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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 9 November 1880, Page 2

To-day, the 39th anniversary of the birth of the Frince of Wales, has been observed in town as a close holiday. In the absence of any public gathering, private picnics and railway trips have been freely indulged in, the pleasant weather giving encouragement to many to pay visits to friends at a distance.

Our cablegrams to-day contain the some*j what startling announcement from Melbourne that the New Zealand horse Mata and his rider (Clifford) hnve been for ever fied for suspicions riding. Ficm the time that the weightj; for the Melbourne Cup were declared Mnt.i became a very v. arm favorite., and it is stated'that he was ' aeked by the public to the extent of LJOjOOQ. Throughout the horse's training on the Flemington course, " Augur," one of the best authorities upon such matters, spoke in the high st terms of Mata's performances, and gave him a* the probable winner. When, therefore, the Melbourne Cup was run, and it was stated that \! ata had never shown prominently ill the race, those of the public who take an interest in such matters were taken by surprise, and knew not how to account for the New Zealand champion's bad form. A few openly asserted that there was something "crooked" in the affair, and that the horse had not been run upon his merits. This view was strongly supported when the news was received that Mata had won the Victorian Racing Club Handicap, and it has now been fully confirmed by the decision of the stewards of the Club. That there were strong grounds for arriving at the d termination to disqualify for ever the horse and liis rider can scarcely be doubted, for no body of sportsmen we should think would extend so severe a punishment to a visitor unless flagrant dishonesty had been fully proved. The reputation of New Zealand sportsmen as a whole will suffer in this matter, and we hope that, the jockey clubs of this Colony will mark their sense of the disgrace that has been done to New Zealand by endorsing the action of the Victorian Racing Club, A first offender made his appearance at the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, before J. Murisop, Esq,, J.P., in a charge of drunkenness, and was dismissed with a caution.

The Artillery Ba'l will be In Id in the Volunteer Hall this evening, and gives promise of being very successful. A large number of tickets have been sold, and a pleasant gathering is anticipated.

An advertisement in another column notifies that the nomination of candidates for the office of mayor of Hampden will be declared at the office of the ■ ouncil, Mechanics' Institute, at noon on Tuesday next, The Poll, if necessary, will be taken on the 25th instant.

Only four passengers arrived by the train from Timaru this morning. 15 head of cattle and 200 sheep also arrived, on their way to Messrs, Maclean and Co., from Mr. Studholme.

The monthly meeting of the Waitaki Road Board was held to-day, when there were present—Messrs. Duncan (in the chair), Fricker, Procter, Wilson, Schluter, Borrie, and Oliver (Engineer). The minutes of the last meeting having been confirmed, a letter was read from the Waitaki County Council, intimating that the lower Papakaio road, complained of by the Board, had been atr tended to. The Town Clerk wrote, intimating that the fencing of bridges on the coal p : t road had been referred to the Acting Municipal Engineer for attention. Mr. Sperrey, Property Tax Commissioner, wrote, declining to furnish the Board with a cop}' of the valuation. The Waiareka and Kakanui Road Boards wrote, suggesting a joint Committee meeting to consider the action taken by the Otepopo Road Board with reference to the Engineer's agreement. Messrs. C'onnell, Duncan, and Borrie were appointed a committee to represent the Board at the conference. A letter was read from Mr. Hannav stating that he could not see his way to making any alteration in the running of the trains to Duntroon until December, when it was anticipated that there would be an increase of traffic. Mr. Wm. Smith wrote asking that the road from Black Point to his farm in block 2, Awamoko, might be formed and drained. The letter was ordered to stand over until next meeting. It was decided to write to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, applying for payment of a portion of the cost of forming and fencing the rcdlinc from Phoenix Mill to Ifunt's farm in terms of the Company's letter of guarantee. The B anl then confirmed the rate of 4d in the £ for the current year, and appointed Messrs. Duncan, Borrie, and Procter to sign the rate-book. The Engineer having pegged out the road-line through Mr. Westlake's farm, tenders were ordered to be invited for improving the grades of the road, and embanking the lagoon in Block 6, Awamoko. The Chairman, and Messrs. Procter and Duncan, were appointed a Committee to open applications for the office of Valuator. Accounts to the amount of L4l 15s 6d were passed for payment, and the Board rose.

A meeting of the Directors of the Caledonian Society was held last evening at the Criterion Hotel. There was a tolerably full attendance, and Mr. D. Miller, one of the Vice-Presidents, occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been confirmed, a letter from Mr. Morrish, of Dunedin, applying for the position of master of the Society's band, was ordered to stand over until next meeting. A letter was read from Mr. W. Coitper stating that a number of members of the old Artillery Band had met and decided to re-organise the band under the leadership of Mr. H. Powell., and asking for the use of the Society's instruments. The writer also stated that the band would be willing to play at the Oamaru Gathering on the same terms as last year, viz., L 25, the money to be devoted to the purchase of instruments. After some discussion, it was decided to comply with the request to give the use of the instruments. It was decided to vote L 25 for the services of the band, to be paid in cash or an equivalent, and if accepted in instruments, the same to be the property of the Society. Messrs. Rowland, Kennedy, and M'lntosh were appointed to act in connection with the Baud Committee in the management of the affairs of the Band. The following Committees were then appointed : Programme Committee : Messrs. Rowland, Bee, Aitken, M'lntosh, Fleming, Smjllie, Sinclair, Humphrey, Liddle, Gordon, M'Combe, and Kennedy, the Secretary (Mr. R, L. Rule) to be convener. Printing Committee : Messi's, Martin, Fleming, Humphrey, W. Bee, and Morton. Ground Committee: Messrs. Mainland, Hook, Newton, Liddle. M'lntosh, Wilson, Fairlie, Chalmers, Sinclair, Gordon, Aitken, and Rowland. Mr. Sinclair moved that the recommendation from the late Directors that a scholarship be founded in connection with the Society, to be called the Oamaru Caledonian Society's Scholarship, be received. Mr. Fleming said as the mover of the recommendation last year he would like to make a few remarks upon the question. He spoke of the usefulness of such scholarships as affording incentives to effort. The present system of granting large sums of money for educational purposes would not always be continued. The granting of a scholarship would extend the usefulness of the Society, and increase its popularity, and it would give it a higher standing in the country. 'i he motion was adopted, and Messrs. Humphrey, Mainland, Gordon, Aitken, the Chairman, and the mover, were appointed a Committee to draw up a report on the subject, and hand the same in at the next meeting. It was decided to hold two days' sports at New Year, but the fixing of the dates was postponed for a time. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

We (the Herald) sincerely regret to have to record the very sudden death of Mrs. W. J. M. Larnach, which occurred in Dunedin yesterday afternoon. The deceased lady had bees attended by a medical gentleman

two or three weeks ago, bat she appeared to be in excellent health yesterday morning "vV> understa d t' at Mrs. Larnach was taking lunch shortly before 2 o'clock in the arWinoon, - when she fell down in a fit; and, sad to say, she breathed her last about two hours afterwards. The announcement of -'•! rs. Larnach's death has caused a widespread feeling of sorrow. A cablegram was sent to Mr. Larnach, who recently proceeded f 'o- Melbourne, announcing the sad intelligence. The deceased ladv leaves six children, five of whom are at present in England. .Mr. Wakefield, M.H.R, when speaking at Mr. Moss Jonas' banquet the other day, at Timaru, said "he trusted that the day was not far distant when he would take part in the repeal of the Property Tax. This would go far to relieve the depression that had been, and still was, hanging oyer the Colo y." " Coming events cast th"ir shadows before." So says the old axiom. If Mr. Wakefield next session, acting upon his convictions, casts aside the lethargy that mysteriously enthralled him during the whole course of last session, and asserts his opinions—and acts upon them— and if other Government supporters who spoke against the Government, but Voted for them, act with move consistency, then Mr. Wakefield may realise his wish. He might, indeed, have realised it last session, if he had chosen to fulfil in the House the duties for which he was sent there, and which he is so well able to fulfil. Waimate is sometimes set down as a sleepy locality. Its people, ho wever, do not seem to be so greatly oppressed by stagnation of trade as not to have the heart to devote some attention to matters that make life worth living. We now hear that there is a horticultural society in this irrepressible little town, and that it will hold an exhibition in the schoolroom on Boxing Day. We wish the Waimate Horticultural Society a long and useful career.

"A leading article (says the Auckland Star) is devoted by the New Zealand Times to Mr. Robert Graham's doings at Ohinemutu. It accuses him of being the promoter of the Maori Native Land Court; ' a self constituted body, which has no legal standing, and in fact assert its existence in open defiance of lavp,' Anfl says that the finding of this Court 'is not worth the paper it is written on;' the whole thing being begotten from a desire by Europeans to force Government into allowing the occupation of native lands in the hot lake country.' The Times strenuously opposes the alienation of the lakes into the hands of private people, because 1 a system of blackmail would spring up wjiigh would frighten tourists from our shores. It instances the Niagara Falls, which have gone into the hands of a number of individual proprietors, with the result that enormous exactions are made upon travellers by the persons claiming a prescriptive right to, levy hlack=mail. In conclusion, tlie Times urges the Government to take measures to prevent the alienation of the hot lake country." The Times is on the right side this time. We have on several occasions, referred in the same terms to the monopoly so long sought by Mr. Graham, and, at last, obtained, thanks to the? present Ministry. But to enter a protest before the deed was done was a hopeless task ; to do it now bears a strong resemblance to "crying over spilt milk." The present Government was put in power to legislate for men of the Graham class, and so long as they remain in power they will be true to their party and their instincts, even though the whole Colony should enter a united and most emphatic protest. Much amusement was caused in Auckland society some years ago when it was found, during the progress of a case before Chief Justioe Arney, that he was utterly in the dark as to "Yankee Grab," and had never heard the expression. It would seein, however (says the New Zealand Herald), that Mr. Justice Richmond is somewhat better informed. Mr. Hesketh was yesterday examining a witness as to his having been drinking for several days—"in short," said tlje learned counsel, "you were on the burst." Witness seemed relieved at having it so succinctly put and in a phrase which came home to his mind, and answered with an emphatic "Yes." Then counsel bethought himself, and said that probably his Honor did not understand what was meant by "on the burst." The learned judge, with alo k of melancholy, replied, "Yes, Mr. Hesketh, I was in Otago for some years, and I know what the phrase ' 04 the burst' means.