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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1293, 29 May 1880, Page 2

Mr. Johnßeid will address the Cave Valley electors this evening, at 7 o'clock. Mr. George Jones will'address the electors of Kakanni, at 7 o'clock this evening.

Mr. W. H. S. Roberts will meet the electors of Papakaio at the Schoolhouse, at 7.30 o'clock this evening.

By reference to our advertising columns it will be observed that Mr. T. W. Parker (the Returning Officer) intimates that, by virtue of a writ bearing date the 26th inst., the nomination of a candidate to represent this district in the House of Representatives will take place on the Bth day of June next, and the poll on the 16th day of the same month.

A meeting of the Oamaru Football Club, at which intending Members are invited to be present, will be held this evening, at S o'clock, at the Royal Hotel, Next week will be a busy one for country ratepayers, as the annual election of Members of the several Road Boards will then be commenced. The dates and places of meeting for the subdivisions of the different Boards are given by advertisements in another column.

Here are interesting facts at the present juncture. The salaries in the Engineer's department at Christchurch are as follow : Resident engineer, L 700; assistant do, L 450; do do, L 365 ; clerk, L3OO ; three clerks at Ll5O each, L 45 0; one time clerk, L 175; one clerk, L 15 6; three do, at Ll5O each, L 45 0; two boys, at L 52 each, LlO4 ; one draughtsman, L 300; one do, L 25 0; one do, L 20 0; making a total of L 3900. In the face of what appears to us to be lavish expenditure in this department, reductions have been made by discharging useful servants and reducing the salaries of others to starvation rates. Such is the heroic policy of the Hall Government.

Mr. Jones addressed the electors at Duntroon last night. There were about 80 persons present, and the Hon. R. Campbell occupied the chair. At the conclusion of the address votes of thanks were passed to the candidate and chairman.

A most successful entertainment was held at the Duntroon Schoolhouse last night, Mr. E. C. Smith in the chair. The audience was as large as could be desired, and gave evary evidence that they were gratified with the efforts of the performers, who, with one exception, belonged to the district. It is creditable to the School Committee that they are putting forth these efforts to supplement their funds for educational purposes, and it is no less creditable to the people of the district that they are so liberally seconding those efforts. The net proceeds from last evening's entertainment will probably be about Ll2. •

A programme appears in another column of entertainments to be given by Mr. Carmini Morley on Thursday "and Friday next, and there is every promise that the items that will be presented on those occasions will be as excellent as they are varied* Strange to. say, the programme includes selections from "Maritana," the opera that the Philharmonic Society have been rehearsing fpr several months for a concert which they intended to give within two or three weeks. It will, however, be observed that these selections will only represent an inconsiderable portions of the opera. We are authoritatively informed that all claims to vote forwarded to Mr. Filleul up to Monday next (inclusive), will entitle claimants to vote at the approaching election.

In another , column there appears a letter from Mr.- John Reid, in which that gentleman endeavors to, explainaway the onfavorable impression that' has. been produced by the views he expressed on the honorarium question at his Odimaru meeting. There was no necessity for comment .when Mr. Reid propounded his unpopular theory, nor is it necessary in connection 'with his explanation. No person could mistake Mr. Reid's meaning, and no amount of criticism on the subject ■' could possibly cause greater distaste "for the ideas to which he gave expression than that which. at present exists. ; But our chief object, in noticing Mr. .Reid's letter is to draw attention to the last paragraph which it contains. That gentleman's ideas on the manner in which we should comport ourselves during the election are quite as original and illiberal as even his ideas on the honorarium question. The public, surely, have a right to expect publicity to be given in the public press to their comments on the views of an aspirant to political honors. Close this avenue to free discussion, and the next step would be a censorship. We have not yet become sufficiently civilised for such an institution, Mr. Reid need not fear. We have not done, nor shall we do, him any injustice (luring the present contest. The suggestion that any charges brought against the opponents of Mr. Jones in the correspondence columns of the. Mail should have the writers' proper names appended savors of illiberality as strongly :as anything that Mr. -Reid -has ever uttered.' Why should the advocates of Mr. Reid enjoy the privilege of' writing anonymously in our contemporary, and Mr. Jones' supporters be compelled to expose themselves in such a manner as to bring down upon them the ire of Mr. Reid and his suporters ? Mr. Reid's concluding remarks are unworthy of the man. j Messrs. G, R. West and Co., Dunedin, have, just favored us with a copy of " Swing on old pendulum," a fine bass song rendered familiar by Mr, EC. Gordon Gooch, who some years ago secured the copyright. The words of an old. poem were set to music and are well in keeping with the subject, and well calculated to afford the singer opportunities for the display of. taste, feeling, and varied expression, by Frederick Ellarde, an Australian, we believe. A first ; edition was published by Mr. Gooch before his visit to England, and, as during the internal the song has been out of sale,. we have little doubt that the second edition now issued will meet with a ready sale, more especially as Mr. Gooch has revived the interest ih the song by his admirable rendering of it during his trip throughout the Colony. Mr. Jones' Committee met last night at the new committee rooms, for the transaction of business. A large number of members were in attendance. The meeting adjourned till Tuesday, the Ist of June, at 8 p m. At yesterday's meeting of the Education Board, the following business of special nterest to this district was transacted It was rosolved that the application of Mr. Peattie, secretary of the Waitaki Branch of the Otago Educational Institute, for a free grant of a box of physics apparatus be de clined, and that he be informed that one will be furnished on the usual terms to the School Committee, if that body makes the requisite application.—On the recommendation of the Inspector, an application for the sanctioning of a new school at Waianakarua, half-way between Hampden and Otepopo, was agreed to. It was stated that the average attendance would be at least 30, and that a suitable site could be obtained.—The following tenders were accepted :—Erecting a new school of Fortification stone at Oamaru, Messrs. Given and Watson, L 3091 10s 6d ; new school at Blue Spur, L 593 17s. The highest tender in the case of the Oamaru school was L372s.—Applications far the establishment of new schools at Kourow (near Duntroon), at Tomahawk, and at Waiwera township were referred to the Inspector for report.—On the application of the Oamaru Committee, a male assistant, instead of female as formerly decided, was agreed to for Oamaru North School.