The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY DECEMBER 13, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1143, 13 December 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY DECEMBER 13, 1879.

Abo tit half-pa it eleven o clock toa., evening an alarm of fin; was given, the bell ol St. Luke's Chr.rch Wing vigorously ning tor Mm* seconds. It at>[i«ar* that at the time mentioned Messrs*. CSrccnfkld. Kowland, and another gentleman were passing the eli„p of Mr. I'. It- Ktwaell. saddler, Thatnesvreet, when a strong glare wan ob?er»c«. in the shop, and then it got darfc. It sx) at once cotir-lti'lf.'i tltnt the i,!a.:e ira on fir.-, and the front door w.v» f.-.n-'d ..oen, whib- an was - v » ~ ~fr,:,-tVd .-It the back. The stinniw .. oved to b- correct. lut fortunately the fir.; I.jut n>>: g»n a .•»tr»ng hold, and a a«M>»v '' E water having bwn obtain**!, it was* ipiieklv r -tinanished, several witling hamU very s|»««.lity on the spot. The iir« originated at the end of the shelving along the wooden partition and at the back part ot the bat how it originated remains to U ascertained. The fire was some .onror five feet (torn the fireplace where a small tire had Keen burning during the day, and it is [K-i-wt'olrt that it may have sprung tro.n tins, hint ol thi» there is some donbt. At the placi where the tire occurred there w».» 3 small i prte 'if coal and wood, and some debt ts, consisting of rugs. straw, kc.. wm scattered af*>ut. >ir. Kussell states that he left off work at ei"ht o'clock and went home, Ho returned aga'"n ah«nt ten o'clock. and, st'ter doing wVitin" left again, and had proceeded ai far as th/i'oat O.'ice when lie heard Otc »l»nn of tire. When he left everything was all ri"ht. The shop is composed of wood, except the front, and it is fortunate that the tire vm discovered and extinguished be o: e it obUtnmd a strong hold, otherwise thie result would have been very disastrous. _ The tire was extinguished before the P ire r.ne..'ie eonld reach the scene, though its members turned oat promptly. The stock is insured in the New Zealand Company for LI3O, and in the Trans-Atlantic for L 2.10. There had alio Smjito a policy for L2OO in the C but it vrjta cancelled as it was thought that the stock wasover-insnrcd. At the Resident Magistrates Court to-daj kk-T. W. Parker, K=r, JI.M., CT»aoct.i M •Ken/,to was charged with having been drunk and disorderly in «arty hottr thi* niorijing. and was t>nc I K'tf, with the alternative of -IS hours' imprisonment. with hard lab«r. William -Jnumfoii to charged with having on the l-llt jj.-'t. .stolen three bottle of I»>er,_or.'? iwttje of wim:. oae tin r/' prese.-ved t:.-h. one tin of preserved sheep ton-ties, and one hotileoi L'ktes, all of the value of lit, !rotn tne shop of Messrs. Sj.eaee and Ree. Inspector Thompson prosecuted, 7'iie prisoner, who wild ttride'end-jkl. pleaded yiJtv. The evidence of Mr. John J. Spenee taken, and went to sh»w that the prisoner b-d been in the employ of Mews Spencc and Kee tar about three n-ontlw a.i storenran and to drive wut a cart. Wttnc.-ts was in the store *•«•»■'erd»} Mwrntnjr. and found a sack eo-itatufri'-' the tiling lie marked one of the battles and pnl it \»;±. About two o'clock h int.iafld the and then gave infotniattpn to the police. He <|iiestioned the prisoner abont the matter, and he dtnted any knowledge of it; but on going tc the p^i^ftier's house with the police he aiWst"d l»L« guilt, and OsU-d t« wlthdr;v«f the charge. He produced all the articles. 'ltu: firm h.vl missed several »rticten at dftlereiit {?«>>.». '! he pros-eutor (Mr. S'etiee) asked that j,'--i-*>rier might Im' d. -,i"t with tenie'ttly. •tUiirl-'t'wt "nnntf tl«« time he had bwn it' the lien's ••«ipl«V <»•* t«.d .■•!!<,.( fh.ll" »"' I". f'»4 »'• • T.''' '■ ! > rC" : i >h •£ tw V. talf '•'< '•>»; si I' r;i'.ui ; . .-.uteiV 'f tS the {>! is''- ; u f •,iV ir:"'-'. ■ --.TfTt-"t. ""it ! : :;•->? lab"-. tli.-.d'i! not -n f.-«' a! bv .S.mi \ thr CM-iii i- wouM i-b v. • n t-.i' • The- uhii-vI - «i-Uy n.i .■'.'■f.i. »>f the «f;i t.' the t>- u marn • at' hn - m h p,.»tii. .Ned lift UVdne.-l'r. cite 17th in^t. T:', ■ T.»«ntbty meeting "f shf Seho'X't « r.utt.s' was hsld La.-5 vveni.tg. After this'Ui,:-, a ha.l b-'en read, Messrs. >eil F-lernhi, ite.'d>mn.S>'iith. and Montrn* were a£»t»>';uted a ss»b <.'«>mivvtttee to iin.t.ne into ji,; r.iifir: ; ».!f in the at the High ;u'd to report t.> am.'efin*.'. A v.M read from the KeetO' "j the Kbit School. annot!tK-:itg the resignation (>i 'T- ary. the matron, ami sdatwg that it his indent tort at the .. neem-n: oj ;',l"th.'f t-> take steps to place the „1,..,»t on the footing of a high srhooi. jV.vi'tery were ordered to be callt d tor .•teacnr" and painttns: the schools. It was dc-ided' to re. t uest the to procee.l with a ti'-i.-ter's residence on sections ).i and |(i. r>lock If*, in »>/nsection with tiie Aortii s«hoo!. It was resolvei.l to finl a letter tc the (loiird recommending tiiat t'or a oncecwaor to Miss t'leaiy an-. a;i an.iitionat teacher the North School should he invited. Some other Ixisineso having been transacted, the meeting tc.ndimted. \\V had what may lie termed the m' laneholv plea?tire of being an auditor in I'rofesno, ; Wat'tent:>rn:</s op-rating room yesterday, Euvvink' h.:en invited by that gentleiran to witness for otir-Jvesr '.hat. through t»>c e-.ertuse of his skill, the blind were made to iff. Tlu'fc were no car {« tents present, :ilthongh the tella us that lie atreadv LftJ several. s>iit wo saw and ottrw't.h the following eye riatuntf. and elieiSnd this in f orni3ttr,.i fr.vir 'hem -buepli IVd c , for some time in the t,V Mounted n»s!-», and now cut ployed .•v-i one of tic atu'-.'eenmn on the Oamarci railwavs, sought relict' from the I»oetor. n ilattbje cataract having formed on one eye, whtJi iia.{ teen bind for I I and the sight ol! the o'hti" having dcteiioratcd in con^erittence, thrrwtgh sympathy, to such an extent that it was aimoet blind. He told us that bat two days ago, when the fJ.octor hntt arrived in Oamarn, he could not re:ui withoat diißcnlty ; tfcat the sight of the heat cyt had returncil. and that—the cataract linvmy been partblly di.wij«t«d by application, and not operation—lie can see to read with the one that was totally blind, which statement he (knioniiratcti. -\/iother jatit/it, of tnt name of Charles Irvine, is sutleiing lioni iritis. When be waited upon the doctoi scarcely two days a:o he eonld not see any object at a dwtancc'of 10 feet or thereabouts. He informed its that be was Ixiing cured with wonderful speed. C. J , dependinj npon the charitv of the Benevolent .-octety, wna introvlnced to the Doctor by a mim-tet of religion, who espreiaed himself anxious that his case should receive attention. He, however, informed tjie I'octor of the pennrtoos condition of fchs snffercr, _an»l stated that a subscription would lie raised to pay the fee. On receiving t)m information the Doctor declined to accept any compensation for the services lie has since rendered to this patient. The impairment of vision scerito to be constitutional with this snffercr, and his case is one of the most difficult that the doctor ha 3 had for treatment oat of upwards of thirty patients that {tad sought leticf at his hands up to Vfisitsrday at noon- He liail to way into the operating room two days ago, 11.,w he can se*> to read ordinary pnnt. although he has not yet, < / course, recovered his sight sufficiently to ciiibkr hint to do fo with ease. . , There was a very fair attendance i»t the Volnntcer J tall lost evening, when the Ogtten-Towle Opera TTotitTe Company aprvared for the first time in Jt>!:us Kich.WrgerV comic oj«cra The L'oetor of Atcantara." The plot of this ha* already iven given by r_s. and it is only necessarj- to say that it proved exceedingly diverting. The musk is light eji-1 sparkling, and in j -.,.n.T places of nr.turo. thc.tgh thevy i» little that can properly «.v termed ' thoronghly original- ff the sob» the pn;i----t sfisrc talU to the toiior (Carlos), and it f u to say that Mr. Florence, who writ be rcmetnWred a» a member of the c*;rtionseti Ojwa Tronjic, did aroplo justice tc> tlw t;tß3tc aHottol to the [»art. Hut Ilia }•--< vtfort ww» nriJonbtrtUy the ir.trmiuectl io: g •• n?l I f/'V- Trwhich was r:.H ".U'c.niiv •■n.-nrckl. Tirf s".!nc ina.V be »rti th"- i;it">"Uic%!»i «->ng given by Miss Ikatrke (lßt/-K " Love Thee Deareat. whica was tne Ik.sj. ot that lady's effort*. The acting 0! both th*- artistes waa remarkai4y goo«l. the i bdy esj*ecially eter-ting a great of amusement. Mrs. Florence was also reinarkabty good as Lncrvzia, and rendered her ronsic verv well, one of her solos being loudly redema».kd. Miss Thome made an interest in* Isabella. Sir. Alexander was remarkably diverting as I)r. J'aracelsus, and sang with | Rood effect. Mr. Marshall loadc the most 1 he could of the small port of Pomposo, and

the same may 1a: said of Mr. Warren as Balthazar. The one sccno presented _was a n-allv pleasant pictir.,- to ' io!: upon in the dreary hall. Mr. vk'-i accompaniments -.verc of course excellent, hut it was to he regretted that he was :.< l listed by an o'ehc.-tra. To-ni.rrht ' li-ial'-.r./' will be • K'esciitoi. and a r«diii:'-'":i w:!i he made in the prices of admission. V, c nope to see a full house. On Monday evening the Oamaru Dramatic Clnb will t.'ive a performance in aid of the Mechanics 1 ' Institute, when they will pre- | sent " So. 0, Duke-street" and "A Dead I Shot." Between the pieced there will be a musical interlude, in which many of our I ln?st juii.iteura will take part. Ihe Onniarn [ I'.iiles" Band will als> assist, and there should i a foil house, for the programme and the ( object for wiiich it is given arc both good. 1 •[ J,,, concert at the I'apakaio Schoolroom !p>t uiitht was a great success, and must have provided theV'oriimittec with a good tlt for pri/es for the children. There wer." 'aW.t 140 persons present. Mr. D. Borrie occupied the chair, and in a neat speech r. .incited that as the programme was a long one. there should he as few encores as Mljcsn tlic evenings entertainment by an overture on the piano. Mr. N. rh-ming samt " Widow Machrce ; Miss WatVsoii, "I te'l them tlicy need not come wooing tome;" Mr. W alls, " Kileen Alannah Mr. and Mrs. Lord (duet), i** Verv Suspicious," antl a* an encore \\ e Fin i a Home Mr. D. Shaw, " Far Away to Bonnv Scotland;" Miss White, " y., lVUcr J'.idc a Wee;" Mr. Greig, My Island Horn"," and as an encore "British Lion Mr.' Lord, " Love so Hot," aud as an encore (in character) •'Johnny was a Young Man Mr. Gibson, "The Mioaisippi Shore"-" Mr. Sinclair, "Irish Stew;" Mr. Jones, "Will o' the Wisp;" Miss White, piano solo; Mr, Wallace (reading), _ A schtile treat in the guile aujd times by ( eor.lie Short ; Mr. D. Shaw, " The \\orld Goes Rolling On;" Miss Watson, "Where is Now the Merrv I'arty Mr, N. Fleming, "Scots Wha ftae," aud ns an encore "Widow MaloneMr. Lord, "Where is Mv Dolly Gone," and as an encore " Saur Kraut; Mr. Jones, "Hurrah for the King *4r V/nlls. " Still I Love Tliee Mr. Sinclair, Nora O'Xcil Mr. Lord. " The Mad Buteher," and as an eiicorc "Walking On." Mr*. Lord, Miss M'Lean, und Mr. Jones acted as accompanists. A vote of thanks to all waa moved by the I!ev. Mr. Stevens. This finished the first part of the entertainment, and the room was cleared for dauei.'.g, shich was kept up till daylight, . nailing the company to sre their way home. "All were "apparently well pleased with tlu night's enjoyment."