Oamaru.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 805, 23 May 1876, Page 6

Oamaru.

(From our own Correspondent.)

On the 6th instant the annual meeting of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held in the Mechanics' Institute, when the President of the Association, Mr Neil Fleming, occupied the chair, This was the thirteenth occasion on which the members of the Association had assembled together for a similar purpose, and it was gratifying to s?e the meeting well attended, and to learn from the report and balance sheet, which were read and adopted ncm. con., that the Association were possessed of a very satisfactory credit balance of £292 2s 2d. The meeting then proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing years, and the result was as follows, viz., — President, Mr John M'Lean : Vice-Presidents, Messrs Falconer and Iledley; members of Committee, Messrs Aitchcson, Bee, David Booth, Christal, Donaldson, Kaston, Gardiner, Honor, jM'Aiilj--, M'Lennati, Morton, Kouayne, Steward, Spence, Stevenson, Todd, and Young. Messrs Dnnlop and Taylor were elected Auditors, and Messrs Kouayne and Church were reelected to their accustomed posts as Honorary Treasurer and Secretary.

Progress and improvement being so decidedly the prevailing characteristics of the township at the present time, it is not a matter of surprise to learn that our Freemasons arc determined to keep pace with the times, aud that they have called for tenders for the erection of a Freemason's Hall in place of their temporary quarters at the Star aud Garter Hotel. The site on which the Hall is to be erected is admirably adapted for the purpose, being situated at the point of junction of Tees and Wansbeck-streets, and a more central or more appropriate spot it would be difficult to find.

On Sunday, the 7th hist., special harvest thanksgiving services were held in the morning and evening at St. Luke's Church. The church itself was appropriately and tastefully decorated with corn, fruit, flowers, and ferns, and immediately above the east window there was placed a very beautiful scroll, executed on a white ground with red and green letters, bearing the seasonable inscription, " Tljou croirnest the year lvitii T)iy goodness." Dishop Xevill was present, and the sermons both in the morning and evening were preached by him. The text on each occasion was taken from the first verse of the twenty-fourth Psalm, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein," and the subject was treated by his Lordship in his usual eloquent, earnest, and impressive style. The Rev. A. Giffonl conducted the remainder of the services, and the anthem in the morning was. " O Lord how manifold,'' by Barnhy, and in the evening, " I will lift up mine eyes," by Whitfield. The church was densely crowded on each occasion, and it was fortunate that it had so recently been enlarged, otherwise a large number of people would have been compelled either to have been satisfied with standing room, or to have returned to their homes disappointed. In the afternoon Bishop Nevill held a confirmation service, when eighteen young men and women were confirmed, and were afterwards addressed by him in a solemn and earnest manner as to their future duties and responsibilities. On the following Wednesday a conversazione was held in. the Drillshed at the

instance of the members of the congregatioil oft§t. Luke's, having the double object of giving the Bishop a reception and of providing funds requisite to defray the expense of sloping the banks of the Church land where it adjoius the deep cutting in Itchenstreet recently made by the Corporation. Bishop ISTevill presided, 'and addressed the meeting, Avhen he congratulated Mr Gifford and the members of his Church upon the additions made to it, and the handsome appearance it now presented. Mr Thornton, the Rector of the Grammar School, delivered an interesting lecture on his reminiscences of India. The Drillshed was embellished with works of art and curiosities, and several ladies and gentlemen contributed their aid to enliven the proceedings with music and songs. E. G. Bickerton, who for some time past has been well known here as a commission agent and as keeping a servants 1 registry office, quitted his home a short time ago very suddenly, and without notice to his creditors and others who took an iuterest in his movements ; and beiug subsequently arrested by the police in Dunedin and taken before the magistrates there, was remanded back to Oamaru. He has since appeared several times before the magistrates here, who have eventually committed him to take his trial at the ensuing criminal sittiugs on two charges, the one being for obtaining £12 from Mr Grant, the proprietor of the Commercial Hotel, on false pretences, and the other for unlawfully, converting to his own use two bills of exchange, each for the sum of torty pounds, the property of John Milne. The evidence in support of the first charge was that Bickerton — well knowing that his account at the Bank was insufficient — induced Graut to change a cheque drawn by himself, which, when presented to the Bank for paymeut, was of necessity dishonored. In the other case, it appeared that Bickerton was employed by Milne to collect some money due to him, aud that having consequently received the bills in question, instead of placing them to Milne's credit at his banker's, he placed them to his own credit at his own banker's, and subsequently received cash for the amount of them, aud applied the proceeds to his own use.

A man named James Edward Smith, by trade a butcher, was found lying dead in a room behind his shop, in Thames-street, a few days ago. An inquest was held upon the body, and the evidence showed thjt although a married mau wUh a family, the unfortunate deceased lived alone, and that for some time past he had been drinking very heavily. The room in which he was found was entirely devoid of furniture, and the body was discovered stretched upon a few old bags. There was an empty spirit bottle on one side of the corpse, and a bottle containing a small quantity of spirits on the other. The medical testimony proved that the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys of the deceased were extensively diseased, and that there was no doubt that death was accelerated by excessive indulgence in alcohol. The juiy returned a verdict accordingly. Tt would indeed be hard to picture a more miserable, uuhappj', or revolting death, and to excessive drinkers this simple unvarnished record cf fact should prove a greater incitement to moderation than all the Good Templar lectures in the world put together.

I mentioned in a former letter that Messrs Anderson aud Co. had placed their steamship Matau on the service between this place and Duuedin. Now Capt.Sewell, the Harbor Master, in consideration, [ suppose, of the old and regular services of the Samson, had appropriated to that vessel a berth alongside the breakwater, to the exclusion of other craft. Capt. Urquhart, the captain of the Matau. took exception to this state of things, and claimed for his vessel an equal participation in the privileges accorded to the Samson, and happening a few days since to arrive in Oamaru a few minutes in advance of his rival, he proceeded to moor his craft in her berth. The Harbor Master, perceiving this, gave orders to Capt. Urquhart to anchor his vessel in the bay apart from the breakwater. However, Capt. Urquhart persisted, and refwsed to obey the orders of the Harbor Master, ■who then gave directions that the | cargo of the Matau should not be iinshipped so loug as she remained agaiust the breakwater. Eventually Capt. Urquhart was compelled to give way, and hauled of!" his vessel to the spot indicated by Capt. Sewell. The matter did not rest here, however, for Capt. Urquhart next found himself summoned to attend at the Resident Magistrate's Court, to answer a charge made against him b} r Capt. Sewell for a breach of the Harbor Regulations, and was ordered to pay a fine of twenty shillings, as well as the costs of the information. The owners of the Matau contend that they are the victims of favoritism. "Whether this be so let each reader judge for himself. Gas, so long promised, has been supplied at last. A test service only -was made on the 13th, when, being Saturday, not a few of our hotels and storekeepers availed themselves of the opportunity for having a "flare up," and on the following Monday the regular supply was made aud proved a perfect success in every "waj\ The gas furnished being of excellent quality, and all the arrangements working admirably, Mr Courtis is to be congratulated upon the successful issue attending his labors in this respect.