The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 816, 23 November 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1878.

As it would be impossible to do full justice to the North Otago Agricultural Society's dinner of last night and the proceedings of the Conference to-day in one issue of our paper, we have held over the report of the Society's dinner until Monday. At Mr. Greenfield's sale of sundries to-day a cask of ale, generously presented to the Benevolent Society of Oamaru, was sold for three pounds, the auctioneer being the buyer. During the meeting of delegates from the Agricultural and Pastoral Associations today, Mr. Andrew Duncan read a letter from Messrs. R. Wilkin and Co., Christchurch, asking the delegates whether they would express an opinion as to the detention which had taken place in the forwarding of their exhibits of machinery from Christchurch to Oamaru, thus preventing their being represented at the late Show. It was decided to remit tho question to the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association for consideration. Mr. Sutton, of Southland, has sold the two-tooth ram that took the first prize at yestorday's Show lor 100 guineas to some person in Victoria. Wo are informed by the Secretary of the North Otago Agi i mltural and Pastoral Association that the judges appointed to decide on tho merits of the essays "On the Rotation of Crop 3 best adapted to the Waitaki Distr ct" have agreed to award to Mr. John GifTord, of Oaniaru, the prize of LlO 10s offered by the Hon. M. Holmes. There were five competitors. Mr. Fidler will give the next lecture of tho sei-ies of lectures now being given under the auspices of the Mechanics' Institute, having chosen for his subject "Tho Ficnch Revolution." We have every reason to believe that Mr. Fidler will do full justice to his aubjeet, as there is ample room for the display of talents and knowledge of which he is possessor. The magie lantern show of last evening, for which juveniles, as well as adults, are indebted to Mr. C. G-. Moore, was largely The public will be glad tojiear that arrangements arc being mrule to give a series of these pleasing, instructive, and inoxponsive entertainments during next winter.

In another column appears the advertisement of the firm of John Fowler and Co., of the Steam Plough and Locomotive Works, Leeds. We observe that this firm manufactures all kinds of agricultural machines of a description which it is still neces ary to import from the Old Country. Mr. Walter M. Noakes (who lias recently arrived from the works) is the representative of this large firm, and is at present in Oamaru. Captain Liddle claims the reward offered by the Moeraki Harbor Board for information that will lead to the discovery of the person that lately stole the signal halliards at Port Moeraki. It appears that Captain Liddle saw one of the employees of the Moeraki Harbor Board " unreeve" the halliards two months ago, and that the perpetrator of this "dark" deed is willing to come forward and confess his guilt. Will anybody believe that there were several persons present on the occasion of the perpetration of the act, a fact that affords another instance of the shamelessness of some members of the human family. To Captain Liddle is due the honor of having unearthed what might have been intended as a terrible plot to obfuscate and render abortive the onerous proceedings of the Moeraki Harbor Board. Who knows but that the absence of these halliards from their proper place on the pretentious erection to which they were usually attached has been the cause of the dissolution of the Board. The members may have been important in their way, but as they, unlike the flag, which could not be hoisted without the halliards, were not visible from afar, they could not act as signals to vessels requiring to be signalled. They will doubtless confess that, in this respect, the flag was their superior. It is consoling that, through the smartness of Captain Liddle, who has changed his calling from harbor-master to detective, the recovery of the halliards is now assured, and we congratulate the people of Moeraki on their chance of once more possessing one of the most important remnants of an institution the benefits of which will some day occupy pages in the history of the Colony.