The Evening Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 880, 10 February 1879, Page 2

The Evening Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1879.

A special meeting of the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce was held at their Chambers. Harbor-street, this afternoon. Present.— Messrs. J. T. Evans fehairK W. Christie. J. W. Knmphrey. F. I>nfttop. J. Reid. 11. Connett. S. flibbs. W. J. Steward, and W. •f. Smith (Secretary). The utteatton of the railway station site having beet* folly dtsensaed. it was cesotveij that a deputation consisting of the Chairman and Messrs. Christie, Steward, and Duftlop should wait upon the Hon. J. Maeandrew on his arrival in Oamara at eight o'ctock this evetung. It w:w also resolved "That in the opinion of this Chamber it is urgently neecssary that a new rait way passenger station be provided, the present bnitiftng being insnmcient for the rei'jiiiirements of the traffic and for the pttMtc eonVEntence: and that the deputation should wrge npon the Minister for Public Works the neeessity for at once proceeding with the erection of a new building- in the most central position obtainable, and to the desirability of affording facilities for working the freight traffic independently of the passenger traffic"; also. "That this Chamber considers that, of the two sites proposed, the Cricket Cround is preferable, provided that there are nf> engineering or other difficulties in the way." The deputation was also rei-mssted to bring nnder the Minister's notice the inadequate accommodation afforded by the various Government buildings in Oamaru. The deputation was also instructed to urge the immediate carrying out of the promise made to connect the ; Harbor Board sidings with the Breakwater line at a point south of the goods shed.

The performing members of the Philharmonic Society will hold their first practice of the season to-morrow evening, at the Oddfettows' Halt. At this westing the report and balance sheet will be read, and office-bearers elected for the crowing year. A full attendance of members, and those desiring to become members, is particularly requested.. The presentation to Mr. Robert Thompson. Collector t>i Ctwtoms,. who. is about to be removed to New Plymouth, wilt he nude this evening., at i> o'clock, at the Northern Hotel. We understand that,, in addition to a piece of plate. » pnrse of some fifty sovereigns wilt be made to Mr. Thompson.

At the County Council's meeting, to-day. Mr.. Atex. Thomson was elected Coreneifs member of the Kakanui Harbor Board. Mr. Arthur Toms-* under whose supervision are ptaeed tieensed public halts. is apparently determined that the Corporation shall not lose any portion of the revenue derivable from- the licensing of all halts for public entertainments. It appears that on the occasion of the visit of the Rev. Mr. ingtis to Oumaru- the license tees were not paid for the hall, and the custodian, being under the impression that fees were not chargeable on the occasions of lectures, refused to pay them. Mr. Toms then took out a summons to recover the amount. The ease was set down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate s Court this mnrainsf. but the custodian of the At the meeting ot! the Wattaki Road Board,, to-day. tenders were offered for eontract No. KH. but the amount being considered too high, it was decided to- call for fresh tenders. Several accounts were passed For payment., and the Hoard rose. The first meeting "f the Uovevnors ot the Waitaki High School tuts, we team by telegraph, been fixed by Criwette notice for the •iOth instant, at the County Council Chambers.

As announced in our columns on Saturday, a change was made in the So'ctock meetings yesterday. Mr. C. *r. Moore giving an address on "CospcdTemperance." hacked nphy argumeuts from inehtents occurring under his own notice of the evils and prevalence of not only downright drunkenness but of what is known as moderate drinking. Time did not attow of the address, as prepared, being completed, and the remainder wilt htve to be given- on some future occasion. Mr. J. 11. Millrgan presided, and expressed his pteasure j that the subjeetof temperance, in which it was well known lie wa,? greatly interested, was beiutf taken up from the "Gospel" aspect. We have been reimestfd to call the attention of the police to the cnstnmi whieh prevails- of bathing in th«> harbor at times when there are numerous unwilling wu-toofcers. Yesterday afternoon several boys and men were disporting themselves on the beach not far south of the railway-station, beheld by tumwrmi* mate and female strotters*. Comtuent upon this custom is unnecessary. The bringing to tight of the <Wtf facts wilt put the police on the alert. Work on numerous railways has been, and is about to be. commenced, and: we hope that the expenditure of money that this wtlt entail wilt give an impetus to business. W» hea* e«w» mw of J>ur railway to Livingston*, and it » to be hoped that the route" it is to take will soon U decided, so that we may immediately participate h* the favors which are being distributed by the j fSovernment. i

W» weve this morning shown a sample e>< potatoes gr»».wn at sontk Oamarw by Mr. Eobert Walk, btactwmith. Tk potatoes arc ta*se». wvt'ragingapoiuwl and i* half in weight. anil coosuidring that they were gw>wn in swampy tan 4. wwiij*riwuy so-tint. Wc have ntivßV seen *«alfcs c( muh » bright, they having run »p io ' » ev * :B &*? £rt,m '*"? ground. With a little care, awt a* this, soil UupwvffSv we think that Me. Wail* may ex- : ptjut #«*s tsfibas h»m Us swampy patch. ■ Wt? wowltt is»vr the attention of oar . tenders to- a preliminary *tinoaneisnient tn oar column* that Me—S3. Fleming I amt tksdiley will sell, earty in Mareb. lti>f) 'mtm of t*»>t in the now celebrated Ifa&a;t*«»mea VaJfcy. Mr. John Thomson, the „wm off thi* property --known as the Tabic •r,,p„ W ;» one o£ the party .pt?b-«tiers„ and suocßßdsili in becoming possessor of »ns (A the finest tracts of country la the Valley. This sato wilt afford farmers who desire to •Stend their field oc operations an oppor-i tnnitj at doing so. as the term* oi payment will! b« very liberal.

hall, probably seeing the force of Mr. Tom's argument, paid the amount in dispute (10s), anil the case was withdrawn.

The work of collecting information under the Land Tax Act docs not appear to lie so easy of performance as was anticipated, and on extension of time to the 2Sth instant has been found necessary.