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Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 412, 23 August 1877, Page 2

We do not know who the representative of the Press Agency at Timaru may be, but we do know that he is either incapable of fulfilling the duties of his position, or is afflicted with chronic laziness. On several occasions we have been made painfully aware of his very great negligence, but out of pure sympathy for him we have abstained from making public our complaints. Yesterday, however, an instance of his carelessness occurred which we cannot pass over without comment. Although we kept our columns open until the latest moment pos sible, in the vain hope of being able to 7)lace before our readers the result of the steeplechases which took place at Timaru, not one word did we receive from the precious representative of the Press Agency. This was really too bad. The public looked for the information, and they had a right to obtain it. Their disappointment in the matter was no fault of ours. Wo have taken every means in our power to secure the latest and most reliable information for the Mail ; but our plans have been to some extent upset through the Press Agency employing a miserable dunderhead as its representative in Timaru. He cannot plead that his neglect was owing to the steeplechases taking place at some distance from the town, for such was not the case. The races were run within a very short distnrie e of the Telegraph Office, and it have been the work of a few minutes to send us the names of the winning horses. He seems, however, to have entirely overlooked the responsibility of his position, for not only did he neglect to supply us with the desired information, but he actually served our morning contemporary in the same manner. The consequence has been that the people of Oamaru have been kept in blissful ignorance of the result of one of the most successful steeplechase meetings ever held in the Colony. In another column we publish an account of the steeplechase, which we have obtained from this morning's Timaru Herald.

The annual meeting of the North Otago Rifle Association will be held at the Volunteer Hall this evening, at 8 o'clock. A musical entertainment will be given at Ngapara to-morrow evening in aid of the school funds. Several of our local amateurs will, we are informed, take part in the concert, which promises to be highly successful. There was only a brief sitfcirg of the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, when W. J. Steward and G. T. Fenwick, Esqs., J.P.'s were on the Bench. John M'Donald pleaded guilty to having been drunk while in charge of a horse and buggy in Thames-street yesterday, and was fined Ll, with the alternative of 4S hours' imprisonment. Hugh M'Caffrey was brought up on remand on a charge of being of unsound mind. The evidence of Dr. Garland was taken to the effect that the poor fellow was of unsound mind ; that he had at former times been in a raving state ; that he was not in a fit state to be at large ; and that he required to be placed in some place where lie could receive proper treatment, in whim case he might recover in a few weeks. Police-Sergeant Beatty was also examined to show the nature of the accused's conduct while in the Gaol. He also produced a certificate from Dr. De Lautour setting forth that M'Caffrey was of uusouiid mind and unfit to be at large. The accused was then ordered to be committed to the Lunatic Asylum in Dunedin. The Dunedin Star has the following special cablegram, under date, London, August 20:—"Sulieman Pasha, after occupying Elena, attacked the Russians at Tirnova. The engagement was a sanguinary one. The Turks allege that it has resulted in a d-c'.-sive defeat of the Russians : but this awaits confirmation."

The populations of the four chief cities of the Colony are set down as follows by the Registrar - General : " Dunediu, 23,365 ; Wellington, 16,130; Christchurch, 12,815; Auckland, 12,024. Of the smaller towns, Nelson has a population of 5,554, and Hokitika only 2,905.*'

The Jewish congregation of Christchurch have held a meeting for the purpose of considering the new Education Bill. Resolutions were passed in favour of making education entirely secular "in order to prevent a distinction being made between denominations," besides several other matters. It was decided to forward copies of the resolutions passed to the Presidents of the Jewish congregations in Dunediu, Wellington, and Auckland.

The Roxburgh correspondent of a contemporary supplies the following :—" Great excitement here. Block 9 and 10, Teviot, embracing 40,000 acres, were opened to-day for application under the agricultural lease system. The Courthouse was besieged all day with intending applicants. At four o'clock the office door was closed, and a number prevented from applying. Two hundred and thirty-five applications were lodged, estimated to cover 47,000 acres."

The following special cablegram to the Wellington Argus, dated London, August 15, supplies some interesting items in connection with the war : —" It is estimated that 250,000 men are before Plevna, chiefly infantry and cavalry. The real fight has not begun yet, but some sanguinary skirmishes, in which the Turks, more or less, have gained the advantage. Most horrible massacres are reported by the Russian Press to have been committed by the Turks. Turkish authorities say the statements are exaggerated."