The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY JANUARY 15, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1169, 15 January 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY JANUARY 15, 1880.

In order to afford tl(e public an opportunity for replying by the Suez mail to correspondence received by the San Francisco mail this afternoon, it has been decided to make up a supplementary Suez mail for despatch by to-morrow's exjfcess. The mail will close at ten minutes to three o'- lock. This concession on the part of the Postal Department should prove highly satisfactory to the public, but more especially so to business men.

That harvest time is near is evidenced by the large number of workingmen almost daily arriving in Oamaru. At every street corner new faces are to be met "with, and. tlie places where the nnemployed usually meet are more than ordinarily thronged with working men. So far, although there is a brisk demand for harvesters, only a limited number of engagements have been made. The Secretary to the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce (Mr. W. J. Smith) has received a letter from the Secretary to the Sydney International Exhibition Commissioners, desiring him to make known the fact that the great international general agricultural show in connection with the Exhibition will be opened on the 10th February. The objects of the show are well set out in the following announcement: —" This will be not only a show of agricultural and horticultural prodace and plants, bat is meant to bring together for comparison and instruction every article that the soil of these colonies from the tropics to South Cape can produce. Besides exhibits of cereals, fruit, sugar, tobacco, &.C., the produce of industries already established, the inhabitants of all the colonies are invited to send the results of their local observation and experiments, such as indigenous gums, nuts, flax, indigo, barks for tanning, dye woods, Stc.; also native. grasses, the different varieties of salt bush and plants used as pasture. Also the results of their experimental cultivation, chinchona, olives, silk, arrowroot, pepper, spices, &c., accompanied by information that may guide others until these experiments grow into extensive industries. Only by experiment and comparison can the capabilities of the various countries, districts, and climates be learned, and it is earnestly requested that all will contribute their experience towards this result, one of the principal objects of the Commission in this show." We can only express a hope that this district will be properly represented in this department.

A memorial to the General Manager of the Tijnara-Oamaru sections of railways was presented this morning, signed by 65 residents in the Hampden district, praying that the department should not carry ont its intention of removing the station-master (Mr. Tremlow) from his present position. The memorial was presented by the Mayor of the Borough And Messrs. James Finlay and John Andrews, who were presented to Mr. Hannay by Mr. S. E. Shrimski, M.H.K. The deputation represented that Mr. Tremlow had given the greatest possible amount of satisfaction to the settlers, and that they, of course, would feel reluctant in parting with bim. Mr, Hannay explained that Mr. Tremlow'o removal to iuurf&er was

absolutely necessary on account of a defect in his vision. This he knew to be-a fact, because he had himself put him to the necessary test. But he added that. Mr. Tremlow would not siiffer any pecuniary loss on account of the change. The deputation, having thanked Mr. Hannay.for his courtesy," retired-

Notices are given in our advertising columns that the valuation lists for the Waiareka, Kakanui, and "Waitaki Road Districts for the year 1880-81 are, now open for inspection at the Boards Offices, Tynestreet, and that objections must be lodged at the following places on or before the IGth February \V aiareka Road District, at the Schoolhouse, Cave Valley; Kakanui Ror.fl District, . Mr. D. Booth's Woolslied,llcklston ; Waitaki Road District, at the Schoolhouse, Cave Valley. : . Mails for the United Kingdom and the Australian Colonies, per Ringarooma, close at the Bluff at 4 p.m. to-morrow. Sections 49, 50, anl 51, Deborah Township, which were sold yesterday, contained only two roods each, and not one acre two roods as inadvertently stated by us. This makes a very material difference as showing the value of the land disposed of. The Town Clerk notifies that the valuation lists for the ensuing year are now open for inspection, and that ojections must lodged on or before the 15th February.

This evening the Gem Comedy and Burlesque Company, under the management of Mr. J. Hydes, will give a performance at the Volunteer Hall, when the pantomime of " Harlequin Mazourka" will be presented with new scenery, including a grand last scene and a panorama. The valuation lists for the outlying districts of the County are now open for inspection at the County Council Chambers. Ail objections to the assessment must be lodged at the Cave Valley schoolhouse on or before the loth February.

A sitting of the Warden's Court was held at Livingstone yesterday, Mr. Warden Robinson presiding. A large number of applications for head and tail races and dams were granted, and the consideration of Mr. Roberts' application for a race, which has been so frequently before the Court, and the particulars of which are familiar to our readers, was postponed in order to afford Mr. Roberts an opportunity of explaining in detail the features of his scheme by means of a plan. Mr. Farquharson, the representative of a number of objectors to Mr. Roberts' race and the applicants for permission to construct a race in the same gully as that selected by Mr. Roberts, strenuously opposed Mr- Roberts' application, on the grounds that the race which he sought for permission to construct would be a private concern, that theirs would be a public one, vesting equal advantages on all, and that it would be injurious to both parties to have two races running through the same gully for the same purpose. The Ward en however, pointed out that he could not take these objections into consideration, as there was no application as yet before him from Mr. Farquharson's party for a second race. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, before T. W. Parker, R.M., a girl of about 11 years of age named Eliza Jane Mitchell was brought up from Reidston as a neglected child, and was remanded for a week in order that further inquiries might be made. Dennis Barry, hotelkeeper, Ngapara, was charged with having committed a breach of the Licensing Ordinance by selling beer on a Sunday. Mr. O'Meagher appeared for the defendant, and admitted the offence, but urged that it did not amount to an offence against the Ordinance. The defendant had merely let a little boy have some beer in a jug for his father's dinner. The intention of the Ordinance evidently was to prevent people congregating in hotels drinking. The defendant evidently thought that he was bound only by his license not to permit drinking in the house. Inspector Thompson remarked that the defendant conducted his hotel very well. His Worship said that it was not a question of punishing defendant for selling, so mncli as preventing others from making the same excuse for selling any amount of beer on a Sunday. Howevtr, taking into consideration the fact that defendant conducted his house well, he would dismiss the defendant with a caution. John William Gallagher, 17 years of age, was charged with committing a breach of the Protection of Game Act, by killing a grey duck at Livingstone on the Ist inst. The boy's father said that the boy had committed the offence in ignorance of the law, and against his (the father's) wish. John Allison, a contractor at Livingstone, gave evidence in support of the charge. . His Worship said these offences were of common occurrences, and that protection of the game was necessary. He inflicted a fine of LI, with L2 18s costs.

It is a well-known fact that billiard players are not always uniformly skilful; that their manipulation of the cue is not always characterised by the sanse steadiness. An extra smoke may have the effect of destroying the equilibrium of their nervous systems. As with billiard players so with singers. As showing the extent to which any little overexertion, physical or mental, acts upon the delicate and sensitive organisms of the latter, the follow story may be quoted. It has certainly tlie merit of being trueAt a meeting of Good Templars, held in a country district not a 1000 miles from Oamaru, the chairman called for a song from a prepossessing young lady, whose age lies somewhere on the verdant side of 60, and who is the possessor of a voice the intonation of which warrants the hearer in concluding that she hails from the Emerald Isle. With a modest look and an awkwardness in her manner quite enchanting and fascinating, she declined to.favor the brethren and sisters with a taste of her warbling in the following terms :—" Plaze, sor ; Mr. Chairman, ladies and gintleman, I can't sing to-night, as I've been plantin' shpuds all day." The following letter, which should be read, marked, and thoroughly digested by all young men, has been handed to the Ballarat Star for publication :—" Darlinghurst Gaol, 23rd December, 1879. Dear Mr. Long,—ln the unfortunate position I am placed in you cannot expect but a very few lines from inc. I want to assure you that I aiji very thankful to you for your late kindness in coining all the way from Victoria to testify as to my character, and to tell you how bitterly I deplore my past conduct. Ah, Mr. Long, if I had only obeyed my mother, and not left my home, how different my lot would have been, and how much misery I might have saved my relations. I little knew to what my disobedience would lead me. But I thank God I can say with a clear conscience that I did not shoot poor Constable Bowen. Will yon please remember me kindly to all my late fellow-workmen. Once more thanking you for your goodness, I remain your sincerely grateful but unfortunate friend, Fkancis C. Johns, alias T. Williams.—Mr. James Long, Confectioner, Ballarat East."