o'clock, at the house of a gentleman residing in Humber-street. It seems that during the temporary absence of the lady of the house, the thief, after having taken a quiet walk round the garden, during which he trod down some of the plants, betook himself to an outhouse, and cheekily appropriated a coat belonging to the landlord. After having annexed unto himself the garment in question, the fellow left the premises, carrying the stolen property hanging over his arm. He then paid visits to the gardens of other residents in the same locality, culling a number of flowers, no doubt for the purposes of placing in the buttonhole of the coat he had just stolen. During one of these little horticultural escapades, he was seen by the lady of the house from whence the coat had been stolen. She at once gave information to her husband, who, in his turn, informed the police of the matter, the result being that the fellow was arrested a few minutes afterwards with the coat in his possession. We have been unable to ascertain the name of the thief, but we believe he is an old offender, having only recently been released from the Dunedin Gaol, with the interior of which he has become pretty well acquainted. He was dressed in habiliments of the most shabby description, and was in a state bordering on drunkenness at the time of his arrest. He will interview his Worship to-morrow morning.

The Otago Daily Times seems to have blundered famously over the late fatal accident at Timaru. In that paper Mr. J. F. Nixon is reported to have shot himself; a telegram from Timaru, in the same paper, states that Mr. T. Nixon has been the victim. The Guardian's information, however, appears to have been correct, for it publishes a telegram to the effect that an unknown individual of the name of Nixon, supposed, from papers found on the body, to have been a great chess-player, has been killed, the whole affair being wrapped up in mystery. We are glad to be able to state that Mr. J. F. Nixon, the late popular landlord of the Criterion Hotel in Dunedin, is still alive, and must express condolence with him for the loss of a brother, and with chess-players generally for that of one who has taken so much interest in, and done so much to forward, the knightly game in New Zealand. The Guardian of Tuesday has the following : —"A case of some interest to railway travellers was heard and decided at the City Police Court yesterday. About a fortnight ago Mr. Wilson, brewer, of this city, paid a visit to Balclutha, and on his return journey, being unable to show his ticket to the railway officer at Caversham, and refusing to purchase a fresh one, proceedings were insti- j

tuted by the railway authorities against him. According to the evidence, Mr. Wilson had but little experience in railway travelling. He had taken out a return ticket, and this he believes he gave to someone at Stirling. On his arrival at Caversham he presented the collector with his business card in lieu of his ticket, and on the train reaching Dunedin he resolutely objected to pay his fare twice over, notwithstanding the promise that if he recovered his lost ticket the money would be refunded. A fine of Is. was imposed, the Bench holding that the railway regulations had been infringed; but as it was submitted that Mr. Wilson had paid his full fare, the claim for the 13s. demanded by the collector at Dunedin was not insisted upon."