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Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 764, 23 September 1878, Page 2

The Aikshaw will finish loading tomorrow morning, and will probably leave on or about Wednesday next. She arrived here on Wednesday last and commenced the reception of her cargo on the following day. She will, therefore, have been in harbor about a week, if she sails on Wednesday, and will have taken in 550 tons of wheat in about four days and a-half,

Capt. Sewell to-day telegraphed to the Captain of the Celestial Queen asking him to come to Oamaru immediately for the purpose of loading. She is expected here tomorrow morning, and will, we hope, have as quick dispatch as the Aifcshaw. A meeting of the Racecourse Trust -was held to-day for the purpose of considering a letter from the North Otago Turf Club, asking the Trust to agree to a transfer of the lease of the racecourse from Messrs. Paterson and Shalders to the Club upon certain conditions. There were present Messrs. Steward (in the chair), O'Meagher, Maude, De Lautour, and Clowes (Secretary). After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed, wero >-,- ■■ '

from Mr. Shrimski, M.H.R., an" u.- i =.... Robert Campbell, absent members .if \ ■■• : Trust, expressing the opinion that it was inadvisable to disturb the present arrange-, ments. It was decided to inform the Turf Club that the Trust does not see its way to I accept either of the alternatives submitted, i It was further resolved to instruct Messrs. Hislop and Creagh to inspect the lease of Messrs. Paterson and Shalders and see to its execution, the provisos arranged for at a previous meeting of the Trust to be incorporated in the lease. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting. Tho s.s. Waitaki took up her quarters at the new wharf, intended for her and similar vessels, this morning. This will make more room for the sailing vessels that trade regularly to this port and ensure their more rapid dispatch. Two men, named Nesbitt and M'Lean, had a serious misadventure last night, by which the first-mentioned lost his life, whilst the other is injured sufficiently to render it necessary to go to the Hospital for treatment. At a little after two o'clock on Sunday morning the two unfortunates left a house situated on the embankment in Itchen-street, and tumbled over the latter on to the path below. Assistance was procured by two boys who happened to be passing by, and who, at the request of M'Lean, went to the police station and informed the police of the accident. Sergeant I Beatty and Constables Joyce and Hawksworth immediately repaired to the spot, conveyed Nesbitt to the station, and sent for Dr. Garland. The doctor ordered Nesbitt to be taken to the Hospital, where he i died at about 8 a.m. The worst is yet to be told. Nesbitt leaves a wife and family unprovided for. This is another instance of the terrible consequences that may arise ' from drunkenness.

A special meeting of the No. 1 Company Oamaru Rifles took place on Friday evening last. Present—Captain Sumpter (in the chair), and about twenty members. _ The Chairman read a telegram from Mr Shrimaki, M.H.H., stating that he had secured three targets for the Head-quarters Companies. This new 3 was received with extreme satisfaction, and it was mentioned that the Waiareka contingent could now be supplied with one. It was resolved that the No. 1 Com any should be supplied with helmets aftdr the pattern of those worn by the Christchurch City Guards, and also black patent-leather belts, the same to be ordered from Home by the first mail, and to be paid for by and remain the property of the Company. The sample helmet is to be forwarded to Otepopo and HampdeD, with a view of ascertaining whether the Companies at those place 3 would wish to adopt the same style, in which case the order would be forwarded at the same time.

Two ploughing matches, resulting from challenges, came off on Saturday at Papakaio in a paddock belonging to Mr. Peter Aitchison. There was a fair attendance of spectators, and a considerable amount of interest was exhibited in the matches. The judges were Messrs. Geo. Hutchison, Geo. Warnock, and Wm. Craig. The ploughing was very good indeed, and reflected great credit on the contestants. In the match between Messrs. Alex. Balfour and James Campbell, both competitors used ploughs by Messrs. Reid and Gray, the amount of the stakes being LlO a-side, with LI for the best crown and LI for the best finish. Mr. Balfour scored a win in each case. Messrs, Balfour and W. Christie then met to finish their challenge mati-h, a portion of which had taken place on the previous day, during the Papakaio ploughing match. This was with swing ploughs, and was for L 5 a-side, Christie, who used a Ponton plough, proving the winner. The struggle on Saturday was with double-furrow ploughs, and was again for L 6 a-side, Christie using a plough made by Mr. Fowler, of the Taieri, and Balfour ploughing with one of Messrs. Reid and Gray's implements. The result was that the positions in ths previous day's match were reversed, Balfour proving the wiuner. Although we have no desire to rob sfr. Balfour of any of his laurels, we must say that no small amount of his success was attributable to the superiority of the plough used by him over that of his opponent. The supplementary bazaar in connection with the Church of England, to assist in purchasing the new parsonage site adjoining St. Luke's Church has been definitely fixed to open on Monday, the ,30th inst., in the upper portion of Mr, Sumpter's stores, in Harbor-street. Particulars will be given by advertisement. A meeting of the delegates from the Volunteer Corps and the North Otago Rifle Association to consider matters in connection with the proposed National Rifle Association, will be held this evening, at 8 o'clock, at the Royal Hotel,

The Philharnw nic Society's rehearsal will take place on V Wednesday evening next, at the Waitaki H- all. The Messiah is the subject for pras&ce, and it is therefore expected that there, 'will be a large attendance of members.

A meetiing of householders in Duntroon will be held this evening at Mr. Harris' Hotel, for the purpose of suggesting the boundaries "for the school district and electing a Committee for the remainder of the current year. Messes C. Galbraith and Co. received into their yards on Saturday seven trucks of Tasmanian timber, ex the Agnes Jessie. ..The cost of transporting this timber by rail was 9d less per 10U feet than it would have been if carried by water, even had the firm made use of the Fraiiklin Belle, over which they hold a special charter. The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Oamaru and Dunedin Steamship Company was held at Mr. Sumpter's office on Saturday afternoon. The report and ba-lance-sheet, both of which were of a highly satisfactory nature, were read and adopted, after which the retiring directors were reelected, and Messrs. J. S. Webb and W. Hislop were appointed auditors. Votes of thanks were accorded to the officers of the company for their services during the year. It having been decided that the question of the rate of freight should be left to the manager, the meeting terminated.

The Rev. J. Copeiand, New Hebrides Missionary in connection with the Free Church of Scotland, preached at St. Paul's Church yesterday morning. At the olose of his sermon the rev. gentleman made an appeal on behalf of the establishment of a Missionary Scholarship. The necessity for such an institution was caused by the in- | sufficient number of Missionaries laboring in j the New Hebrides and adjacent islands. It was desired to raise a sum of L6OO for the purpose and the collection would he in aid of the object. The interest on the amount named would be available for anyone who might be deemed eligible by the Mission Committee for the work. He _ argued strongly the desirability fGf Carrying the Bible, the greatest of all civilizers, into the fields of heathens, and pointed out the urgency of providing a large number of workers. The rev. gentleman conoluded by inviting subscriptions in aid of the 1 object. The Lyttelton Times says':— "A letter was read yesterday at the Board of Education of Canterbury from the master of one of the up-country schools, in which he protested against the school being let by the Committee for dancing purposes, and stigmatised that body a set of 'nincom.>tis.' The letter was referred to the Oninmittee."