The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 466, 26 October 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1877.

It is very amusing to observe the ferverishness that characterise Major Atkinson's behaviour now that he is out of ministerial harness. Pitiable in the extreme is the anxiety he displays to regain his former position—and heart-breaking are his yearnings for the seat upon which he sat so uneasily as to leave the universal impression that he would be glad to get out of it. It was evident that his soul was being fretted out of its tenement. Each day he was becoming more surely but a shadow of his former self. As a man and a gentleman has many friends, and this is the reason why he was not allowed to retain the Premiership. He is too good a fellow at least to be permitted to immure himself while yet in the meridian of his manhood in the tomb, and to glance back with longing eyes to the sham delights of the position he has left is premeditating suicide. There is some glory in a man sacrificing his ease, health, and life, for others —in immolating himself upon the altar of his country—in order to bring about souie great good, but it is foolish for a man to fret and fume to no purpose, and it would be unkind to allow him to do it. Major Atkinson declaimed loudly and bitterly against what he termed the obitructiveness of the Opposition Why did they not allow the business of the country to be proceeded with? It was almost criminal to oppose the Government as they were doing. But the lapse of even a few days has wrought a reversal of Major Atkinson's opinions. He says that Sir George Gbey must bring down his financial statement at once, or woe betide him. The late Premier is as bitter as wormwood, and as obstructive as any against whom he hurled his denunciations whilst in office. As a politician, the genial companion is turned into a carping discontent. He was not born a politician, and certainly was never intended for a leader, and the sooner he recognises this fact, and his party, in charity, cease to push him forward, the better for himself and the country. There is such a thing as political madness, and it is wicked to encourage a man who is its slave. We say better for the country, because we are sure that we are correct, and that the majority of the people of Kew Zealand will bear us out. What has Major Atkinson done to promote the progress of the country ? It would be

easier to answer the ■ question, What has he not clone to arrest its progress ? He associated with men eminently as unfit as himself to occupy positions of trust, but for other reasons ; for it must be confessed that, whatever other faults he may possess, he appears to be honest in the ordinary sense. But we contend that a man who does not keep good company is not fit to hold a responsible position. Then, again, he seems to have allowed his accounts to get into an nlmost inextricable muddle. This would be a serious objection to an ordinary clerk of a small business, but it is a fatal fault in the Premier of a Colony like New Zealand. Seeing the jumble of figures that he has left for his successors to desintangle, it is unreasonable to expect that the new Premier can fashion his poljcy in a few days, for that policy depends upon the state of the finances of the Colony, which cannot be ascertained until the work that Major Atkinson neglected or had not the ability to properly perform has been accomplished by

his successors. Let him accor.l to Sir George Grey the fair play he so frequently and appealingly craved for himself, and. if it is, found that the new Government is incapable of conducting satisfactorily the business "of the country, then there will be some show of turning them out. Until then Major Atkinson's opposition will be futile.

A meeting of the Indian Famine Relief Fund Committee was held this afternoon at Mr. Moore's office. There were pi-esent— Mr. Steward (in the chair), Mrs. Steward, Mrs. Clowes, Rev. Father Coleman, Messrs. Fenwick, Procter, Evans, Thornton, Maude, Hardy, Sumpter, Blackburn (Hon. Sec). A. mimber of canvassers hauded in their lists. From these we gathered that already L 278 ss. 9d. had been collected, while there were subscriptions promised, including gifts in kind, but not realised, to the amount of L 59 17s. 6'1., making the total so far as is known L 338 3s. 3d. There are still a number of lists which have not yet been returned, so that the actual amount could not be ascertained. It was decided to forward L 250 at once to Dunedin as a first instalment. Several gentlemen volunteered to take charge of a table in the street to-mor-row. The meeting adjourned till Tuesday, 13th November at three o'clock., A severe accident occurred yesterday to a boy at Incholme, by which both his legs were broken and other serious injuries inflicted. He was promptly attended by Dr. Smith, and is progressing as favourably as could be expected. Cricketing is about to recommence in real earnest. The Oamaru Cricket Club will play the first match of-the season to-morrow afternoon, at 2 o'clock. Messrs. Borton and Sumpter will pick sides.

Thompson's Great Southern Diorama of the American War was exhibited at the Masonic Hall last evening to a crowded audience. The numerous scenes, depicting some of the most interesting episodes in this great civil war. are beautifully painted, and elicited repeated applause as view after view arrested the attention of the spectators. It is difficult, amidst so many scenes, to say which is the most striking and pleasing, but, to our thinking the representation of General Stewart with his celebrated Black Horse Cavalry crossing Richmond Bridge is the chef d'eeuvre of the artist. The mechanical arrangements are managed excellently. As a ventriloquist Lieut. Herman was very amusing, and as good as any we have heard in the colonies. The " event "of the evening was, however, the prize drawing ; there being as usual intense excitement, eag t faces, and good matured joking when the fortunate ones went forward to receive their prizes. The first prize—a tea and coffee service—was drawn by Mr. W. Newton. The entertainment terminated with a mechanical representation, extremely well managed, of the funeral of General Stonewall Jackson. Mr. Thompson's description of the views was both instructive and amusing, and the music enlivening and apropriate. The same programme will be repeated this evening. The first of a series of popular entertainments under the auspices of the Mechanics' Institute Committee was given last night. As might have been expected, the attendance somewhat suffered in consequence of the counter attraction which the Diorama of the American War offered. Not only did this fact militate against the patronage of the entertainment, but people did not know what they were to get for their money. It was only at the last moment, probably after other arrangements had been made for spending the evening, that the public were, made aware that the proceedings were to be enlivened and varied by the interspersion of vocal and instrumental music. But difficulties invariably interpose themselves in the case of first efforts, and we believe that the succeeding entertainments for the be) efit of j the funds of the Mechanics' Institute will -be as successful in point of attendance as was the programme presented last night. We were pleaded to see a fair sprinkling of ladies and a goodly number of children, for, more especially in the case of the lastmentioned, such entertainments are not only amusing but instructive, and apart from the necessity for raising funds, the Mechanics' Institute has done well in instituting such a means of spending two hours profitably. With regard'to the readings, they were well chosen, with the exception that some were a little long, which fact tends' to tire the audience, let a reading bo never so good, and causes an uncomfortable feeling in the reader. The readings were:—"Thickheaded Jack" (Hans Andersen), by the Rev. 'Wm Gifford ; selection from the works of James Smith, by Mr Kerr; Tennyson's "Lady Clara Vere de Vere," by Mr. Thornton ; a racy bit from " Pickwick," by Mr Blackburn ; a selection from " Childe Harold," by Mr. Sydney Smith; "Lord Tom Noddy," by Mr. Fidl'er; and "Our Jerusalem Pony," by Mr. Sumpter. These readings were, without one exception, well worth hearing, and some of them elicited much merriment. Mr. Mitchell's songs, "Little Footsteps" and "Happy be Thy Dreams," and Mr. Walls' "Still I Love Thee," were capital specimens of ballad singing, the Alices of those gentlemen being particularly suited to the pieces selected. The violin solos by Mr. Jones consisted of ""Ye Banks and Braes" and "Home, Sweet Home," the former accompanied by Mr. Samson—who also carefully played the accompaniements to the songs —and the Litter by Mrs. Newsham, who very kindly came up from the body of the hall for that purpose.