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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1151, 23 December 1879, Page 2

It is scarcely necessary to remind ratctayent that the poll to decide whether or not the I-.">0,000 loan for Waterworks piirpses <hat! raised by the Municipal Council will Lo taken to-morrow between the hours of 0 a.m. and H p.m. That the loon is necessary n.- need scarcely take any pains to demonstrate. for it has been made painfully apparent within the past few months, and we therefore hope that, although there is no doubt as to the vote being strongly in favor of going into the money market, ratepayers will record their votes, and so strengthen the bonds of the Council. Mr. I'eter li. Russell's letter will appear to-morrow.

We regret to have to report the death of three well-known settlers (Mr. Andrew Simpson, gardener: Mr. Gordon, nurseryman ; and Mr. John Clarke, of Taipo Hill), who have passed away since yesterday morning. _ It is announced that the hanks will be closed from the 34th until the 20th instant, for the Christmas holidays. ) We have received from Messrs. G. B. West and Co. the second number of the| "New Zealand Magazine," a musical journal devoted to the publication in a cheap form of popular music. The number before us is fully cjual, if not superior, to its predecessor,"and contains several pianoforte pieces, in addition to a number of excellent song*?, including IJishop ? s "When Green Lciv< s Come Again," Millard's "Waiting," ai:' "Qneen of the Night" and several others oi Thomas' easy and pleasing songs. Amongst the pianoforte pieces is the evergreen " Biue Danube" waltz, and " Blumenlied," by binge, Ac. Taken as a whole it would bo difficult to point to a better shilling's worth of popular music, and Messrs. West and Co. arc deserving of credit for the excellent journal thev turn out for the money. It is very clearly printed, both as regards the notes and the letterpress and its general get up is highly creditable to the Otago Daily Times' lithographic department. The fortnightly meeting of the Harbor Board is called for Friday next. Although this is the regular day for the meeting, we can scarcely understand why it should be attempted to get a meeting on Boxing Day —one of the principal holidays of the year. As some important business will probably have to be dealt with, and as it is scarcely likely that sufficient members of the Board will forego their holiday to attend to public business, we would suggest that the meeting should be postponed for a few days. If this suggestion should be adopted it would be necessary to lose no time in order that the required notice might be givon. Ihe fact that the meeting has been called for a holiday is probably owing to the last meeting having lapsed and no instructions having been given to the Secretary to alter the date of the meeting. Surely there could, however, be no objection to the meeting being postponed for a few days ill order that the convenience of members might be consulted. At last night's meeting of the Directors of the Caledonian Society a number of gentlemen were appointed to act as judges for the games to be held on New Year's Day and the dav following. The Committee entrusted with the management of the Ngapara Caledonian Sports, to be held on Christmas Day, have put forth a very excellent programme, comprising no less than 23 events, including all descriptions of games and trials of strength and skill usually to be found in well-regulated gatherings of the kind. The prizes, too, are very liberal for a country meeting, and will, we feel sure, secure a large number of entries, though tho fact that sports of a similar kind are to bo hel d at Kakanui on the same day will probably interfere to some extent with the numlier of competitors. Special tram arrangements have been made for the conveyance of visitors to Ngapara on Christmas Day. A train will leave Oamaru at 10.40 a.m., stopping at all station-, and visitors will be able to return by the ordinary train i leaving N'.irapara at (5.5 p.m. This will give tiifwe wishing to spend the day in the t'oimirv an excellent opportunity for cavr\ - I ing out their desire. The whole arraugei mentis for the sports are, wo believe, very j complete, and the meeting promises to be highlv successful, while the sports will form j an excellent prelude to the annual Caledonian i ganica to be held in Oamaru on New \ ear's 1 Day ami the following day, and will afford i athletes an opportunity of comparing capabilities before entering into competition at ! the larger meotinc. i The Vs. Beautiful Star is announced to : haw for Dunedin to-morrow, and as the ! ir.rc.-t have been re'niced for return tickets | extending over a long period, nil excellent I opportunity for gratifying their wishes is | olFered to those who desire to indulge in a I sea trip. . . | This evening the Philharmonic Society i will irive the fourth concert of tiie season at : the Volunteer Hall, when Handel's grand i oratorio ''The Messiah, 1 will be gi\cn ' almost in its entirety. The band and chorus j have been strengthened vry materially, | and we anticipate that Handel's masterpiece | will be given in a maimer superior to aiiy- | thing of the kind previously heard in ' Oamaru The solos have been well distributed, and the rendering of "The ! Messiah" should prove attractive to the general public. To ensure a large audience | and give everyone an opportunity of hearing ! beautiful mueic commemorative of the Christian festival upon which we arc just i entering, the prices of admission have been 1 fixed at 3s and Is. i .At the Resident Magistrate's Court, this ! morning, l>efore T. A\. l'arker, I'.M., Henry Fell was again brought up on the charge of having forged anil uttered three cheilites on the I'anlT of New Zealand for LS if, L 7 2s, and 1-7 Is respectively, purporting to be drawn by .lames Wilson and Co., Dunedin. Mr. Inspector Thompson prosecuted. Sergeant lie-it ty was j examined to prove that ihe prisoner had admitted in Court that he wrote tlie cheques. IJ. J. Spence. storekeeper, Oamaru, gave evidence to the effect that he had received the cheque produced on the 3rd instant from a person who. to the best of his belief, was the prisoner. It was after 3 oclock. The prisoner said he was travelling for \\ ilson and Co., that the Banks were closed, and he was going away by train. Prisoner also said he was acquainted with Mr. Jonas Ward, ! and witness seeing the name of Ward on the cheque as endorsor, ho cashed it. The cheque was paid into the bank in the usual way to the firm's account, and it was dishonored. In answer to the prisoner, witness said he could not say whether the cheque was stamped when he paid it, and he had not put a stamp on it. Prisoner reserved his defence, and was fully committed to take his trial at the Supreme Court, Dunedin. Thomas Stephens was brought up on j suspicion of being of nnsound mind, and was ! remanded until to-morrow. Donald Mackay I was lined 5s for having been drunk and disorderly. Our attention has b- <*n drawn to an error that appeared in tin; prize-list of the Waikouaiti and Shag Valley Agricultural and Pastoral Society's Show. For the best pair of draught horses in daily use the prize was awarded to Mr. W. Nicholson, and not to Mr. A. Bannatync as stated. Our reporter explains that this was one of the classes not judged when he was compelled to leave the ground to catch the train, and that the gentleman who telegraphed the decisions in the final classes must have fallen into error. The detailed prize-list will appear in the Agriculturist, and if there are any further error.? in the list we shall be pleased to correct them if they are pointed out.