CHRISTMAS CHEER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 24 December 1880, Page 2

CHRISTMAS CHEER.

There is an old and hackneyed rythr mical effusion that runs somewhat to this effect ! —* Christmas come 3 but "nee a vea", And when it comes it brings gojd cheer. Judging by the universal efforts put forth one would think that the

Butchers Deemed it their especial privilege and duty to provide their portion of that good cheer, for on strolling through the town last night we could not avoid being struck with the large amount of extra energy they displayed in decorating their shops and setting out in the most tempting and elaborate style thgir wares, ijot Qnly in this respect was there observable a very marked departure from the dull routine of. the every day njucle of doing business. Ejach of the butchers had apparently striven to obtain animals of a specially fattened description, and each of them succeeded in producing one or wore magnificent animals of |he bovine species that might fairly have paled into insignifU cance the fatted animal that was slain upon a memorable occasion had that animal not been a oalf—animals that would have done no discredit to a similar show at Smithfield. The display' of all kinds of meat was, if anything, superior to that of the past few' years. Starting out upon our rambles the first show of meat to attract our attention was that of Mr. H. Fry, Tees-street. Here was displayed some fine specimens of all kinds of animals, preparedfpr consumption and presented in a most striking manner. A three-year-old steer, bred by Messrs. 0. and J. M. Tocjd, weighing about IQQQ lbs, and three polled Angus steers weighing respectively 1040 lbs, 1000 lbs, and 900 lbs, obtained from the Totara estate, had the effect of calling to our minds the ancient song of " The roast beef of Old England.", One of the striking features of the display was a fine calf, under nine months old, bped an 4 fattened by Messrs. Fleming and Hedley, and weighing JfQ lbs. There was an abundance of sheep of the ordinary kind, and a number of extra fat specimens of the fleecy tribe, weighing up to 120 lbs, from Mr. E. Menlove's Windsor Park estate; and of lambs, too, there was a good display, the production of the farmß of Mr. H. Mitchell and Mr. W. Meek, panging in weight from 50 lbs to 60 lbs. A couple of porcine animals gompjetpd the list of large carcases. Some sucking pigs

andaquantityof small goods were exhibited in the wiudow> which also contained a nuriiber of geese and turkeys. The shop was nicely decorated, and by gaslight presented a striking picture. At Mr. J. M'Arthur's shop in Teesstreet, little effort had been made to produce a special display, Mr. M'Arthur contenting himself with following his usual course in regard to the larger animals. The beef was therefore of the ordinary kind, but he exhibited a few large sheep weighing up to 1201bs, ana a number of fine lambs. There were also shown a number of sucking pigs and some small-goods, with the almost inevitable highly-decorated head of an oxen, bearing the name of the proprietor of the. shop. Passing up Thames-street the first establishment to arrest our attention was that of Mr. T. Farr, the erection of which was hurriedly completed to such an extent as to enable possession to be taken, . though much has yet to be done to the premises. This shop has been built by Mr. J. M'Combe for Mr. James Gibson, of Papakaio, to the design of -Mr. Johnston, and worthily maintains the reputation of Oamaru for especially handsome stone buildings. The shop is of Oamaru stone with Port Chalmers blue stone column ; it is two storeys high, and of a neat style of architecture. The shop with which we have principally to do at present, though not what may be called a large one, is wellappointed and roomy. Its measurements are about 18 feet by 20 feet, with a height of ceiling of about 16 feet. Nearly the whole of this space was last evening taken up by carcases and quarters of beef, &c. Amongst the meat displayed were the quartered carcases of the aeoond and third prize-takers at the last Dunedin Show, two immense bullocks weighing respectfully .1(300 and IqOQ lbs., and bred on the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's Edendale Estate. The carcass of a grand heifer weighing some 950 lbs, bred by Messrs. Fleming and Hedley on their Seadown Estate, was also shown. Of mutton and lambs there was also a large display. Amongst the sheep, chiefly obtained from Messrs. Millington Bros., there was one that particularly attracted attention, being a monster half-bred wether fattened by Mr. Gibson, turning the scale at about IgQlbs, The lambs, too., from the farm of the same gentleman, and three of them were as fiue looking as the most fastidious connoisseur could desire. There were also displayed three calves, bred by Mr. W. Easton and Mr. W.. Grant,. some swine, and a large variety of small goods. The shop was tastefully decorated, and conspiouous amongst the articles displayed was particularly the head of one of the large bullocks. This had been carefully dressed, and the operator, forgetting the familiar line of the poet that " Nature unadorned is adorned the most/' had given the two excellently shaped horns of the defunct monarch of the field the additional attraction afforded by a coating of gold-leaf. The next shop to claim our attention was that of Mr. N. Lane, who, as usual at this time of year, put forth a fine show of meat, the full effect of which was -los' to the casual observer owing to the l<-»v-' ness of the ceiling of the shop. amongst the articles here was the quartered carcass of a heif<*' bred by Messrs. Jardine Brothers, Pppakaio, and weighing about 1000 lbs. There were also shown a couple of sieers each weigh? ing about 9f cwt., Vred by Mr. Win. Meek, Cave j. and. a fine cu,lf fattened by Mes« ra - jardine Brothers. Of sheep, of pjurse, there were plenty, the heaviest bringing down the scale at 105 lbs", while some of the lambs weighed 61 lbs. To Mr. Wm. Meek is also due the credit of supplying bafch the sheep and lambs. There werp a couple of pigs, several and a variety of small goods th£»t went to make up, in the words of the auctioneer, a "grand lot." Conspiouous amongst the articles in the window facing Thames-street were a j couple of saddles of mutton highly decorated, and bearing in bold letters the words " A merry Christina a happy New Year," while between these was plaoed a bullock's head ticketed "N. Lane," but bearing little resemblance to the respected proprietor of the shop. This shop was also decoratedMr. R. Smart's little shop in Thames; street was also well supplied and nigely decorated, Chief amongst the exhibits was a heifer bred by Mr. John M'Lean, of Redcastle, weighing about lOOOlbs, and a steer of over 9001bs. Of sheep and lambs there was also a good supply, obtained from the farm of Mr. Doig, Papakaio, the heaviest of the former weighing about llOlbs, while some of the latter touched 551bs. A pig and some suckers completed the display. The small shop of Mr. H. Fry, Thamesstreet, had also a very good display, including an ox weighing 9(>Qlhs, bred by Messrs. Fleming and Hedley ; a number of fat sheep, reaching abqut 13Qlbs, laynbs of from {s§lbs to over 6,Qlbs ; a dressed pig 3 and a variety of small goods. Amongst the decorations we noticed a stand composed of polished extremities of oxen, the horns, hoofs, and tails, producing a pleasing effect. Messrs. Wheeler and M'Lean, of North Thames-street, exhibited a bullock bred by Mr. John Reid, of Elders}ie, weighing something lijfe 1200 lbs : a, number' of sheep ranging up" to 116 lbs \ sortie good lap>bs; a brape of pigs, sc. This shop was also decorated.

Mr. Myers, Wharf-street, had a couplfi of bullocks weighing about 1000 and 900 respectively, besides some good sheep and lambs, a calf, and pigs, which, in a small but well decorated shop made a good display, OTHER DISPLAYS. Very little has been done by other tradesmen to make anything in the shape of elaborate displays. Some of the business premises have -been decorated with boughs, &c., and the dealers in toys set out their wares in the most showy manner. The confectioners had tempting windows, and many a yqunggter was set lodging by the large amount of good things exhibited in the shop windows.