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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 987, 18 June 1879, Page 2

Mr. T. C. Gillies, of the Public Works Department, is now engaged in surveying the line through the hill, in order to avoid the present circuitous route and heavy gradient between Totara and Oaniaru. The beautiful carving in stone of Mr. Lewis Godfrey—not the clock-stand, but that recherche and delightfully appropriate subject, consisting of a profusion of native ferns, a brace of native birds, and a quantity other int.-ichting accompaniments, most skilfully represented—occupied six weeks in execution, and is of the value of about L4O. It will doubtless find its way from the Sydney Exhibition into one of the palaces of the Old World.

A telegram in this issue states that the Wcsleyan Church, Wellington, destroyed by the late fire, is to be a permanent erection, the building of which will occupy a long time, and hints at the probability of a temporary wooden building being erected in the meantime. We hope that those who have to do with it will not lose sight of all the advantages which Oamaru stone possesses over materials ordinarily used for building purposes. To-morrow evening the Rev. C. J. Byng, of Dunedin, will deliver a lecture at the Volunteer Hall on "Mental Phenomena," under the auspices of the Oamaru Young Men's Christian Association. The rev. gentleman possesses the reputation of being a very eloquent and powerful lecturer, and should secure a large audience. A meeting of the Oamaru Christys will be held at the Royal Hotel to-morrow evening, at 8 o'clock. It is particularly requested that every member will be present. Although the weather and the state of the streets last evening were such as to offer little inducement to people to leave their comfortable firesides, there was a very good attendance at the Volunteer Hall to witness tlje second performance of the Mammoth Minstrels. A new and -well diversified programme was gone through in capital style, applause and laughter greeting tlje efforts of the performers according to the nature of the items presented. The singing of Messrs, Braham, Reid, and Amery was greatly admired, Sir. Reid obtaining a well-deserved encore for his rendering of " The Pilgrim of Love." The eccentricities of Messrs. Cheeyers and Kennedy, as usual, were rap-

turously applauded, while nothing could have been funnier than Messrs. Brown and Newland's burlesque mesmeric seance, or Mr. Bent's two sketches. This evening, the company appear for the last time, when it is hoped that Mr. Hawkins will have sufficiently recovered to delight the audience with some of his choicest alto solos and appear as the heroine in tie burlesque of " Maritaua," in which a consider able portion of the original music will be given. An additional attraction is promised in the shape of the presentation to the audience of the words of the pretty song "My Grandfathers Clock."' A change has also been made in the prices for admission, the charge for the back seats having been reduced to Is. j The monthly meeting of the Hospital j Committee was held last evening, when there were present—Messrs. Brown (President), Shrimski, Headland, Montagu, Dunn, M'lntosh, and Church (Secretary). The minutes of the last meeting having been confinned, the Secretary was instructed to request a reply from the North Otago Benevolent Society to the Secretary's letter of the 21st May, with reference to the removal of a patient to "Melbourne, the question being a very urgent one. It was decidgd to hand over the property left by the late Constable Cuthbert to Inspector Thompson, as agent for the Curator of Intestate Estates, after deducting the expenses incurred ; and that the effects of the late Daniel Wright should also be handed over to Inspector Thompson. The following report of the Visiting Committee was read and adopted : " Oamaru, June IG, 1879. —The Visiting Committee have to report that on paying their usual visit to the Hospital they found everything going on satisfactorily. The number of patients in the Hospital at present is five, viz., three males and two females. Your Committee haye not decided on selecting any stove for the Hospital at present, but will report on the matter at next regular meeting. The thanks of the Committee are due to Mrs. Clowes for a gift of several illustrated papers for the use of the patients. Your Committee call your attention to the case of the patient Thomas Pickard, mentioned at last meeting, who is still in the Hospital, and in about the same condition as then." The accounts having been passed for payment, the Committee

The Dunedin Star says that it is understood that the head masters of the Dunedin schools have reported adversely on the proposed system of school penny savings banks.

The Timaru Herald says :—We are informed that a number of the largest employers of agricultural labor in this district have intimated to the hands of their employ that, owing to the dnlness of the market; and other depressing causes, they are obliged to lower the rate of wages by five shillings a week. Ploughmen's wages have been reduced from twenty-five shillings to a pound a week, and ordinary laborer's from a pound to fifteen shillings a week. We are glad to hear that, in all the cases brought to our notice, the men have cheerfully agreed to the reduction, and are proceeding with work on a good understanding with their employers.

Here is a Solomonian decision.—There is a moral, especially for shareholders, in the following story:—"Four men, partners in business, bought some cottou bales. That the rats might not destroy the cotton they purchased a cat. They agreed that each of the four should own a particular leg of the cat s and eacli adorned with beads and other ornaments the leg thus apportioned to him. The cat, by an accident, injured one of its legs. The owner of that member wound around it a rag soaked in oil. The c:it, going too near the hearth set this rag on fire, and being in great pain rushed in among the cotton bales where she was accustomed to hunt rats. The cotton thereby took fire and was burned up. It was a total loss. The three other partners brought a suit to recover the value of the cotton against the partner who owned this particular leg of the eat. The judge examined the case and decided thus :—' The leg that had the oiled rag on it was hurt ; the cat could not use that leg ; in fact, held ii]) that leg, and ran with the other three le. The three unhurt legs, therefore, carried the tire to the cotton, and alone are culpable. The injured leg is not to be blamed. The three partners who owned the three legs with which the cat ran to the cotton will pay the whole value o" the bales to the partner who was the proprietor of the injured leg.'" The Lytteltou Times says :—' The cases arising out of the fires at Waiinate bush, which will come before the Supi-cme Court at its present sitting in Timaru, have been reduced from sixteen to eleven. All these cases will be tried by separate special juries."