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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 849, 4 January 1879, Page 2

We have been shown a parcel of particles of coal which flew as sparks from a railway engine into tte paddocks at Punchbowl, jiasfm iTsj. llie paddock had been set fire to the |—lieaa day, sad Mr. Williams, being desirous of ascertaining beyond doubt that the pass m the paddocks was ignited by sparks from the railway engine*, cmfisßy watched the engine when passing. Tte result was that he saw spades flying! from tie train, and he then gathered up the ! flsrlliribr which we have referred to, and ■mu are about the sue of small bullets. |lt Is high time that the Ba3way Department adopted seme means of preventing a r®-1 mm of the damage already done by sparks from engines in various places.

The Pert Darwin Kne is interrupted north of Tamentle Creek.

IMb for Sydney, per Tsrarua, dose at 1 Ipjn.«a Tuesday, 7th inst.; and mails for tJUUci Kingdom, via San ftanciaco, per Gfty of Heir York, doee at noon of same dsjt»

At the ILM'. Court to-day, before T. W. Parker, Es*, JLM., George Taylor was Is i M|lit n | fa- drunkenness and disorderly snnitirt. jger being cautioned, was dJsatwgsd. Xbtb was all the business before the Coast.

By elm— 40 of the new Sheep Act of 1878 it becomes necessity to give seven days' notice to the Inspector in case of removal of sheep from one Provincial District to

farther, whether the district be infected or not. From this it follows that sheepfarmers, stock and station agents, and botchers most be armed with m certificate from the Inspeeteraf the district from which the sheep cane. It is also necessary to give the Inspector of the district to which the sheep are to be- introduced seven days' notice, together with the time, place, and when they are to crosa the boundary. Great dissatisfaction is being felt at the amount of unnecessary trouble and loss of time this new clause will occasion.

The Primitive Methodist Sunday -School held their picnic on New Year's day, at Kakanui. The day was exceedingly beantiful, and aviated greatly in the enjoyment of thoM present. The high land on the south aide of the river waa choaen by the party as the most suitable place to cany out the proceedings, which were afterwards heartily indulged in. Captain Matheson very kindly lent a number of boats to the Committee, who treated the children and many adnlti to a spin on the Kakanui Water Basin, whicl was greatly enjoyed by all. The sports I which were of a varied and highly amusinj character, were carried on until near sunset when they were successfully completed. £ vote of thanks, coupled with three heartj New Zealand cheers, was given to Captaii Matheson for his assistance and kindness w

oich concluded a moat successful and enoyable New Year's treat. The conveyances laving been loaded up with their freight of live stock, the party returned to Oamaru. rhe Committee of the school, on behalf of the scholars, desire to return hearty thanks to those who so kindly contributed to their enjoyment in providing them with thin very pleasant outing. Meetings for prayer will beheld during next week as follows, at half-past seven o'clock :—Monday, Old Tees-street Hall; Tuesday, Presbyterian Church; Wednesday, Wcaleyaa Church; Thursday, New Tees«*rgct Hall; Friday, Waitaki Hall.

evening'* issue with referenwrwcorfi jn last | which took place on Thursday. In writing the paragraph we omitted inadvertently to state that the pic-nic included the children attending the Maheno and Kakanni Day and Sunday Schools.

The stewards of the Waimate Jockey Club having taken into consideration the winning of liady in the Free Handicap and Waimate Cap on New Year's Day, came to the following resolution :—" That although there are grave doubts as to whether Lady Ellen was fairly ridden in both races, the evidence is scarcely sufficient to disqualify the mare, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the owner, rider, and the Christchurch and Dunedin Jockey Clubs." The whole transaction was a disgraceful one, and it is to be regretted that the stewards had not before them such information as would have warranted them in inflicting well-deserved punishment. The following are the vital statistics for Oainaru for December Births, 37 i marriages, 8; deaths, 4. For the corresponding month of last year the numbers were— Births, 36; marriages, 6; deaths, 3. The totals for the year 1878 were—Births, 406; marriages, 94; deaths, 92. In 1877 the figures were—Births, 416; marriages, 74; deaths, 90.

A special meeting of the Early Closing Association was held last evening at Mr. Gordon's rooms. Mr. Dick, who was present as a representative from the Dunedin Association, was voted to the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, Mr. Kodgers was elected Secretary pro tern, in the place of Mr. Parker, to whom a vote of thanks was accorded for his past efforts. It was decided to push forward with renewed vigor the resolutions passed at last meeting, to the effect that the employers should be called upon and asked to close their premises at 9 o'clock on Saturday nights. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.

The United Children's Service will be held in the Presbyterian Church to-morrow afternoon, at 3 o'clock. A trial of the Reid and Gray harvester took place to-day, at the Racecourse paddock. The stuff cut was green oats, and the results, as anticipated, were perfectly successful. - A few minor defects were discovered, which win easily be remedied, and on the next trial, which will take place on Tuesday next, the harvester will be in a condition to prove itself a successful competitor with any of the imported American machines. Mr. John Conway will shortly issue a Cricketer's Manual, containing records of the Australian Eleven's matches in the Australian Colonies, New Zealand, England, Scotland, and America. The work should prove of interest to all cricketers, and will prove a lasting record of the most successful sporting expedition ever undertaken.

The Times says that the total estimated amount of damage done in Dunedin by the mob on New Tear's morning, as reported to the police authorities, is Llsl. " ifKgles," writing in the Australasian, says:—"There is just a gleam of hope that the creditors of the City of Glasgow Bank may be paid in full. It is said that the Caledonian Bank, Inverness, holds a few shares in the (Sty of Glasgow Bank on behalf of a client; and as it also is an unlimited concern, the Caledonian's shareholders are liable to the fullest extent for all calls made by the City of Glasgow Bank's liquidators. The rich Duke of Sutherland (closely connected with the richer Duke of Westminster) is said to be the, zeal owner shares ostensibly held by the Caledonian Bank. Singular to say, the Duke of Sutherland, about a year ago, disentailed his estates, thus rendering them subject to his liabilities. Thus, by the aid of an equity court, and through a singular chain of circumstances, the (Sty of Glasgow Bank may pay its creditors in foil. For its unlucky shareholders the prospect is very hopeless." One of the saloon carriages forming the special train from Ballarat on Saturday evening (says.a Melbourne paper of December 23rd) was ligbtfid yith gas insead of the ordinary keroeenc or oii-iunps. The light was greatly admixed, and it was found that the smallest print in the Argus coujd be read without difficulty in any of the carriages. The gas is carried in two cylinders under the floor' of the carriage. It is made from shale oil, and compressed by a two-horse engine to a pteasure of 1001b. to the inch. By an ingenious piece of mechanism the gas is regulated at the burners to a pressure of aj column of water three-fourths of an inch, the lowest pressure in Melbourne being a column of an inch high. The advantages in favor of gas are very great. The light is an excellent one, being fully double that of the | beat keroaene lamp. All the labor of cleaning is done away with, and there is no loss from breakage.

> The Colonial Office (says the Australasian) ' has made an admirable appointment to the [ governorship of Victoria in the Marqnii of , Kotnaaby. Should the war and revolution . projects of Messrs. Berry and W. C. Smith be attempted to be realised, therearetroWflous times ahead for Victoria. And -it ia Well to know that at any rate the vice-regal office will befillad byamanof tried, capacity andunchallengedimpartiality.;]! which lower upon ourhoriron dear aw»jr and dissipate, itwill be ivery satisfactory. But, at any rate; itis satisfactory tobesureth*£there a fim and Hn3y hind on thehelm of the ship of " the State should tempests'unhappily ensue. Lord Normanby during his tenure of office in Queensland and New Zealand has passed through serious political and constitutional difficulties. In passing through them he has exercised the powers of his high office in a way which has materially tended to preserve the political peace, while it has also availed to secure the paramount rule of law and English constitutional principles. His Excellency, while not shunning responsibility or contenting himself with the position of a political cypher, | has yet always gained the respect of all sides, and his perfect impartiality has been unquestioned. There is no room for doubt that his official career in this Colony will be as beneficial and creditable as it has been in the Colonies he has already presided over, and that when, in the fulness of time, he quits Victoria after the expiration of his term of office, he will leave the same sense of his capacity, and fairness, and constitutional wisdom that he has left elsewhere.