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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 12 November 1880, Page 2

Defaulting ratepayers beware! The Rorot:;,h Council decided last night to take proceedings against all whose rates, to., are long outstanding. It wa« mentioned that the over-due rates and rents amounted to L29SO. During the discussion on the report of the Finance O-nmitteo adoption of extreme meafntts to obtain payment of outstanding acc0... ; ..i, the name of Mr. Shrimski, M.11.'11., ar.l his long-standing indebtedness for "cer'.ing -"-era freely mentioned. and it was understood that the senior member for Wait".' - : would be included amongst those aga!:i>t whom proceedings v.'-.lc ordered to be tai;-n. The discussion over this matter was only desultory, bnt tfu- remarks of Councillors were far from complimentary to Mr. Shrimski, and it was well tiir.t he was not present. This is not the first time that the matter has cropped up in the Conned. On several occasions attention has been drr.wn to the long-ontstanding account, and various Councillors have suggested that legal proceedings should be taken to enfor-.e payment. These suggestions have, however, invariably been nipped in the bud with the remark, " The Council must bear in mind that it is absolutely necessary to get our Bill through Parliament, and that if we sue Mr. Shrimski [we speak of him more politely than Councillors did] he will turn round and oppose the Bill." At the close of the regular practice last evening, the Rifles Pand held a meeting at the Volunteer Hall for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken to obtain a further supply of instruments. Mr. Jones, iion, conductor, occupied the chair. It was explained that owing to the continued increase in the number of members, and the refusal of the Caledonian Society to grant the use of their instruments to the band, it was necessary to expend a large sum of money in the purchase of instruments, especially in view of the fact that a number of borrowed instruments had to be returned. It was decided to devote the sums to be obtained for the Band's services at the_ Agricultural and Pastoral Show and the Friendly Societies' Pic-nic to the purchase of instrument", and to hold a concert in aid of the Band's funds on New Year's night. Four new members were elected, and the Band now numbers 27, while it is expected further Additions will be made a£ the next meeting,

It was decided to offer the Band's services at the bazaar to be held next week; in aid of St.'. Luke's Church.

A meeting of the Committee-.of the Oamarix Philharmonic Society was held yesterday, at the office of Mr. Joseph Booth, Tyne-street. Present—Mr. Medlicott, President (in the chair), Mcsais, John Hardy, P. Williams, G. A. Sutton, J. Booth, W. Brunton, G. Greenfield, G. Jones, aDd J. Finch. It was resolved that the twelfth concert of the Society be secular r to consist af miscellaneous items, inc.uding glees, and that it be held about Wednesday, Ist December. The final concert of the Society's year was fixed for January next, when the grandest of Handel's oratorios, the Messiah, will be produced with full instrumental accompaniments. . It was announced also that the Society had remitted Home money for the vocal and instrumental parts of the opera of the "Bohemian Girl," which it is intended to put in practice immediately after the performance of the "Messiah," a,nd also of Handel's "Judas Maccabeus" which will probably follow. Some discussion took place as to the propriety of limiting the issue of tickets of admission to concerts next year solely to members of the Society, in consequence of the scaot support accorded by the outside public, but no final decision was come to.

His Worship the Resident Magistrate today gave his decision in. the case of Moore v. M'Farlaue, for the recovery of the value of a piano destroyed while in the custody of the defendant. The facts of the case were as follow :—The defendant was engaged to cart a piano from Mess s, J. and W, Bothh's to St. James' Hall, and, while going round the corner from Tyne-street to Itchen-street, the piano tumbled over the side of the express. and was smashed. The evidence went to show that the defendant had not exercised due care while in charge of the piano. His Worship gave judgment for L 25, the amount claimed, and Ll3 15s costs. Mr, Newton appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Hislop for the defendant.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, a first offender, charged with drunkenness, was cautioned "and discharged. "Sir Julius Vogel (says the Otago Daily Times) has signified his intention of making presents in the shape of bopks for prizes to the Otago Boys' and Girls' High Schools. The former is to receive Thackeray's complete works in twelve volumes, and the latter a miniature edition of Tennyson's works. The books will arriye by the s,s. Durham at Lyttelton," We now no longer disbelieve the statement that Sir Julius Vogel intends to return to the Colony. Under the head of "Our Calumniators " the following letter appears in the Otago Daily Times of to-day Sir,—l have read with much astonishment the "Honestishlike " effusion said to be from the pen of John Foster, late Congregational minister from Lincolnshire. Being a stranger to your district I do not know whether Mr. John Foster has succeeded "in saving the few shillings " he mentions to enable him to run away from his and the work of reform which lie deems so much needed. Anyhow, as the vessel Hedwig is sailing from the harbor of Oamaru in a few days for London direct, I sul scribe my mite towards transporting Mr. John Foster from his " pandemonium," and I am sure we will not be uncharitable enough to hope he may "go to the bottom of the Bay of Biscay," or prove a Jonah therein, and I am sure many will aid in so good a work, Your correspondent charitably gives Mr. Foster credit for being an honest but ignorant man. Yet, Mr. Editor, I do not like men to prate of their honesty; and I trust, sir, you will see that the subscriptions are applied strictly towards the desired object. A few days ago I took a ride round that truly fertile district of Oamaru, and if the Rev. Mr. Foster would do the same, and view the patient, honest industry which has transformed "tussock" land into a garden, he might feel the inspiration of thankfulness for the beauty of the scene, and a feeling of gratidude that there was room enough and to spare for ten times as many people as are at present in occupation to liye easy and happy lives in a highly-favored land. Apologising for trespassing on your space. I am, &e„ iVuiOT, —Oamaru, 12th November.— [Our correspondent encloses 4 stamp value Is.—Ed., O.D.T.j