The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1204, 25 February 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1880.

. The Oamarn Jockey Clnb have every reason to be" satisfied with the entries received last evening for the race meeting to be held on the 17th and ISth proximo. Everything considered, the entries, are very good, both in point of nnuibcrs and the quality of the horsra entered, and shonld produce good fields and fair sport. At the Resident Magistaate's Court, today, W. H. S. Roberts, Esq., J. P., on the Bench, Walter Pennington was charged with passing over the Thames-street level crossing while a train was within the distance of the crossing prescribed by the Act as prohibiting the passage of persons. The accused pleaded ignorance of the law on'the matter. The presfding' Jnstico and Mr. -James H.tsse!!, Esq., J.P., expressed a desire that the local Press should publish the fol : lowing extract from sectiou 13 of the Public Works Act, 1576 :—"And where a road crosses a railway on a level, the pnblic right of way at such crossing shall cease whenever any engine or carriages-on the railway arc approaching, and within a distance of one mile from such crossing." The accused was fined ss. Five boys named Michael -Connell, Alex. M'Cnlloch, _ Hugh M'Cnlloch, James Black, and Ed. "Vail were charged with stealing apples from the garden of Mr. Peattie. Michael Connell was discharged on account of the insufficiency of the evidence. The other four were sentenced to six hours' imprisonment, and to receive 12 strokes with a rod, in accordance with the .Justices of the Peace Act, IS6C. The presiding justices very properly drew attention to the absence of any of the parents of the children, who were left friendless and alone to undergo punishment for their guilt, which wasprobably a consequence of the disinterestedness and carelessness of their parents. Jnlia Vatighan was remanded till to-morrow in order that she might undergo medical examination. The iuliowing drunkards were fined ss, with the alternative of 24 honra' imprisonment:—John Davis and Richard Borris.

Mr. Farquhar, Collector of Customs at this port, instituted an inquiry into the falling overboard of a passenger named Gilchrist, during the passage of the Beautiful Star from Port Chalmers to this port on the 20th instant. The evidence adduced by Captain .Jones, Frank Johnson (A.8.), and R. H. Neville (first mate), beare out the version -we pnblished of the affair, and shows that everj- effort was put forth to save the unfortunate man, and to find his body. The result of the inquiry has been fonvarded to the Government.

The return cricket match between the first elevens of the Oamaru and Excelsior Clubs will be commenced on Saturday, 6th March. A meeting of the Committee of the Oamara Jockey Club was held last evening at the Empire Hotel. There were present: Messrs Hardy (in the chair), Greenfield, M'Corkinrfale, Paterson, Shalders, F. W. O. Grant, M. Grant, Mos3, and Southan (hon. sec): Messrs. Lyons and Hart wrote thanking the Clnb for accepting their offer of 20 guineas for the sole right of using the totalisator on the course. A letter was read from the Race-course Trust, stating, in reply to a deputation from the Club that the Trust had voted the sum of L3O from its funds for the use of the Club. It was decided to forward a letter of thanks to the Trust for their donation. The entries were then opened for the various races. It was decided to sell the privileges in connection with the meeting on Saturday, the 6th proximo. On Saturday afternoon a cricket match will be played between the Town and the Banks. The Banks will be represented by Messrs. Robinson, Thompson, Bannerman, Macdonald, Martin, M'Jannet, Fenwick, Moore, Jone3, Roxby, and Gordon. Emergencies—Cook, Mlieod, and Kerr. The final selection of the team to do battle for the Town has not been made, but the players will be chosen from the following:—Messrs. Co >ke, Snmpter, Booth, Creagh, deLautour, Walls, Finch, Coates, H. Moore, Church, Rice,. A. O. Hardy, A. E. Hardy, Anderson, Lintott, Bull and Ferens. Mr. Robert Stout intends to resuscitate the weekly paper called the Echo, and published, in Dunedin under his editorship several year 3 ago. We understand that Mr. Stout has been impelled to do this in consequence .of the one-sidedness of the Dunedin newspapers, and their opposition to the political views of the party of which he was for years an active leader and is now one of the strongest and most persistent advocates in the Colony. It is rumored that it is to be a politico-religions -paper. If thi3 be true, in this respect it mil rise from it 3 sepulchre unpurged of one of its chief failings. Pob'tics and religion are two distinct things, and go badly in harness together. We hope, therefore, that this promised addition to what is termed the-Liberal press of the Colony will not be r marred by the advocacy of any such principles as those of Freethonght, which would circumscribe its usefulness as a counteraction of the influence wielded by the other Dunedin papers, because it would circumscribe its circulation.