The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1123, 24 November 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1879.

e£ it being known that a NaIMP of were to* make ■ffßbwi to tK*Btaid<3it Magistrate's Court Se was crowded to excess of people. Promany of

We ■» pfaflied that thoae in authority in volunteer Matters here lure poetponed the mil imiicc drill that was announced for to-night till Monday next. The reason |assigned is the unfavorable nafare offjhe weather, and it is a vorv proper pnA -Althongh we have not the least doubt 1® oorvolunteer* would not dfcjectto perform the announced military actions in bad weather, or a gnat paction of them—wojiSt object, perhaps, to ■Witness them in wet Jackets >and dirty WotsJ and, certainly, tbejadiea, whose. *ttcndan<»is most d«*irr able, would be deprived of the pleasure*of beholding what should be an exciting and interesting display. The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association have adopted the unusual, and, we think, unwise, course' of permitting the publication .nJ. the names of the intending exhibitors at thrir approaching show in the public newspapers. How will tlii* affect the judging t

During his cro33-cxami nation at tlic Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, William Shaw, the proprietor of the Criterion Board-ing-house, who was charged with transgressing the law by selling drink without a license, admitted that he abused W cl3h, the informant in the ease, on meeting him in the Xorth Otago Hotel, because he was an informer. When asked why he felt so much annoyed' at the fact that Welsh was an informer, the witness was somewhat puzzled &s to the manner in which he should reply, bat eventually cut the gordian knot by declaring, with an outburst of virtuous indignation, that he disliked informers. The very name informer made his - blood boil, and created within, his breast a feeling of utter detestation. " I avoid informers," said the virtuous witness, "as

I would thievc3." Possibly fie might have gone a tittle farther and declared that he would sooner have dealings with a thief: at any rate, an admission made by Shaw's principal witness would lead us to that conclusion. His Worship appeared to be equally as much tickled as the audience with the ludicrous nature of Shaw's explanation of his dislike for an informer, and said it was amusing to see with what virtuous indignation an informer was regarded, while it appeared to be forgotten that what was moat disliked in informers ww the sting which they inflicted. In accordance with a very gencrally-ex- | pressed rcqnest, the service of song, "Jessica's First Prayer," will be repeated in the I Wesley Church on Wednesday evening. We observe that the judging in connection with the Doncdin Agricultural Show will lie held on the Racecourse, opposite the grand stand. The Otago Daily Times says that this is being done to prevent the occurrence of an accident such a3 that which lately caused the death of M'lvenzie at Oaniaru. We are informed that a good many exhibits of Ayrshire cattle were prevented from showing up at the recent exhibition here on account of the want of tracks at Invercargill and elsewhere. It seems a pity that better provisjoji is not made by the Railway Department for exhibitors of cattle. We learn that the list of subscribers to the Gilford art union is now complete. Those subscribers who have not paid are particularly requested to forward their subscriptions without delay to the hon. treasurer. Mr. Alex. Kerr, at the National Bank, in order that arrangements may be made at once for the drawing of the prizes.