LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 196, 6 December 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Subcommittee appointed to inquire into the working of the North School were engaged in their labours during the greater poriion of the day, but of course until their report is laid before the Committee the decision will not be made public. From our Special Correspondent at Duncdin we learn that the steamer Express, with the crew and passengers of the unfortunate Otago, reached Port Chalmers at an early hour this morning. The statement is confirmed as to the injuries received by the vessel. Captain Colder remained by her to see if any of the cargi can be recovered, as it is stated she has nearly 3";00 > ounces of gold on board. The transhipping of the passengers into the was attended with great danger on account of the place where the wreck is lying, and the heavy sea rolling at the time. It is notified that an official inquiry will be held into the circumstances attending her 1033.

A meeting of gentlemen desirous of forming a Christy Minstrel Troupe was held at Mr. Carncross' last evening. There was a very fair attendance, and it wa3 resolved to form a company to be called the " Oamaru Amateur Christy Minstrels." Nearly all the gentlemen who took part in the recent Christy Minstrel performance have joined the Society, and also some fresh ones, so when they again make their appearance we may expect really good performances. The first general meeting of the Club will take place in the Waitaki Hall, next Wednesday evening, when ofiice bearers, &c, will -be elected.

"After a storm comes a calm," and the classic precincts of the Police Court were this morning as silent as the tomb; no neatlydressed official stood " at attention " in the body of the Court to awe the "great unwashed" into respectful silence during the solemn proceedings; and a brace of newshunting paragraphiats might have been seen wending their different ways sorrowfully from the building, for there was a clean sheet, and "no appearance of his Worship," consequently no literary pabalnm. Having in mind the tough contest which has lately taken placs between capital and labor, we may be allowed to take a retrospective glance at the price of wool a few months back and what it is at the present time, and then note what difference in the year's crop the change will make. The recovery in price may be put down as between 3Jd. and 4d„ but to pat our estimate on certainty we shall say 3X Supposing we take the quantity of wool exported last year

—although "there is sure to be an increase I this year —we find that it would be 55,000,0001b., and 3d. per lb. would make a difference to the wookgrowers of the Colony of close upon three-quarters of a million sterling. In other words, the unfortunate squatters by the fortunate rise in wool which has taken place during the last few months will increase their profits to the extent of £687,500. • Various are the modes by which persons, rnxious "to shuffle off this mortal coil'* before their allotted time seek to carry out their intentions, and occasionally one hears of a suicide accomplished in a singular manner. A few days since we published the account of a self-murderer who put a deadly explosive into his mouth, and, having fired the train, was quickly blown to a thousand atoms. The most singular mode of self-de-struction we have met with, however, comes from Victoria, and is that perpetrated by a Greek fisherman, who killed himself by deliberately pouring boiling lead down his throat. The experiment was by no means a pleasant one, for the unfortunate wretch lingered in frightful agonies for two days, until death mercifully put an end to his sufferings, and brought a welcome release. Butchers' meat would seem to be at a discount at the Kumaru, for we find that its retail price in that favored spot, is 2d. per lb. The Post has the following remarks in reference to the Chairman of County Councils, with which we thoroughly agree : —" With respect to the election of Chairman by the members of the Council, we think the system provided by the Act is a bad one. It is quite possible to conceive the likelihood of a clique being formed in a Council to elect a particular Councillor as Chairman, who might not be at all the best man for the ofiice. • It would have been better to make the election of Chairman a popular one by the whole body of county electors, and to provide that candidates for the office should be chosen from outside the Council. In fact, the system of election now in force, in the case of Mayors, who are elected by the great body of the ratepayers, might well apply in the case ef Chairmen of County Councils. As to the question of salary, there will doubtless be much discrepancy in the amounts agreed upon in different cases. A Chairman of a County Council who was a practical business man, with abundance of leisure, and who would devote a large portion of his time to ths business of the County, would be worth a good salary; while, on the other hand, a Chairman who regarded his office merely an honorary one would not be entitled to much remuneration. There will be a large amount of work to be done in connection with the administration of the affairs of the Counties, and whoever does it, whether he be the Chairman or the Clerk of Council should be proportionately paid. It will not be well, however, to express any very decided opinion about the Act at present, simply because its merits and shortcomings can only be properly appreciated when it has been for some time in operation, and has stood the test of practice." We have some excellent riders in this district (says the Taranald Herald), and amongst the best of them is Mr. J. Beal, the telegraphist. Mr. Beal started on horseback from Inglewood at 4 a.m. on Monday, and went on to Hawera, where he arrived at 9.30 a.m. He left again at 11 a.m. for Opunake, where he arrived at 3 p.m., starting for town at 4 p.m., which he reached at 10.30 p.m. The well-known horse Hurricane did the through journey. Soon after leaving Inglewood it began to rain, and the rain continued through the greater part of the ride through the bush. The distance travelled is 112 miles, whinh was accomplished in IS£ hour 3; and from Hawera Mr. Beal had a horse with him winch he was leading. One of the most reliable bats in the East Melbourne team was lately going to Geelong to play with his club against the local champions, but whereas others were to travel by rail, he preferred a little life on the ocean wave, and resolved to make his way there by sea. He went down to the wharf in good time, and settled himself comfortably on a seat on the poop with a book, in which he became deeply interested. He was afterwards conscious of a fat cabin boy having come and looked at him curiously several times. At length the absence of bustle struck him as something remarkable. So the next time a tarry-trousered official passed him on the deck, he said, "Aren't you behind—your time ? When are you going to start ?" " We ain't going to Geelong to-day, sir; been wondering what you wanted aboard. We ain't got steam up !" " Atticus," in the Melbourne Leader says : —"The value of house property in one of the Victorian towns has increased to a very great extent; and landlords can make what terms they like with tenants. A man who owns several nice houses had set his face against letting them to families in which there are children. A lady and gentleman lately arrived in the town, and took lodgings 4or a few days in the house of the caretaker of the cemetery, till they could get a place to suit them. She saw a house that she liked, from which the people were just moving, interviewed the landlord, found the terms satisfactory, and said she'd take it for six months. 'But one word first,'said the landlord, 'have you any children?' 'Six,'

replied the lady. 'ln that case,' he said, ' I am sorry I cannot let you have it. I never let houses to people with families.' 'But,' said the lady with a sad face, ' all mine are in the cemetery !' The bargain was struck, the agreement signed, and the next day the landlord was - horrified to see the six children from the cemetery move into his house !"

The Wairarapa Neios Letter thus calculates what the recent rise in the price of wool implies : —"The rise that has taken place is equal to at least 3d. per pound. Last year's clip consisted of 163,000 bales, of 3371b. each. There is no reason to believe that the rise will not be maintained. Therefore, taking last year's clips the quantity (though the present is promising to be a larger) we find that the Colony gains £4 33. 3d. per bale, or £731,250 for the year's clip. Not a little sum to gain. Again, if we take the British and American clips, with the importations which pass through England, we have nearly 2,000,000 of bales, which would yield an increase over £8,000,000. To this have to be added the c'ips of Germany, France, and Russia, which would raise the amount to about £12,000,000. This would represent the difference between the past and present

year." Under the heading of "A Fighting Editor Wanted," the Taranaki Budget has the following amusing skit:—" Since the proprietor of Budget some months ago received a not very polite invite to ' step outside and I'll soon show you what for,' from a well-known and popular Divine in town, which request was of course reluctantly acceded to in the sure and certain dread of a knock down blow being received on said proprietor reaching the footpath, the serenity of the editorial sanctum has not been disturbed again till within the past iew days. It may be explained that no knock-down blow wai at that time delivered. The ' we' of Budget was simply treated to an illigant discourse on ' carrots and beer.' Since the late Court case there has been quite a run of noisy editorial interviews. The most innocent expressions are interpreted libellous. It would scarcely be safe now to say ' It was a hot day yesterday' which of course everybody knows it was—but some crochety customer would bounce forward and dance around, and say it was a lie, and was likely to injure his reputation. Budget has within the past few days been interviewed by a stranger in the place—snips, chips, an old salt, and a horsey man. There has been some pretty tall talk between the lot. A letter writer has been stigmatised as a *' low, scurrilous, cowardly blackguard and liar,' &c, &c, &c. Local items have been said to be false, misleading, injurious, and so on. The circulation of ths paper has been threatened—it is prophesied there will be a great falling off. The Tooley-street crowd are going to withdraw support. Because two men happen to be of the same name in town—one of whom has been before the B.M. on a very trivial affair—the other one comes dancing around the editor, and ' I'd let you to know I'm not the man- you put in the paper yesterday. I never drove a cart across the footpath—and am my own boss. I don't work for no employer, and don't drive carts j and I won't have my character taken away, and my beautiful name paraded in your d d evening rag," and so on. "Yet the editor lives, and sleeps soundly at night, and manages to go hi 3 tucker when it is to be had—and money so scarce in town. As soon as possible conditions of service will be drawn up, and tenders called for a fighting editor. It is getting very hot—particularly hot.. As M. Mantilini would say : "It is demtned hot."