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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 5 August 1880, Page 2

That Mr. Saunders, the late Chairman of the Civil Service Commissioners, is a never-say-die politician is shown by the persistency with which he returns to the attack in reference to those wretched railway carriages about which we have had so much downright fibbing. He returned to the subject again in the House yesterday, when he asked the Minister for Public Works if he had recently received any correspondence from the Locomotive Engineer at Christchurch, or from any other quarter, definitely fixing the responsibility of the roalconstruction of railway waggons built at Dunedin and rebuilt at Christchurch. Mr. Oliver replied in the negative, and stated that the responsibility had now been fixed upon the railway workshops at Dunedin. So it seems that Mr. W. N. Blair has not been telling the truth. We are not surprised, for we have before beep convinced, in regard to the Oamaru Stone and the Otago Central Rail? way, that the fate of Annanias exercises little influence 011 the mind of the Chief Railway Engineer for the Middle Island. Of course as Mr. Blair is a hi jh official he will escape punishment; it is only little people that are chastised for lying. Mark Twain, or some American humorist, has said that every man thinks he can run a newspaper, and we believe him. Had lis said that every man believes himself a born poet we should not have doubted the accuracy of his statement. Within the last twenty-four hours we have been almost driven to desperation in consequence of one of these poets showering upon ws a string of lines which the writer calls poetry, but which a profane, but more sensible, person might designate nonsense, with the prefix of a strong adjective. It professes to treat upon the waterworks, but it might just as well be applied to the moon, the StrathTaieri railway, or any other subject, so far as we can see. We can admire poetry and can appreciate talent, but we have an utter abhorence of wretched doggrel, not containing a single original thought or complying with a single poetic rule. We are driven to the conclusion that the writer must either iiave been born brainless, or in his case softening of the brain hag been induced by over indulgence in strong liquors, We spare our readers the infliction of the whole of the lines sent us by this demented individual. A few lines will suffice to convince them that " our poet " would form a fit subject for medical examination. Here are a few lines taken hap-hazard from the "poem'" :-r- ---" Then boilncing Jack is left in charge of L10,i:00 for to spend, When Gab Galore and good for nothing comes round, And 3. man they see to his work attention pay, Off at once go hp miist." If eat poetry this ! Can anyone tell where a policeman and 3, warrant would bp likely to find the poet, At the meeting of the Fire Brigade last evening, the Secretary intimated that Mr. Bulleid had fonvarded a cheque for L2 in aid of the Brigade's funds. Were other tradesmen to follow this example, the Brigade might soon be freed from debt. Those who witnessed the practice of the Brigade last evening must have been convinced that we possess 3, body of gien capable of doing good service at a fire, and that all tjiat is needed to render the Brigade thoroughly pfficient is a little timely assistance anfl encouragement from the public, The value of the water supply in case of fire v/as also clearly demonstrated, jets of water 8') feet high being thrown from several hydrants. At the sitting of the Supreme Court, Dunedin, in banco yesterday, a rule nisi for a new trial in the ease of Brankman v. Toohey was granted. Mails for the Australian Colonies, per Ringarooma, close at the Bluff to-morro\y at 11.30 a.m. Telegrams wiil be accepted at the Oamara Office accordingly. At the Resident Magistrate's Conrf to.day, T, TV". Parker, Esq., R.M., pn tlie i Bench, Patrick Kilroartin, for breaking & window in a dwelling-house, was fined Is and ordered to pay damages, 15s, in default to undergo 3 days' hard labor. Michael Gilligan, for assaulting Peter Gilligan, was fiped 30s with the option of 6 days' hard labor. An adjourned case against Wm. Shaw, tor upiijg obscene language, was heard, with the' result that tfte accused was sentenced to pay 50s or submit to four days' hard labor. The following matters of interest to this district were dealt with by the Waste Lands Board yesterday : —Three sections in block VIII, Otepopo, and seven sections in block I, H, and 111, Kurow, were reduced in upset price to 25s and 21s an acre, and ordered tp be offered fit auction. The Ranger having reported relative tc> the petition of residents at Hampden as i,o timber-cutting in the bush, it was resolved that he be authorised to issue licenses to cut fencing and fire-wood over areas up to five acres when he considers same advisable from state of bush. The monthly meeting of the Kakanui Road Board wa.3 held in the Board's office yesterday, when there wore present—Messrs. Gilchrist (in the chair), Aikenhead, Booth, Collis, Elder, Hedley, Holmes, Manning, M'Donald, M'Pherson, Morton. Stevenson, Thomson, and Walker. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed and the outward correspondence read and approved, the Engineer reported that the cost of the works asked for by Mr. Oldham would be about Ll6; it was resolved that the Board take no action in the matter. A letter was read from Mr. W. H. Teschemaker, complaining of the state of road-lino

opposite Secti on 29, block 7, Oamaru District, which v/aa referred to the Engineer, to inspect and report. It was resolved that that Otepopo Road Board be written to requesting that it take it joint action with this Board in urging the County Council to take over the bridge and approaches at Kakanui Mouth. The Engineer was instructed to have road-line in section 16, block 9. Oamaru district, attended to by the surfacemen, and to have a culvert constructed on road-line at Reidstonj also, to have Stone-street, Reidston, formed, as per his report, and ,to report on FortiScation-road. Messrs. Booth, Elder, Holmes, M'Pherson, and Walker, with the Engineer, were instructed to inspect and report on proposed road-line from main road to Totara railway siding. The solicitors were instructed to prepare transfer of small piece of land acquired from the Corporation of Oamaru to complete the road-line to the Totara quarry. The committee which was appointed some time since to report as to banking arrangements recommended that, after ascertaining the immediate requirements ot the Board, the balance be placed at fixed deposit for periods of three, six, and twelve months, The report was adopted. Several accounts having been passed for payment, the Board adjourned.