Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 21 October 1880, Page 2

There is a saying something to this effect —"When rogues fall out honest men get their dues." Of course we do not mean to imply that this saying personally applies to any of the Patetere negotiators, who are, of course, known to be gentlemen. In this respect our quotation may be said to be inappropriate. Bat it is nevertheless consolatory to read in a telegram of to-day that the Government have not yet finally removed the proclamation from the Patetere which now prohibits these negotiators from acquiring this property, and that some disagreement had arisen between the Patetere Company and Messrs. Howard and Dilworth, who are endeavoring to purchase a paltry 100,000 acres contiguous to the 300,000 area which tjie ,Cojnpany is seeking to acquire. A disagreement {he negotiators for a neighboring block cannot u.3 viewed as a valid reason for the delay which is occurring in relieving this land from the embargo which now hangs over it. Let us hope that there is something more than that beneath the snjfp.ee. It is just possible that the Government has relented, and that the Patetere lands may not, even at this eleyenth hour, be included amongst those from which the proclamations are to be removed.

The inward San Francisco mail .arrived by the express train this afternoon from Christchuach, and 3 delivery took place shortly afterwards.

A meeting of the Committee of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held this afternoon, the President (Mr. J. S. Holmes) being in the chair. Several matters of detail in connection with the forthcoming show were arranged, including the appointment of stewards in the severa l classes. The sale of privileges was fixed for the Gth instant, Messrs. Connell and Clowes to be the auctioneers.

.The Rifles Band, always ready to provide for the pleasure of the public, intend, we bolieve, giving oueu air concerts every Saturday evening during the summer months, commencing at an early hour after tea, aud concluding about eight o'clock. A central site, easily accessible to the public, be selected, and it is probable that the first al fresco concert will be given on Saturday evening, concluding in time to enable the public tc attend Mr. Proctor's lecture.

Ratepayers are notified that the second half of the special rate was due on the Ist instant, and that payments should be made without delay to avoid unpleasant consequences.

It has been wisely decided, in view of the ' desire of many to attend Mr. Proctor's i lecture, to postpone the meetings of the ; Benevolent Society called for to-morrow and Monday evenings. Some noteworthy additions to our purer bred stock arrived by train yesterday from ' the South. They included the thoroughbred stallion Hotspur, a well-bred horse of fine ; appearance, with plenty of bone and substance,- and the winner of several races on the flat and over hurdles. Besides this 1 valuable sire, there were a dark red short- ! horn bull and a roan heifer of the same breed, both nearly a year old, secured at high prices from Mr. W. M'Culloch's famous herd. The . whole of the animals were purchased by Mr. John Koid, of Elderslie, in Victoria, and were brought over under the speical care of Mr. John Reid, jun. They arrived in capital condition, and will probably be exhibited at the forthcoming show of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association. We need scarcely remind our readers that tlje annual concert in aid of the gymnasium j and library fund of tl;e North School takes place this evening, We have already mentioned that a large number of tickets have been sold and that a capital bill of fare is provided. The programme contains a decided novelty in the shape of two choruses to be sung by about 40 of the school children, and we have no hesitation in saying tjjajfc these will form decided features of the concert. We had the pleasure last evening of listening "to a rehearsal of these items, and were struck with tjie yery pleasing manner in which they were rendered. The pupils sang well in tune and time, and with marked attention to expression, giving evidence of the care bestowed upon their musical instruction by Mr. Lindsay, who oopears to be an enthusiastic and energetic teacher ijnd lover of music, and who is doing much to foster amongst his pupils a taste for the most delightful of accomplishments. An inquest was held at Bay yesterday afternoon, before W. H. is. K.ob.erts, Esq., Acting Coroner, arid a jury of which Mr, H, M'Kay was foreman, touching the death of Mr. John M'Millan- Mps, M'Millan, in the conpse of hep evidence, said, I went to the hut at about 20 minutes past 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and saw my husband hanging by a rope, tied to a joist which runs across the store, I untied the rope and let him down. I held him in my arms until I had laid him on some bags. He .was dead and quite cold. I last saw him alive at about 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning. On Saturday Jie complained of his heart palpitating. On Monday night he breathed hard, and complained of a Glaoking sensation. He did pot drink. He was downhearted owing to the dull times, but he was not in want .of money. Some weeks ago he complained of the top jof his head being hot as if on fire. I never thought bo was out of hia mind. I nev.er heard bin? threaten tQ kill himself, He was generally cjieeyfal, and did not seem in low spirits. _ For many years he has occasionally complained of the pain on the top of his head, and the temples on such occasions appoared swollen. The evidence of Messrs. Mathew Biggar, George Biggar, Thomas Sheedy, and Dr. Bowie was takepj and went to show that before his death tsie /Joceased was somewhat different from his usual planner; that he spoke sensibly ; that: everything was going on right about the farm ; that hp had never had 1 words with his wife or a quarrel with anyone, that he was a kind master; that hip father went deranged; that the witness ; Geojge Biggar had heard deceased was de- i ranged in his mind about 14 years ago, and i that it was his (Geojge JBiggar's) belief that i deceased's mind had been affected for the last two.mon.thf,The jury,returned $ yer- 1 diet, '' Tfiait decease'd hanged nimself when i in aystefpjpf; J®mporsry ii^nity:." A v: ' ' }

The Pahnerston illicit distillation case is about to assume a new phase, the makers of the still, Messrs. Walker and Corbett of Dunedin being charged with an infringement of the law. They will be tried in Dunedin to-morrow, and are liable to a penalty of LSO. It i 3 notified that single fare tickets will be issued on the railways to Timaru on the 25th. 26th, and 27th inst., available for the return journey up to tho 2Sth" inst. This will afford an opportunity for paying a visit to the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Society's show. • .

Tickets for the first of Professor Proctor's lectures are going off rapidly, and there is little doubt that the Volunteer Hall will be crowded. It has been determined, in order to avoid a crush, to open the doors a quarter of an hour earlier than »usual —that is at a quarter past seven o'clock. In the list of acceptances for the next Wanganui Race Meeting is a horse called Steve Hart. We do not know who is the owner of this animal, nor are we anxious that our ignorrnce should be removed. We execrate the taste of any man, whoever he may be, who thus, though perhaps brieflv, " immo.'talises" the name of a murderous scoundrel, whose evil deeds,, fortunately for the people of these Colonies, brought upon him well-merited retribution. He is now out of the power of doing harm, and people want to forget the vile name and memory of such a human fiend.

Last evening a meeting of representatives from the Oddfellows, Foresters, Good Templars, and Sons of Temperance was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Coquet-street, to decide when the projected Friendly Societies' fete should be held, and, after a little discussion, it was resolved that it should be held on Boxing Day, close to the Waiareka railway line, the immediate place to be fixed upon by a sub-committee appointed for the purpose. A general management committee oE 15 (with power to add to their number) was theji appointed, and was divided into several sub-committees. It was decided that the Rifles' Band should be engaged for the occasion. From the interest which was taken in last night's proceedings the affair promises to be a great success. We understand that the programme and full particulars wjl], shortly be advertised, A first offender made his appearance at the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day on a charge of drunkenness, and was fined ss. Thomas Quinn, for allowing two horses to wander at large, was fined ss. The following joint Standing Orders of both Houses of the General Assembly relative to local Jiills at - e published "1. Local Bills are those which, not being private Bills, affect particular localities only. 2. No local Bill shall be read a second time unless notice shall have been given of the said Bill in the locality to which the Bill refers. . 3. Such notice shall state explicitly the object whioli such Bill is intended to effect, and shall have been published ouqe at least in eaph of three successive weeks before the second reading in a newspaper circulating in such locality." At the meeting of the Waste Lands Board yesterday, the Secretary of the Eduaation Board asked that section 1, Deborah township, with half an acre adjoining it, should be reserved as a school site,—Adjourned for one week.

The Ofcago Daily Times relates tlie following, from which it appears that there is at least one honest, lawyer in the Colony : Something approaching a scene was occasioned in the Supreme Court yesterday by Mr. John stamper, a solicitor of the Court, who was called as a witness, objecting to the wording of the oath. The usual form of oath was read, and Mr Stamper declined to be sworn upon it. He did not, he said, know what matters were in jssue, and could not swear he, would tell the whole truth, when he did not know the whole truth.. The oath wanted modifying. Mr. Macgregor, who was conducting the examination, said, "Your name is John stamper?" Mr, Stamper j That's not a matter in issue." His Honor: "Answer the question, sir. You are a solioitor of this Court, and ought to know how to conduct yourself." Mr. Stamper (looking towards the Judge): "I cannot hear a word that is said. I do not want to make difficulties, but the oath is not right. His Honor :" Is the witness sworn ?" Mr. Stamper : "I will not take that oath, but I will swear to tell the truth so far as I am asked, so far as the Court will allow me, and so far as I know." Mr. Stout said the witness desired the Scotch form of 'oath. The Registrar then asked the witness to swear to tell " the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," and to this Mr, Stamper added, '' so far as I know, and shall be asked," and then took the oath. In coining 20,000,000 dollars in silver, and •22,000,000 dollars in gold at the San Francisco Mint, in IS7S, there was lost only 29 dollars. The carpet, which had been down five years, was taken up last spring, cut into small pieces, and burned in pans. The debris was put through the same process as the mining dust, and there was got from the old carpet 2500 dollars ! An incident that occurred recently in North Canterbury (says the Lyttelton Times) may <?ause little consternation, since it appears that eels ape partial £0 poisoned sparrows. An eel tsvken from a favorite stream presented nothing unusual in appearance until in the process of preparation by the cook. A recently swallowed sparrowwas then discovored inside, Piga have naturally a better access to poisoned birds lying about than a fish can have, but when we hear of the latter even eating them, farmers cannot be too particular as to confining their pigs during the poisoning season.

We observe by Messrs. Maclean and Co.'s . market report (says the Morning Herald) : that the young Clydesdale entire horse " Sir . Richard Wallace," bred by Mrs. Nimmo, of The Grange, East Taieri, has been sold to D, A- Sinclair, Esq., of Timaru, for 500 guineas. In these somewhat depressed times this seems a high figure, but when it is stated (as we can do upon competent authority) that no animal of greater merit, whether as regards individual appearance and points, or strains of blood on both sire and dam's side, has ever left the district, Mr. Sinclair may be congratulated upon his purchase. Not, long since, whilst turning over the dusty contents of a box of books labelled "All at 6d," my attention (says a contributor to the Antiquarian) was drawn tl a rusty little 12mo, bound in well-worn sheepskin. A short examination showed it was complete, and for the small sum of sixpence J became the po-sessor of a literary treasure which lias since afforded me much gratification and amusement: —f'Tlje Rules of Civility ; or Certain Ways of Deportment observed in France, amongst all Persons of Quality, upon Several Occasions. Translated out of French." Such is the title of the work which has brought up this train of idea', and its perusal goes far to convince me that our ancestors were not to .envied, Of the instructions given for behaviour r f t table the following are the most curious of thosp tl}at are fit for gejieral perusal :—" In eating observe to let your be qlean ; feed not \yitty both your hands, nor keep your knife in your hand; dip not ypur fingers in the sauce, nor lick when you have done; wipe your mouth, and keep your spooa clean, Gnaw not bones, nor handle dogs, nor sprawl upon the floor ; and if you have occasion to sneeze or cough, take your hat, or put your napkin before your face. Drink not with your mouth full nor unwiped, nor so long till you are forced to breathe in the glass. He must have a care his hand be not first in the dish, unless he be desired to help his neighbors. If you be carv'd, 'tis but civil to accept whatever is offered, pulling off . you hat still when it is done by a superior. To give anything from your own plate to ! another to eat of, though he be an inferior, savors of arrogance, much less an apple or appear that hath been bittep by you before. Have £ care likewise of bjqty'ing froth from off' a cup, or any dust from off $ roasted app}§ or a toast, for the proverb saitli, ' There is no . wind but there fa some raip.' Wg »re to wipe our spopn every time we put it jpto the dish, some people being go delicate they will not eat after a, man has eat with his spoon and not wiped it, 'Tis rude to drink to a lady of your own, much more of greater quality than yourself, with your hat on, and to be cover'd when she is drinking to you. When dinner is going up to any nolbleman's table, where you are a stranger or of inferior quality, 'titj civil and good manners to be uncovered. If it so fyappens that you be alone together with a person of qualjty, the candle to be snuffed, you must do it with the snuffers, not your fingers, and that neatly and quick, lest the person of honor be I offended with the smell." '

In our advertising columns there appears the welcome announcement that the second batch of new books has arrived at the Mechanics' Institute, and are ready for distribution. This is an appropriate time for those who are not members of the institution to join, and thus, whilst getting the full benefit of a large number of new works, show their appreciation of the efforts of the Committee to improve the library. We believe that the institution is to receive periodical shipments of new works from this time.

The Lancet has the following regarding Mr. Gladstone's recent illness :—"We cannot, speaking medically, acquit Mr. Gladstone altogether of the charge of having recently neglected to remember that even his powers bave a limit; but this is to be said, to the credit of his judgment, that he has been a most submissive patient, and, to the credit of his splendid and well-preserved constitution, that he has passed through a testing illness without the slightest sign of failure in the great vital organs, and in a way to justify the hopes of his countrymen that he will, with a little more consideration for his physical needs, be long spared to play his conspicuous part in the councils of the nation. No illness since that of the Prince of Wales has produced such profound and universal anxiety. Mr. Gladstone will have the most refined sense of this interest, and cannot better recognise it than by taking a little more care of himself."

The Rev. Stephen Bowers notes, in the Kansas City Review of Science, the opening of an interesting mound in Brusb Creek Township, Ohio. The mound was opened by the Historical Society of the township, under the immediate supervision of Dr. J. F. Everhart, of Qanesville. It measured 64 by 35 feet at the summit, gradually sloping in every direction, and was 8 feet in height. There was found in it a sort of clay coffin enclosing the skeleton of a woman measuring 8 feet in length. Within this coffin was found also the skeleton of a child about 3 A feet in length, and an image that crumbled when exposed to the atmosphere. In another grave was found the skeleton of a man and woman, the former measuring 9 feet and the latter 8 feet in length. In a third grave occurred two other skeletons, male and female, measuring respectively 9 feet 4 inches and 8 feet. Seven other skeletons were found in the mound, the smallest of which measured 8 feet, while others reached the enormous length of 10. feet. They were buried singly, or eaoh in separate graves. Resting against one of the coffins was an engraved stone tablet (now in Cincinnati), from the characters on which Dr. Everhart and Mr. Bowers are led to conclude that this giant race were sun worshippers.