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Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 548, 2 February 1878, Page 2

We have been solicited by some members of Education Committees, who visited town to-day, to suggest to the Oamaru Committee the advisablene«-s of its calling for a conference of members from all the Waitaki Committees, so that there may be nominated for the Education Board gentlemen who might command the support of all the Waitaki Committees. Unless this or something like it be done it will probably happen that no member of the Education Board will hail from the County of Waitaki. Mr. Samuel Gorman, the representative of Noble's Explosive Company, is now on a visit to Oamaru. This gentleman is experimenting on a large SGale with dynamite in the quarry at the Breakwater. We again remind our readers of the important meeting called by the Mayor for Monday next at 11 a.m. The object of the meeting is such as should bring together all those who are interested in the progress of the district, viz., to take steps to obtain additional railway facilities for the lines concentrated in Oamaru. The ordinary monthly meeting of the North Otago Benevolent Society will take place on Monday next, at 7 p.m., in the Mechanics' Institute. In another column appears a notification that the sitting of the Licensing Court for this district will be held on the sth March next. All applications must be lodged in duplicate with Mr. Filleul on or before the 11th inst. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., Robert Reenan was fined 4s. and Samuel Smith 3s. for allowing horses to wander at large. The members of No. 1 Company Oamaru Rifle Volunteers held their annual meeting last night in the Volunteer Hall. Captain Sumpter occupied the chair. There were present —Lieutenant Headland, Sub-Lieut. Morris, Colour-Sergeant King, , Sergeant Bennett, Corporal Henderson, and 25 private members of the company. Captain M'Pherson's' report of the receipts and expenditure in connection with the Volunteer Hall, showing receipts L 79 15s 6d, and expenditure L3l 16s 4d, was read and adopted. The treasurers annual report, showing that the company's indebtedness had been reduced during the past year by LSO, w r as read and adopted. The following gentlemen were elected as office-bearers for the ensuing year : —Hon. Treasurer, Lieut Headland ; Hon. Secretary, Private Waters ; Commit-tee—Color-Sergt. King, Sergt. Bennett, Privates Atkinson, R. Harding, and J. Rice Match Committee —The officers ex officio, Color-Sergt. King, Privates R. Harding and Atkinson; Quartermaster - Sergt., ColorSergt. King; Sergts., Corporal Henderson and Private Waters; Corporals, Privates Rice, Bust, and Atkinson ; Lance-( Corporal, Private E. Hubbard. On the suggestion of Sergeant-Major M'Pherson, it was decided to hold a number of entertainments to supplement the funds of the company, the arrangements being left to the Committee. The usual votes of thanks were passed, including to Sergeant-Major M'Pherson for the careful manner in which he had prepared the balance-sheet. "English cricketers," tli3 Home News says, " are exceedingly anxiaus to try conclusions with their cousins from the Antipodes, and we may expect next season some closely-contested matches if the Australian team prove as strong as has been said. It is a pity Evans, of New South Wales, is not coming ; he is reputed a wonderful bowler, and it woidd have been interesting to test him against English batters. But there are plenty of good men in the Australian Eleven, and it will be hard to beat. It is a wellknown fact in our public schools that the Australian youth especially excels in the playing-fields. Not a few of the best batsmen and bowlers in regimental and school elevens are known to be Australian born or of Australian extraction. Ere now Australians have been captains of the boats at Eton, stroke in "Varsity eights, and good men at the Oval and Lord's, The stuff, therefore, is I evidently intrinsically good when properly trained and handled as it is at home: Whether the Australian-bred cricketers will display the same 'form' remains to be seen."

The " misunderstanding " (says the 4-liek-land Herald) which has been existent for some time past between Dr. Wallis and an influential section of his congregation, in consequence of the former's refusal to accede to some arrangements proposed to him by the latter, has caused many families to leave the kirk, and on the evening of the 2Sth December it culminated in a scene which will have the effect of bringing the matter prominently under public notice. This was the removal from the church, by Mr. Suiter, I Mr. Donald JtpJ4. M r .- Stevenson, and three other members of the kirk, ,of a harmonium |

purchased by subscription during the Doctor's absence at Wellington. The circumstances of the occurrence appear to be as follow -—On the evening of the 28th December while Dr. Wallis was at tea; the gentlemen mentioned drove up to the kirk, alighted, and finding the door open, entered—with the driver of the vehicle. They soon reappeared, bearing with them the new harmonium, and were engaged m placing it m the express when Mrs. Wallis came to the door of her house. Comprehending at once the intentions of Mr. Suiter and his coadjutors, the lady hurried to her husband and acquainted him with what she had seen. Dr Wallis, on hearing the news, lost no time in hastening to the street, but, expeditious though he had been, he had the mortification to find that he was just too late, as the vehicle was about starting. He ran after it calling upon the driver to stop, and shouting, "Thieves!" "Robbers!" &e., to the occupants. No attention was paid to his command, and the hasty ejaculations were treated with derision. In the evening the worthy Doctor called at the police-station to ascertain whether or not he could have the "despoilers" of the sanctuary arrested, and received an answer in the negative. It is understood, however, that he will lay an information for sacrilege against Mr. Sinter and the other gentlemen who were concerned in the removal of the instrument, so that the Newton Kirk dispute is likely to be made public property,