The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1175, 22 January 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1880.

' Tire Rev. Father Coleman and Mr. O'Meagher. two of' the principal speakers at last night's meeting anent the Irish Famine Relief Fund, alluded to their experience of thf liberality of the Quakers when the last famine raged in Ireland. We do not blame them for bearing testimony to the extreme nad almost unexampled kindness displayed * ~kj the Quakers on that occasion. The actinias of such men should ever be kept before tke world as examples of pure and disinterested Christian charity. Bat, in bearing testimony to this excellect trait in the character of Quakers, the rev. gentleman animadverted on the expression "Qua kerishik»" which occurred in an article on the Famine Relief Fond published in the Mail. He word happened in this sentence : —"Our contemporary's arguments savor strongly of the editor's dungeon, pedantry,andQuakensb - cess." We did not Intend to give offence to the

Quakers, nor to render it necessary that any gentleman should adopt the role of their champion. It must have been observed that the -whole of the writings -which appeared in our contemporary regarding the question niider discussion, whether editorial or otherwise, were pregnant with the advocacy of unnecessary system or preciseness two qualities for which the Quakers are celebrated. It was in tltis sense that we used the word; and we think that it was quite possible to use it without either intending or giving offence to a class fof which we, like Father Coleman and Mr. O'Meagher, have the highest rtgnrd. The following amounts were subscribed at the conclusion of last night's meeting in aid of the distressed |>«ople of Ireland : : —W. Coleman. L 5 sa; D. X. Montague, LI Is; J. D. Kett, LI Is; W. H. Eonayne, LI Is; Alex. Kerr. LI Is ; D. Toohey, L2 2s; P. Moloney, LI Is ; S. E. Shrimski, L2; Thos. Hannon, L2 2s ; Patrick Martin, LI Is; M. Grant, L 5 ;P. J. Joyce, LI; Workingman, 10s ; .J as. Markham, L 5 ss. The adjourned meeting of the Committee of the Mechanics' Institute and Athenseum will be held at half-past seven o'clock this evening. Inspector Thompson has been gazetted Superintendent Collector of Agricultural Statistics for the County of Waitaki and part of the County of Waikouaiti. At the R. M. Court this morning, before T. \V. Parker, 1-sy., R.M., John Patrick was charged with vagrancy, and was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment. John M'Keown, for drunkness, was sentenced to three days' imprisonment. James Shearer and Jane Crawford were arrested by Detective Livingstone this afternoon, charged with stealing three LI bank notes and a gold ring of the value of L2 from one "Wilson, and will probably be brought before the Magistrate to-morrow morning. On Saturday afternoon a cricket match will be played between the Town and Country. A concert and ball will be given in the Maheno public hall to-morrow evening, and should attract a large audience, for it is sometime since an entertainment was given in the township. The sale of land belonging to the New Zealand Agricultural Company, which was announced to be conducted on the 29th and 31st inst., by Messrs. Basting, Leary, and Co., has been postponed till the end of next month.

An attempt is being made by some person, who evidently thinks that he is the embodiment of sufficient wisdom for the whole community, to stultify the action of the Committee appcinted last night to raise a fnnd in this district in aid of the distressed Irish. It is quite possible that the man who could seriously advocate the establishment of a Penny Relief Society would be quite deficient in the perception necessary to enable him to see that his ideas are not such as to secure the favorable attention of the public. The principle has been laid down from time immemorial that people should dispense charity according to their ability. One ' man may be able to give a penny, | another equally able to give a pound. Let each give without any hin- ' dranee. It would be an interference with the liberty of the subject to proscribe the limits of charitable contributions. There , is some excuse for the advocate of the penny relief system. It is usual to accept only a uniform amount from each contributor for the I purpose of procuring monuments to the i memory of great men. He has endeavored to adapt the same principles to contributions for charitable aid. forgetting that the one is complimentary, the other imperative. We have many authorities before us timt the writings of other great teachers. One teaches that -in should decide, the other teaches that donors should themselves decide—what they should give. Let "North Britain" put by his pen and his penny till a more convenient season, and co-operate 'with the Relief Committee. We will be glad to look further into his scheme in search of some virtue when the Committee have disposed of their present urgent business. Maite for the Australian Colonies and Tasmania, per Rotorua, will close at the Bluff on Friday, 23rd inst., at 11.30 a.m. A meeting of the Committee of the North Otago .Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held this afternoon, Mr. T. \. Duncan in the < hair. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, a discission took place relative to the trial of reapers and binders, and, in view of the tc? cent introduction of string binders, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr._ Connell, •'That a special prize of L 5 53 be given to reapers and binders competing whether using wire or string, the competition to be open to all comers." It was resolved that the trial should take place on Thursday, sth February, at 10 a.m., the place of trial to be duly notified. Messrs. Duncan, Donaldson, Ketchen, Robertson. Orr. Hedley, Borne, Johnston, Todd, Aikenhead, and Henderson were appointed to make the necessary arrangements. On the motion of Mr. Getnmcll, seconded by Mr. Davidson, it was decided that the judging should be done in the usual way, viz., by farmers on the ground; and j instructions were given to the Committee to issue voting cards to bona fide, farmers only. This concluded the business.