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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 9 August 1880, Page 2

At last Sir William Pox has found a good word for his political opponents. Glancing over the thiiv report of the Native Commission we find these startling words : " The Commissioners strongly support the wisdom of Sir George Grey's Government in proposing that 25,000 acres he reserved on the Waimate Plains," Verily Sir WUliaip is becoming honest—politically honest we mean, for 110 one would impugn his personal honesty. It is true the sentence may have been inserted by Sir Dillon Bell, but as Sir William Fox placed his name at the foot of the report, we are anxious to give lu.W the credit of t]ie adjnigsioa, Surely wonders will never cease,

The following is offered as an explanation of the principles of the Deceased Wife's Sisters Bill: —Suppose a man has married the sister of his deceased wife, having }iad issue by the former wife and also issue by his present wife, whom dying, he marries her surviving sister, the children of that last marriage will be, on the passing of the Bill, declared legitimate) and 3uch declaration being retrospective, can it be asserted that the inheritance of such subsequent marriage, so far as real e.-tate is concerned, should take rank with the children of the former deceased wife whose husband, having issue, would therefore be deprived of such conjugal rights arrising da facto. We hope that our readers are quite clear as to the meaning of the above.

Athough it seems to be admitted that Ministers hold Cabinet meetings on Sundays, we are led to understand that it was not a Hansard proof the Colonial Treasurer wa3 seen correcting in church- We gladly give currency to the contra-Dick-tion. But, if not a Hansard proof, what was it? Certainly nqt a paraphrase Qf the Psalms of David. Sir William Fox, during the recent debate on the Native Land Court Bill, expressed an opinion that there should be more of the Native element in the Court. There were Native assessors, but they played second fiddle, we suppose, to Judge Fenton's violoncello.

Mr. Hurst the other day opposed the Ashburton Waterworks Bill—a measure to enable a company to borrow LGO,OOO for the purposes of irrigation. He said that such borrowipg would bring shocking disaster upon the country. Sir George Grey then rose, and with choice irony, asked the Government whether, considering the sad financial state of the Colony, the Government would bring in a Bill to prevent private persons from borrowing, as was provided in the Sill under discussion. Th» Premier, not discerning that Sir George had been indulging in a joke as a severe commentary on the action of Mr. Hurst, replied. A new Presbyterian Sunday School was opened in the South School yesterday, by the Rev. A. B. Todd. About 30 children were present at the opening ceremony. Mails for Sydney per Albion close at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Auckland. Telegrams will be accepted at the Oamaru office accordingly. A plain dress ball is announced to be given in Messrs, J. and A. Dalgleisn's barn, Papakaio, on Friday evening. The usual monthly meeting of the Waitak; Road Board w 11 be held in the Offices, Tynestreet, at 11 o'clock to-morrow. The Byronie Comedy and Burlesque Company, including amongst its members Miss Clara Stephenson, one of the best all-round actresses in the Colony, is announced to give two performances in the Volunteer Hall on Thursday and Friday evenings. The weekly promenade concert of the Riflea Band was again we'll jjatrouised or; F;:i y f-v- ;>>•.< v. hi'ii the foilowi;:,; -ra-. UO'jugh in a ereditaiik- iusii::;u-: Operatic sel.;ctiou, " Lncrcfria Borgia polka, "The Muses quadrille, "Pierrot;" waltz, "New Burlesque j" lancers, "Whimsical;" sehottische, "Pretty Blue Eyes;" quadrille, "Invincible;" waltz, "Dorindagalop, "Far and Near.".

A scratch football match was played on the Old Cricket Ground on Saturday last, between teams chosen by Messrs. Johnson and A. B. Church. The bali was kicked off by Johnson at 3.15 p.m., and the first spell resulted in 2 tries for Church's side ; in the second spell Joli: son's side icored two touchdowns ; in ti:e third spell some capital play was exhibited, Church securing the third try foj; his side by some grand passing back. Cooke kicked a goal, and the match resulted as follows: Church's side, 1 goal and 3 tries. Johnson's side, 2 tries. Members are re. quested to practice every evening. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M., two men, for being drunk and disorderly, were fined 8s each, with the option of 24 hours' hard labor. For a similar offence, one man was fined ss, with the option of 24 hours' hard labor ; and one persistent worshipper at the shrine of Bacchus, against whom' 30 previous convictions were recorded, was fined 50s, with the alternative of eight days' hard labor. William Henry Felt on, oharged with stealing L9O from William Wenlock, at Milton, was remanded to Dunedin for Wednesday.