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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1287, 22 May 1880, Page 2

For the information of those persons who may not have seen a previous announcement in which we explained the position of those who are desirous of qualifying themselves to vote at the approaching election, we again state that the roll on the basis of which the election will be conducted is now in the hands of the printers. It is, therefore, now too late to get names inserted upon it; but Mr. Filleul, having received a large number of applications, to be placed on the roll since it was closed, has communicated with the Government with the object of gpiiing permission to compile a supplementary roll of those who wish to vote at the approaching election. Mr. Roberts will address the electors at the Athenamm, Kakanui, to-night, at 7.30. Mi'. John Eeid will addres3 the electors at the Volunteer Hall this evening, at 8 o'clock. A meeting of Mr. Reid's committee will be held at G. 45 at Mr. Church's office.

The fact that " all telegrams received at Leeston are to be delivered in future within one mile from the township," was wired throughout the Colony yesterday. Leeston contains a few hundred inhabitants only, and other townships of more importance throughout the Colony will naturally enquire how it is that they have not had such a favor extended to them. But it should be borne in mind that, whilst Leeston is eommercia'ly too unimportant to merit the newly-granted concession, it is the chief town of the constituency represented by the Hon Mr. Hall, the Premier of the Colony, aiul as the announcement of the granting of the special favor appeared on the morning following the evening on which Mr. Hall delivered his address in that oh-cure township," we are fairly entitled to assume that the act is intended by the Premier to mark that event. We class this action in the same category as the sop 3 to the West Coast and Auckland.

II r. .John Church lias been appointed an assessor under the Property Tax Act. We recommend people to get their houses in order for the reception of that gentleman. It should be borne in mind that to facilitate matters it is desirable that all jewellery, clothing, hoots and shoes, &c., should be laid out in such a manner that they can be viewed without any vexatious trouble to the assessor.

On Monday, the 61st anniversary of the birth of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, there will be a review of the North Otago Volunteers on a grand scale upon the racecourse, for the use of which permission Ins been given bv the lessees, Messrs. Paterson and ShaMers. The head-quarters Companies will parade at the Volunteer Hall at JO o'clock sharp, and will shortly afterwards be joined by the Hampden and Otepopo Companies. After a few preliminaries have been gone through, the battalion, comprising theOamaru Artillery, Oamarti Rifles, Hampden Rifles, the Otepopo Rifles, the High School, Cadets the Citizen Cadets, and the North School Cadets, •will march to the race-conrse. Here the review proper will be held, including a large number of military movements. Admission to the ground will be free, but a small 'charge will, we believe, be made for Seats in the grand stand. On returning from the ground the various corps ivill dine together

in the Volunteer Hall. In the evening a concert will be held in the Hall for the benefit of the Rifles Band. Forthis a capital programme has been prepared, including operatic and other selections by the band, which will certainly be a novelty, while the assiduous manner in which the band has been practising lately is a sufficient guarantee that the selections will be well rendered. The programme will conclude with a select ball. The Bruce Herald says that the Carnival Committee desire that the gentleman down south who grew a 23-pound weight potato should send the same to them for exhibition. We think that the grower of the monster potato at Xgapara should also be favored with an application from the Carnival Committee.

The I Battery, N.Z.A., will muster at the drill-shed on Monday next (Her Majesty's Birthday), at 9 o'clock sharp. The Kakanui Amateur Dramatic Club has transgressed the Copyright Act by playing two of the Dramatic Authors' Society's pieces without paying the required fees. This fact has been pointed out to the Secretary of the Club by Mr. E. T. Gillon, the Dramatic Authors' Agent, who has graciously stated that, in the event of the Club paying the fees for the performance of the pieces, he will not prosecute the Club. How the matter will end we know not, but it would be well for amateur clubs in future to be very careful what pieces they play, and to make sure that the Copyright Act is not transgressed. ! The Rev. J. Cameron will preach at 11 a.m. to-morrow, at Ngapara, on which occasion he will dispense the Communion. Mails for the United Kingdom, &c., via San Francisco, per City of Sydney, will close at Auckland at noon on Tuesday, 25th inst.; and mails for Australia, per Tararua, will close on the same day at 2 p.m. Telegrams will be accepted at this station accordingly. We beg to call the attention of our coursing friends to the fact that the final payments for the South Canterbury Coursing Club' 3 Puppy Stake and All-aged Stake have to be made at the Grosvenor B otel, Timaru, on Tuesday first, the 25th inst, at 8 p.m. The draw will take place at the same time and place, and the running off will be on Mr. Studholme's property, at Waimate, on the following day, viz., the 26tji inst.

As announced in our advertising columns, the Rev. John Foster will discus to-morrow morning one aspect of the great doctrine of regeneration, and in the evening lessons of a practical character drawn from David's conflict with Goliath. The evening subjects are intended to be specially helpful to young people.

I The first meeting of the Palmerston and Shag Valley Coursing Club is announced in another column to be held at Palmerston on Thursday next, May 27, on which occasion a mixed fill-aged 16-dog stake will be competed for. Entries are three guineas each, to be divided as follows :—Winner, L2O ; runner-up L 10; third and fourth dogs, L 5 each. Nominations are to be made, accompanied by entry money, to Mr. J. Everest, Hon, Sec., at James' Royal Hotel, Palmerston, on ■ Wednesday, 26th May, before S p.m. The draw will take place the same night. Additional particulars may be gleaned from the advertisement.

During the past two or three weeks (says the South Canterbury Times) a considerable number of cases of malignant sore throat, resembling diphtheria, have been reported in Timaru. The epidemic is only supposed to be a virulent form of quinsy, and no serious results are apprehended. The Dunr edin Times reports the cases of alleged diphtheria there to be merely a bad description of sore throat, attended with ulceration. The outbreak is attributable to the changeable weather experienced of late.

A private letter received from a former resident of Timaru, who is now in Sydney

(sa\s tlie South Canterbury Times) represents the state of the labor market there as something deplorable. The writer, who left New Zealand twelve months ago with a moderate amount of money states that he has tried almost every kind of occupation, but has found it almost impossible to obtain a living. In one passage he writes:—"Many here are starving ; in fact, I have gone for two day's myself without food." With regard to the Exhibition just closed he remarks—" Shopkeepers say it has hurt them. It certainly has shown that they get 100 per cent on their goods." We find in the European Mail an account of a desperate struggle which has not been mentioned in our telegrams, and haste to inform our readers of the particulars. At noon word was brought to the 72nd Highlanders that the enemy (the 67th Foot and the 92nd Gordon Highlanders) had o.ccupied the strong fort on the eastern end of the Bemaru heights. Without delay the regiment fell in 500 strong, and, reinforced by the 9th I/ancers and some artillerymen, marched with banners flying and drums beating to the attack. (The banners were those lately captured on the Takhi-i-Shah peak and the Asmai heights; the drums were various cooking pots.) On nearir.g the enemy's position, the attacking force was joined by a detachment of the sth Goorkbas, under their British officers ; skirmishers were thrown out, and the bugle sounded the assault. The storming party was headed by the standard-bearers, the cry of " Ghazis to the froiit !" being answered by a ru?h of these reckless men up the hill-side. They were met by such a terrific fire, the air being darkened by snowballs, that the assault seemed hopeless, but the buglers with the 72nd succeeded by a ruse in turning the for* tunes of the day. They crept round in the enemy's rear and sounded the regimental call of the 92nd, followed by the " retreat; " the 92nd fell back, and, with a cheer, the attacking party captured the position. Many prisoners were taken, and the usual atrocities were committed—one gallant officer having three men sitting on his chest at once; while others, equally gallant, were buried alive in the snow. The number of wounded was unusually great, but all are now doing well. The expenditure of ammunition was beyond all precedent, and in this respect the battle of Bemaru is noteworthy above all the actions hitherto fought. The defest of the enemy was so complete that they at once sued for peace, which was signed at the club later in the day by the principal leaders. In consequence of the ink been frozen, curacco and brandy had to be used.

General Grant, in speaking of the methods of agriculture in China, said that he was shown apiece of land which has been under cultivation every year for 5000 years without deterioration of the fertility of the soil. This result is effected by returning to the soil everything taken from it. Fish constitutes a large portion of the food of tlie people, and all the offal not consumed for human food is carefully applied to the soil, and fish is a great fertiliser. Even - the roots of wheat wheat is grown to a very limited extent—are taken and rotted in a compost heap and returned to the soil. All the leaves and garbage are utilised in the same manner. He said: " Famines occur in the ulterior o£ China, in I

which thousands die of starvation. This is due to the want-of facilities for transportation. Irithe aggregatethe 30untry ; produces enough to support even the dense life of China, but in some seasons there are portions of the country where crops are total or partial failures ; while in these same seasons crops are abundant and successful in other parts. Facilities for transportation would enable the more favoured districts to supply the destitution in the localities of want, but no such facilities exist."

The following memorial, signed by the Mayor, Councillors, and burgesses of.Waimate, has been forwarded to the Government :—"Your petitioners respectfully beg to call the attention of the Government to the fact that a great number of men in this district are out of employment. The majority of them are married, and unless some work can be found for them, a very great deal of suffering and distress will ensue during the coming winter. Your petitioners, without wishing in any way to dictate, would respectfully suggest that the railway through the Waimate Gorge to the Waiho should be constructed in order to give work to those who so urgently require it. The railway itself, if constructed, would undoubtedly prove one of the best paying branch lines in the South Island. The district is already well populated with farmers anfl small settlers, and the area of country which would be directly benefited by the branch line is about 74,000 acres, 50,Q0Q acres of which is first-class land, 17,000 medium, and 7000 first-class pasture. There are also extensive beds of excellent brown coal, which is used as fuel by the settlers, and also for steam power, for which purpose it is considered equally as good as Shag Point coal; in addition to which there is abundance of lime and freestone, quai'ries of which have already beep opened, and are no-\y being worked. Your petitioners would therefore strongly recommend that this branch line of railway should be commenced as soon as possible, in order to alleviate the distress already existing in this district, and to give access to a part pf'the country, the very nature and resources of which must make the line a remunerative one.