The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1212, 5 March 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1880.

Tax Oaflnra Waterworks Loan has been dloaUd. VT« likft to dwell upoa the fact Every timp we write about it we'feel as "thotJjfh we' cotfld shako hands withjeveryItfdjp, from the Lovtf Mttyor of Oamaru to -the humblest printer's dpvil in our office. Everybody seems to ibe .seized with •imihr buoyancy at spirit*. good

news spread like wildfire last evening, ard warmest congratulations were exchanged all round. The Councillors felt like Bunyan is said to have, done when the burden dropped from his back. " Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, and truly the hearts of both Councillors and the more humble citizens of the town were sickening at the delay had occurred in the procuration of this muchneeded money. The Council's funds had run so low that it was compelled to resort to the expedient of issuing vouchers in payment of wages and other liabilities. As these have on the face of them only apromise to pay the amounts they represented when the Council were in funds, they were, as may be readily imagined, not melted at Dar, and, in numerous instances, could not be negotiated except at discounts that wonld have been ruinous to the holders. It is no particular discredit to the Council that it was short of cash. In this respect it was in distinguished company. Even the city of Wellington, and nearly every other Corporation in New Zealand, was in similar straits. It is, indeed, a matter for wonderment and congratulation that the Council has done so well under the distressing circumstances in which it has been placed by a too ponderous undertaking. But even now, all the ingenuity of a° wise and frugal Council will be necessary to a successful solution of the difficulties with which the Council's path is beset. The Council must themselves keep the management of the Waterworks well in hand and uot permit it to slip through their fingers hy gating it to those who are undoubtedly able, but who are nevertheless not capable of grappling with mattersbeyond theirown sphere. A definite course ofproceduremust be laid down, based upon the most rigid economy. The Council should now know with exactitude what the extent of their expenditure on account of tbfl Waterworks will be, and shape their gourde in accordance with that knowledge, The

science of engineering will enable such information to be laid before them by Mr. M'Leod, whose previous knowledge, added to that which he has gained since the Waterworks scheme gtjs inaugurated, should ensure an accurate computation. We know that even if the Waterworks are brought to a completion by the exer.cise of the strictest economy, the ratepayers will be pretty severely taxed. But the boon that an ample supply of pure water will confer will be commensurate with the burthen. To retorn to the subject of the Loan, the circumstance that it has been negotiated on sach favorable terms is another evidence that, notwithstanding the representations that have been made in Great Britain to the effect that the Colony is running too fast, our credit ranks high. It is also creditable to the agents (Messrs. Cargill3, Gibbs, and Co.) who, when the National Bank, the bank of the Corporation, refused to take charge of iho loan, undertook the responsibility of floating it.

A telegram read at last night's meeting of ! the Municipal Council folly confirmed the statement made by ns in our late edition last .evening that the 'waterworks loan of L 50.000 has been floated. The telegram from Messrs. Cargflls, Gibb3, and Co. stated that all the loan had been floated at 104 gross, and it was hoped to pay the amount into the National Bank on the 17th March. The announcement, though k&own to most Councillors, created a wonderful impression amongst the members, and it is a long tima since we have seen so many smiling faces around the -Council Chamber as were presented last evening. Where previously there was an appearance of excessive ears and dismal forebodings for the future, all was joy and jubilance. All the Councillors expressed themselves highly pleased with the result, and of the manner in which Messrs. Cargills, Gibbs, and Co., the agents for the floating of the loan, had acted. It was said that tliey had throughout shown the greatest possible desire to make the loan a success. It was unanimously resolved to vvrite to Messrs. Cargills, Gibbs, and Co., expresjiijg the entire satisfaction of the Council with t.ho manner in which the loan had been floated, i and the terms upon which it had been negai tiated. It is satisfactory to know, as we learn I from the remarks made last evening, that the Council arc fully alive to the fact that they will have to handle the money with great eare, in order to make it go as far as possible towards completing the works. A meeting of the provisional directors of the Oaniaru = f»l/);.c Hall and Corn Exchange Company (Limited), was held to-day at Mr. Lemon's office. H. Maude, Hon. R. Campbell, Dr. Garland, Messrs. E. Col lis, T. H. Brown, A. S. Otterson, H, Newton, J, O'Meagher, G. S. Lintott, and Messrs. Forrester and Lemon (architects). A large number of tendere were received, but as it was resolved tfl make some alterations in the plans, no ictT.'ler was accepted. It was resolved that t}® prospectus, as passed, be printed and iahp4, It was also resolved that the architects be requested to curtail the specifications, so as to bring them within tfaa estimated cost as stated in the prospectus (L'j&OO), Over 300 shares were subscribed for in the room, The prospect of oats becoming /even a greater dnig is the market, owing to the vastnes3 of the new crop »nd the large quantity of old oats still held, #dd4d to certain concessions made by the shipping companies, has had the effect of inducing a, nuaiher of Canterbury farmers to ship parcels of oats Home. This should be welcome news to all holders of oats, as affording some amount of relief to an over-burdened marfcst, Jn view of the fall in prices which haye been threatened in the Colonial markets, and the verv evident determination of dealers to act in concert and so keep priaa* down to their own level, it would be well for out farmers to consider whether some means of shipping *way a portion of the surplus stock of grain oa their own accounts cannot be devised.

Alalia for the Australian Colonies, per To Anaa, will close at the Bluff at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Mtfe Inst.

It will be xewwbered that some twelve months ago the Municipal Council was desirous of letting the Maefejyhenua endowment, but prior to doing this it wob necessary that the endowment should bg surveyed. The Survey Department was suable to undertake the work at the time, and agreed that, should the Council arrange with any dnly qualified surveyors to do the work, the amoujit that the survey would cost the department should be refunded to the Council. With concurrence of the Survey Department, Mewrs. Denniston and Grant undertook the work ftad \vere paid by the Corporation something like ISO, The department's estimate of the cost that woifid have been entailed had one of the Government surveyors made the survey would have amounted to L 75, and this sum it was agreed to refund to the Council, but month after month has gone by, and still the money has not been forthcoming. The matter cropped up again at the meeting of the Council last evening, when it was resolved to forward the whole of the correspondence to the Survey Office, and request an immediate sattle.raent of the account. The Committee of the Mechanics' Institute Bist last evening, there being present: Messrs. Forrester (in the chair), Greenfield, Garrow, HasseJl, Hislop, Kidd, Loring, Peattie, and WiHiafsso/J (lion, sec.) The several Sab-Committees ve?e appointed, and a number of matters postpones jjfltil next meeting. There was some discussion with reference to the number of subscribers, and hopes were expressed that, as a result of the large additions made to the library and other improvements effected, there would be a laj-ge accession of members. The City Council is not apparently aatwjfcd with the result of the late legal proceedings against a local fruitseller for Sunday trading. At /ast night's meeting .of tho Oamaru Council a letfjar ya? read from the Town Clerk of Chfiatchureh a cow pi the following resolution passed ny the Christ church Council That the Council depcsc/itcs the action of those in this city who expose t&eir wares for sale.on tne Lord's Day; and that they deeply regret that the Municipal Acts do ufit empower the SfujiicipaHtics to make a bye.-law<# suppress sacb practice ; and further that this Council pledges rts«if to act in conjunction other Mamcipoijtittp to petition the Governor in Council or the Lsgisfotare of this Colony to pass an Act to prevent Sunday It was resolved by the C&MSH, #ithsu,tsi§-

Cußsion, to receive the letter, and to forward a reply expressing the; sympathy of the Council in the movement and its readiness to co operate in any effort made to secure the passing of an Act of Parliament. The privileges in connection with _ the faces to De held on the 17th and 18fch itist. Will be sold by auction to-morrow, at 12 o'clock sharp. As the entries are good, and the races will be held on a public holiday, and as the harvest will have placed ttiuch money at the disposal of the public, We anticipate that they will produce a sum very satisfactory to the Club. It seems that the Club do not, as usual, insist upon cash at the fall of the hammer, but requires 25 per cent, cash, and will take a marked cheque for the balance due, payable on the day after the races. We understand also that the night of settling will be at the Club-house on Friday, the 19th inst. . . The service of song " Daniel in Captivity is now under practice by the choir of St. Paul's Church. Its arrangement is by Mr. C. White, Dunedin, and contains some of the finest solos, quartetts, and choruses, from the best music masters, and we.have no hesitation in saying that it will be the most interesting ever given in Oamaru. The annual meeting of the Oamaru. Branch of the Educational Institute wUI b§ in the High School on Saturday next at 1 p.m., when office-bearers will be elected and other necessary business transacted. The cricket match between the Excelsior and Oamaru Clubs takes phvte tomorrow on the ground of the latter, play t© commence at 2 o'clock instead of 2.30 as previously announced. So far the weather has been very good, and we hope that a continuance of the same will bring a good number of the public, ladies especially, to the ground for the purpose of viewing this most interesting game.. Ths betting so far is in favor of the Excelsior, The sale of Walter Peg.k Station, advertised for sale by Messrs, Maclean and Po. on the 11th instant has been postponed till the 23rd instant.

Mr. Arthur Sketchley kept his audience at the Volunteer Hall last night in a state of almost continued merriment. The room was not so full as we expected to see it, although tijfi ffQftt seats were pretty fairly packed. But Bi£3gr£ the audience wa3, considering the occasion—the apppftrgpee of a man who has been, by common consept, fl4jji4gp4 to be one of the foremost wits of the' were pleased because it gave some evidence, both by its presence and its enthusiasm, that there are in Oamaru at least a few people ivjio do not confine their patronage to fclapjiened faces. The lecturer is eminently English gentleman, and one who can be either Mrs. firpwn, Arthur >ketchley, or Mrs. Tophain (the Scotch lady whose maiden name was M'Tavish), who never cared for breakfast, bnt nevertheless thrust into obscurity several courses, to the borpor of her host. This Mrs. Brown is an elaboration of Mrs.. M<^ a p r OPi Daroe Partington, Mrs. Harris, and gaipey Cramp, characters that have been immprtalised and rendered familiar in print. But Mr. Skratchley (that is what Mrs, Brown calls him) has, by his ability, . endowed the fussy creature of his creation with life. To-night, the programme will be changed. It will embrace " Country Quarters " —Mr. Sketchley, at home overwhelmed with work, resolves to seek repose .in the country; expepifipfiea q[ a delightful rural retreat, and pleasures flf 3 pofjptry life; return to town; life jn lo.dgipg9; flyerß'lfelg}ij}g work and constant interruption; Betsy jane's sorrow* and sufferings: Mr, t#e Blond on Shakpsr peare ; Sanaip M'CulJoch ; a visit from Mrs. Brown ; her tale of the sea f her wrongs thro' sprats; Mrs.Jarvis'wrongsand relations; ado, mesticcalamlty.Part2—"Mrs. Brown spends a Happy Day." We can confidently recommend the public to attend to-night's lecture.