The Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 498, 3 December 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3 , 1877.

It will be observed from our report of the meeting of the Oamaru Schools Committee held to-day, that it has been decided not to hold a puMic examination of the scholars m the various schools. This decision was arrived in consequence of the attitude assumed by some of the teachers, based evidently upon the opinion given by the Secretary of the rducatio.i £oard to the effect that no other person than the Bpard's Inspector can claim the right to enter a school for the purpose of examining the scholars. Some of the teachers having protested against the Committee appointing examiners, it was thou-ht better to let the examination drop, in order noc to bring the teachers into collision wi h the Committee. It was also decided that, under the .circumstances, the Committee should not take any steps with regard to obtaining prizes for distribution amongst the scholars.

The lecture given in aid of the Hospital and Benevolent Society by Count De Zaba has, we believe, been the means of increasing the funds of those institutions to a highly extent. The v&-t proceeds of the keUire am.-unfc to L2J lis. 6'd.sothat with the Government subsidy received on all contributions, the funds of both institutions will be benefitted by Count De Zaba's kindness to the extent of L2i lis. 6d.

Sly-grog-sellers had better take warning in time and drop their nefarious practice, or they will find to their cost that the little game they are playing, besides being illegal and positively indecent, is one calculated to injure their worldly prospects to a very considerable extent. At the Resident Magisr trate's Court this morning Mr. J. Robertson, of the Clarendon Boarding-house, was fined L4O for selling two glasses of beer and two glasses of porter. His Worship seems determined to do all in his power to put down the practice.

We need scarcely remind our readers that Count De Zaba will, this evening, deliver a free lecture at the Volunteer Hall on Education, more especially with regard to a new method of imparting instruction. The chair will be taken at eight o'clock by his Worship the Mayor. We hope to see the Hall crowded, for the subject is one of the greatest importance to all.

The Immigration Officer, Mr. Hes'-<eth, informs us that nearly the whole of the single men and domestic servants which arrived in Oamaru on Friday, were engaged on Saturday—one clear day. The rate of wases obtained were—S.ngle men, from Ls*> to L 57 per annum ; domestic servants, L3O to L3G per annum ; nurse girls, 7s. to 10s. per week.

Although it is intended to adjourn the meeting of the North Utago henevolent Society called for this even ng, in oi der not to cWli with -<uc.t De ZaU's lecture, it is necessary that t lac adj-urjniiriit should be effected by resolution. It is therefore desirable 'hat a suffrivnt number of me hers should attend at the AJechani-s' Instil u'.e at eight o'clock sharp. The usual monthly meeting of the Committee, which should take this evening, has been postponed uotil Monday evening next. The annual match between the Oamaru and Palmerston Cricket Clubs will be played on Saturday next at Palmers ton. The local team will leave Oamaru by the seven o'clock t>-ain on Saturd iy morning, aid pioceecl as far as Moeraki function, where a special coach will be in waiting to convey them to Palmerston. The te-im will return by c .aeh t-> Moeraki the san.e evening in time to catch the late train for Oamaru, The following are the players chosen to represent Oamaru :—T. B. Bennett, E. Booth, F. Fen wick, 6. Fen wick, D. DeLautcur, J. J. M'DoDald, G. I. Millington, J. A. Millington, J- jSTicholls, J. Rice, and J. Walls. Emergency men—F. Edwards, G. B. L. Lowe, and W. Maude.

Mr. Thatcher, agent for Levy, "the greatest living instrumentalist," has submitted to us a young bale of paper containing notices of his principal. They are taken from many sources, and contain the criticisms of scores of influential papers, from the mightv London Times downwards. The great difficulty the writers seem to have experienced in their task is the impossibility to criticise or describe the performance, and the notices generally tail off into undiluted eulogy. It appears as if the great man must, as the showmen say, be heard to be appreciated, on the cornet. Levy has had a remarkable history. He took a fancy to the instrument wrv early in li'e, and when quit" ■' child roamed the streets holding the mu ic-shee s for cornet players. He got a mouthpiece and practised incessantly, but was a long time in securing a whole cornet. Then he devoted his life to it, and su-ceeded. in mastering it as no other man has or probably ever "ill. He is acknowledged to be superior to Koanig—and in fact stands alone. IJis sieeess has been wonderful. He has played to the Queen and many other sovereigns. He was taken to Russia, where lie was created chief bandmaster pf the armies, and allotted apartments in the Royal Palace, and at the Centennial he was the greatest musical star. He biings with him a splendid coin;.>any, whose names will be round in our advertising columns. The prices, it will be seen, are reasonable, and p, great treat and full houses may be expected The concerts are to be given on the 17th and ISA .instant.

% Mails for Australia, per Alhambra„ddse at Hokitika at 8 p.m., to-morrow.

A meeting of the Committee of the Caledonian Society will be .held at the Royal Hotel this evening, at 8 o'clock.

Theimonthly meeting of the North Otago Permanent Building Society, for the receipt of cash, will be htld at the Secretary's office to-morrow evening.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Commerciaj'Biiilding'Society,' for the receipt of subscriptions.' takes place at Mr. Aickens office thi- evening.. A meeting of the Committee of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association, for the transaction of important business, i 3 called for Thursday next, at 11 a.m. The monthly meeting of the First Oamaru Permanent and Investment Society, for the sale of new shares and the receipt of money, takes place to-morrow evening, at the Secretary's office.

We understand that the match between the Carisbrook Cricket Club (Dunedin) and the Oamaru Club will be played on Thursday, 13th instant, on the ground belonging to the latter club,

An advertisement in another column announces that separate offers will be received by the Railway Department for the right to sell books, papers, and periodicals on the Canterbury railways, including Oamaru. The monthly meeting of the Kilwining Lodge, S.C., will be held in the Freemasons' Hall, Wansbeck-street, on Wednesday evening, at half-past seven o'clock, at which the installation of officers will take place. The annual Masonic dinner will take place immediateld afterwards,

We might remind members of the St. Paul's Young Men's Association that the weekly meeting, which should be held this evening, will not take place, it having been wisely decided to postpone the meeting in order to afford members an opportunity of attending Count De Zaba's lecture, Sketching the probable fate of many petitions to the House of Eepr. sentatives, the Wellington Argus says : " A petition is g >t up with great care and much labour in some quiet locality, say the Bay of Islands or Outrom. 'ihe parson wrote it out in most idiomatic lln.ili.iii, making three or four iovu copies. The best scribe in the district engrossed it, and painfully added some pictorial embellishments, probably a cabbage tree or a kiwi, on margin. It was carried round, exhibited as a work of art, talked of at every tea-table, sigued, and duly forwarded to '' our member " for presentation. It was presented at an hour when everyone was talking lustily to his neighbour, as careless of the petition os if it had been a piece of waste paper, and it has never been heard of since."

Th a Otayo Daily Times supplies the following :—" It will possibly interest subscribers to the Indian Famine Relief Fund to learn how the funds are disposed of. From late Indian files we learn that the order for the new Famine policy is just published, and comes into force immediately. The order granting gratuitous relief, except to the most infirm, is cancelled ; in its stead, task work is instituted, and is to be most rigidly enforced. All works—imperal, provincial, and local, excepting buildings—are to be considered famine works, and are under the charge of the Pubic Works Department. The task expected is, that work sh;.U be done on every week day ; on Sunday there is no work and no pay. Payments are separately fixed. The stronger men receive the value of one pound of the ordinary quality of grain a d eighteen pice in addition. Women receive the value of the same quantity of grain and an additional twelve idee. Children get half the value of the grain and nine pice. Weaker men receive the same as women, weaker women get the same as stronger chidren, and weaker children the value of half a pound of grain plus six pice. Children under s<-ven years of age, even sucklings, ;ire not allowe ■ near the works all avc gv her:',! into nurseries, where they will be fed. When the rains interrui t the works, the stronger laborers wiil receive the rate of weaker laborers, and all the weaker will get two pice less. The ta-k exacted from the stronger is 75 and from the weaker 50 per cent. Fines will be inflicted for short work. Idlenness and insubi>nlina ion will meet wth dismissal. Payments will be made bi-weekly.