LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 152, 16 October 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

V.'e would draw attention to the fact that the outward English mnil •■id San Francisco closer at the Post Cilice at four o'clock to-

morrow morning,

Tho aim?;.-! general meeting of tlio Oamaru Cricket Club took place on Saturday niglit, there l>ein.s pix-sonfe : Vessrs. Thornton (chair). Snrtil-.-ra.-s M'G'ashan. F. Femviek Cha-. icnvick, MiHingron, T.intott, Ferens. Tempest, W. Maude, C. J. Johnston, Dr. Dale, and A. Y. Smith, hon. sec. After the minutes of the proceeding meeting had been read and confirmjd. the election of ofiicers took phce with tlie following result:—President, Mr. 11 \V. I'oxby : lion, secretary, Mr. A. V. Smith (re-elected) ; lion, treasurer, Mr. F. I'emvick ; Committee, Dr. Pe Lautmir, and Messrs. Sumpter and Tempest. A .Match Crimwittno was also elect'-d, composed of the fi-Hawing gentlemen :—Messrs. Mandmll. Tempest, and Snodgra-3, ill addition to the li"M. secretary and treasurer, Loth of whom were to ha members e.v office. When the hahiice-fhcet had been submitted, which showed a creiH. L , balance of £8 17s. 9d., t'\e Chr.irnian read a letter received from the Si .'ict.try of t!'.e Dun.din Club, asking that two r'r.vs should be It an led 0:1 which two matches micht be played during the coming «va>■■•». one in Osmaru and the other in Dune iin. It v.T.i revived. however, that the Matter 1 be left in the hands of the : Ir.' ,i» Cxmniheo. It r.\v: arranged that the •"> n:r:ir of i!:-j K-ja:.-an—Old v. Xew Member" —sliwL! take pl.v.-o uexfc Saturday, r,r.d llwst th'j r.ubrvripljon to the Club remain ir.-t year. A \-ofc2 "of thanks to the ('lir.'ir:r.r.n clr...- 1 the mc.c-::ng. The ;»•!; >v. :-!g good story, of which a certain well-known Pitssman not a hundred mile? from the Maii. Office is the hero, :*3too good to be lost, aud therefore we rescue

from obscurity. The gentleman to whom we allude is the owner of a banjo, which is his especial delight, and the utter detestation of his neighbors. A few nights since the minstrel invited a friend to his musical melange, and after striking the orthodox position, commenced to wqrry the instrument, while with up-turned optics aud pedal accompaniment, he worked away most laboriously. After about half-an-hour's correct rendering of one of the negro melodies, he stopped through sheer exhaustion and for—the applause. Imagine his disgust, however, when the audience, instead of bursting forth into raptures, languidly remarked, "By George, what a jollv lot of tuning up those things require." The blow was a deep one, but Quills was a philosopher, so placing the instrument in a recumbent position, and heaving a sigh at "the pearls before-swine-business," invited the soulless mail to inspect bis carrier pigeons. A chance expression had gained what the united entreaties and threats of friends and foes had been unable to accomplish, and from that hour the chords have ne'er vibrated. The Harp of Tara ne'er bung more mute on its palatial walls than now rests that of the local minstrel, and now night is alone made hideous by amatory members of the feline race in their nocturnal

courtship. The. usual dull routine of the proceedings at the Police Court were this morning enlivened by a rather brisk passage at arms between Mr. o'Meagher, who was defending a prisoner, and Sub-Inspector M'Cluskey, conducting the prosecution. Counsel protested against what he termed the persistent attempts of the Sub-Inspector to lead a witness, and insisted upon the police observing the practice of the bar in resuming a seat while an opposing counsel rose to urge an objection. Mr. M'Cluskey did not seem inclined to succumb, but his opponent stating that he was determined to insist upon the courtesy asked for, the Inspector judiciously subsided, and the proceedings again flowed ou in their even tenor.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of the lia'-lraU:d JS'cw Zealand Herald for October, which is by far and away the best number which has yet come to hand. The plates, ten in number, are admirably executed, those referring to the recent disaster to the steamship Daiidcnong possessing a melancholy interest. The Herald is a most appropriate paper to send Home, and as sucli should command a large circulation. (■':/ IIH, that a company is about to be formed in town having for its object the erection of a temple of Thespis. We are given to understand that the leading spirit in the affair is a certain Municipal Councillor, possessed of considerable histrionic abilitj r , and who has appeared with credit 0:1 minor stages of late. The gentleman alluded to is equally well acquainted with Jfiss Comedy as Dame Tragedy, and is as much at home in Hamlet as the Grave-digger. From the well-known energy of the gentleman who has taken the initiative, we have little doubt the movement will be brought to a successful issue. Under the skilful hands of Mr. Kidd, the Corporation Gardener, the Garden Reserve, at the top of Tyne-sfcreet, has undergone a complete metamorphosis, and what a few months ago was a complete eye-sore, promises to be a pleasant place of recreation, and an ornament to the town. Beds have been made in appropriate places, and a quantity of grass sown, which already imparts quite a different look to the grounds. A little of Mr. Kidd's handiwork might be judiciously expended in recovering the wilderness whicli is at present termed the Esplanade. There is no place about the town which can compare with it as a promenade, and when even in its present condition, it is extensively patronised on Sunday after noons, there can be no doubt it would be. come one of the most attractive portions of the town by the outlay of a little labor and money.

The Colonial Journal does not appear to entertain a very exalted opinion of the Civil Service e.mjjlo>/cs, as it asserts that the best men, including Ministers themselves, are overworked, because half the clerks in the service of the Government cannot be trusted to execute their work in an intelligent manner. The result is that the most trifling matter involving any real responsibility is usually "hung up" for an indefinite period, and the r.-reat art of "how not to do it" has reached a pitch of perfection in this Colony which is probably unequalled iu any other dependency of the British Crown.

Some captious critics have ungenerously found fault with Sir Eandall Roberts, Bart., because, iu mading his dibut upon the London s'rage, he was announced by his proper t tie. In a manly letter, justifying this course, Sir Randall says he preferred to do so rather than sail under false colors; and had he assumed an alias, no doubt he wou:d have been equally accused of being ashamed to appear in his real name. He adds : —"lf to be a baronet and to be poor is a crime, if to adopt the theatrical profession is a disgrace, then have I most grieviously sinned rgair.st society ; but I have yet to learn that the English public look with contempt upon a man who, be he gentle or simple, strives to cam his livelihood iu a profession as noble as any other." A few days since we published a telegram mentioning an extraordinary pedestrian feat

accomplished by an old lady. The task said to have- been performed -was so incredible that]we imagined there must have been some error in the message. From our Balclutha exchange, however, we learn that the facta were actually as stated. In speaking of the affair, the Leader —a representative of which had interviewed the heroine —has the following :—" We ascertained beyond a doubt that Mrs. Dalziel had walked from a farm between Otaria and Waipahi to Balclutha, a distance of about forty-two miles, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. The lady herself is verging on seventy summers, and when we interviewed her about noon the following day had finished as much washing as would take most women a full day."

A meeting of the Committee of the North Otago Horticultural Society, to consider prize schedule and appointment of judges, will take place this evening at eight o'clock, at Albion House.

The weeyy practice of the Philharmonic Society will take place to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, instead of Wednesday, in consequence of special services at St. Luke's Church on the latter day.