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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1295, 1 June 1880, Page 2

Mr. W. H. S. Roberts will meet the electors of Maheno at the Public Hall, at 6.30 o'clock this evening, instead of at 7 as previously announced,

It has been decided to publish a gupplementary electoral roll, containihg the names of those claiming the right to vote since the main roll was prepared. This supplementary roll will poptain something like COO names. Copies of the main roll may now be obtained at the Resident Magistrate's Court, the charge being only Is 6d per copy. The Government have apparently taken fright at the storm likely to burst over their heads in regard to the property tax, and are already considering, so they stated at the caucus of their friends yesterday, a modification in the tax "to obviate unnecessary inconvenience to the public. "We are told further that'' Ministers intimated that they would always be glad to receive any suggestions from their supporters. The Government were not specially wedded to any particular form of taxation, but it was absolutely necessary that money should be raised. The meeting was quite unanimous in supporting the views expressed by the Government." How considerate ! How magnanimous! Oh, thoughtful Government! Oh, intelligent supporters! But is all this true ? Is not a miserable subterfuge put forth to quieten the public mind and avoid the outburst of indignation now swelling throughout the land against this deservedly unpopular tax ? Have the Ministry so completely changed their views as to the nature of.their pet scheme of taxation within so short a time ? If so, how strange it is that the Premier did not gladden the ears of his constituents the other evening with the tidings that the Government intended to remove some of the evils of the property tax. For ourselves we do not believe that there is the slightest hope that the Ministry will sp ftmend the tax as to render the pill less nauseous. Were they indeed to go on amending the tax until doomsday they would not succeed in rendering it acceptable tp the public. Now, more than ever, should the public agitate against the tax. They should not be blinded by the shallow promises of the Ministry, made for no other purpose than to turn them from their purpose and to calm the troubled waters.

Mr. John Reid will address the Duntroou electors this evening, at 7 o'clock. Mr. George Jones will address the electors of Ngapara at 7 o'clock this evening. A meeting of qualified ratepayers to nominate a candidate to fill the vacancy in the Windsor Sub-division of the Waiareka Road Board took place yesterday in the School.house, Ngapara, at noon, and resulted in Mr. Thomas Reid and Mr. E. Menlove being nominated. The attendance was small, and the polling will take place on Thursday the 10th inst. fit the same place The vital statistics for the month of May are as follow:—Births, 41; deaths, ?; marriage certificates, 7. The appointment of Mr. John Church as assessor under the Property Tax Act for the Borough of Oamaru is gazetted.

Mr. W. H. S. Roberts addressed a meeting pf electors at Pukeuri Point last evening, and at the plose of his address received a vote of thanks.

A Gazette just to hand contains a long list of persons who have been appointed Licensing Commissioners,

The Philharmonic Society's next practice will be held in the Volunteer Hall to-morrow evening, at 8 o'clock sharp. The committee have arranged that the opera of " Maritana " is to be given by the Society on or about the ISth inst.

The usual meeting of the members of the Kakanui Road Board will be held in the offices, Tyne-street, to-morrow at 2 p.m. The Altair was. tugged out, drawing 16ft of water, by the steamer Grafton to the outer anchorage last night, having completed her loading with a cargo of wheat for the United Kingdom at the Breakwater. She carries between 7000 and 8000 bags of wheat, and was loaded in four days. We believe that the Altair has been loaded to a greater depth than any other vessel that has previously completed her loading at the Breakwater. This is the second English vessel that the N Z.L. and M.A. Co. has loaded this season in Oamaru, and we understand that they are now in treaty for another. The Altair's cargo consists of wheat shipped sole'y on account of farmers in this district, and we trust that it will arrive Home in good condition, and find a ready and remunerative market,

At the nomination of two members of the Kakanui Road Board for the Awamoa subdivision, Mr, James Holmes (a new member) and Mr. Andrew Aikenhead (one of the old members) were duly elected. For the two vacancies for the Lambourne subdivision, Messrs. G. H. Ayton, David Booth, John M'Pherson, and William Rawson were proposed, and a poll will be taken on Thursday,loth instant, A Government Gazette, dated May 27, contains a proclamation setting forth the conditions under which prospecting for gold on Crown lands may be carried on. Every person desirous of obtaining a prospecting license to search for gold upon Ciwn lands outside any mining district must'*apply for such a license to the Governor by delivering to the Commissioner of Crown Lands of the Provincial District an application stating the locality or district in which it is desired to prospect, The license will last for twelve months only, and a fee of Ll'is to be charged for it.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court thi&i 'morning, William. -Copland, charged with having, been drunk and disorderly.did not put in an appearance, and his bail was therefore estreated. John O'Connor and John Reader were charged with breaking windows to the value of 21s, the property of AlexSmith, Ribble-street. The evidence of the ] prosecutor having been taken, which went to prove conclusively that O'Connor had committed the' offence, his Worship fined him; ss, 'and costs. : Reader * was .discharged. Mr. Ried,.contractor for the Upper Waitaki Bridge, reports that he will have finished pile-driving by the middle of next week, having succeeded in crossing-the stream in safety. The few remaining piles to be driven are on the Canterbury side, and are on the shingle bank.

ISAbout 100 electors attended Mr. Jones' meeting at Malieno last evening. The candidate spoke at great length, and at the close of his address he answered satisfactorily a number of questions. A vote of thanks, moved by Mr. Paton find seconded by Mr, Gemmell, was then accorded to him, and with a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting, which lasted until after 10 o'clock, terminated.

A correspondent at' Ngapara writes Mr. Reid addressed, the electors at Ngapara Schoolhouse last evening, and was well received, about 70 persons being present. Mr. Dunn was voted to the chair. The'candidate spoke for about 45 ihiniites. on all the political questions of the day, and at the close of his address, the chairman intimated that the candidate was ready to answer ; any questions that might be put to him. Some questions relating to our own .immediate wants in the township were then asked and srtisfactorily answered. Mr. Hay then proposed, and Mr. Murdoch seconded, that Mp. Reid was . a fit and proper person to represent us in Parliament, and there being no amendment, it was put to the meeting and declai-ed carried. Mr. Reid briefly thanked the electors for their confidence in him, and the usual vote to the chair brought the proceedings to a close.

■' Anglo-Australian " writes in the European Mail The Globe, in a recent issue, speaking of the -growth of hops in New Zealand, recommends the local brewers to use local hops, pn the ground that imported English beer is apt to be too " heady," forgetting or ignoring the fact that local brewers are already largely engaged in brewing ales of a light sort, which are much appreciated by the consumers. If, however, hop growing can be firmly established in Nev/ Zealand —and there appears to be no reason why it should not—enough may be grown for local wants as well as for export. The district of Hawke's Bay, for instance, seems well suited to the growth of hops, and, judging by a sample which reached the London hop market some time back, hop-growing might become a permanent and profitable industry.