The Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 474, 5 November 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1877.

We have lately been visited by a succession of severe north-west gales, which have had the effect of making life out-of-doors quite burdensome, whilst in-doors everything is covered by finely-divided dust, which would find its way through almost any joint, with the assistance of real live nor'westers such as we are being treated to. The gardens have become dried up until the soil is capable of being driven hither and thither at the pleasure of the wind like the sands of a desert, and the vegetation is looking decidedly sickly from being denied moisture, whilst the hot winds have sapped the ground lor some inches from the surface. It is surprising how, notwithstanding such drawbacks, the Oamaru district always ranks so high in the produc.ioii of all kinds of crops. 0 It appears that although we may have to suffer a drought and drying winds for months, we can compete successfully with other districts apparently more favored.

The popularity of the swimming baths which' have just been opened in Oamaru, thanks to the enterprise of its people, is such that, during the hours for bathing on Saturday and yesterday, there was a continuous stream of those anxious to revel iu the cool, invigorating water. It appears that, in their construction, they are a perfect success ; and the best test of this will, of cuur?e, be the patronage that will be bestowed upon them. It is intended to fit up private baths for those wno may prefer this method of bathing.

We regret to learn that Mr. W. D. Muiiion,"late editor of tlie Otago Daily Times, and brother to Mr. J. Murisou, of this district, lies dangerously ill of the complaint from whicn he has suffered so acutely of late years. There will be "no meeting of the Harbor Board on the 9th instant, it being the Prince of Wales' birthday. Mails for the Australian Colonies, per Alhambra, close at Hokitika at two p.m. on Tuesday, 6th inst.

An earthquake occurred at Timaru on Saturday night last, It was so smart as to leave no ro"m for doubt as to its identity. Its direction was south-east to north-west.

We are in receipt of Bradshaw's Guide for this month, a most useful and inexpensive publication. It contains full railway and steamboat infoi mation, itinerary, mail timetables, money order and other postal information, official directory, stamp duties, telegraph regulations, and what are termed •' Time Kdlers." In fact, there is little that one is likely to require in an ordinary way that cannot be found in this useful brochure. The Totara Station forwarded by the Waitaki on Saturday a quantity of wool of this season's clip, which will find its way to the London markets per ship Invercargill from Port Chalmers. AVe hope the day is not far distant when our growers of wool will be saved the trouble aud expense of forwarding the produce of their flocks beyond our Breakwater for shipment to England. A meeting of the North Otago Horticultural Sojiety will be held at Albion House this evening, at S a.m. Business—The appointment of judges for the forthcoming show.

The Committee of the North Otago Benevolent Society will take place this evening. Business—The consideration of the draft report and balance-sheet. A Grand Evening Concert will be given on the 9th instant (Prince of Wales''birthday), at the Masonic Hall. The programme will consist of Rossini's "Stabat Mater," and miscellaneous selections—vocal and in-, strumental. We need offer no comment as to the merit of the great work that forms the chief item in the programme, and which has seldom been performed in the colony on account of its musical difficulties, and the necessity for bringiog to bear upon its production vocalists of good voice and training. It is gratifying to know that all this can be accomplished iu Uamara. With reference to the Miscellanous selections, we understand that thej r will be as varied in style as possible, viz., part-songs, choruses, trios, duets solos, and instrumental pießesinthe form of pianoforte and violin solos. The proceeds are to be devoted to the St. Paul's organ fund.

" Mr. Edwards, the representative of the American Variety Troupe, is on a visit to Oamaru, and has made arrangements to keep the Masonic Hall open on the nights of the. days on which the N. A. and P. Association show is to take place. The company is an entirely new one to us, and we can, t erefore, only state what we are able to cull from the papers of places where it has appeared. The Timaru Herald published the following regarding the company-.—"This really excellent company finished their season of three nights at the Mechanics' Institute last Wednesday evening, when they received the well-merited applause of a crowded house." Amongfc the performers there appears to be clever imitators of Fntz and the Girards, and Mr. W. C. Hankins has again turned up as a member of the company. Onzalo, the trapezean, performs the cleverest of clever tricks in most difficult situations. We have seen him, and consider his peiforminc2 worthy of patronage.