LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 146, 9 October 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There are undoubtedly two moat essential for an Inspector of Nuisances— the first is a good temper, ami the second a knowledge wf the law. Mr. Toms possessed; the first to a very fair degree, ami the second Eve will no doubt obtain by constant practice. The extraordinary wording of our Municipal bye-laws is stich that any lawyer even it* he had "an office in the street,' ctxtld wriggle rough shod through them. At the Resident Magistrate Court this morning this* fact was strikingly exemplified. The wording of the bye-law regarding permission to build was carefully read through by Mr. O'Meagber and also by the Magistrate ; but both these gentlemen came to the conclusion that one portion of the law was particularly hazy. A little essence of Linley Murray and » dash of common sense, would make some of these Corporation bye-laws much more stringent, and most decidedly less enigmatical. Tlio following is a case in point. Referring to the erection or alteration of woedea buildings the law is as follows : ** It shall not be lawful for any person, unless with the written consent of the Council, to erect, or cause to be erected, within the the town of Oamaro, any building the walls or roof whereof shall be composed, or the greater part whereof shall be composed of weed, or any other similar or dimmilar combustible material, &c" The italicsr, of coarse, axe oars. But if the material is not similar or dissimilar, what on earth is it like? Echo answers. What J

We regret to learn of an accident which befel oar esteemed townsman, Mr. John Falconer, oa Friday morning last. . Whilst driving a horac and trap at the north end of the tows, the horse became restive, and he

got down and walked beside it, when it suddenly started, and the wheel came in contact with his leg, causing great pain. Mr. Falconer has since been confined to his house, his ancle being much swollen, but by last accounts he was progressing favorably. During the hearing of a breach of a byelaw, case in the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, Mr. O'Meagher, the counsel for the defendant, expressed it as his opinion that the public of Oamaru would have a much greater regard for the bye-laws if the Councillors who framed them did not set bad examples by apparently violating them, and erecting such miserable hovels as might be seen within a few yards of the Court House. There was in town, next to a palatial establishment, and close to the Court House, a miserable specimen of street architecture.

An Italian, named Zaraboni Vincenzo, was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, with being drunk and disorderly in Thamc-3-strcct, last Sunday. Fortunately for Vincenzo, there wa3 no one in Court could patter Italian, or the dialect the accused spoke, so the magistrate, under the circumstaiiaes, dismissed the case. It was rather amusing to notice the attempts made to get the accused to understand the charge. The Sub-In--pcctor was evidently under the impres-fiou that if he rp.jke loud to him there would not be the slightest difficulty in getting Zamboni to understand Saxon. Mr. Johns tried him with a little Italian, but

•• no cotnprchenzo " was the reply. Then one of the reporters attempted French, but with a like result. Mr. M'Cluskcy made a linal c!f»rt in a loud tone of voice in pigeon English, but all to no purpose. Vincenzo would not, or could not, understand.

The Stewards for the O.unaru Steeplechase Meeting, to he held .'n Friday next, went out last Sr.tu'.day afternoon to inspect the co«ne and the j:r?fip3. The grand stand, '.Viiivf. is notv bciirg erected, will he a most c<>mm».'.i..>U3 structure, and is capitally s.i!:.rat'--d for seeing all the racing. The jitmp.s hy-Uiu-bve. arc regular snorters, the erne over tir; brook being Soft, wide and 7ft. dcun. We expect to ics sonic spnls at this jmap, and also at the -'bullfinch" on the other ride of the main road. All the entries clojc this evening, at the Empire Hotel The dull routine of every day life at Wai-

mate was enlivened a little the other day by an attempted elopement. The Tribune informs us that "the 'happy pair' left the conjugal roof in Mr. Vining's express en roiHe for the south, and had proceeded as far as the Union Bank, when they were arrested by the distressed husband, who, climbing on the conveyance, took possession of his runaway spouse and baggage, together with the swag of the man of her choice, and drove back in triumph to his residence, holding up a white calico bag to the sight of sundry amused spectators as they passed up High-street. Further explanation is needleas." The progress which is being made by the contractor, from Waitaki north to the junction with the Hook section of the South Canterbury Railway, is very satisfactory. The Tribune states that the rails and sleepers arc being laid at the rate of fully a quarter of a mile per day, and should the weather continue favorable, at this rate of progress the junction with the Waimate branch will soon be reached, which will allow Messrs. Pratt and Martin to get on with their contract for the Waimate branch line. The eugine commenced ballasting on Tuesda}-, and now about a mile of the line is ballasted, while there is fully three mile 3 of platclaying in hand. A Wellington contemporary publishes the

following telegram from New Plymouth : "The Paraika meeting ha 3 terminated. Over a thou and natives were present. Tc V.'iti was the centre of attraction, and was looked up to with almost adoration by the natives. He says the Maoris were the lost tribea of Israel, and exhibited maps and plans showing the supposed route by wliich the present race originally reached New Zealand. His knowledge of Scripture, history, and of lata rc3earcb.es in Palestine is spoken of as astonishing. He said it was no use educating the Maori regarding the land. He said each man could sell or keep it as he liked. He spoke of the proposed meeting of the Maori King, the Governor, and Mr. M'Lean.

A writer in the X"ew Zealand Times says : " An imaginative correspondent of an Otago paper quite lately stated that the members of the Opposition were "water drinkers.'' If that correspondent had played billiards as I did on Saturday night in the room next to that in which the Opposition were holding a kind of caucus, he would alter his opinion. A more gonial lot of gentlemen in political caucus assembled than are the members of the Opposition, it has seldom been my lot to see, and though they took water during the caucus, it was mixed. The fact that -Mr. J. C. Brown, as well a3 involuntary listeners could make out, danced a breakdown accompanied by an orchestra, composed of Mr. Shcehan on the violin, Mr. Stout on the piano, and Mr. Rees on brown paper and a small-tooth comb, is no reflection on the matter with which the water drunk was adulterated. I trust that no one will take the narration of the incident I have mentioned as tending to reflect on the members

of the Opposition. Personally, I may say that those gentlemen never stood so high in my estimation as they do now, after having had the pleasure of being in the next room to tbem for some hours." The following mining items we take from the Turp ha Times:—"A cake o: goll weighing 3750z., from the Otago Company's claim, was brought in to the Colonial Bank on Saturday. The cake was the result of a month's crushing, and has had the effect of increasing the price of shares in the Company materially. A very handsome piece of gold, weighing 7oz. 13dwt. is on view at the Bank of New South Wales this week. The nugget is said to have been unearthed on the Lammerlaw ranges." The adjourned meeting of the Provisional Committee of the Benevolent Institution will be held at the Mechanics' Institute, this evening. __^^______ - _ - _