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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1048, 29 August 1879, Page 2

This evening, Mr. Steward will address the electors at Maheno at half-past 7, and Messrs. Hislop and Shrimski will address a meeting atTeaneraki, at the same hour. Last evening Mr. Steward addressed a meeting of electors at Hampden. There was a very good attendance, and the chair was occupied by Mr. Mnrcott. The candidate addressed the meeting at some length, and was afterwards pretty freely questioned by Mr. Donaldson, who proposed a motion of no confidence. This being put to the meeting, twenty-four hands were held up in favor of it and twenty-seven against the motion ; but the Chairman declaring that the motion was lost, a dispute arose, and the meeting terminated amidst a state of confusion.

MessT3. Hislop and Shrimski addressed a meeting of the electors at Duntroon last evening. There were about sixty persons present, and the chair was occupied by Mr. Mceking. Mr. Shrimski spoke first, and wa3 followed by Mr. Hislop, the two addresses lasting about an hour and a-half. At first there was a slight show of dissent, and some small amount of misbehaviour on the part of some of those present; but, after the meeting had shown its disapproval of such a proceeding, there was excellent order, and the candidates were listened to very attentively. At the close of the addresses a number of questions were put, and apparently answered satisfactorily. Mr. Harris proposed, and Mr. G. Webb seconded a vote of thanks to the candidates for their addresses, and for their conduct as members for the district in the past and of confidence in them for the future. On being put to the meeting, about fifty hands were held tip in favor of the motion and only six against it. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

Sir "William Fox has informed the Good Templars of Napier that he has no hope of being elected. How distressing to be shut out from Parliament, and, worse still, to see Mr. Ballance chosen in preference to him. The telegram has a sorrowful tone abont it, and, if we were informed that the letter was so bedewed with tears that the ink had mingled with the exudation from Sir William's lachrymal glands, and rendered bis letters scarcely decipherable, we would not be surprised. Poor fellow. We do not bcliere in kicking a man when he is down, and we really do feel genuine pity for him. With Sir William out of the House, the business of the country would be conducted with a little more smoothness and a little less delay. But since communicating with the Good Templars, Sir William has dried his tears and resolved to make another grand effort to secure l>i3 return. In the absence of any other advantage to offer the electors of Patea, he intends to carry them to Wavcrley to vote, free of charge.

We observe that the Government are being charged with having appointed Captain Barry as an immigration agent, so as to add another accusation to the heap of accusations already brought against them with the object of damaging the Liberal cause during the e'ections. It is well known, now, that the impression that Captain Barry had received such an appointment was the result of a misprint, the Rev. Mr. Berry's name having appeared as Barry. If this was not known to Mr. Wakefield who has lately charged the Government with having made the appointment, it ought to have been. If he, and others of his class, devoted more of their time in storing their minds with facts, instead of maligning Sir George Grey wholesale it would be more creditable to them.

| Mr. Macassey addressed the electors of Dunedin on Tuesday night last. He claimed to have advocated universal suffrage in one of the many unavailing speeches he has made from time to time to the electors, and expressed himself in favor of that, an Upper Chamber half nominated and half elective, triennial Parliaments, restriction whereby representatives would be compelled to retire when requested by their constituents to do so, and redistribution of seats on the occasion of every election. He seemed not, to have mastered the subject of a land tax. He was in favor of it, and yet he was not, and we must confess that his explanation of the policy he wonld like to see adopted was as clear as mud. Prefacing his remarks by disclaiming any desire to gain popularity, he announced himself in favor of an absentee tax, and taxes which would fairly reach all classes. Ah ! " that's the rub." Like most young politicians, hia facte were occasionally

at fault, and his speech, except as a of words very fairly put together, was not unlike a youth commencing the gamut upon the violin—sometimes a little flat or a little sharp, but always obnoxious to the cultivated ear. He is a great admirer of Sir George Grey, having known him when he was located in South Australia. He thinks that his ability as an orator has never been equalled in this Colony, and for this reason he would advise his hearers to steel their hearts against his eloquence. Mr. Macassey also is a capital speaker. We wonder whether he would give the same advice with regard to himself. We somehow think that it will be unnecessary. He, however, stands a better chance of election now than ever he did, although that is not saying much. There are no really good or reliable candidates standing for Dunediri, if we except Mr. Bracken, and amongst a crowd of very much his own color, Mr. Macassey might this time smuggle himself into the House. Messrs. Hislop and Shrimski's Committee will meet at eight o'clock this evening, in a room above the Colonial Bank. We are indebted to a settler who was present at Mr. Steward's Wednesday night's meeting at Pap'akaio, for the following particulars concerning the same : —There were twenty settlers present, and Mr. Gordon Millington occupied the chair. At the conclusion of Mr. Steward's address, Mr. Donald Borrie proposed a vote of no-con-fidence in Mr. Steward. On a show of hands being taken, six were held up for, and eight against the motion. Subsequently, a vote of thanks was carried. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, before G. Sumpter and W. Murison, Esqs., J.P's., John M'Mullin was discharged with a caution for being drunk and disorderly. The match arranged between the Oamaru Football Club and the Zingari (Dunedin) Football Club will take place on Saturday (to-morrow), on the Old Cricket Ground. The following are the names of the respective teams :—Oamaru : Messrs. Bristed, Caverhill, Church, Coates, Ferens, Finch, Grenfell, Hardy, T. Kerr (captain), Procter, Robertson, Rolland, Snow, Thompson, and Walls; emergency men, Little, Eichbaum, and Robinson. Zingari : Hamer (captain), Johnston, H. Mitchell, Gibb, Robertson, Robb, Fraser, Tresseder, Alger, Duncan, Davis, Christian, W. Mitchell, Gray, and Adams; emergency men, M'Gill and H Wilson.

The •work of erecting a new hotel at the corner of Thames and Coquet-streets, on a portion of the site recently rendered vacant by fire, has been commenced. The hotel is being erected for Mr. "William Maitland, formerly of the Commercial Hotel, and will be a handsome and commodious structure. As the lease of the adjoining section has lately changed hands, with the view to the erection thereon of business premises, we may hope to see the whole block occupied by buildings of a very different class to those lately destroyed by fire. The Volunteer Ball at Otepopo last night was a great success, 40 couples being present, including a number of volunteers from Oamaru. The hall was tastefully decorated with evergreens, trophies, and flags, and the music and refreshments were excellent. These annual balls have been a success since their commencement, and are gaining favor every year.

The Philharmonic Society will give a miscellaneous concert to-night, at the Volunteer Hall. The programme is as varied as one could desire, embracing songs, glees, pianoforte and violin performances, &c. We observe that the Society has fixed the prices of admission low, probably with the idea of attracting a large, audience. In our advertisement columns may be found the programmes for the North Otago Champion Ploughing Match, to be held at Papakaio, and for the Maerewhenua Ploughing Match. The programmes are exceedingly liberal, and should attract not only a large number of competitors, but considerable gatherings of spectators. For the Champion Match, in addition to a long list of special prizes, a sum of L 59 is offere'l, in addition to a gold medal for the best ploughman on the field. In the Maerewhenua Match, the money prizes amount to L 66, and in addition to these is a variety of special prizes. We hear that Mr. Ned Devine intends to send his young entire horse "Ringleader " through this district during the approaching season. A case of rescuing horses from the pound will come before the Resident Magistrate's Court in a few days. It seems that on Wednesday night a couple of horses belonging to Mr. R. Keenan got into the garden of Mr. Porteous, and did a considerable amount of damage. Mr. Porteous was in the act of driving the trespassers to the pound when the owner turned up and threatened Mr. Porteous with violence if he carried out his intention of impounding the horses. Mr. Porteous was undismayed by these threats, and succeeded in getting the horses safely in the pound. Having put up the latch of the gate, he left to obtain the poundkeeper with the view to making assurance doubly sure. Keenan then coolly released the horses, and drove them away. Information was given to the Inspector of Nuisances, who intends instituting proceedings against Keenan for rescuing the horses. As the penalty in these cases is, we believe, L2O with the alternative of imprisonment, Keenan is likely to pay pretty dearly for his illegal conduct. "Whilst running hurriedly through the Agent-General's late work for New Zealand emigrants, our eyes lighted upon the following amusing item to a P.S. in a letter from Mr. A. H. Ross, of Dunedin, to the Northern Echo :—" I saw "W., who left Darlington ten years ago, in Napier last July . . . . he is doing well. One of his daughters is married, another is to be married next month, and a third (if being courted goes for anything) will not be long in following their example." "Officially speaking," as the First Lord of the Ad-' miralty says in " H.M.S Pinafore," observation, both long and close, teaches us that there is not the slightest guarantee that a person that "is to be married next month,' or even within a few moments, will ever get married at all, and we are quite sure that courting is often—ah ! how often—only a nicer name for flirting. This is of coufse "officially speaking." The letter containing the interesting P.S. is dated January ], 1879, and we would not be surprised to hear that, although some eight months had elapsed since then, neither the one that was going to be married nor the one that was courting has yet entered upon that blissful state in the anticipation of which young ladies take so much delight. Perhaps the only thing these young ladies will by this time have to cheer them will be a copy of Sir Julius Vogel's book containing the hopeful remarks of Mr. Ross concerning them. Our experience in such affairs has taught us to be auspicious. We could even in this town point to young people going about

with hearts which, if not actually broken, have been severely shaken by the remorseless conduct of pretenders. The North Otago Champion Ploughing Match will take place on Tuesday, the 2nd September, and not on the 3rd as advertised. The Timaru Herald says:—"Captain Sutter, Chairman of the local Exhibition Committee, received a telegram from Wellington yesterday stating that an additional prize is to be given at the Sydney Exhibition for the best bale of combing wool, in the grease and skirted, and weighing not less than 3001b. The exhibitor must state the number of fleeces in the bale, and its weight." -