LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 176, 13 November 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It m.'.v lo remembered that the lamp post* which were csit 1-y Me;-srr. Real and Gray /->r the Corporaiion had the name of | the lifio »>» the aim, but as that portion was required for placing the names of the streets I at who-.e intersections they were, the Cmuif eii gave in-tntotion that the name should ' boenvitd <>v covered over. We believe it i was the prevailing opinion among the Counci!Jf>»3 that platen should be placed on both ! Mdcs t'i the arm, it King stated during the discu-'sipis which arose on the subject that that would answer the purpose and give the t ndw-Lcrf expcune. We notice, however, that a number of the posts erected have two |»ie«?* of wood fastened on both sides of the arm, and we presume that is the manner in which the instruction of the Council is to be carried out. When leave was given to substitnte a pUte instead of chipping the letters off, we imagine it was under-tood that a neat metal plate should have been fastened on and drilled thr-ngh the arm, and not two p:-:jc3 of rough paling tied U gather by lxdts mx inches lo::g, which is a dbflguremcut to tiie p-N?:. Ai they appear at present, they j .*K««..3t the idea that at no distant date a j prostrate position is looked for, and the uu- j sightly pieces taeke i on arc to act as guards | and break the fall. j "Better Jate than never," but news must j be scarce with the Uamara correspondent of j the Drive JltrcJ.J. In Friday's issue of that j paper the Miltoniani are informed that Mor- J rison was brought before the Bench on the j charge of stealing » blanket and pouring < kerosene over the wou.an Campbell; but [ although his solicitor made strenuous effoits ; to show that it was the result of an accident, I yet the Magistrate arrived at a contrary conclusion, and committed Morrison for trial at i

the ensuing criminal sifcting3 of the Distrltet Court." The above is another proof of the utility of having the ever-watchful "Our Own " on the spot, yet as the whole occurrence has gone the rounds of the Press at least two months since, it is just possible the news will be also stale at Milton. Truly flip Van Winkle has arisen from his sleep, and we should not be surprised to hear that Queen Anne was dead. It will be seen byadverti ement elsewhere that Hegarty's Combination Troupe open at the Masonic Hall on Wednesday night for a short season. As the company is not unknown to the town, it is almost unnecessary to more than mention the fact of its return, the patronage accorded when the troupe was here last being the be3t guarantee of its worth. We may mention, however, that the programme will be supplemented by the presentation ot the "Arabian Box Mystery," of which the Australian Press speak in the highest terms. Were it not that we never gamble, and hold betting of all sorts in pious horror, we could easily have supplemented our exchequer to the extent of half-a-sovereign by that means on Saturday evening. A member of the Dunedin Press, who is well known for his shrewd observation of men and manners mil things in general was strolling in our company round the town, when he suddenly lii'erud to lay ten to one in shillings that our i'own Council had at least three Sons of U.ispin at its table. Of course our pious •ruclivities prevented us making ten shillings ;<> easily, but having assured the visitor that there was not even one, we asked for the reasons of the conclusion he had arrived at •'Well," said Quill, "Though you tell me the retailer-; of boots and shoes are unreprenot the lc-s gre.it, or else why should the Council subsidise them by laying such a death-dealing foe to your ' understandings' in the shape of such gravelly footpaths !" The whole forenoon was occapiel to .lay at the Police Coart in the hearing:it" two cases of abusive and threatening language, the defendants and complainants changing positions in each case. It was .ialf-past one before h.s Worship had suffi eiently siftal the mibter to e.iable him to arrive at a decision. On the reopening of the Court after the adjournment there was a second c.lition of the morning's proceedings in the shape of more bad language and more c oss-summonses. As we imagine our readers have quite suilieienfc of women's quarrels for one day in our police report, we merely mention that the defendants and the complainants hailed from lleidston. The first case was Bridge i Cunan against Jane Halkett, for abusive language on the Gth, in which an application was made to bind the defendant over. Bridget, on the other hand, brought a summons against Jane for exactly the same olleucc, on the same day, arising out of the same dispute, and asking that the same protection might be granted her as that asked by Mrs. Cunan. We are unable fr» give the result, but as each party wished for a quiet i ami peaceful life, no doubt their request was cancelled.

The "celebrated" Dr. G'arr, mesmerist, phrenologi t, &c, evidently believes in calling a spade a spide, and we imagine there are a few of his clients who would wish for a chart so flattering as that drawn by the Professor of the editor of the Wairarapa Standard. It ha 3 been published in the shape o F a letter to the owner of the head in question : —" Sir,—l beg to return, in halfpenny stamps, the Is. 41. you paid me four months aco for a chart of your head. In doing so, permit me to say a word in explanation. During the'wentv-five years I have been in active practice I have examined all kinds of beads, from the head of a sucking pig to the head of a barber's pole, but your head is, without doubt, the most extraordinary phenomenon of tiie kind I ever witnessed. But lor the fact that you presented the tiling to me poised upon a pair of human shoulders, I should have imagined that you had made a mistake and brought me the fore-quarter of peka.s-j to be operated upon. I have often heard your readers complain of the unmitiL'a'cd tivadd'e with which your columns are "filled, but it they had read your head as I did, they would not be in the least astonished. —I arn, &e, The Doctor." In consequence of the Agricultural Show being held on next Friday, the ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Harbour Board, which otherwise would have been held on that day, will not take place. A meeting of gentlemen desirous of forming a steeplechase Club will be held this evening, at eight o'clock, at the Empire Hotel, and immediately afterwards a meeting of the stewards of the late meeting. The adjourned meeting of the directors of the Caledonian Society takes place this evening, and as important business has to be transacted, it is especially requested that every member will be ia attendance.