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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2494, 18 March 1881, Page 3

On Wednesday evening about fifteen of the members of the Loyal Timaru Lodge, 1.0.6. P., M.U., proceeded to Temuka'on a friendly visit to the members of the Arowhenua Lodge. After the business of the Lodge was disposed of, the visitors were entertained at Mr Ooira’s Hotel, where a most enjoyable evening was spent. George Eobson, charged this morning with robbing a quondam acquaintance of a silver watch and chain while he was asleep in the bar of an hotel, made rather a curious defence. He took the watch, he pleaded, merely because the owner was drunk and asleep, and in danger of losing it, and in order that he might make sure the property would be in safe keeping he endeavored to pawn it. To what further lengths his good nature would have carried him it seems difficult to say, had not the pawnbroker recognised the watch as one previously purchased from him by the prosecutor. The accused was arrested by Detective Kirby. He was committed for trial,

There was a very rough sea in the roadstead this afternoon, The Taiaroa had to discharge inside the Breakwater, but the shipping of the port underwent no risk or inconvenience. During the afternoon one of the large wooden cases, used for moulding the concrete blocks, was caught by a breaker and carried out to sea, but a rope was afterwards attached and it was dragged ashore again.

The gaols are henceforth to be sealed hermetically, that is if the new broom is allowed to have its way. The following extraordinary circular has been issued by the Inspector :—“ Prison Department, Wellington, Jan 27,1881. Circular to Gaolers, Gentlemen, —My attention has been called o cases which have recently occurred in which information has been communicated, without authority, to the public Press, apparently by members of the Prison service. I have entire confidence that this irregular conveyance of information is a practice to which the great body of the prison officers would not stoop, but however few may be the officers in fault, their acts cause extensive mischief by sowing suspicion, and by discrediting the service. I am of opinion that such breaches of official confidence are offences of the gravest character that a prison officer can commit, and should, when discovered, be visited by instant dismissal. To be read to the officers on parade.”

• The exposute of the bad workmanship of the town-hall foundation writes a) Sydney correspondent) has rather scandalised the citizens of Sydney. The whole will probably have to be pulled down, and rebuilt at an expenditure of £SOOO or £6OOO. The work is really so bad that everybody connected with putting it together must have known the fraud, that was being committed, but it was all covered up, and but for a happy accident the great hall might have been built upon unsafe foundations, The root of the mischief lies in thecliqueism which prevails in the municipal council. For a long time past the town hall has been the scene of a party strife between the Orangemen, and the Catholics, in which the former have got the upper hand ; but in cases of this kind all patronage is party patronage. The appointments go, not to good men but to good tools, and the consequence is that whichever side is uppermost, the public interest suffers.

Mr H. S. Fish, the irrepressible of Dunedin, having contracted a strong dislike to Captain Thomson, Harbor-Master, has lately taken to venting his spleen against that officer through the Press. A letter sent to the “ Daily Times ” was held over, however, until it was ascertained from the Harbor Board, of which Mr Fish is a member, that Captain Thomson would have the liberty of reply. On learning that this step had been taken, Mr Fish became infuriated, bearded the lion—the “Times” editor—in his den,demanded his letter, and subsequently sent a formal intimation through his solicitors, that it “ could not be allowed to appear in print.” The editor in reply offered to return the manuscript, but published the letter with nearly a column of comments, in which Mr Fish is severely reprimanded for hitting an officer whose hands he believed to be tied, and retiring from the fight when he learns tjiat the individual assailed is to have fair play.

The annual meeting of the Timaru Permanent Mutual Benefit Building and Investment Society takes place on Thursday evening next, March 24, at 7.80, o’clock at the Oddfellows Hall, Sophia Street.