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Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 237, 25 January 1877, Page 2

The Surras are a numerous family, and they arc as amusing as they are numerous. No matter what walk of life a Smith may be placed in, he is sure to do or say something to bring him prominently to the front and place him above hi 3 fellows. A story is told of a person putting his head inside a theatre door and calling out, " Mr. Smith, your house is on fire V' whereupon three-fourths of the persons in the pit rose to obey the summons; r.ntl I am convinced if the records were searched it would be found that there were more persons bearing the distinguished name of Smith who accomplished great deeds than the bearera of all other names together. Ever since the days of the enslaver of the lovely Pocoho.vtas, the name is a pass-word to greatness, and whether the prefix be that of the literary Albert, the Rev. Sydney, or the burly and enterprising Jobs, whenever one hears the magic sonnd, the question is sure to follow "For what is he famous 1" But there

wa3 one scion of the interesting family who was very nearly being left out in the cold. He had rusticated in Dunedin City, and the people knew him not; but the blood of the Smiths was in him, and he was determined an honored name should not be buried in oblivion, so we find him introducing himself to the world through the columns of the Star in the following nniqne style : " Wanted Known. —I notice that Mr. Pritchard, farrier, has erected a new shop on the site of the old one, and is as busy as ever shoeing horses. I am glad of that, as since the accident I have had to go elsewhere, and my horse has been almost crippled in consequence. John Smith." Happy Pritchakd ! Unhappy horse! What a consolation it mu3t be to the Dunedin people to know that Smith's heart is at last glad, and how wretched they must have been during the enforced crippled existence of the Smitho!Oax equine. Smith has sought notoriety ; we have done our best to give it to him, for which we expect the thanks of the fam : ly at large, and to those who are desirous of coming before the public by a side wind we would say, " There are plenty of ways of killing a cat beside choking it with butter.