The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 527, 9 January 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1878.

At the Resilient Magistrate's Court this morning, before \V. J. Steward, Esq., J.P., James Walsh, alias Anderson, was charged with having been drunk and disorderly in Tees-street at an early hour this morning, and discharged with a caution. William Price was placed in the dock on a charge of having stolen from the Railway Boardinghouse last night the sum of L 4, consisting of three Ll-notes, one half-sovereign, and ten shillings in silver, to James Barr. The prisoner denied the charge. On the application of Sergeant Beattie, the accused was remanded until Friday next, in order to afford the police time to procure the attendance of witnesses, the prisoner having only been arrested this morning. The monthly meeting of the County Council will he held to-morrow morning, at 11 o'clock. Mails for Australia, per Albion, will close at the Blurt" on Friday, 11th instant, at 11 a.m. Mr. Charles Lane, who was for nearly twelve months resident in this town, during which time he was more or less connected with journalism, has just died at the Timaru Hospital, of heart disease, after a short but painful illness. His burial will take place to-morrow. The monthly meeting of the Waitaki Road Board was held j-esterday, when there were present —Messrs. Duncan (in the chair), Easton, Stewart, Davidson, Honour, Borton, Evans, Aitchison, M'Donald, and Oliver (Engineer). It was decided to reply to the Count}- Council that the Board did not see any necessity for a change in the management of the district roads. The Board's solicitors having forwarded the opinion that the Board and not the County Council should prepare the valuation, it was decided to appoint Mr. Chrystal, the County Valuator, to make the raluation for the Board, in order to comply with the requirements of the Rating Act. Mr. M'Master having offered to give a new road hi exchange for the road line on the east side of the main road *t Boundary Creek, it was resolved to accept the offer if Mr. M'Master gave a road 60 links wide. A letter from the Municipal Engineer was read, asking the Board to take the necessary steps for closing the old road and opening the new one through section 29, block IV. The Chairman and Messrs. Connell and Evans were appointed a Committee to inspect the ground with the Engineer, and make arrangements with the proprietors. A letter having been read from Mr. James Rooney, asking to be relieved from his contract and for the refund of his deposit, it was decided that the deposit should be forfeited unless the contract was carried out. A report from the Engineer, with reference to tiiG state of the road between sections 74, 70, and 75, G9, block 1., Awamoko, having been read, Mr. Davidson was empowered to expend LlO in making the road temporarily passable; and the Engineer was directed to prepare a plan of any new works necessary. The Engineer w«3 instructed to prepare a sketch of the proposed deviation of road line in section 72, block 1., Oamaru District, to be submitted to the 2<ew Zealand and AustFalian Land Company. The tender of Mr. P. Corcoran, L 135 Is., was accepted for the formation of the Beach Road to Redcastle Road. The tenders having been received for Contract jS'o. s±, fresh tenders were ordered to be called for, to be sent in before next meeting The Chairman and Mr. Borton were authorised to sign the agreement with the Engineers on behslf of the Board. Mr. R. Stewart, being about to visit the Home country, tendered his resignation, which was accepted, and Mr. James Jardine elected to fill the vacancy. Accounts to the amojint of L6O having been passed for payment, the Board rose.

The lad Scott, who was committed for trial the other day for shooting another lad in the face, is still an inmate of the gaol, having failed to obtain bail. There are few people who would feel very much annoyed at a good practical joke, although, perhaps it might cause them some little inconvenience; but nothing can be said in palliation of pure wantonness, inasmuch as there is no fun in it. We are led to make these remarks because about a dozen of the stone balusters, which were beautifully turned, and intended for the railings along the front of Messrs. Connell and Clowes' new store in Tyne-street, but were stacked carefully close to the building until required, have been subjected to meaningless destruction. Mr. Aitken's new structure, next door, has not escaped the favours of the depredators, for a corner piece has been broken from the base of one of the pilasters where it can never be thoroughly repaired without renewing the damaged stone. If the police lay their hands on any of the inconveniently festive persons who are in the habit of perpetrating such acts as these, it will be made particularly warm for them. Certain parties are suspected, and before long we have every reason to believe that persistency in the game they are now pursuing will have the effect of introducing them to the public in a manner that they will scarcely relish. The attendance at the Masonic Hall last night, on the occasion of the second appearance of the Alleen troupe was, as we predicted it would be, much larger than that on the first night «f their appearance. The fact is, the more the public know of the company and its excellences, the larger will be the support that they will receive. The programme was somewhat similar to that of the previous evening. As we remarked in last evening's issue, the juveniles of the company are wonders, and the gymnastics of the lady of the company are the cleverest we have ever seen. Just at the moment we would expect her to make a slip and fall, by some extraordinary means, almost too speedy for detection, she attains a position of perfect safety, and looks down with a reassuing smile upon her audience. We have already commented fully upon the other novelties that the company offer; but we must not omit to remark that the bass songs of Mr. Marshall, "The slave chase," and "My old friend John," were well worth listening to. To-night's performance has been arranged for the especial delectation of the juveniles, and it is expected that there will be a c owded house at the prices charged for admission. The following item has been culled from an article in the Timaru Herald commenting upon Mr, C, C. Bowen's late political speech at Kaiapoi. Its consonance with common sense is our excuse for reproducing it : —•" We quite agree with Mr. Bowenthat there was a vast waste of time about questions of privilege, and that the Assembly made themselves very ridiculous and undignified by thus showing so much prudery about their dignity. Mr. Boweii was in an excellent position to speak with authority on this point, since by far the worst instance of the kind was that most monstrous and ridiculous one, where his own colleague, Mr. Whitaker, supported by the whole Ministry, including Mr. Bowen, dragged the dignity of Parliament through the mire, and wasted about a week of precious time in the endeavour to punish George Jones for an alleged breach of privilege. "Snyder," in the Poverty Bay Standard says:—"Every Provincial district in the Colony has its specialities. Otago is eminent for Old Identities and barracouta. It is said the barracouta contains the souls of Old Identities. It is also celebrated for possessing a kind of land fish which is of the shark species. They are called land sharks. Canterbury is rich in church steeples, cathedrals, peals of bells, and Episcopalian parsons, who cannot live under LSOO a year, with a free mansion. They are called in tliat part of the Colony sherry-and-biscuit parsons, because they never visit any parisiouers who are not iu that worldly condition which enables them to provide for both. The pious people of Christchurch are very aristocratic. They would not go to heaven in company with a person of low birth, or who had died poor. Certainly not- with a dissenter. They would sooner go somewhere else first. Wellington is eminent for waiters upon Providence through the doors of the Government building. They will do anything for a Government appointment except work. Auckland is the city of great expectations. Men live upon waiting for remittances from Home which never come, but with which they pay their hotel scores and tailors' bills."