LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 182, 20 November 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Eazaar held in the Volunteer Hall was brought to a close on Saturday evening, and, as we learn, with results very satisfac tory to the promoters, though less, they think, than would have attended their efforts had the weather not been so unfavorable.

■ The gross proceeds are expected to reach close upon £400; and as willing helpers : have turned up in great numbers, the ex- | pensea have been comparatively small. I Some further sales have been effected this

day. The unsold contributions have been carefully stored, in fairness to the kind donors, to bear fruit on some small supplementary occasion which we believe will be brought about the beginning of the new year. We understand the sum resulting from the Bazaar will be applied in redeeming some of the debentures held in small amounts. The Minister and Churchwardens record in our to day's issue, in genial terms, their hearty thanks to one and all who have, in any way, helped to bring about the result above referred to.

We have been requested by the Clerk of the Court to notify to the public that jury summonses signed by the Sheriff are for criminal cases, and those signed by the Clerk of the Court for civil matters. It is further intimated that the criminal cases have been adjourned till Wednesday next at ten o'clock, consequently jurors or witnesses in criminal cases need not attend till then ; but those concerned in civil matters, either as juror 3 or witnesses, must attend the Court at ttn to-morrow.

"A Squatter" in his letter to the North Otayo Times challenged the Shearers' Association to tell him where Lear Downs Station was. We were this day waited upon by a number of the men, and were informed that it should have been Sea Downs—the mistake being the printer's. Sea Downs, we are further informed, is about twelve miles from Timaru, near Temuka. We trust the information is satisfactory.

Referring to the resignation of Mr. Fred Humphries, who so ably conducted this journal during the first six months of its existence, the Weatport Times has the following :—" We notice that another Slave of the Lamp has 'struck ile.' Mr. Fred Humphries, editor and manager of the Oamaru Evening Mail, has resigned his position upon that paper to accept a lucrative and prominent appointment on the Otago Railways." We would wish to remind our readers that those deserving artists, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, take a farewell benefit to-night at the Masonic Hall, when an attractive programme specially prepared for the occasion, will be submitted.

A meeting of the directors of the Caledonian Society will he held this evening, at eight o'clock, at Procter's Royal Hotel. A full attendance is requested.

Although the general public so completely overlooked the merits of the filly Briseis, so that until she had won the Derby her name was scarcely mentioned in the betting, it may prove of interest to give the opinion of •'Augur" in the Australasian of the 21st of last month. That well-known authority on turf matters, after referring to the possible and relative chances of other competitors, goes on to say : Bris ii last sea ?on, entitle her to take rank in the first class ; for, when well, on New Year's Day, she proved second best to the great gun, and at Sydney covered herself with glory by winning the Doncaster and Flying Handicaps, and the All-Aged Stakes, beating Kingsborough in the latter, and running the mile in lmin. 433ec. But when she met Queen's Head, with the weights up above eight stone, she failed to get a place. It may be that she was not a good weight carrier; but as she is reported to have grown into a very fine filly, this failing may have been overcome. Briseis, on the dam's side, descends from one of the best of two winning families; for Musidora (her dam) was a remarkably successful animal upon the Australian turf, and afterwards proved one of the most brilliant gems in the Victorian Stud Book."

The Grey Star remarks: —"Never lose sight of No. 1," is evidently the motto of many M.H. R.'s in this country. By the provisions of the 'ounties Bill no member of Parliament was eligible to stand for County Chairman. This did'nt suit the ideas, or perhaps the aspirations of some who have a hankering after the billet, and one of our honorable members for the Grey Valley succeeded in altering.this particular clause that he—the alterer—will now be enabled to stand for the job. That member is just a little long-headed in the matter of self, but he's foolish to trouble himself about the matter, for he never will be elected to such a position, for the process of pitchforking must cease somewhere. ~•

It is rumored in Wellington that Captain Faircbild intends to retire from the Government service at the end of the current year, with the intention of going on a two year's cruise to New Guinea and the adjacent islands in a vessel of his own.

A new and valuable argument for the evolutionists was netted by some fishermen at the Heads this week. It is a kind of elephant fish, with the exceedingly remarkable appendage to its motive and propelling machinery—a couple of legs. The legs are terminated with good broad web feet, resembling the feet of a duck, and, in the absence of gloves, it has pockets for their accommodation. It i 3 two feet in length, and in bodily structure resembles a barracouta. The bare statement that such a fish has been caught would be deemed incredible, but during the last day or two it has been exhibited aiive in the window of Mr. Crafts, fishmonger, Dunedin. Yesterday (says the News) it expired without a manner, and we

understand fashion of an Egk «.«.'*«• fha'fiA "Ngj mummy tor cne nan department of the Museum . What would not the haye for such a treasure alive ? \ The promoters of the stre\ tramwayß k Wellington will place on the eieht of Merryweather and Sons' car engines, and fourteen of York) highly-finished patent tram cars, patent steam tram car engine is smokeless, and free from any escape oi steam. It is also perfectly safe, as explosion is absolutely impossible. The tram carswi]] be of two sizes—7ft. and 6ffc. 6in. wide, fitted with comfortable cushioned seats and backs, and will contain all the valuable improvements known in the construction of street cars—a special feature being that the body of the car will be severed from the running gear by india-rubber insulates, whereby the noise of the brakes, wheels, &c, is completely avoided. They will hold twenty-two and fourteen passengers lespec. tively. The saving of the steam tram car engine, as against horses, is calculated it fully £3OO a-year for each car. A digger who had just returned from the Kumara rush informed the Wellington Poii that, though he was on the field for three weeks, he never saw a spec of gold. He said he had had large experience as a gold miner, both in this Colony and Australia, and that he nevsr came across such « duffer!

The instructions of the Secretary of State to the Governor of Fiji, just published, are instructive (says the New Zealand Herald) as showing the difficult position of a Governor at the head of a Crown Colony, and the collision into which he may be brought with the colonists by instructions that he has no choice but to obey, while bound at the same time not to let them be known. Numerous cases of this kind are on record in New Zealand history, and no one suffered more than Sir George Grey in this respect. We are too apt to forget that, in the end Sir George sacrificed brilliant prospects of official promotion, both in New Zealand and at the Cape, through refusing to be bound by instructions when he considered them- at variance with the interests of the colony over which he presided."

The Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Star says : —Some very good things have been appearing in the Argus lately, such as a bogus speech from the throne, very satirical on the doings of the Session. The other was a mock heroic description of a revolution in Otago. The odd part of it is, that the author is said to be the late for Immigration, who at present lies perdu, and comes out like the bats and owls. Since the foregoing telegram was written, I find the Post comes out upon the same matter as I referred to, and accuses 0. E. Haughton, by name, as the author of the attacks upon the civil service and special members of it, which have lately appeared in the Argus. There is very litt'e doubt but that the Pott is quite right, and that the " Ingenious Barnacle "is the real Simon Pure. He has had his knife into a few of the C.S.'s, and novr he is turning it in the wound, preparatory to withdrawal. Ha was especially severe" upon Dr. Featherston and all connected with him, but it is said that the poor creature will soon pass from the scene on board one of our colliers. It is more than probable that Mr. Thomas Kelly, of Taranaki, and Government whip last Session, will succeed to the appointment rendered vacant by C. E. Haughton's enforced retirement. There was a good deal of scheming in some quarters for this billet, but the schemers were blighted in their hopes. So many canards have appeared from time to time in the various papers throughout the Colony respecting veritable moas having been seen, that the Eangitikei. Advocate feels no small amount of diffidence in stating that it believes a yoting bird of this race was seen on Wednesday last in the Paraekaretu Block. Mr. George Slight, who is working with Mr. Campbell in the block, saw a young bird about four feet and a half high, with a long hooked bill and very small wings. He and his mate, Mr. S..Hunt, gave chase, but the bird got away from them. Mr. Campbell having been told of the circumstance went up next morning to the place where the bird had been seen, and in some rather soft mud saw the footprints;of the bird, and on measuring found that each of the three toes ex. ceeded the length of his own foot-»by no means a short one—and were partially webbed. The bird did not fly, but ran very swiftly. When walking, its gait somewhat resembles that of a Cochin rooster. We shall most probably hear more of this in the course of a few days, as it is intended to follow up the pursuit. The fate of several members of the Vogel Ministry (says the New Zealand Herald) ought to be a warning to our public men not to retain office for more than a reasonable time—not to be too greedy of power. Sir Julius Vogel, although still a young man, is a confirmed invalid, and it is doubtful if he will ever again recover robust health. Sir Donald M'Lean ought to have retired wijj years ago, when he received his knighthSr-jT He has been -uffering for some time fronf ill" health, and worse than all, he has lost for ever his fame and prestige as Native Minister.

h^^ZT1 ht hme re *" a «<** «w*l nave kept | 6 J^? B \ to t retlre fron * office in time Dr ' £fc ?"*•«» »*«* k«fcfc for et >£ i wMMbfe turn, and owbabte tin,, u t | lß r.,.,. < Smrondur.n- which-he will fcko a , y /J •" mment part m the Wwlativ* «Vm«-/tw.» als* ought to fcav* rettrerf some v~ i agcr.