The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 488, 21 November 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1877.

The ship Waipa, which arrived at Port Chalmers yesterday, bring* a number of immigrants for (>amaru ; but, as the vessel lias been placsd in quarantine owing to the prevalence of scarlet fever on board, the immigrants are not likely to cemeto Oamaru for some time yet..

There has been some delay in deciding as to who was the fortunate winner of the prize offered by Mr. Church at the late Show for the largest prize in all classes of exhibits, competitors to be confined to owners or occupiers of not less than 100 acres, nor more than 700 acres. This delay has been occasioned throu-h some of the stewards npglecting to return their looks containing the awards of the judges ; but the complete list lias at last been mde up. The prize consisted of a very handsome lady's cabinet of the value of L 5 5s , and was won by Mr. Alexander Graham with 23 points, Mr. Peter Orr coming second with 21. points.

A special meeting of the Committee of th° t'tago Horticultural Society was held last evening at A lb.on House. There were present—Messrs. (Jonnell (in the chair), lieland, Stems' .n, Hey wood, Kid.l, Simpson, Sp.att, Paterson, and Leigh (Hon t-ecie-t;u y.) The Hon. Secretary reported that the Sub-L'ommittee had made satisfactory arrangements for the use of the Volunteer Hall for the purpose of holding the Show on the Sth December. Mr. h mpson was appointed to decorate the Hall, and Was empowered to employ men to stage the exhibits. It was resolved to request Mr. Williams to act as Assistant Secretary at the Show, and to ask Mr. Earle to provide the music on the i-am-. terms as at the last -.how. On the motion of Mr. Spratt, seconded by Mr. Kidd, it was resolved to give a medal of the value of L 5 to the largest prize-taker at the two Shows, on condition that L 3 be raised for the purpose by subscriptions, the balance to be contributed by the Society. Some conversation took place upon several matters, after which the meeting terminated. The nionlhry meeting of the Hospital Committee was held last evening at Mr. Church's office, when there were pros, nt — Messrs. Brown (in the chair), Taj lor, Paterso: , Morris. Mainland, Steward, and Church (Secretary). Ihe minutes of ihe last meeting were read and confirmed, and the . utward correspondence read and approved. 'file following rep-rt from the visiting Committee was read and adopted : —" Your Committee having visited the Hospit d, beg to *tate there are at present eight patients, aid everything is in a very satisfactory condition The pump has been fixed properiy, the hedge c eaued, and the painting of the IVver \v...d iS being proceeded with. Since our last vis-it we i nd a number o; trees'have been pl.nled by Mr. Kidd, junr. an > Mr. Fi.x free of charge, tor wi ieh y. ur Committee tender the r thanks. We have examined the .several recounts rendered, amounting to 1.31 19s. oAil., whiih are correct." ihe accounts, as cettified to by the Visitit g Committer, were passed for payment. It was resolved to ask Mr. jS. Fleming to sell the grass on the mounds The Secretary was instructed to write to Messrs. Kidd and •■ ox, th-itii.il))" them for their kindness in attending to the plants and t.ees on the grounds. . he Sec cta'y was also instructed to w-ite to Mr. May. applying for payment or L 4 owing by him tor grass puroiia ed last yea • Mr. Hasseli having imoruittd tin; meeting that Count De Zaba would delive- a I .sec are in a:d of th Ho pi;al or Benevolent Society, it. wa- decid-.d to ask the Cou-it tol,cui:e on behalf of the Ho.-pital Mid B nev. lent Society combine t, and Air. Ha-sel was iequested to co..ve-y the thanks of the committee to Count De Zaba for his kindness. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business.

A steamer leaves Port Darwin early tomorrow, carrying English telegrams. There we-e no cases down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning.

The Secretary of the Northern Agricultmal and I asto al Ass< ciation requests, by advertisement in another column, ad priz.itake.s at the late show to iulorm him w.thin one mont t whether they will take medals or cash, in accordance will regulation 10.

The Opera Company appears to be meeting with con.-ideiabie success in Dunedin. It is officially notified lhat the driver of any vehicle plying f-r hire within the precincts of any lailway will be charged a iej of £1 for a twelve months' license, to be issued at the option of the manager. No public vehicle will be allow d to ply within the limits of the railway without a license. The foil wing alterations which have been made in the railway tares and charges are now in force:—"l. Family season tickets will be issued, on application to ihe Manager, at two thirds the rate of ordinary season tickets. Minimum charge as for four persons. 2. The rate for special trains, with one large or two small carriages, to be 15<. per mile. For every additional carriage, ss. per mile. Minimum charge, L 5. Mileage charged one way only. 3. Season tickets at half ordinary fares will be issued to apprentices and pupil teachers who-e age does not exceed 19 years, upon production of satisfactory certificate i from their masters or employers that the applicants are actually serving as apprentices or pupil teachers, and that their age is within the prescribed limits."

A correspondent from Feilding, writing to a Wellington paper, gives birth to the lollowiug extraordinary lususnaturae : —''Sheep are generally noted for their great love of their young lambs ; but the sight of a ewe rearing young pigs is a novelty. Ssi ch a spectacle, however, maj l ' be observed in a paddock on the Kimbolton road, a:.d the mother of these pigs is said to have eaten this same ewe's lauiu."

The Wellington correspondent of the i Daily Times sends that journal the follow- J ing:—" A rumor was circulated last night of overtures from the Opposition to Mr. Sheehan/ to desertr-his side, -on the promise of r obtaining the office of Native Minister with 1 their side. This caused some excitement. There ia no doubt indirect overtures in this direction have been made, but indignantly Air. Sheehan says he has no intention of following the example of Mr. Eeid."

Says a Wellington correspondent of a Northern paper : —"I must relate one little anecdote which I heard in the Government whips' room. It appears that on the night the late Government were beaten, Mr. Thomson, of the (Jlutha. produced a fiddle, and commenced that classical selection, ' See, the conquering hero corner' It was resolved, however, that one fiddle was not nearly adequate to celebrate the occasion ; so, a messenger was dispatched to Bellamy's cook for his fiddle. The messenger knowing that said cook had, in an unguarded moment, sold his instrument, sent up Mr. Shee 1 an's compliments to Hishop Re I wood, and asked the loan of his fiddle. The Bishop readily agreed, and high jinks was kept up all night. Mr. Sheehan was perfectly innocent of having sent for the Bi-hop's fiddle, and his surpri e can be easily imagined when his Lordship told him he was quite welcome to it on any division." "Atticus, "in the Leader, says :—"I heard a gentleman not long since bo n~t that there was at one virtuous act in his life that he could look back on with pride. Some of his friends who were present doubted, and called on hi in for ;in explanation. 'Well,' said he, ' I once built a church up country at my own expense.' There wis a howl of deri-iou and incredulity, but he assured them it was a fact. ' i\iid vou mean us to believe that you actually paid for it in cash ?' asked one. 'lt was just the name for the church,' he replied. ' I gave bills, and with those the building was put up.' ' But did you meet the bills when they became due ?' asked another. 'No ; I couldn't' was the simple answer, ' because I was then insolvent. And the heaviest items in my liabilities were those bill-, and L2OO that I gaulanfefd to the contracor for extras. But in spite of all that, there's not a penny owing on the church. And that, after all, is the main thing.' It was comical, but he really appeared to think he had done a virtuous act."

The Wellington Post relates the following amusing Parliamentary incident:—'" After one of the div sions on the privilege question last night, Mr. Stout casually mentioned that a 'certain lion, gentleman ' sitting near him had premised to vote for th« amendment, saying he wou'd for once ' have the courage of his convictions,' but he had nevertheless voted for the motion. Upon this Mr. Lumsden jumped up, looking as if the cap fitted him remarkably well, and in an energetic manner described the statement of Mr. Stout as ' a mo t " ordacious " one, and as ' utterly false.' He coir'e.-s-d to saying his sympathies were with the amendment and also to the courage and con vie-i ns part of he business ; but wli-n he went an 1 spoke to his ieaders they told him to vote for the mo'ion (laughter), and he did so, believing that he best maintained ' t' e courage of his convictions ' by voting as he was told. The ex eedingly inv/enuo'is and illogi.j ,! argununt (:)whi;h c-nclndeil the confessions of Mr. L'imsden did not tend to allay the risible faculties of the House. It roared at Irs expense, and he resumed his scat, bris r ling ab nver wi h offended d gaity, and hard Scotchtlied words."