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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 827, 7 December 1878, Page 2

An inquest on the body of the infant son of James and Diana Gibson, of Papakaio, was held by the Coroner, T. W. Parker, Esq., at the Courthouse to-day. The names of the jury having been called, Mr. Ferena was chosen foreman. Sub-Inspeetor Smith conducted the inquiry. The evidence of the parents of the child having been taken, Dr. Fleming was sworn, and after describing the appearance of the body externally and internally, he stated that he considered the child had died from natural causes. The jury without retiring returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony. A lecture on " Tin and Copper Mining in Cornwall" will be delivered in the Livingstone Schoolroom on Tuesday evening.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, his Worship T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., delivered judgment in the case of W. Peattie v. the Commissioner of Railways, in which Mr. Hislop appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. Balmer for the defendant. The facts of the case were briefly as follow : Mr. Peattie sued' the Government for LIOO for damage done to a threshing mill on the. 25th November, 1877, while in the custody of the Railway Department for transmission to Makikihi, and on which freight had been paid. The mill had been placed on trucks at Messrs. Hay and Barr's, now Procter and Steward's, siding, the trucks were hooked on, and the train had moved on to the main line, when a special train loaded with grain from the Waiareka district ran into the trucks on which the mill was placed, smashing the thresher and injuring the portable engine which formed part of the mill property. Witnesses were called to prove the amount of damage done, and Mr. Hislop argued that plaintiff was entitled to compensation for loss of time and depreciation in value which the property had sustained. His Worship gave judgment for. the plaintiff for L 93 and costs LlO 6s. Od.

A telegram has been shown us, stating that the National Agricultural Society of Scotland has awarded the first prize to the Walter A. Wood harvester and binder—the Osborne and M 'Cormick machines also competing.

The Circus was again well patronised last evening, when the programme was performed in a capital manner. This afternoon a performance was given for the special accomodation of children, and was well attended, the little folks appearing highly delighted with the entertainment. This evening the company ajjpear for the last time, and we would advise those who have not already done so to pay the Circus a visit. The people of Otepopo will, we understand, hold their sixth annual athletic sports on the 27th instant. The programme is a very liberal one, and should attract a large number of competitors.

The annual social gathering in connection with the Otepopo Presbyterian Church will be held in the local Athenseum on Tuesday evening—tea on the table at half-past six o'clock. The Rev. Dr. Copland will preach the anniversary sermons to-morrow at the usual hours.

Last evening the Kakauui Amateur Dramatic Club gave an entertainment in the Otepopo Athenanim. The audience was a very thin one, which was not very encouraging to the performers, who, however, acted their parts remarkably well. The pieces presented were "In Possesion"and "Should this Meet the Eye." Mr. Algie was particularly happy in his delineations of Rattleton Rorke and Lambkin Louder. Mr. Moloney made a capital waiter as Teddy Tryconnell, and Messrs. G-. Matheson and T. C. Thomson acted the characters of Miss Piretta Platts, Polly Perkins, and Maude in a very creditable manner. Between the pieces Mr. Moloney danced a hornpipe and a jig, and Messrs. Rankin, Moloney, and Sinclair sang several songs, all of which seemed to give great satisfaction. Altogether the affair, though very good in itself, must have been a partial financial failure. The business transacted at the meeting of the Committee of the North Otago Turf Ciub last evening was of a merely routine nature.

The following are the subscriptions received in aid of the sufferers by the Waimati bush fire :—His Worship the Mayor. L2 2s ; A. H. Maude, LI Is ; J. R. Stewart, LI Is ; Hislop and Creagh, L2 "2s : C. S. A., L 5 5s -, James Reid, LI ; North Otago Times, L2 •2s ; James Udall, 10s ; J. and T. Meek, L2 2s ; Anderson and Co., L2 2s ; Cunningham and Co., L2 2s ; Wni. Aitken, LI Is ; A. A. Fleming, LI Is : Thomas Sellar, LI Is : IT. Aitken, LI Is : Hay and Barr, Ll Is ; Evening Mail, Ll Is ; Hood and Shennau, Ll Is ; Liutott and Otterson, Ll Is. Mr. Henderson having resigned the position of assistant Town Clerk, as he is about to enter into business, the Municipal Council invite applications for the ofriee. These must be sent in by 4 o'clock on Monday, the 16th inst.

Tenders for the erection of a grand stand on the Show Ground for the Caledonian Society must be sent in before 5 p.m. on Monday to the Secretary (Mr. W. Aitken). As will be observed by an advertisement which appears elsewhere, Messrs. Baker and Farron hare postponed the opening of their dramatic season until Monday next, when they will appear in "Conrad and Lizette, supported by a strong company. Of the horses engaged in the North Otago Turf Club's races, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday next, only four are doing work on the Oamaru course. Those are Mr. Devery's Agent, Mr. Swanson's Blue Peter and Tommy, and Mr. Thomson's Rosemary. Nothing of a very noteworthy character has been done, thehorses doing only moderate work. The whole of Mr. Shalder's boxes have been engaged by Messrs. Ray, Neilson, O'Brien, and Devery. Mr. Ray has three horses coming to Oamaru, Mr. Neilson four, and Mr. O'Brien two ; and, in addition to these, Mr. Mallock will be represented by a couple, and Mr. Prince's Eversley will also be here in a day or two.

The Rev. J. Mirams will conduct the services in the Volunteer Hall to-morrow — morning and evening. A cricket match was played this morning between an eleven of Windsor House School Club and the second eleven of the High School, and resulted in an easy victory for the latter. The scores were :—Windsor House School : First innings, 19; second innings, 20. High School: First innings, 15 ; second innings, 43. Some important notices to those concerned are given by the Secretary of the North Otago Turf Club in another column.

The leases for 66 years of Municipal tion4andl4, block XXXII., will be sold by public auction on Monday, at noon, at the Council Chambers.

In order to prevent annoyance and loss of time, we again remind jurors summoned to attend at the District Court on Monday that their services will not be required, and that they are relieved from attendance.