The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 1 July 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1880.

So Mr. Blair, the Chief Engineer of Railwavs, has actually had the hardihood and the audacity to deny the correctness of the startling statements made by the Civil Service Commission. In the House of Representatives yesterday the Minister for Pnblic Works, in reply to Mr. Barron, said that the Chief Engineer for the Middle Island had reported that there was no foundation for the statement made in the the report of the Royal Commission, that " Waggons built by contract in Dunedin were delivered at Christchurch at the end of the year in a state thus described by a witness : ' Some of these were disgraceful —bad workmanship, bad timber; the timber was unseasoned ; stringy bark was put in instead of iron bark. The joints were not properly made; some of them had bottom frames held up by nails in the flooring boards; some of them we have had almost to re-build within six weeks." Now, the next thing to be ascertained is the name and address of the witness who gave the Commissioners the information on which they framed that portion of the report given above. This individual having been found, the next thing to be done will be to ascertain who is telling the "big one " —the Commissioners, the Chief Engineer, or the unknown witness. Query: Are all the startling | statements in the Commissioner's " Book of ! Revelations " equally well grounded ? After the above was in type, we found the following report from Mr. Blair on the subject, read in the House last night and published in the Daily Times: —"No waggons built by contract under this department at Dunedin were delivered in Christchurch at the end of last year, cuid I beh'eve the same remark applies to the railway department. The last contract for waggons in Dunedin was finished in August, 1577; consequently they had been running for 12 months before the h'ne to Christchurch was opened, and nearly two and a half years before the date referred to, I may add that so far as waggons built under the supervision of this department in Dunedin 'at anytime' are concerned, there is pot the slightest ground for thinking them defective. They have in every instance been well made, with proper materials. If the propositions laid down in asking the questions are correct they cannot be answered otherwise than as above,"

We are informed that alterations will shortly be made in the running of trains on the Ngapara and Duntroon lines. The necessary arrangements have not yet been completed, but we believe the alterations will take the form of lessening the number of trains run per week oa each line. If we are correctly informed it is proposed to run trains only four days a week—on the Ngaparji on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and on the Duntroon line on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. On the days named two trains will be run as at present, so as to afford country residents an opportunity of coming into tovrn by the morning train and returning home the same evening. These alterations will probably come into force about ten days hence. The reason given for adopting the proposed course is that, as the grain season is now pretty well over, and as there is not the usual amount of ordinary traffic on the lines in consequence of the depression from the effects of which people in all parts of not only this district but the whole Colony are suffering, the railways have not so Izpae an amount of work to perform as they had sense jfcime since. By the contemplated alteration it is anticipated that a considerable saving in the cost of working the lines will be effected, and though the change may cause some slight inconvenience occasionally to residents in the country, we feel sure they will see the wisdom of adopting a course likely to Jead to that very desirable consummation—the profitable working of our railways. Increased profits on the lines must of course assist in reducing the necessity for either increased rates or increased taxation. Were the same course adopted throughout the Colony, and trains only run to meet the requirements of the public, a very considerable sum might be saved. As the Ministry proclaim themselves in favor of economy, we hope they will follow this course, and effect a saving io a direction that will not inflict injury upon anyone. The damage done to the Main South Railway line by the bad weather appears to have been very considerable. The express train from Dunedin did not reach Oamaru until nearly seven o'clock last evening As we mentioned last evening would be the case, the train was not sent any further north, and the passengers, who had been kept twelve hours on the journey without food, appeared highly gratified that the train was not going on, and that they could obtain food and rest before completing their journeys. It was thought that, when the line had been cleared sufficiently to permit the express to come through, there would be no further interruption to the traffic. But this anticipation was rudely upset by the sudden stoppage at Parakanui of the afternoon train from Dunedin due here at 8.52 p.m. It appears that a number of fresh and very heavy slips had occurred on the line between Parakanui and Waitati, and it was not until after midnight that the train was able to resume its journey. It then only proceeded as far as Palmerston, which place was reached at a quarter-past one o'clock. To-day the h'ne has been clear and the ordinary traffic has been carried without interruption, though slower travelling over some parts of the line has been necessary. On the Duntroon line the water to

premises for destroying rats. Dr. Brown* Palmerston, was fortunately at Waikouaiti at the time, and at once suggested remedies, which I am glad to say proved effectual, the slut having now quite recovered from the poison. It was rather fortunate the doctor was at hand at the time, otherwise her owner and the district also would have sustained a great loss by the death of such a valuable greyhound.

Captain Edwin reports : —Bad weather approaching from any direction between South and West and North-West. Glass will further rise. Wind backing and weather clearing as glass goes up. Still indications of considerable sea with rising glass.

During the three weeks that the beer tax of Gd per gallon has been in force, there has been collected in Oamaru the sum of L3l 18s Cd. Taking this as a fair average for the year, it will be seen that *!ir total sum iikely to be collected (luring 15 months, that- is provided the tax remained in force ior the full term, is L 553 10s Bd. It is only reasonable to suppose, however, that during the warmer portion of the year the consumption of beer would be larger than during the period that we have taken as a test, and that the revenue derived from this source would be larger than the sum stated.

The police brought another case under the j Employment of Females Act Amendment Act, 1575, to-day, when Daniel Toohey was charged with having, on Saturday, 22nd May, employed Mrs. Leslie as dressmaker at unlawful hours, namely, between 2 and 5 p.m. Mr. O'Meagher appeared for the defendant. Sergt. Beattie deposed that he had found Mrs. Leslie in the workroom at 2.10 p.m., 4.15 p.m., and again at 5 p.m. On the first occasion she said she was finishing cutting out a dress body, and on the secojid a P" peared to have been fitting one on a customer. Mrs. Leslie's evidence was much to the same effect, but cross-examination by Mr. O'Meagher elicited the statement that both Mr. and Mrs. Toohey had always insisted upon the girls employed, to the number of fourteen or fifteen, leaving exactly at the right time, Mr. O'Meagher called attention to the [fact of there being q. special reason for Mrs. Leslie's being detained on the 22nd to fit a dress on a customer who was leaving that afternoon for Melbourne, and also to the fact that Mr. Toohey had always treated his employes with the greatest consideration. Hi- Worship said that under all the circumstances of. the case he thought that a penalty of 40s would be sufficient, which was accordingly inflicted, The Governor has been pleased to appoint Mr. Thomas Harrall Watkins to be a member of the Moeraki Harbor Board in the place of Mr. Andrew Liddell resigned. Constable Welsh, who has for some tim past been located at Duutroon, has left the force, in order to accept a situation in connection with a Dunedin business firm. Constable Livingstone will take charge of the Duntroon district.

The Vital Statistics for Oamaru for the month of June were—Births, 40; Marriages, 6; and Deaths, S.

The public have brought prominently before them another of the advantages accruing from the possession of ample water supply, Ip another column appears an advertisement announcing a reduction in tiie rates charged for insurance by the South British Company, which has taken the lead in a reform that we suppose will become general.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, before T. W. Parker, Esq., TL.M., Thomas Scott, for being drunk and disorderly, was fined 3.05, with the option of five days' imprisonment. Mary Ann Moore, for using indecent language in a public place, as fined ss.

A company of mixed performers, styling themselves the Raphael Troupe, will appear at the Volunteer Hall this evening.

The Oriental Exhibition will open in the New Tees-street Hall on Monday afternoon at three o'clock. The proprietors are U. Kaurt, a native of Jerusalem, who served with great distinction in the Russo-Turkish war, and M. Ali. The exhibition includes stereoscopic views of scenes in the Holy Land, and a multitude of articles of bijou try in wood, mother of pearl, filigree, and solid silver and gold. As specimens of cunning workmanship and tasteful ornamentation, the exhibition is jn its way unrivalled, and will be worthy of most mipute inspection.

A slight error occurred in our paragraph with reference to the woman Annie Mui> 4oph, charged yesterday with vagrancy and with appearing in the streets in male attire. She was sentenced to one month's imprisonment on each charge, and not one month only.

According to our own correspondent the Palmerston district has been receiving a full share of rain. He says that it has been raining continuously ever since Monday. The Shag River is flooded, the water being up to the top of its banks. Our correspondent adds that if the rain does not abate very soon serious damage is anticipated. There are no signs of the weather becoming drier for some time.

The cup now being exhibited in the window of the shop of Mr. Lumsden, watchmaker, has been presented to the North Otago Coursing Club by the President, Mr. D. Sutherland, will be run for at the coursing meeting of the Club to be held on the Gth inst. It is of sterling silver, stands ten inches high, is very handsome and is beautifully chased, having on one side a shield with engraved landscape and greyhounds running, all capitally executed, the figures being very lifelike and the perspective good. On the other side there is also a shield with space left for the name of the winner, etc. Both shields are surrounded by a wreath of leaves and flowers, The cup is really a handsome one, and should attract a large number of competitors. In this connection too we may mention that nominations should be sent in to the secretary not later than eight o'clock on Monday evening.

We understand that Mr. J. J. Atkinson, -who has for nearly eighteen months been located at Ngapara as railway stationmaster, has been transferred to Hillgrove. During his residence at Ngapara, Mr. Atkinson has made many friends, alike for the promptitude with which he attended to the wants of those doing business with the railway, and for the very valuable assistance rendered by him to the several institutions of the thriving little township. Indeed, no gatheringof any kind hasbeenconsiderei. complete unless Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson have each had a prominent partto performin connection lieir removal from the district ly regretted, though his friends sfaction of knowing that Mr. btainedwell-earned promotion, severed his connection with fcation to-day, and prior to his was made the recipient of a :pressive of the regret of the e removal from the district of Atkinson. This was beautid and illuminated by Mr. F. gapara, and bears the signage number of residents. Mr. ccessor at Ngapara is Mr. tely station master at Waiho, b which place is now being