The Oamaru Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1232, 30 March 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1880.

Messrs. Curtis, M'Cosh Clark, "Wright, and Colonel Pearce arrived in Oamaru by today's afternoon train, where they were joined by Mr. Held, and proceeded to Dunedin. There they will consult with Mr. Blair, with a view to eliciting information that may be useful to them in their deliberations. From what we can learn—although, of course, its opinions will not be made known until Parliament meets—the Commission ha 3 resolved upon making economy their first consideration. We would not be surprised if they were to suggest the abandonment of large and expensive works until the Colony has had time to pull itself together, and the construction, or partial construction of lines which would afford an immediate and adequate return for expenditure, whilst the cost would not cause too great a drain upon our financial resources. The Colony has only a limited—a very limited—amount at it 3 disposal for railway construction, and it behoves it to exercise the greatest care that that amount is expended in the most judicious manner possible. The Corporation have lost no time in commencing the operations that have been delayed pending the receipt of the loan. The 15-inch waterpipes are being laid in Severnstreet, from which source the southern portion of the town will derive its water supply. All other portions of the work are now being prosecuted with necessary vigor, and the Engineer expresses himself confident that the water supply will be perfect within four months.

Owners of dogs and goats are notified that their registration fees are payable on the Ist of April next. The penalty, as set forth in the advertisement, is of so dire a nature that those who value their animals should take advantage of timely warning. We acknowledge with thanks the receipt from Mr J. Christie, Editor of the North Otago Times, of a sheet containing a leader correspondence which appeared in that paper on the subject of a National Penny Relief Fund. We shall take an early opportunity of commenting upon the subject. The Town Clerk and some of the members of the Corporation have been exceedingly busy during the day calculating the amounts due on vouchers, and paying the same by cheque. We presume that they will be busy again to-morrow, as interest ceases on that day. The usual monthly meeting of the Committee of the Atlienreum will be held on Thursday next, at 7.30 p.m. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day Albert Hoskins, Sarah Gorman, alias White, Jane Paul, Annie Murdock, and Mary Ann Hoskins, were charged, on remand, with having committed a breach of the pjace. Some further evidence of an unimportant natnre was taken, and Albert Hoskins was ordered to pay LlO or suffer three months' imprisonment, and Jane Paul L 3 or 20 days. The othere were discharged. The charge against Hoskins for assaulting William Falls was allowed to drop. Last evening the March quarterly meeting was held in the Wesley Church for the dispatch of its financial business, after which a very interesting ceremony was performed, viz., the presentation to the Rev. Henry Dewsbury of a purse of sovereigns as a mark of the esteem by which that gentleman is held by the adherents of his congregation. Mr. Cunninghame, in performing this ceremony, did so in a few well-chosen words, wishing that the future career of the rev. gentleman, a3 well as that of Mrs. Dewsbury, might be as happy a3 their sojourn in for two years in Oamarn has been. Mr. Dewsbury feelingly replied, and said that he and Mrs. Dewsbury had spent two very happy years among his flock, and regretted exceedingly that the Conference had resolved to remove him to another sphere of labor. He was leaving Oamarn much Against his will, but he was, of course, compelled to conform to the rules of the Church. He hoped great things for Oamarn, and should never forget the uniform kindness he had received during his pastorate amongst them. The usual monthly meeting of the Waiareka Road Board will be held in the offices, Tyne-street, to-morrow, at 11 a.m. Mr. and Mrs. Hart's Comic Operetta Company gave a very enjoyable entertainment, appropriately termed "Happy Hours/' at the Volunteer Hall last evening. There was not a very large attendance, owing, no doubt, to the absence of so many people from town. The entertainment commenced with some pianoforte selections by Mr. H. Baker, which were followed by an amusing sketch, entitled "Molly's Dilemma, or Irish Courtship," in which Mr. and Mrs. Hart fully sustained their reputation, Mrs. Hart representing the characters of Molly M'Chree and her soldier brother, Micky M'Chree, and Mr. Hart those of Squire O'Drogherty and Paddy Malone. Mr. and Mrs. Hart were enthusiastically applauded for their rendering of the double Irish reel at the conclusion of " Molly's Courtship." After a short interval, ."My Wife's Relations," was given, into which were introduced Mrs. Hart's celebrated Highland fling and Mr. Hart's latest novelty, "Galvanic Tommy." The characters in this sketch were—Mr. Berry (and his impersonated relations), Mr. Hart; Mrs. Berry (and her relations), Mrs. Hart; Billy Buttons, Miss Louise Hart. The Company wilt give another performance thi3 evening, when there will be an entire change of programme, "Susan and Her Lover" and "Diamond cut Diamond " being announced, and we hope to see the bumper house at the Hall which the Harts deserve.

The South Canterbury Times, which usually adopts a sensible view of matters upon which it comments, contends that there is no reason why people should.reprobate the whole of those Volunteers who took part in the late review because a few of their number "demolished a confectionary establishment at Ashburton." It says that "these young men, when at home, and

especially when undergoing drill, are models o! rectitude," and that the Timaru contingent did not participate in the.eacapade oven to the extent of a lozenge or, an apple. It cannot nnderstand why grown up people should shake their heads and designate the Volunteer review as " a glorious drunk," or "a disreputable orgy." Although we cannot go quite so far as the " grown up people" who "shake their heads," we think that there is pretty conclusive evidence that there are men and boys in the Volunteer force that should never again be permitted to wear uniforms, unless it is possible to make them amenable to the strictest discipline. As regards the Timaru Volunteers,- we are glad to learn that they have so vastly improved since they immortalised themselves in Dunedin with an unenviable immortality. We are willing to accept the late test as an evidence of their reformation,

The Wellington Post gives the following particulars of the loss by drowning, in the Hutt River, the other day, of the noble little fellow M'lntosh : The two boys were engaged in catching drift wood, which came floating down the river. Frederick, aged nine, was cautioned by his brother Thomas, aged 11, to come away, but would not do so. Suddenly the earth gave way, and Frederick was swept into the river. The little fellow Thomas plunged in, and succeeded in reaching him. Then came an exciting struggle for life, the younger boy pulling the elder under the water. The elder boy, in self-preservation, was obliged to shake his brother off. Frederick then came to the surface, and was carried out into the stream. He shook his hands in the air and cried out, "G'ood-bye, all; you will never see me again." He then disappeared. Thomas, who is an intelligent boy, but small for his age, managed, although very much exhausted, to reach the shore unaided. The plucky little hero deserved better success for his gallant conduct. It is rumored (says the Po3fc) that both the Government and the Royal Commission on Railways are anxious, if possible, to secure the services of Mr Higinbotham, C.E., the well-known Australian Engineer, as a member of the Commission. If this report be well founded, it is to be hoped that Mr Higinbotham will consent to act, as his opinion and advice as an expert and a purely impartial outsider would be of the greatest possible assistance to the Commission and the Government in arriving at a really practical conclusion of the question at issue, viz., the economic value and paying capabilities of the railways undertaken and projected in New Zealand. Mr. Higinhotham recently inspected the South Australian lines, and presented a report to that Government which contains many most valuable recommendations, which might well be taken into consideration by our Government. Some indeed, we believej had a- good deal of weight in ! suggesting measures of retrenchment lately carried out in the railway service of this colony.