OAMARU.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 329, 11 February 1874, Page 3

OAMARU.

(From our own Correspondent.)

February 3,

When I consider the superior quality of your letter correspondence, and the greater interest that will naturally be felt in it from its local character, I am almost afraid to write ; still, if the manufacturing ability on the local side is superior, the greater quantity of the raw material is on mine. This with all due deference to your correspondents. . Referring to yours o£ the 28th January, I may say that we too have the auctioneer subject continually cropping up. One very large-hearted (so large one can only suppose ■that, like the egg in the narrow-necked bottle, it was put in when it was soft) individual in the line is always suffering great injustice, but still manages to survive. These men are everywhere. But self-denying men of your " Limited Liability " correspondents stamp, there are, I am afraid, amongst us very few. That man, Sir, that virtuous honest man, should dot be allowed to hide his immaculate virtues under a borrowed name. " Limited Liability .' — forsooth ! Why, the mortal who could, even in Lawrence, be satisfied with (after doing all that he says he has done) water and a little tea and sugar, ought to have his every day name printed in letters of gold ! 'Tis said that the Mexican aloe only blooms once in a huudred years : it is bloomidg in Lawrence now ! We also have here a wonderful instance of that, extraordinary plant blooming and fructifying to some purpose. A certain publican has just returned from a trip to the North Island, where he "had gone to inspect a sheep station ; value! according to report, from £15,000 to £20,000, and winch rumor and himself say he has bought. As the little boniface is always casting in the teeth of everyone he comes in contact with, thfe boast tliat he pays 20s. in the £1, and that he came here some years ago with a few shillings, a wife, and a .small family ; and as three or four plants had previously withered in the samo tub, through the hot winds of the Insolvency Court, before this one flowered, and as there are as many as eleven tuba (hotels), all with succulent plants of the same species, and well moistened at an average rate at present of £100 per week.each, as well as some bastard suckers (sly)- In boarding houses, you will agree , with me that our soil and climate Js peculiar — for aloes.

How remarkable it is that the annual dying speech, or report of the different School Cbmmjtteesj should be so much alike — so laudatory and: so > soothing tp themselves, and' so very unsatisfactory to the general public. A good many particulars in that letter* of yours from' "A Mother" could find their corresponding even here. Have you got a School Committee election ring and ticket in your happy valley ? We have advanced so far here^ and, in another matter, I think we are ahead of you. CleaaHneps is said to be akin to Godliness. "Following that, for our clean and healthy town, >w»nHMth»Teao Inspector of Nuisance, at s

salary of £130 a-year, paid.- monthly, whose most arduous duties are summed up in making raids in the early morn on the poor people's cows or horses out on the luxuriant food on the waste town lands ; and all to help by the fines, which go to the Corporation, to make up the pay of this all sufficient officer, while this liberal body only employ three day laborers— two at 75., and a foreman at Bs. aday. Moral : Don't make a Nuisance Inspector until there are several other nuisances. There is a lull at present here in the insolvency business; but I euppoße when the Pawnbroking Bank can secure the services of some fresh bird-catcher — the country birds are rather shy of the old ones and their bills of sale — they will bring out the old call bird, " money advanced," in full swing. We have a splendid harvest, and it will soon be over in consequence of the full supply of labor and the good quality of the machines.

The weather lately has been splendid , but since Sunday, which was one continued storm of hail, with thunder. We have had heavy showers ; still, they have done little harm. Our breakwater does not progress very fast. I don't know why. I suppose it pays some better to spin it out, and I don't think the three boating companies are anyway anxious to have it pushed on. lam not sure if there are not some of them on the Trust, and the Company's shares are said to pay well. Iv my next, if it suits you, I will give a few particulars of our railways and the Waitaki Bridge that is to be some time or other.