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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1197, 17 February 1880, Page 2

The first of tbis season's grain has been brought into town by the railways, and consists of two consignments of barley—one from Maheno, ai route for shipment afc Port Chalmers, and the other from Waimate, for the Oamarn market. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, this morning, before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., .Samuel Moody, charged with being drunk while in charge of a horse and cab in Thames-street, was fined 15s with an alternative of 48 hours' imprisonment. T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., held a sitting of the Assessment Court at the Cave Valley Sch'oolhouse yesterday, for the purpose of hearing and determining appeals against the assessment for. the Waiareka Road District. Mr. Henry Honor, the valuer for the district, appeared to support the valuations, and the Clerk to the Board was also in attendance. The first appeal dealt with was that of Mr. Henry Little, who objected to the assessment of L 550 being placed on JO3G acres of leasehold land. After hearing evidence, the Court reduced the amount to L 520. Mr. Joseph Leos, who had been assessed on three different properties in the total sum of L2lO, appealed both against the acreage, which had —

been set down at five acres over the actual amount. The acreage was adjusted, and the total valuation reduced by LlO. Several other appeals were dismissed, as the appellants did not appear to support their objections. The total valuation for the district is L 39,279 as against L 37,991 last year.

The very many friends of Mr. J; H. Pope will be pleased when we has .received from the Education Detriment the ' appointment of Inspector; of - Native Schools—a position for which he long arid patiently waited. It niay not be generally known that it is this same Mr. Pope—the respected Gamaliel at whose feet many of the ablest of the young men of this Provincial District imbibed useful knowledge—that lately joined Mr. 6. R. W^t'as,;partner, in: in his music business. Shortly after embarking in' this new; 7 although:" somewhat: familiar-sphere, as Mr. • Pope: is .no .meanmusician, aud a'great lover of" tlfe musical' 'science; the welcome n^s"l^V'^' : tliS'6 : -*liS" office' connected with that', other science for which he has ever had supreme regard—that of educating the rising generation of the Colony—was open for his acceptance. Fortunately, no obstacle interposed itself, and Mr. Pope once more finds himself in the harness which suits him and which he suits the best. He is now in the North Island ; but will, Wellearn, occasionally visit' us, as his field of operations-extends from north to south of the Colony. We are sure that all who know Mr. Pope will wish that he may find in" his liew occupation .'everything that he could desire, and that he may long be spared to enjoy it. ■. The Lynch Family of Bellringers, who delighted the public with their entertainment on the occasion of their previous visit to the Colony, are about to make another tour through the Colony, ; and purpqse playing at all the intermediate towns between Invercargill and Auckland. The company will include Dr. Edward Hall, a ventriloquist,' and Mr. Alfred Santley, a new arrival from England. ' ' '' ■' ' J !

These are the days of retrenchment, and yet each 'compartment in 'oar : railway carriages is adorned lamp.. Our readers will know that we allude to the diadem that is set in the ceiling. It is quite possible to place two of these lamps in each compartment; but then there would be too much light. People • might be : able to read, and'all might become rulers. We suggest that passengers desiring to read should be left to supply their "own lights. What would be better than a box of matches, the 'contents of which could be utilized as required ? Certainly not the railway lamps. It may be quite. possible, in the language of Artemus Ward, to see the dim vista of the future by the aid of a tallow candle ; but one can see nothing by the aid of the railway lamps, except it be darkness. Dim vestas would be much more preferable. Why, 'then, waste oil that might be devoted to greasing the machinery of our railways ? The Minister of Public Works is earnest in season and out of season in effecting reforms. Might we be permitted to point to .this as another reform, the effecting of which would add to his - lasting reputation, when, as the result of next session, he will abandon his official position ; or, might we suggest the establishment of a Government eye institution for the cure of ophthalmia ?