The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 416, 28 August 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1877.

The Public Works Committee of the Municipal Council have decided not to accept any of the tenders received for earthwork in Itclien-street. These were as follows : Daniel Dideeu, 7id. per yard ; J. Faris, 7d. per yard. It was resolved, " That neither of the tenders l>e accepted, but that the Engineer be instructed to employ labour at piecework ; married men with families resident in town to have the preference ; rates per yard to be from 6'd. to 7d., according to the distance the stuff has to be wheeled." Applications for employment on the works should be made immediately to the Corporation Engineer.

The heai'ing of several civil eases constituted the business transacted at the liesident Magistrate's Court to.clay, -which were as follows :—"White v. Hesketli —claim, 1 7 2s 3d ; plaintiff nonsuited. Mary O'Grady v. "William Maitlaud —damages, L 25, for detention of a letter, and destruction of the same; Mr. Balmer for plaintiff, and Mr. O'Meaglier for defendant; judgment was given for L 4, and L 5 2g costs. G. Sumpter v. F r aser—claim, L 24 18s, dishonoured promissory note; Mr. Balmer.for plaintiff, and Mr. O'Meaglier for defendant; judgment for plaintiff, with costs. Mr. o'Meagher gave notice of .appeal. A Gazette just to hand notifies that Constable J. Hacksworth has been appointed Gaoler and Mary Beatty Matron of the Camaru Gaol, in the room of Constable "Whyte and Mrs. Whyte respectively.

Mails for United Kingdom, &c., rid San Francisco, per City of Sydney, close at Auckland at noon to-morrow.

We are pleased to observe that the railway authorities have complied with the request of the residents of the several townships on the Southern Railway. Notice is given in another portion of our present issue to the effect that, until further notice, a train will leave Oamaru every Saturday at 7.15 p.m., and returning from Moeraki at 9.5 p.m. Ihis will be a great boon to the residents in the southern district, and we trust that the late train will receive a sufficient amount of support to warrant the authorities making the arrangement a permanent one.

In another column is published an order by Major Steward appointing a committee to manage the head-quarters rifle range. The Committee consists of the Major commanding the battalion, Lieut. Greenfield (Artillery), Sub-Lieut. Headland (No. 1 Rifles), Captain'M'Corkindale (Citizen Cadets), and Lieut. Bennett (Grammar School Cadets).

It has been decided by the Public Health Committee of the Municipal Council to recommend the appointment of a medical officer. This step has been taken in consequence of the prevalence of scarlet fever iu Dunedin, Hokitika, and other towns. It was decided to write to the various medical men in Oamaru, asking on what terms they would accept the office and perform the duties. The Committee have also decided that the Inspector of Nuisances should be instructed to enforce all sanitory precautions.

A meeting, convened by Mr. O'Mengher, for the purpose of taking steps with a view of establishing an Athletic Club in Oamaru, and which was held last evening in the Volunteer Hail, was attended by about 14 gentlemen. Mr. O'Mcaglier was voted to the chair, and briefly explained the object of the meeting. He expressed his regret that there was not a larger attendance ; but attributed the smallness of the number present to the very unpropitious state of the weather. He explained the objects of such a society, and pointed out the benefits which would flow from the formation of an Athletic Club. He suggested the meeting should be adjourn d for a week, in order to give many an opportunity of attending who were prevented from doing so that evening. Alter some discussion, it was resolved, on the motion of iN!r. F. Fen wick., seconded by Mr. H. Thomson, that the meeting be adjourned till Saturday evening next, at eight o'clock, at the Royal Hotel.

Of all the civilised countries in the world, Xcw Zealand in proportion to population lias the largest number nf journals. Every little town has its newspaper, and almost every religious denomination in the Colony lias its special organ, if not organs. But amongst all the hundred and odd newspapers published in the colony, there is not one whose sole aim and object is the guardianship of the interests of the working classes. It is true that many of the colonial papers profess the most profound interest in the welfare of the "working classes, but, unfortunately, in the majority of cases their professions are seldom reduced to practice. With very few exceptions the attractions of the golden calf prove too great, and they bow down and worship at at its feet. It appears that an effort is being made in Dunedin to establish a paper having for its object the guarding of the "interests of the working classes." We have received from the promoter, ±\lr. John Dungan, of Dunedin, the prospectus of this new aspirant for public favour, the name of which is to bo the " Hew Zealand Trades Journal and Monthly .Record," From this we clip the following paragraph, which sets forth its aim and object :—"lt is proposed that the ' Journal' should be published monthly—at least for the present —and appear a few days prior to the despatch of each ontgoing European mail. Arrangen ents will be made to receive monthly returns from the secretaries or authorised agents of each trade in all the principal towns of the Colonies, containing the prospect of trade, the latest ruling rate of wages, and the number of unemployed. By this means a most reliable authority will be to hand, both for reference by colonists situated in different cities, and be available for sending home, 'thereby proving a most wholesome check upon the notoriously garbled and cooked reports so carefully manipulated for the edification of Home readers." An exchange states that the once celebrated Alex. O'Brien, better known as " Gutta Perclia India Bubber Salamander Sam," died the other day of delirium tremens. Great irregularities have been discovered in the accounts of the Lawrence Municipality, and the Town Clerk has resigned.

A special cablegram, dated London, the 21st inst., to the Wellington Argus, gives the following interesting intelligence " Though the Russians are fetching up men to the last of their resources, and massing them on the road between Plevna and Nicopolis, the Turks are not occupying their strong positions at the former with more men than is necessary to make them safe. The Turks have not brought a mail away from the quadrilateral, and Sulieman Bey and Meliemet Pasha are operating between Iliana and Plevna. From this it seems that the Turks do not intend to risk their fate on one great battle, but by deceiving the Russians to let time fight in their favour, as, if the end of September finds the Russians without victory, they must retire. The report that i lie Russians had occupied Rasgrad, and cut communication between Varna

and Rustchuck, was untrue. They were mere outpost skirmishers."