The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 607, 12 April 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1878.

A special grain train from Timaru, calling at all statioifs. and relieving them, as far as it could of their burdens, arrived in Oamaru at 8 o'clock this morning. It consisted of thirty-six waggons, laden with grain from the Otaio and Waiho. We could scarcely believe our eves when we beheld the ponderous load coming Oamaru wards, for we had somehow become imbued with an idea that all the available trucks would be required on the Christchurch lines, and that the grain here more or less exposed to the weather, and awaiting transport, would be allowed to rot. If is rumoured that these thirty-six trucks are required to proceed to Lyttlcton immediately they are unloaded. If this be true, it is an evidence that those hifh in authority in the Hallway Depart ment view but lightly our grievances. Surely they could have been allowed to remain here for a few days to pick up the stacks of grain atom; the lines, and bring them in to shelter before they become little better than worthless. The Government should be communicated with on the matter. Mr. S. F. Shrimski, M.H.R., having been informed upon the very best authority of certain matters connected with the tardy transport of grain by the railway department, commu'icated by telegraph with hcadi quarters as follows :—" Oamaru, Bth April, | ]S7S. —Hon. the Minister for Public Works, ; Wellington.—Sir—For some weeks back a large quantity of grain (thousands of bags) have been lying exposed on the Awamoko line to be brought to Oamaru. Weather i" threatening, and if it is not at once removed may prove ruinous to the owners. Please instruct for its removal.— S. E. Shiumski." Mr. Shrimski received the following reply : " Wellington, April 3, IS7S.—Mr. shrimski, M.H.R., Oamaru.—Sir—lt appears you have been misinformed as to quantity of grain. There are only 6,100 bags altogether lying out in Oamam district, all covered with tarpaulins ; 3.000 bags of this on Awamoko line, and the utmost exertion is being made to clear them away.—J. Macakdbew."

Pome members of the Municipal Council have apparently awakened to the fact that economy is necessary in Tne management of municipal affairs. At the meeting of the Council last evening, wh'-n tenders were being considered for fencing iu a portion of the reserve near the flagstaff for rhe mrr-os-of having it planted with tree?, a sharp but short discussion took place. Councillor Liddle opened the ball by stating that he could not see the utility of planting trees in such an out-of-the-way place. He had understood that the first plac: to be planted was tie esplanade, which would form a pleasant promenade. Councillor Spence declared his determination to oppose any uiiuesessary expenditure. and said he would insist by every means in his power upon the utmost economy being exercised until the Council's finances were in a thoroughly satisfactory position. Councillor Procter said he would support Councillor Sper.ce in his economic efforts. The Chairman (Councillor Gibbs) said that the Conncil was compelled by law to expend the whole of the money derived from the recreation reserves upon their improvement. Councillor Procter wanted a retnrn placed before- the Council of the receipts derived from the reserves, and the amount which had already been expended upon them. From the subject of economy the Council gradually drifted to a discussion as to the nature of the work which had already been done by the Corporation Gardener. Couneillnr Liddl.\ in particular, wa3 not over complimentary on the matter, saying that a large amount of money hail tievn a pent in the formation of public gardens without anything very tangible being presented. Little bits of plautiug had been done here and there, but there was not one place' in anything like a forward state. Connctllor Month drew attention to the fact that the matter had already been brought 1 before the Council, and it had been decided to call for tenders for the work. Tlie Council would be stnltifytng itself if it refused to carry out its former resolution. Several Councillors having expressed their t<;tal ignorance upon the subject, of the Council's action upon the matter, the Clerk was called upon to turn up the minutes of the meeting at which the subject was discussed. On this being done it was found that the only members present were the Mayor, Councillors Spence, Mainland, and Hamilton. After some further discussion, it wa3 decided to accept one of the tenders, oj> the cas'ine vote of the. C'h lirman, the voting being: F-t tialug on with the work—Councillors Mainland, Familton, anil Booth ; against itCouncillors Spence, Liddle, and Procter. Throughout the whole of the meeting, economy was preached unceasingly by several members.

The members of the County Council seem determined to brook no further delay on the part of the Government in paying over the .-hare of the Canterbury land fund due to the County—a delay occasioned through the obstinacv of the Secretary to tlie Treasury, backed "np by the late Ministry. At the meeting of the Council yesterday it was decided to request the Council's solicitor to apply to the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus, calling upon the Colonial Treasurer to pay over the money forthwith to the Council. A meeting of the Directors of the Oamaru Stone Company was held at Mr. Sumpter's offices last evening. Present: Messrs. Gibbs (Chairman). Sumpter, Alien, Spence, Humphrey, J. Booth (Secretary), and Dr. Garland. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the Chairman stated that he was unfortunately prevented from proceeding to Christchurch, as arranged, but intended leaving here to-mor-row for that city. It was resolved that the Bank of the Compauy be the Bank of New Zealand. The question of the appointment of Secretary and Manager was fully .discussed, .ami* it was resolved to advertise in tlie local papers e#d Olaao Daily Times for a Secretary and Manager jn terms of resolution. Other matters of a private nature were disposed of, and the usual yojte of. thanks to the Chairman concluded Jthe mooting. ._z

The necessity for a little light being thrown upon Harbor-street at night was brought under the notice of the jVlunicipal i'C7oun< il last evening by Councillor Procter, Tvho';Wished to have a lamp placed at each end ijfethe street. The proposal seemed to I with a considerable amount of favor fnim* several members ; but it was_ pom|e.d out that there was no gas to spare dt'pfesent, and th'atjlin fact, scarcely enough cO|ilp. beobtained to supply present demand?. ; was urged that nothing could be done iii the. matter until the new gasometer completed; ' Several other localities where street lamps -were urgently required were mentioned, but it was apparently felt :.that it would be useless to attempt to effect the desired improvements until the producing power of the gasworks had been increased. It was eventually decided to refer the question of increasing the number of street lamps to the Gas Committee for report, the Council no doubt iteming this the easiest, if not the most satisfactory, .tiding over the difficulty of effectually dealing with the subject. The consideration of an application frorii the Otago ISlate Company for an additional 300 ares of land at Otepopo has been postponed by the Waste Lands Board pending the completion of the survey. Mr. Robert Turnbull, who has been elected to represent Timaru in the House of Representatives, i>» the room of the lion. E. W. Stafford, who has gone |(ome, may fairly be claimed as a supporter of the present Ministry. In the few brief remarks which he made pt the nomination he expressed his approval of the principal measures proposed to be introduced .by the Ministry, more especially that relating to a change in the incidence of taxation, by making property contribute its fair share towards tI?Q burdens of the country. Mr. Turnbull was elected unopposed. The whole affair passed oft' very quietly —so quietly in fact that the somnolence of the individual who represents the Press Agency at limaru was not disturbed. This will, perhaps, account for his failing to wire a few lines 011 . the subject. The only business before the Resident Magistrate this morning was the hearing of a number of civil cases-. A little boy living in Torridge-street, | while drawing a bucket from a well, let go the handle of the windlass, which spun round and struck him on the face and broke his nose. It is surprising that such acci- [ dents do not happen more frequently. ! Applications are requested by the Oamaru Stone Compauy for a secretary and manager. The same to be sent in on or before the Ist May next. .Messrs. Hood and Shennan notify that 1 their place of business will, on and after the I "27th instant, be closed 011 Saturdays, at nine > o'clock. In another column tenders are called for the erection of an engine, boiler houses, and ' smoke sraek, in connection with Messrs. J. T. Kvans and Co.'s new mills. Tenders '• are to be sent in to Mr. Johnston, architect, , before sp. m. to-morrow (Saturday),

On the sth instant, the millers of Auckland raised the pries of flour LI per ton. Mr. Conyers has sent ail official communication to Lieut.-Colonel. Stave!}-, in -which he regrets hi* inability to grant free.passes, as applied for by Cantains Roberts and Smith, to the members of the Dnnedin and i'ort Chalmers Naval Brigades and the South District Rifles, when travelling by rail to and from battalion drill at Dnnedin. To us this appears most unaccountable. A fewfree passes once a month would cost the country nil. The trains are running in any case, and no extra outlay on the part of the Government would be required. Some civilians have passes to which they are not entitled, and which they make use of for the' purpose of taking picasure trips, &c. But the defensive forces of the Colony, hard at work in the public service, if they wish to seize an opportunity to rub up iu their work, must- pay the piper themselves. Tliis is really too good. We do not accuse the authorities of illiberality, because, although Colonel Stavely's reasonable application were complied with, it would not take a single penny out of the Colonial purse. Nothing is saved to the country by a refusal, while a gr-\at deal of good might result were passes granted. If the Volunteer I'orc.e js worth maintaining, the members are entitled to receive the greatest possible amount of encouragement to attend drill and become proficient. Heaven know 3 they are not to well drilled now : and actually to throw obstacles in tile way of thejr attaining something like eifieiency we take t.o be an unwise and suicidal policy. It should not lie in the power of any one man, or of any two or three, to summarily dispose of the question of f'ce passes, as has been done. We believe that, on proper application being made, the Assembly would make free railway travelling by Volunteers on duty part and parcel of the law of the land. Let some military M.H.R. introduce a bill.— Volunteer Gazette.

The Xini-wstle Herald says : —" We understand that Llo(),OUO has been subscribed by inlluential merchants in Sydney for the purpose of starting a new morning newspaper. The .delay in commencing operations arises from the fact that a general business manager and editor cannot l>o procured in the Colonies, Car/': lilmiche has been ode red to nnj- competent man in England. Wc question, however, if a ' new chum ' will be aide to run successfully a journal in New South Wales."