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Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 320, 2 May 1877, Page 2

A telegram published in our yesterday's issue announced that Sergeant Smith, of the Police Force, had been promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector. The gentleman referred to was for a long time stationed in Oamaru, and we believe we are correct in stating that the newly-appointed Sub-Inspector will assume charge of the police stationed in the Oamaru district in a few days. There was no sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning. We understand that an information has been laid against the proprietor of a wellknown lodging-house in town for permitting g .mb'.ing in his house, and that the case will probably come on for hearing at the Resident Magistrate's Court to-morrow morning.

The tenders in connection with the construction of the waterworks will be opened this evening at a special meeting of the Municipal Council. We understand that a very large number of tenders have been received. Notice is given in another column that the quarterly sitting of the Licensing Court will be held on the sth proximo, and applications for licenses must be lodged in duplicate on or before the I-ith instant.

We direct the attention of our readers to an alteration in the mail notice, which appears elsewhere. It will be seen that a supplementary mail for transmission via San Pranciseo will close to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock.

The lwi.sc of Municipal section 12, Block (.'XT., will be sola by public auction on Friday next, ;it noon. The upset price is 12 Ss. j>er annum.

Mrs. Soott-Siddons will give one of her capital entertainments to-morrow evening in the Masonic Ball, for which a splendid programme is published in another column. It is needless for us to say anything hi praise of Mrs. Siddons, as she is already well known to the people of Oamaru ; but we may remind our readers that Mrs. Siddons appears here for one night only, and that those who miss the opportunity of hearing her read to-morrow evening may not again have the chance of listening to her.

The usual weekly quadrille assembly will be held in the Volunteer Hall to-morrow evening, when no doubt there will be a good attendance.

The Guardian has the following in reference to the case of Russell v. Smythies, in which damages have been given to the amount of L2OO :—" An action was commenced in the Supreme Court yesterday for alleged malicious prosecution for perjury. Captain Russell claims from the defendant, Henry Smythies, L2OOO damages for a prosecution for perjury, which was heard and dismissed at the Resident Magistrate's Court towards the close of last year. Rut that was only one of a series of actions that have been contested between the parties, or in which both were concerned, for a period of about 10

years.'" The Rev. W. Hassard, in Auckland, is agitating for the establishment of workmen's clubs described as follows : A public-house without the drink, Where men can sit, talk, read, and think, Then safely home return. A. stepping-stone this house you'll find ; Consent to leave your beer behind, And truer pleasures learn.

The Napier Telegraph says:—"The stupid blunder of the Vogel Government in import-' ing rubbishy timber from America for railway sleepers, is now bearing the fruit it was predicted it would. The Oregon pine sleepers that have not been in situ four years are, many of them, as rotten as pear 3, and are being taken up between the Napier and Spit stations.

The Wellington A rgus has the following : "The continual absence of Ministers from the seat of Government has frequently excited remark. The answer always is that the exigencies of the public service require their attendance here, there, and every where, from Invercargill to Auckland. This may be so, but it is a peculiar fact that Ministers usually find that public business requires their attention in the immediate neighbourhood of their own homes. Thus, Mr. Reid and Mr. George M'Lean are always wanted in Otago, Mr. Bowen's duties call him to Canterbury, Dr. Pollen's to Auckland, Mr. Ormond's to Napier, and the Premier's imperatively demanded his presence in New Plymouth. We have an idea that perhaps the wants and requirements of the different parts of the Colony would be more fairly and impartially dealt with if attended to by Ministers unconnected with local cliques, and uninfluenced by local prejudices. Thus, Mr. Reid might be advantageously dispatched to Taranaki, and Major Atkinson sent down to Otago. Dr. Pollen might go to Canterbury, and Westland might be the better of a visit from Mr. Whitaker, while Mr. George M'Lean would be of use in Napier or Auckland. We fear, however, that Ministers would not be so fond of travelling about on these terms, even though their knowledge of the Colony, as a whole, would thereby be enlarged."

The Guardian says :—" A strange story of domestic infelicity was told by a man named Nicholas Edwards from the police dock yesterday. Edwards was charged with getting diunk and smashing a bedroom window and door in the residence of Henry Flett, of Heriot-row, North Dunedin. The damages were estimated at L 3. The prosecutor stated that about 1 o'clock on Sunday morning, Edwards came to his house looking for Mrs. Edwards, and for some reaso* or another knocked in his door, burst his window, and committed a good deal of havoc in his bedroom. The defendant expressed contrition for what he had done, but pleaded strong provocation. He stated that his wife was in the habit of frequenting Flett's house and drinking with her neighbours. She had a family of live children varying from six months to 11 years old. but she constantly absented herself from home, and both his earnings and household goods were converted into drink through the medium of the pawnshop. On retui ning home from his work at the paper-mill on Saturday evening, he was informed by his eldest girl that his wife was diinking with another man in Flett's house. He went in quest of her, but received a severe blow with an iron rod over the head at the hands of the prosecutor, and this led to the damage he had done to the door and window. He was informed that he was not justified in taking the law into his own hands, and a fine of 55., together with the value of the damage—L3— was ordered to be paid ; in default, 14 days' imprisonment. Time was allowed for payment."