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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 854, 10 January 1879, Page 2

We have pretty well exhausted all our arguments why the Telegraph Office at Oaniani should be kept open between the hours of i> and 7 p.m. each day ; and against them all is the weighty objection that to do so would involve an extra expense to the de[Kirtment of about LSO per annum. It has been deemed necessary by the Government to elect this district into a separate jiostal district in consequence of the growth of ]>ostal business, and it cannot be gainsaid that the business of the Telegraph Office has increased to quite as great an extent. Mr. .Stout will be here in a few days, and as it is not often that we have the opportunity of placing our grievance s before a real live tm-iiiber of the Ministry, we hope that this matter of keeping the Telegraph Office ojien will Ik? one of the things which he will be asked to grant. Not being afflicted with official amaurosis, he will at a glance sec the reasonableness of our rcqncst, and grant that which should have been granted long since. At the meeting of the Municipal Council last evening tenders for the completion of various portions of the waterworks \\ ere accepted, and it was decided to call for I others. A v. ry large number of tenders I wen* received for the different parts of the | work—'a result which may be accounted foi |. in some measure by the fact of the contracts | of sitrh moderate dimensions as to | unable working men to compete for them. ! Most of the tenderers were men formerly employed bv the late contractors. It is estimate*! that the cost of completing Messrs. Henderson and Co.'a contract will not exceed the balance which would have had to be paid had the original contract not been determined, i Mr. Peter Orr, of Springfield, and Mr. ; Isaac .Johnston, of I'apakaio, complain that I the railway guards have neglected for days 1 and weeks together to deliver the copies of the M.wr. entrusted to their care for them. | We insert this paragraph in the hope that : the guards to whom these complaints are ! interesting will make strenuous efforts to ! prevent a recurrence of the causes of com- | plaint. People that pay for a thing naturally I expect to get it. Another favor we woidd j ask ot these guards. As we take the trouble j t<> publish the M.wi. eaeli evening, it would I be as well if they would make an attempt to deliver the papers entrusted to them each evetiint;. and not in bundles of several at a time, some of which arc nearly a week old. I At the Resident Magistrate's Court, this 1 dav. Wtore -lames Hassell and W . H. : Roberts, Esq*.. .1. IV*. the civil case of ! Hunter v. Herbert Honour, a claim of T-M, | for waires. came on. Mr. Hislop appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Halmer for the defendant. The Jseneb adjourned the ease until Tuesday, the 21st inst. I his was all

jjie business before the Court. A coinie—a very comic—writer in the Age - pot the Melbourne Age—pokes fun at the article on singing in our schools, by Kitiiarmonia, lately inserted bv us. He kciiu not to have an ear appreciative of vocal music: but his ideas were evolved during the holidays, while yet the cheeriul sound* of We won't go home till morning " were ringing in his ears, and when the delightfully refreshing odours of wreathing smoke from a two|>6uny w*.ed had developed into the naiiseotisness of atr.fi; tobacco. The same writer, in the exhttbnrance of his wit, ventured an opinion that the Mah. was published on one occasion during the holidays with one side blank. Alcoholism lnut various [•tVi.rts upon its victims. One man sees double, another cannot sec at all. The writer in ti.e Age belong 3 to the last-men-tioned das.?. Men afllicted in such a manner should not attempt to read on the day following New Year's l'ay. J>; i;:wtow the Kxcelsior Club will plaj ;l match—Kicven against Fifteen. i lie following have been chosen 4o play :—Kleven : Attwrtoii. Cooke. Davis. Finch. Fenwick, < A. <>. Hardy, Hcworth. Kctt, Marshall. and Snow. Kighteen : liannerman, lter«;lay. • 'hurch, Filjeul, (.iflord, A. 1Hardy. A. <■. Hardy, A. Hartky, E. Hewat, T. Hewat, H. Moore, Little, Moore, A. M-Lcod. A. A. «*. liobinson, ."fcllar, Tarawliiti, and \\ eir. f the Mechanics Institute freM tbclv juontlily meeting hst evening, v»U>-n thejc wc*e puresoLt- Messrs. Sumpter fintlie chair), Ili-loji. Filwui. Kiibi/rempcst, Forrester, aid levies (Secretary/, The lniuat''-* of laft having been read : and continued, the Yiw-l're.«-idc:i:l and ! were apjx-iiited to draw up the iuwiu.v report tor »ul»nii»>ion to the general jyeetiuc. t'j uo i -1 1 < .on the .iOtii inst. A tturaberMt accounts having l,.etu paiscti f«r ! payment. t!<t meeting tenuinated with a.vote of titan(cs to the Cli.tif iii-ili-3lr. Amw. whose advent into the Shamrock some sis months ago we announced, has

now become the proprietor oi tne h»viiig so improved the trade of the firstmentioned hottss that he waif enabled to dispose of it to with the object of purchasing a more centrai ii'iiiiwis, Tlie Northern is the only hotel where ly tlwse trains which only remain »'■ Oamaru for a Kv, minutes can obtain refreshments : and we hear that, it " ill I'e the special endeavor of Mr. Amos to have iivcr*'thnig that the hungry and thirsty could wish ic*, ;i;eltt«lln£f tea, cocoi, and coffee, awaiting the arrivals of each train. This will be a great l»<f)OR tf those who iio j*ofc care for more potent drinks, and we have no uoubi that jhs patronage tliat Mr. Amos will recei\cVill thoroughly testify to the public appreciation of bis endeavors to ft/l 3 want that has been long fe'.t by trayeßcrs.

At the meeting of St. Luke's Vestry Laid j yesterday, Messrs. W. G. Filleul, George Sumpter, W. J. Steward, and Robert Thompson, were re-elected Nominators for this parish for the present year. A scratch match will be played on the Oamaru Cricket Ground to-morrow afternoon. Wickets will be pitched at 2.30 p.m., and intending players are requested to be punctual. From the Corn Trade Journal of the 11th of November last/ we learn that the market values of grain in London were as follow : Wheat, English (red), 31s to 45s per qr. ; do (white), 30s to 45s ; Russian, 38s to 48s ; Australian, 50s to 52s ; New Zealand, 42s to 465; Californian and Oregon, 47s to 495. Barley—English malting, 30s to 455; French, 27s to 38s ; Continental, 20s to 21s. Oats— White English (33G lbs), 23s to 27s ; black English (304 lbs), 19s to 225; St. Petersburgh (304 lbs), 17s Cd to ISs Gd. FlourTown made (top price), 40s per 280 lbs ; household, 31s Cd to 32s Cd; Norfolk and Coventry, 2Gs to 295.

The monthly meeting of the Hampden Road Board was held on Wednesday, when there were present—Messrs. Culling (in the chair), Andrew, Brenmer, Findlay, Gillies, M'Kerrow, Munro, and Seddon. The Moeraki Harbor Hoard gave notice that they might not require the use of the Board room after three months from the Oth ult. The Resident Engineer, Dunedin, wrote, intimating that he had forwarded the letter of the Board, re fencing Kartigi district road, to the Resident Engineer, Christchurch. Further consideration of Contract Xo. 3S was ordered to stand over for two months. A number of accounts were passed for payment, An application was received from Mr. Peter Dorcen for the approach to be made from the main road in Applebystreet, and it was decided to employ the surfacemen on the work. The Clerk was empowered to instruct Mr. Fraser, Solicitor, to prepare conveyances in connection with Campbell's road. It was resolved to advertise the intention of the Board to close district road in section 43; block 1., Moeraki. Plans to be seen at Mr. J. F. M. Eraser's office, I'almerston. The salary of the Clerk was raised to Lf>o per annum. It was decided that the valuation roll should be left at the Post Office, Hampden, for inspection.

The city editors are still optimist; but monetary confidence is not yet restored (says the Spectator). The idea is that one or two banks in the north have been weakened by the Glasgow failure, and that all the banks must be strict with customers, and thus perhaps precipitate failures. The country banks are clearly protecting themselves, and though the Bank of England has not raised its rate, it has bought during the fortnight nearly two millions of gold, yet its reserve has declined from twelve millions to ten. There may be no reason for alarm, terribly impoverished as many businesses have been, but the denials as to the existence of uneasiness are far too absolute. The Times has hoisted, very cautiously, a storm signal ; and the condition of the Stock Exchange, where even consols droop, is proof sufficient of anxiety. One bank going would produce a panic ; but this is so well understood, that tiie very danger will probably cause efforts to prevent it.