Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1221, 16 March 1880, Page 2

A person calling himself " Beware," favored us with a little attention ip yesterday's issue of our contemporary.. We think it pleasapt to have sopie recognition from somebody, and if we papppt get an editorial from Wansbeck-street, we must, we suppose, be satisfied with a letter. We are-supposed not to know who is the person that endeavors to hide his. identity behind this pseudonym. We regret this, because we are thus deprived of the of holding him up before the public as an of a modest benefactor. We wonder whether or p.ot the editor of our contemporary (or C f Beware") would object to our mentioning the writer's name. We really think that there is an unnecessary amount of secresy about the writer's movements in relation to the vitally important matter of which hp complains. That " Beware" has found the existence of appalling immorality in Oamaru, there is jxq ropip. for doubt. There is at any rate one ingtapge of " Yahooism," to prove the universal social fester which was lately exposed in the editorial columns of our contemporary. It is all very well people saying that • ■ pne swallow does not make a summer," Wp Riusfc not allow ourselves to be led astray by §Hgh pjd and inane axioms. Besides, the number pot ppe in this case. " Two or three " lads have been heard using grossly rough and improper language to three young ladies. What more conclusive evidence that the whole Cplony is on the high road to moral degradation i The editor of our contemporary and " Beware "—perhaps two persons in one, or one in two —see this great evil befalling us. No one else sees it—no one else has attempted to stem the torrent. There was only one Noah before the tiood—here we have two. The noise of their hammers 3s they drive in the nails in the execution of their great moral work is drowned by the din occasioned by the jibe 3 and jeers of depraved onlookers. But let them nevermind. Their business is to accelerate the Millennium. They can afford to suffer a little temporary annoyance when so much everlasting glory is awaiting them. We think it no particularly suspicious circumstance that " Beware" happened to hear ■ the remarks of the young gentlemen. We presume that he was following the three young ladies in question—that is to say, he happened to be walking in the ajme street, on the same side of the street! apd but a few paces behind them. Three other " young gentlemen" (?) to use the writer's owp remarks, happened to bo doing precisely the same thing. How different their objects and actions. The " two or three" were evidently bent on wantonness —the other was probably going to enlist the young ladies' co-operation with him in endeavoring to effect a great moral reformation amongst the colonial young men and women. We can call to mind—although it is " a many years ago. when we were young and foolish"—now annoyed we felt when our steDS were dogged by others just as we were bent upen spending a few delicious moments in that bliss which the society of ladies impart#. "Beware" will kindly pardon the allusion. We do not mean to say that he was bent on such frivolous' business. On the contrary, we think that the " two or three" other fellows should have gone home, and permitted "Beware" to breathe in the young ladies ears that sweet . consolation that heals wounded female sensibilities. But we should like to know what these " two or three young gentlemen (?)" really said—not to gratify a prurient taste, but in order that we might caution them never to do it again. Did they utter " sweet nothings," or cast reflections on their follower, whom they viewed as an intruder? This is a point upon which "Beware" is particulary reticent, and we suppose that we and an anxious public must be satisfied to remain in ignorance in order that the writer's kindly feelings of consideration for the culprits may be gratified. We feel for "Beware" in his dilemma. On the one hand his reputa.tion is at stake, ontheother he "is anxious to screen the offenders from public reprobation of their conduct. "■ ■ Some people may say that he screens these " young gentlemen (0" from compulsion—that there is a selfish philosophy in "Beware's" reticence. These people may ask how "Beware" could give the names of the " yahooh's " when he did not know their number by more than thirty per cent. This is a doubt that we certainly should' like " Beware "to clear up. .We have no sympathy with those person's whose delight it is to carp at and endeavor to blacken the characters of such moral reformers as Bewared" They will say that he is unable to afford any information, other than that contained in his letter. Perhaps he is. Nevertheless the thanks of the public are due to him. He undoubtedly possesses a highly moral character, and his endeavors .to inculcate morality in others may;have been unfortunately somewhat stultified by temporary physical incapacity, the nature of which, like the nature of the offence, the number of the offenders, and-their names, will, we fear, ever remain as great a mystery as the milky way -to " Beware " and the public.

justice. These were only Reasonable. In a colony containing so many thousands of inhabitants to attempt to trace the culprit very much resembled looking "for a needle in .4 hay-stack. However, the police have :nosf; lost any time in investigating the affair, and,| as a result oif their, assiduity, an incorrigible' criminal'named Butler has already been arrested near Wailkouaiti on suspicion of being concernecLm the foul tragedy. We* observe that the Otago Daily Times, in a short editorial upon the murder, mentioned, as one of its solutions, the probability that it was committed by a discharged, criminal may have viewed "as having labored as a revenge upon society, which: he. cruelly towards" him.' "If the police have caught the right iman, it would appear that the Times', view of the matter was. correct. Judging from Butler's past career, he is'just the sort of man wEowould be guilty of any atrocity. But, so far as we. are aware, no links of evidence have as yet been provided to connect him with Sunday's outrage. The police have taken the first step in an endeavour to unravel the mystery; but, unfortunately, it >v T onld appear tjiai; .gjuch remains to ,be done before they can announce that they are on the high road to the accomplishment of this much-to-berdesired object. TJie Philharmonic Sooiety'B rehearsal will be held this week on Friday, Inatead 'of Wednesday evening. ;

We remind our readers that Mr. and Mrs. Florence, who are already known to the public of Oamaru as clever vocalists, they having been the principal artists in the last opera, company that performed in Oamaru,' will appear this evening at' the Volunteer Hall. Mr, Florence's rendering. $ VJLet me ljkg Sf soldier fa|l '' never been sur-' passed in thig 'Colony, and he proves himself just as capable.a vooalist by> his rendering of she other pieces down for performance this evening. Mrs. Florence, tPo,'has a capital idea of ballad singing, and, what is just as important, a really good voice. W§ ££o confidently rgebfflffiegd thes to °BF rgass?: * We have been requested to state tliat the first ra.ce will not be started on either day until after the passengers by the .first train from Oamaru have arrived on the oourse. Housewives beware.. There are some petty thieves about the town, and it would he well for residents to avoid leaving anything valuable within the reach of these gentry. We have lately heard of several larc§pi§g iii various parts of the town, -In onp a line T was gtrjppe4 $ pvery artiplp uppn it, while in pther instances the articles stolen, have included a variety, of small articles that might be considered beneath the notice of anyone but a very petty thief. The following players will represent the Oamaru Club in the match with the Trades men's Club, which is to be played on .the> ground of the former club to-morrow, viz.: —Messrs. E. Booth, G-. Borton, Cooke, Fen-' wick, Finch", Crigg, J. Miljjngfcfii}, Coatps," Sumpter, arjd Walls? Emergencies : A. E. Hardy, Lintottj apd H. Moore. The undermentioned will compose the Tradesmen's team :—Messrs. j. Hartley (oaptain), D. Sinclair, A. Hartley, R. Crawford, J. Steel, W. Gray, W. J. Maddern, W. Ridsdale, T. Hewatj A. Slater, and R. Aimers. EmergenciesJ. Ogilvie and H. Kite. The match will commence at 11 o'clock sharp. .- Mr. Brookes, a well-known pedestrian, will perform his extraordinary feat of travelling 180 milps in 24 at thg ypjujiteer Hall to-morrow evening,

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, today, before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., William Porden was charged with having been drunk and disorderly, and was fined 205., with the alternative of three days' imprisonment; and William Scott, for a similar qrjaqch of tjig Jfiw, was fined 55., with the optipn pf u'ndergpigg §$ bpBFS' . The weekly nißetjng pf St. Paul's Ypwng Men's Association was held" last evening, the Rev. A. B. Todd occupying the chair, and a good number of members being' present. After the usual preliminaries were disposed of, the business of the evening was commenced by Mr, Macdonald reading a paper entitled "A Night with Scott ; " which was very well received. This was followed by readings from the works of Scotland's novellist, given by those present, and a fair criticism concluded the proceedings. ; Two new members were elected, and a sub-committee appointed ,to draw up a syHabug fgr the quarter. Jt was decided' to' after tlie" pjglit' qf flirting, for the present, to Thursday, as it was thought this night would suit the convenience of the members, many of whom are unable to attend on Monday evening. The next meeting, therefore, will be held on Thursday, March 25th, when readings afid repltgilons will be given by various members, and at which, it is hoped, all who gap. make it convenient will be present,