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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1093, 20 October 1879, Page 2

Rnmorg arc plentiful that the formation of a coalition Ministry is on the lapis. It appears that these rumors have emanated from the Government, and that there is uo

better warrant for them than the devout wish of their authors. In another column it will be seen that the Opposition are as determined as ever, at all risks, to remain distinct from the Government party. Mr. Hall has signified the intention of the Government to treat the attempt to unseat Sir George Grey as member for Cbristchurch as a party question, and has incurred much displeasure thereat. There is really nothing iu the objections, and it only shows how weak is the position of the Government when it adopts this course of ridding itself of an awkward opponent. At the llcsi'i- nt Magistrate's Court this morning, before T. \\ . I'arkcr. Lsq.. K.M., and S. Gibbs and G. Ssimpter, I'oqs., J.l'.'s, Ivlward Williams, chair-.-d w th having been drunk and disorderly in Thames-street yesterday afternoon, was fined :20s, with the alternative of th:'eo day.-; imprisonment. Hector Beaton was also charged with having been drunk and disorderly yesterday afternoon in Thames-street, and fined Ms, with the option of four days' imprisonment. The same prisoner was charged with having made use of obscene language, and was mulcted in a further penalty of 30s, with the option of an additional three day's imprisonment. .James Meelian was charged with having driven a dray and three horses without having or holding proper and sufficient reins, and with damaging the Severn-street bridge. He was fined 20s, and ordered to pay 12s damages.

We are in a position to supply an item to Breakwater bathers that will cause mixed feelings of horror and gratitude. The captain of the schooner Telegraph made a discovery yesterday, which might lead to the establishment of a new industry. He took the initiatory steps towards the promotion of this object by cudgelling a monster octopus, which he found on the rocks while in search of shell-fish. It is at least a yard from tip to tip of its "feelers," and when a piece of timber, three quarters of ail inch by two inches in depth and width and two feet in length, was presented to it, it broke it into matchwood with apparent ease. The mode involuntarily adopted by the '' gallant captain " of catching the animal was as follows :—He put out his leg, and, thinking that it was good for food, the animal "made for it." With pluekiness that does honor to his craft, his other craft, and his craftiness, lie called to a friend to disengage the tentacles of the monster. After a pitchjd battle "out on the rocks" this was done, the animal having gladdened the eyes of a young artist present by exuding some magnificent sepia. We recommend hnbilms of the water near the powder magazine to read up on the habits of thc-se monsters of the vasty deep, and these vasty deep monsters. Those who who wrongfully cherish the opinion that it is not improbable that the temptation to write something sensational in these flat times may have caused us to lose sight for once of the greatest of human virtues, and indulge in a little romance, can see the monster on board the schooner Telegra]ill, where it is pickled for their benefit. Intending visitors should take a shilling with them for tiie Hospital fund. Those who bathed in the vicinity of tiie monster on Sunday should take a few sovereigns with them as a thanks offering for a happy deliverance out of its claws. .As some of those wiio were to play in the alphabetical match on Saturday af'er; oon did not put I*ll an appearance, the members of the Oamaru Cricket Club had a scratch match. Sides were chosen by .Messrs. Cooke ami l'cnwick, the former proving victorious, having made 70 against 1-1. Cooke played remarkably well for his side-, placing .''.'2 runs to his credit, besides bowling very eli'ectivc.ly. He was well seconded by G. I'orten. who made 11 by good play, and bowled well. All accounts against the Oamaru Dramatic Club must be sent in an once to Mr. B. W. Hayes, the Hun. Sec.

Owing to the smailness of the attendance of players, tiio members of tlic Excelsior Cricket Club indulged in ;i rc'ateh mate!;, but it li'jos not call for .my comment.

The Oamaru evangelistic meeting, held in the New Tees-street Mali, was well attended la.->t night, the choir being larger than it has been for many weeks past. Two addresses were given, and in the interval between tiiein tli-.: choir was called ;:po:i to give the sacred. song "The harvest is passing," which was sung with great feeling, and evidently made a deep impression on the audience, who were requested to keep their scats meanwhile. The weather yesterday being very inclement, the anniversary services announced to be held at St. Luke's Chin ch were unavoidably postponed until Sundry next, 26th inst. Amongst the representatives of the Press present at an entertainment lately given in Sydney in connection with the Intelnational Exhibition were the following:—Mr. R. D. Adams, representing London Times; Professor P.otilaix, rcpr- senting the principal German papers; M. Schorwain, representing Paris Figaro and Globe ; M. Moimcn, representing Pari;; L'Estafl'cte ; Mr. Thomas Butler, representing Freeman's Journal; and Mr. Graves, repicsenting the New York Herald.

The Dunedin Star—a strong opponent of the late admistration—publishes the following from a Wellington correspondent : The Native Minister's last night was an able one, calmly delivered and thoroughly impartial. He was listened to attentively. Mr. Shcchan in a generous and forcible speech explained several items complained of by Mr. Bryce, and showed that so long as the present system was in force no better administration can be expected. A very wide feeling prevailed that Mr. Shechan had been greatly misrepresented. lie is clevcY, kind-hearted, and does not trouble himself to contradict false reports. The Statistical and Commercial Department of the Board of Trade has issued a summary of the agricultural returns collected in Great Britain on June 4. They show that the extent of land under the principal crops was as follows: —Wheat, 2, 590,13(5 acres; barley, 2,067,103 acres; oats, 2,0."5f>. acres ; potatoes, 540,842 acres ; hops, 07,715 acres. Compared with June 4, IS7S, the foregoing shows an increase of S per cent, in barley, and 6.4 per cent, in potatoes ; and a decrease of 10.2 per cent, in the area under wheat, and 1.6 per cent, in oats, and of 5.7 per cent, in hops. The comparison with 1577 is as follows:—An increase in barley of 10.3 per cent., and in potatoes of 5.5 per cent.; and a decrease in wheat of S.S per cent., in oats of 3.5 per cent., and in hops of 4.9 per cent. The total number of live stock in Great Britain was on June 4th :—Cattle, 5,556,599 ; sheep, 28,154,551 ; and pigs, 2,031,464, The comparison in this department with the two preceding years shows an increase of 118,471 cattle, or 2.1 per cent., over IS7S; an.d of 158,606, or 2.8 per cent., over 1877. But this is the only increase, both the other classes

showing a decrease, which, in respect to pigs, is to a remarkable extent. Sheep are 251,325 fewer than last year, or a reduction of 0.9 per cent.; while pigs are less-in number by 301,754, or 15.8 per cent, below 1878. The schooner Telegraph, which is now in harbor, was fitted up for the purpose of conveying the Maoris intended as exhibits to the Sydney Exhibition. Unfavorable winds were, however, prevailing, and as it was feared that the vessel would, in consequence, make a long passage, they were forwarded by steamer. The schooner is to follow thein, and convey them to each of the principal Australian Colonic.-*, tjlie will probably sail to-night or to-morrow.

The trustees in Mr. It. . Capstick's estate forwarded to tiie Bishop of Dunedin, on. his return from England, the statement of accounts in re the Milton Pottery, bringing his lordship in debt to the amount of nearly LIOOO. The Bishop expressed his extreme astonishment at such a document being sent to him, as he had never appointed Mr. R. W. Capstiek his agent or authorised the expenditure of any money on his behalf for the carrying on of the works at the pottery. The creditors in the estate have therefore no prospect of receiving anything from this source. Two of the potters, Messrs. Eccles and Alcock, left by the s.s. Albion, for Melbourne on the day the Bishop arrived at Port Chalmers. The probability is that the pottery will now be closed. The investment, which the Bishop male solely to give those men a chance of doing something for themselves, has proved a total loss to the Bishop, as he never receives anything for rent during the period the men have had it over eighteen months nor for money advanced (about L 125), nor for materials and goods in the works when he purchased them, which have since been used by the men and sold—for whose benefit ?—a total of over L3OO. This unfortunate ending of so much kindliness can only be sincerely regretted by all who know anything of the circumstances. The final closing of these works, which under judicious and effective management, might have been so successful, is much to be deplored.—Bruce Herald.

Mr. .1. C. Ulithoff, second liouse-surgeon at Guy's Hospital, was waited 011 recently l,y a well-dressed and ladylike female, with a strong French accent, who requested a private interview, as the subject on which she wished to speak was, to use her own words, " a delicate " one. A young woman, a relative or friend of hers, she said, was entitled to inherit some property, if married but, being single, there was a prospect of her losing it. As 110 suitable husband seemed likely to appear, she was desirous of finding some "dying" man, of what position it mattered not, to whom she might be formally married, and so obtain the property ; while at the same time the link might be a slender one, and soon broken. This they had not been able to manage in France, where she lived, and they had accordingly sent over to a London hospital, where they hoped for success. Mr. UhtiiolT was requested to find such a suitable dyingman for the object. If lie were a widower and had children they would make provision for the children. The answer givi-n to the young lady can be easily guessed. Of course he could not supply her want,- and she left rather move vexed than pleased.

"This, dear chil:l>-r-n. is the shoe of a Chinese lady : see how lit'. Ic it is ; what a narrow soul it has!' "I'll but it isn't as narrow as Deacon s. Father Pays his soul will fall through a crack in the floor some day and get lost," was the shrill comment of a boy given to sharp listening. The school teacher put the Chinese shoe in his ;;o :!:eu, and requested the school to sing " The .Sweet ISye-and-Bye." A fanner living on the Murray Flats, states the S'oirh Australian Advertiser, writes in the following sanguine tone to a friend in Adelaide I have been offered LI 000 for a pebble I have picked up. I ottered it for LIO.OOO, but I think I shall make more than double that amount. The stone lias been valued at LIOO.OOO. It is a diamond of the iirst water, and the largest ever found in the Southern Hemisphere."

Some time ago (says a writer in the World) n gentleman whose friends live near ('liislehur.st arrived from tiic Cape. It was intimated to the Empress that, if she cared to see him he would wait upon her. She was delighted, and listened with rapt attention to all he had to tell. "When ho described the assegai used by the Kaffir and Zulu tribes she expressed a wish to see one. They were in the hall, and wore forthwith produced. The Empress all but fainted at the sight of them, and then burst into a flood of tears. "!>o not think me weak," she said, "but until I saw these terrible weapons I never realised the danger my son ran." At that very moment he had been killed by assegai wounds, 17 in number.

A project has been mooted for connecting Spain with the African continent by means of a tunnel beneath the Straits of Gibraltar, running from Algeiras oil the Spanish side to a point between Tangiers and Ceuta. The distance across the sea-bed is nine miles, with an incline of 1 in ICO at each end, and a level bottom in the intermediate six or seven miles. The greatest depth of water at any point in the course is 3000 feet; and as it is proposed to leave a thickness of 300 feet of roof in the vault of the tunnel, the deepest point of the latter would be 3300 feet below the level of the sea.

According to " /Egles" they have pleasant free-and-easy ways in some of the bush townships. Last Good Friday, at Cockerstow, the Church of England parson dispensed with the usual service, as there was an interesting cricket match in which his skilled assistance as champion bowler wa3 required. In the team there also played the Jocal constable, and he brought with him to stand umpire a prisoner charged wiih embezzlement, for whom the P.M. had refused bail. The Presbyterian minister, on his arrival in the township, found it deserted in favor of the cricket field, and also joined the sport. This was indeed a match that which had the sanction both of law and gospel.