The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 728, 17 July 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1878.

We crave the elempney of a number of our subscribers between Oamaru and Palmereton. Somebody has got married, or a baby, or broken a" limb, or something of that kind, for one of our hands has been drowning his happiness, or his sorrow, for several days past. The result is, that we have, during that period, been shorthanded in the composing department, and were unable last night to fold up and wrapper all the single copies in time to catch the train, although we sent the parcels. We have now recruited the ranks of our staff, and hope that the difficulty and its consequent disappointment will not occur again.

The Southland Waterloo meeting, which was announced to-day, has been postponed till to-morrow. In consequence of this alteration, and in order not to interfere with the Southland meeting, the date of the Oamaru Coursing Ciub's Sapling meeting has been postponed till Wednesday, the 24th instant.

Mr. Somerville, Inspector of school buildings, submitted a plan to the Otago Education Board of a school for North Dunedin, to cost about LtiOOO, and the Board have agreed to call for tenders for carrying nut the work. We congratulate the people of North Dnnedtn ; but we would be grateful for the amount that could be spared from the ornamentation of the building to be erected at North Dunedin, to enable us to fix up a shed or two in our country districts, in order that settlers 'children may not grow up in ignorance. Anything that would shelter the little ones from the summer's heat and the winter's cold would be gratefully used. Fruit-growers should do their best to reduce the numbers of the parroquets previous to the fruit season. We are told that they are already playing sad havoc in certain of the country districts around Oamaru, in consequence of their partiality to the young buds. If each settler interested did his be3t to abate this nuisance, it would have the effect of preserving the fruit trees against a scourge that will otherwise serionsly affect nest season's fruit crop. A farmer tells us that h* killed 44 last week, in the following manner;—He scatters sorrel seed, or any kind of grain, in a straight line, and when the birds have congregated lie takes his gun, which has been charged with Fmall shot—the smaller the better—and kills as many as tix or seven at a time.

Messrs. T. M. Smith ami Co. announce that thev carry passengers through to Dunedin, inclntling railway and coaching charges. at the following rates :—Fir3t-class, LI 2s. Kd. ; fiecond-cL-vs, it's. Sd. i To-morrow, on the farm, at Kakanui, ' Messrs. "Flaming and Hedley will eel), on account .erf Messrs. W. and G. New lands, of Kakanui. a large quantity of live stock, consisting of horse*, dairy cows, and fat cattle, together with farm implements arul household furniture. The live stock comprises animal* for the acquirement of which there should he considerable competition. The sale is an unreserved one. as the Messrs. Newlands have sold their farm. A meeting of citizens favorable to the reeler.tion of Mr. \V. J. .Steward as Mayor of Oamarn will be held this evening at S o'clock, at the Waitafci Hall. The citizens favorable to the election of. Mr. Oeo. J-"nmpter as Mayor will meet at! the office of that thi3 evening, at j S o'clock.

An American ?ays :— " A gentleman residing in a n:«t, modest cottage, in the suburbs, caught a tramp prowling about his hack vard. evidently trying to steal somcshing." '" Why don't you come to the frout door if yon want anything J"' indignantly roared the proprietor. "That's what I was Inokioe for," was the impudent reply. ] ••* f>idn"t von see it on the other side of the •hosuw?" "retorted the gentleman. " How was Ito know that was~the front door » JSo silver door-plate, no bell, no telephone, no statuary, °° servimt to take your hat and cane. Tell your boss there is a gentleman oat here who is waiting for his breakfast! When the gentlesuui got back with his shotgnu the tramp was u<it there any more." This puts us in mind of **omewhat similar incident that occurred souifi time since in Nelson, a person, finding that his woodstack was growing—far too qujgkly—- ■' smaller by degrees, and beautifully lees. came to the conclusion tliat it was not all being consumed in his house. Ono night he determined to sit up and watch. Midnight brought with it sound* as of a trnndled wheelbarrow, then >/as the unpleasant noise caused by the friction on its greaseless bearings home upon the' midnight air, followed by something in the form of a man. The visitor, letting go ths handles of his barrow, advanced to the; wood stack, and deliberately ignoring thej < xistence of small logs tackled a large, sound I .cue. It proved too much for him ; and just at ±hi3 moment thinking that it was about time to interfere, and feeling that be could contain himself no longer, the weary owner called out " Holloa, there; what are you about T" Tie individual with the barrow replied, -"So yoa had the nerve to watch my effort to lilt this big log unmoved. It is all very well to cry Halloa, but I might have hurt myself for all you care. Come down and give us a lift." The argument was too much for the sleepy watcher and he yejgyred to bed.

The Rev. Mr. Hazelton ■will lecture tonight at Wesley Church, on "Ireland and the Irish." A collection -will be made in aid of the funds of the new Educational Institute, Dublin.

Pressure upon our space has denied us the pleasure of inserting this evening a notice of last night's concert. Those interested may look forward to the pleasure of reading in morrow's issue our opinion of them. The sale of the privileges for the forthcoming Steeplechases, under tne auspices of the Oamaru Steeplechase Club, will take place at Mr. George Greenfield's, Tyne street, on Friday, the 19th inst., at noon. We believe the Secretary of the Club has made arrangements with the railway authorities to run special trains North and South to the Course at excursion fares, with the usual extension of time.