The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 517, 27 December 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1877.

Boxing Day was celebrated at "Waimate with great rejoicings, the principal event of the day being the Caledonian Sports, which were held in Mr. Pratt's paddock. The ground selected was in every way well suited for the purpose, beiiig not only very level, but within easy reach from all parts of the town. The sports were the best ever held in AVaimate, the whole of the events being exceedingly well contested. Amongst the most noticeable items on the programme was the dancing in Highland costume, for which there were seven competitors in each event. There were fully 2000 on the ground, a large proportion of whom were visitors from Oamaru and Timaru. Besides these sports, a number of other pleasant means of passing the day were improvised, innumerable pic-nic parties being organised for the purpose of visiting the bush and viewing the excellent? scenery with which AVaimate is surrounded. On the trains leaving the junction for Timaru and Oamaru, three hearty cheers were given for tiie visitors from those places, followed by a similar compliment to the people of Waimate.

In another polunm will be found an advertisement giving the train arrangements for the Caledonian gathering to be held here on New Year's Cay. The trains have been so arranged that visitors from the country will be able to return home the same evening, special trains having been laid on for the purpose.

We are pleased to learn that the lad Michael Vail, who was shot in the face by the lad James Scott on Christmas Day, is progressing favorably. He is at present confined to his bed according to the strict injunctions of his medical attendant (Dr. Fleming), and is likely to be so for some days yet; but no immediete danger is anticipated by Dr. Fleming unless erysipelas sets in. At the same time there can be little doubt that the unfortunate lad will be marked for life by the powder blown so mercilessly in his face. A gentleman well known for his sporting proclivities, resident in Oamaru, bemoaning the sad lack of the excitement of the chase in these parts, the other day determined to have a little fun all to himself, barring the dogs, of which he lias a goodly number. He might have been seen, overflowing with delight at the prospect of engaging in the much-loved pastime of yore, mounted upon his spirited charger, who seemed to smell the fun afar off, proceeding to " The Point," with a bag over his shoulder, containing the animal to be operated upon Arrived at the spot chosen, he unloosed the cord that imprisoned the intended victim, and the " cat was out of the bog" in deed and in truth. " T;illy-ho ! Tally-ho !" cried he. The dogs were on the alert, and would have had but little trouble in recapturing the animal, for it was dropped into their midst, had it not been rather a lively specimen. From their attitude, it was concluded by the solitary sportsman that another cat would be necessary; but whilst meditating upon probabilities, the affrighted animal gave a bound, ami, clambering up the horde's legs, perched itself on the shoulders of our hero, gently but firmly placing its claws into the nape of his neck to obtain a secure position. Not a sound was heard but the yelping of the dogs and the benedictions uttered by the person to whom the eat had formed such an attachment. There was no time for meditation; the horse's head was turned towards home, and with the speed of a man who has a load on his mind from which he wishes to be relieved, he rushed through Thames-street to his stables, where he sought and obtained immediate assistance. It has been remarked that the unlucky sportsman was the victim of a new phase of eat-a-leap-sy.

" The Port Darwin line, north of Powell's Creek, has been clown since the evening of the 24th;" so wires the Press Telegram Agency. It is disappointing that at this important juncture in the Turco-Russian struggle, when other Powers were likely to be drawn into it, or peace proclaimed, there should not have been a line to hand regarding the matter for several days. In another column we publish a telegram, special to the Argus, which is a novelty in its way. In point of fact, we labour under great disadvantages at this distance from the scene of operations in attempting to form any opinion of the exact position of affairs. Messages are sometimes curt, and are evidently sometimes more, for they are contradictory, and it strikes us even if they were full and reliable, we would not be in a very muC'l better position to foretell the end of the struggle. Those who are oii the spot, judging from what we read, are put to their I wits' end to know what is to come of it all.

Mr. Campbell, formerly assistant clerk j in the K.M. Court in Oarnaru, and who left for Wellington some few months ago, has been raised to the position of Kesident Magistrate. j The Melbourne Argus gives publicity to the following extraordinary items of -war news amongst its special cablegrams : —•" It is asserted that Plevna could have held out, and that Osman Pasha was bought. The honors paid him by the Czar are only a blind. Russia "will now make poace, Turkey being deprived of all territory north of the Balkans, and giving Russia the right to control the passage of the Dardanelles. Should England or other European Powers interfere, Turkey will declare that as she had to defend herself unaided so she has a right to make terms without outside dictation. Serbia q.ud Jtonmania are to receive accession of territories ; they will in future be piratically dependencies of Kussia. '' A Wellington paper relates the following amusing incident :—" Mistakes will occur in all well-regulated families, and even in our public institutions. They have ,-in the Government Buildings a guileless new chum, who is not well acquainted with the personal appearances of his bosses, in the persons of Ministers of the Crown. A day or two ago one of the chief clerks, who indulges in the narcotic weed, ran short of a 'load,' and as he preferred ' cut-up ' to any other brand, he told the fledgeling to go into a certain room and ask the messenger for a fill of tobacco. The new chum was shown the messenger's room, and boldly entering he addressed himself to a gentleman with a grey moustache and hair to match, and stated that Mr. Quills, of the P. W. office, wanted a pipe of tobacco. The old gentleman looked hard at his visitor, ami demanded if he knew who he was. ' Oh, yes,' said the new chum 'trot us out the inbaceo; I'm in a liurrv.' 'Young man,'replied the aged party, 'lam afraid that posterity has not a shining light in you. History will not include your name among its g eat men. .Return to the chief clerk fin;l tell him Sir George Grey does not smoke, neither does he supply cut-up tobacco to bis clerks,' The youth lei't the room hurriedly, and now he §ajj:s that he shall never forget the face of the Premier.