The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 487, 20 November 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1877.

What is an explanation ? That is a question which seems to be somewhat difficult to answer ; at any rate we are compelled to think so after reading our morning contemporary's explanation in reference to the horrible hash it made yesterday in essaying to report the cricket match played at Timaru on Saturday afternoon between tlie boys of the Oamaru Grammar School and those ox the Timaru Grammar School. Our contemporary, in the fulness of its guileless nature and superabundant confidence in its own immaculateneas, cannot see that it is to blame, and endeavours in its very peculiar fashion to fix the blame on the Evening Mail. It says it has been the victim of misplaced confidence. So it been the victim of misplaced confidence in its own knowledge of how to write cricket locals. It started out by taking a portion of its information about the match in question from the Mail ; but, evidently anxious to cive it the semblance of originality, it introduced a few words which entirely negatived the correct information which it obtained from our columns. If our contemporary had been satisfied with the information derived from the Mail it would not have been compelled to parade so much ignorance of the school establishments of the town. For our contemporary's information we may say that Windsor School is an Oamaru establishment, and is kept by Mr. Ansted. The match which we reported on Saturday was played in Oamaru, and not at I ijtKU'u. Had the reverse been the case, it would have been impossible for us t» have published the scores, unless we obtained them by telegraph, In conclusion, we may say that we have not the slightest objection to our contemporary making use of cricket scores that appear in our papar,. for it is pretty generally understood that the various clubs tiiink it unnecessary to supply them to more than one paper ; but we do most decidedly object to our contemporary twisting information gleaned from our columns into utter nonsense, and then endeavouring by hints in an underhand manner to fix the blame for its own errors upon us.

Mr. Larnach proposes, in his Financial Statement, to reduce the salary of the Premier from LI 750 to LIOOO, and that of Ministers from LJ.250 to LIOOO. One of the steamers is to be disposed of publicly. The salaries of necessary officer in the Civil Service are not to suffer reductions, but offices are to be consolidated where possible. The calm which has prevailed lately in regard to the practice of sly-grog selling is about to be followed by a storm. At the Kesident Magistrate's Court this morning, Mrs. Scott, boardinghouse-keeper, of Severnstreet, was charged with a breach of the Licensing Act; but the case was remanded until Friday, when, we understand, a number of similar cases will also come under the notice of ihe Court. We are not at liberty co mention the names of the offenders, as the whole of the summonses have not yet been served, but we may say that most of them are tolerably well known. The non-arrival yesterday at the proper time of the train which leaves Timaru at 2 p.m. occasioned some little speculation as to the cause of the delay. It appears that the engine became disabled at JSTormanby owing to°two of the steam pipes getting out of order, and, in consequenee, the train was detained there until the Arrival of the late train, which brought on tlie disabled engine and carriages. The engine has since been repaired, and is again in thorough working order.

Mails for Australia per Arawata close at the Bluff at 11 a.m. on Thursday next. Mails for United Kingdom via San Francisco, per Zelandia, close at Auckland at 10 a.m. to-morrow.

Some lads who were fishing at the Breakwater to-day hauled to the surface a rather unwelcome monster in the shape of a shark measuring several feet. The line, however, was not sufficiently strong to_ bring the monster on to terra firma, and it succeeded in getting away, taking the hook and a porof the line with it.

There was a fair attendance at the weekly meeting of the St. Paul's "i'oung Men's Association last evening. Mr. D. Fleming occupied the chair. Mr. M'Donald delivered a very interesting lecture on "A Tour through Scotland," which was favorably criticised by those present. Mr. S. Smith having resigned the position of secretary, Mr. C. Cooke was chosen to fill the vacancy.

The programme put forward by the newly-formed Waitaki Amateur Athletic Club is a very liberal one, and should produce a good day's sport, the prizes being of a sufficient value to induce a large number to en U.-r for the various contests. Already several of our amateur athletes are known to be in active training, and others are getting themselves intJ proper form quietly.

In the cause of humanity we draw attention to the natural bitter water of Friedrichshall, from t'-e mineral springs of Germany, in the hope that in doing so we may be the means of inducing those for whose complaints it is said to be a specific to give it a trial. It is one of the waters that possess so many attractions to invalids, who, at the

instigation of their medical advisers, crowd to Germany in order that they may seek to' obtain relief from their numerous ailments, which have resisted the influences of ordinary medical treatment alone. There is no longer necessity to travel to these waters at an expense which could only be afforded by the opulent. They are brought to our very doors, and the facility with which we <-an acquire them is such that we are too apt to under-estimate their value. We are led to believe that the Friedrichshail water is worthy of this notice from the many attestations from celebrated members of the medical faculty published in a pamphlet by Messrs. Lange and Thoneman, DuneJin, the agents for this water. From amongst these we extract the following: —"The chlorides of sodium and magnesium and bromide of magnesium which the bitter water of Friedrichshail contains, places it amongst the most efficacious in Europe, and I regard this spring as a real treasure, whose great value must be recognised by all who have experienced its salutary and benefic.al effects. — Justus Von Liebig." Pamphlets may be procured gratis on application to Messrs. , Lange and Thonemaii, Dunedin. Thus expatiates a Wellington paragrapher to a Northern paper: "It is amusing to watch the tactics of the whips on both sides to obtain votes. Never before was one vote worth so much as at the present time. | Nothing under a billet of L3OO a year, or a loan—say of Lloo—is of any use. Even this, in one case that I know of, only secured a vote on condition that the division took place at a certain time. One member had promised his vote to the Opposition, and the other side made him an offer. _ He replied: 'No, I cannot accept ; I promised them my vote if the division took place before halfpast twelve. After that lam at liberty to treat with you.' Comment in a case like this is needless, but what can be said of constituencies which return such men ?" We take thefollowingfrom the Agricultural Gazette :—Mr. Meclii lias sent us the following note, addressed to himself : —" Sib, — After 25 years in Australia, New Zealand, North, South, East, and West of America, and the. Canadas, and having paid much attention to sheep and homed stock, to the introduction of the Llama and Alpaoa into the Colonies, 1 met with a stock breeder in America who, after 25 years of close attention, has perfected the breed of pure merinos by a very simple mode of treatment, so that the meat has become much richer in flavor, full weight of carcases, and weight of fleeces not to be seen in any other country, except just now a few in New Zealand, sent by way of San Francisco, and a further supply about to be sent in September next. I have some of the fleece from this year's clip by mail last week, with a return of the weights of some 92 shorn when my letter was posted. [ can vouch for the accuracy of the weights, however incredukms any breeders may be as to such clips. The following are the declared weights of ninety-two fleeces, June- 22, 1877 :—Rams two years 01d—321b., 301b. Soz., 301b., 251b. Soz., 201b. lion., 201b. lloz., 201b. 90z., 201b. 70z., 191b. 150z., 191b. loz., lSlb. lorsoz., lSlb. 150z., lSlb. Goz., lSlb. 50z., lSlb. 50z., lSlb. loz., lSlb., l_7lb. llez., 171b. 3oz. Ewes ofanyage—2Slb., 271b., 241b., 231b., 221b., 211b., 201b., 181b. Soz., 171b. 50z., 15lb. looz., 151b. lOoz., 151b. 10oz., 151b. 120z., 151b. 120z., 1511). lOoz., 151b. Soz., 151b. Soz., 151b. loz., lolb. 4oz. Besides 13 fleeces 14lb to 141b. looz., and 30 fleeces 131b. soz. In all my travels these fleeces are not to be surpassed.—Py. H. Drew. " The sheep above referred to as having been sent to New Zealand are to the order of Mr. W. Moody, of Ivakanui. The delay in their arrival has arisen from a misunderstanding with the New Zealand Government as to landing them since the Act prohibiting the importation of stock came into force. Leave had been granted previous to this, but owing to official delays in having this exception allowed, the shipment of the sheep has been deferred. During the present sitting of Parliament, Mr. Moody petitioned the House on the subject, his petition being acceded to, and the sheep—about 30 in number, 22 ewes and S rams—are expected to arrive next autumn, and will be sent to Craigmore, near Timaru. Doubtless their arrival will be watched with interest by breeders of sheep.—Timaru Herald.