The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1217, 11 March 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1880.

It is announced in another column that 2400 acrc3 of Jrmd iu the Kurow district, which were not long since offered by auction at an upset price -of 42s per acre, bnt not sold, are. open for selection al2os ppr acre. Applications to be made to the Crown Office, or at any land office within the Land District, on March 23rd next. We understand that a movement fs on foot to make a presentation to the Rev. H. Dewsbury prior to his departure for Auckland. Daring the short time the rev. gentleman has been in Oamaru he has made many friends, and sincere regret is expressed, not only amongst the members of his fl«.ck, but the public generally, that circumstances should have necessitated his removal from Oamaru. From what we have gathered, it would appear that the presentation will be a, very substantial one. j By a notice in a Government Gazette just to band we learn that the designation of the post ofiice formerly known as Puki-iviti hap been changed to Shag Point Junction. We are pleased that a change has been made in the name of the post office, for the old name of Puki-iviti had nothing to recommend it. How it originated we know not, but it is certainly Maori, nor, we believe, low jjatcb.

Mails for the Australian Colonies and United Kingdom, per Kotorua, close at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, 13th inst./at" the Bluff.

A telegraph station has been opened at Makikihi, County of Geraldine, in the Provincial District of Canterbury.

Telegraph communication is interrupted north of Tauranga.

The telegraph station at Oakura, in the Provincial District of Taranaki, is now closed.

It is officially announced in another column that the I Battery N.Z.R.A., Oamaru Kifles, Oamaru Citizen Cadets, and Artillery and Rifle bands, will parade at the Volunteer Hall tomorrow evening for inspection. It is, we are informed, essential that those who intend to take part in the Easter review should attend.

An explanation is necessary with reference to the telegram from Timaru which appeared in our last issue, stating that Mr. T. Orr, in the employ of Messrs. J. and T. Meek, had been arrested for having stolen 800 sheep at Saltwater Creek. The accused in this case is Mr. George Orr, engagrd as storeman to Messrs. J. and T. Meek. The case arises out of the partnership dispute between Messrs. J. and T, Meek and Mr. John Scott, who is iijow ucdprgoipg trial for stealing horses belonging to the firnj. . Mr. Qrr had been instructed, under legal advice, to seize thesheep, which belong to the other partnership, to prevent their being sold prior to the partnership disputes being settled, and Mr. Scott, we believe, as a quid pro quo for having himself been arrested, laid an information against Mr. Orr for- stealing the sheep, This is the substance of the case, and we deen* it necessary fg TT?akg tfye pxplanation in justice to Mr. Orr, $s some might be under the impression that it was a bona fide case of larceny, The partnership dispute out of which this case arises is one which bids fair to require a great deal of unravelment, as it appears to be becoming still more difficult to deal with.

We regret to hear that it is improbable that we shall see the famous jumper. The Agegt, .op our course next week. He is reported to be g.inis.3, fj-rjfl not likely to accept for either the steeplechase or jiljp hurdle handicap. The usual monthly meeting of the Oamaru Hospital Committee will be held on Thursday evening, 16th inst., in Mr. Church's office. The business is likely to be of more thai? ordinary importance. The tenders for supplies foe eix mpnth3 will have to be accepted, and the Government Jias solicited from the Committee suggestions and recommendations in connection with the proposed Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill. The Secretary has one or two copies of the Bill, and any member of the Committee wishing to peruse it can have the use of a copy,

The case of Jappejiy preferred by Mr. T. Meek against John Scott, St,owar£ Dgjg, and James Anderson, for stealing certain horses, was continued at the Resident Magistrate's Court, to-day, before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M. Mr. Hislop appeared for the prosecutor, and Mr. Hamersley for the defence. The case, as will be remembered, is one ariejug out of a partnership dispute. Steps" "were bs? n g taken by Messrs. J. and T. Meek to have tlje partnership between themselves and John Scott while thus in course of procedure, Scott sold some of the horses, and the charge of larceny was brought against him and the other accused persons who had assisted in the removal of the horses. Andrew M Crae gave evidence as to the defendants removing and selling the stock bpl<?nging to the partnership. Mr. Hamersley was tjjen pj}t in the box and examined by Mr. Hislop with reference to certain bills in his possession. Some further evidence was taken, and the proceedings were then further adjourned. Jt is somewhat surprising that almost every Municipal Corporation in the Colony is suffering from the sanje complaint—tightness of the chest.- While the City Cqunci 1 of Christchurch has found it necessary to impose rates to-the amount of 3s lid in the £, the City Councils of Dunedin and Wellington, and the Councils of several other boroughs haye deemed economy to be absolutely required. T};s Town Council of Timaru is reduced to the straits from which that of Oamaru has only been relieved by the successful floating of the Waterworks Loan. If the Councils are so badly off now what will be their position in a year, when they will not, as is strongly predicted, receive any subsidies from the Colonial Treasury ? The probable situation of many pf ttyem ig too unpleasant to contemplate. One thing ihafc lias struck us as somewhat remarkable in regarjj. t.9 the eflonojny now being initiated by nwny of the G.Qrporatioos of the Colony is, that while savings are being attempted i» the labor department, no steps are being taken to reduqo any of the high salaries paid. 'Tis strange, but true.

Lovers of coursing are likely to have plenty of their favorite sport duriug the forthcoming season. Hares are very plentiful, as is fully evidenced by the fact that large numbers of them have fallen victims to t)ie reapers and binders in various localities. We have hoard of & large number having been killed in thi3 manner in paddpek of the Awamoa Estate, while hares'have been seen in-abundance jn many of their favorite localities.

The adjourned oaae jigfiinst John Madden for larceny did not come on for hearing at the Court to-day, but was adjourned until to* morrow morning. A sect denominated the " Brethren of Christ," who appear to be somewhat akin to "Shakers of the Old Country, have been njaking fools of themselves and their religion, am. /jficplerating, if not causing, death in an inland town jn Wellington. A man named Neils Madsen, a member of the sect, was taken seriously ill, and instead of sending for a medical man, his co-religionists, according to the tenets of their belief, administered physic unto the sick man themselves, and added thereto their prayers. Findipg Jhftt |hpjr physic and supplications were unavailing, they, at the ljvst moment, sent for a medical man, azid therj only wit]} a yiew of obtaining the usual certificate of deSath. The results of this foolishness were—a Coroner's inquest, a verdict condemning the friends of the deceased, and an appeal by the Wellington Post to the Crown law officers to inquire into the matter, with reference to the necessity for some of the religious fanatics being placed upon their trial For manslaughter, as a warning ags'nst such inhuman conduct in future. We mentioned yesterday that MV, J, JT. Wheeler, of the Telegraph Office, was about to be removed and that his successor would be Mr. W. Gordon, of Wanganui.' This gentleman is an artist of no mean, order in the drawing of cartoons, many of which have found their way to various parts of the Colony. .Some few years ago, during the session of Parliament in which Sir E. W, Stafford defeated the Fox Ministry and succeeded to power, onjy to be defeated a fortnight afterwords by Sip Julius Voael, party feeling ran very high, Mr, Gordon thejj found plenty or employment, and caused a great stir in the Empire City by producing life-sized cartoons of many of the principal politicians concerned in the struggles of the time. These were afterwards photographed and found a ready sale, many of those caricatured good-naturedly procuring copies. A number of these are now in the possession of a member o£ our staff, and form very admirable reminders of the doings of the time. While on a visit to Sydney some time ago, Mr. Gordon was engaged in the preparation of cartoons for the Sydney Punch. Since, his employment in the Telegraph Department, Mr. Gordon has, of course, been debarred from taking up political matters and showing their comic side, but he has not been idle. A short time ago he went to Parihaka to obtain a cartoon of the great Maori prophet, Te Whiti, but the wily darkskin proved too cute for M;', Gordon, who wa< forced to return without succeeding in his efforts. - Another of Mr. Gordon's ig worthy of note. Some years since ,h'e drew a life-sized cartoon of Sir Donald M'Lean, the great Maori man, dressed in a Maori mat, and dancing a war dance. This was sent to Napier and posted in one of the prin-' Sipal hotels, where it attracted a great amount of attention, not only amongst Sir Donald's paig-facpd constituents, but amongst the natives, who flocked to the liotel in large numbers to get a glajicc at '* Makarini," until they became a positive pqisaqce g#d the cartoon had to be removed.

The experience of tljp Wellington City Council in regard to hospital management has not been pleasant; though it may been instructive as showing that these insti-

tutions can be much better managed by Committees elected specially fqr ; the purpose?' than by bodies having other and, perhaps, more important; matters to a,ttehd' tb.: / According to the Post,'since the Council; took: charge of the Wellington Hospital,' the expenses have increased 100 per cent., without taking anyaccount of the large sum spent in additional furnishings Evidently there has been very gross extravagance and mismanagement, and well may the Council cause an inquiry to be made into the matter. At the Resident Magistrate's Court tor day, before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., the following cases of drunkenness ; and disorderly conduct were heard : —Nathaniel. Butler (offence committed on the-Railway premises), was fined 20, with the alternative of three days' imprisonment; George Martell (offence committed in Thames-street) was fined as ; and Henry Plummer (offence committed in Tyne*street) was fined 10s, with the usual alternative.

At yesterday's meeting of the Waste Lands Board, an application was made by Messrs. Connell and Hoodie,, on behalf of Mr. W. J. Cain, for 50 acres adjoining section 7, block 5, Kurow district, with report as to the nature of the land A letter was also received from the Waitaki County Council objecting to the alienation of the The consideration of tl}e application was adjourned at the request-of the applicant.