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Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5094, 2 October 1891, Page 2

Nominations for the North Otago Jockey Club's spring meeting will close with the Secretary, at his office, at 9 o'clock tomorrow evening.

The usual weekly meeting of the Onward Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held last evening, There was a good attendance of members, whose number has been increased to 70 by the initiation of three new members. The Government gave notice that they would introduce a Prohibition Rill in a fortnight, the Bill to be laid 011 the table at next meeting. As the last debate was an exceedingly lively and interesting one, the coming session of the Lodge Parliament is eagerly looked forward to. A number of appropriate readings and recitations, interspersed with instrumental music, were contributed, and a most enjoyable meeting terminated in the customary manner. Sir Maurice O'Rorke is acting as Speaker of the Auckland Model Parliament, which has lately been discussing the question of female suffrage. A lad 12 years of age met with a nasty accident yesterday at South Oamaru. He was watching the demolition of a house when a portion of the falling timbers struck him on the forehead. A nasty cut which bled freely was the result. He was taken to the Hospital, where his injuries were attended to by Hr Whittou, and he is now doing very nicely.

Volunteer officers are now authorised to frank unsealed notices to volunteers of dates when drills are to be held.

Roughly speaking, the colony loses 011 the railways every year about 2 per cent. 011 L 10,000,000, or about L 300,000.

Guide Macdonahl reports that wonderful changes are going on in the southern crater at Rotomahana. Innumerable boiling springs have broken out, forming a warm lake iu the crater. The gazetted regulations for trout nshing in the Geraldine district fix the license fee at 20s, but for boys under 16 at 10s, for ladies at ss, and for a monthly license for visitors at 10s.

Messrs Donald Reid and C'o.'s Farmers Circular this week contains an interesting budget of seasonable notes anent the preparation of soil for swedes.

We have received a copy of the New Zealand Fire and Ambulance Record, which we find is still keeping up its good work in disseminating "fire and ambulance intelligence through the colony. The effort to keep a record and provide a ready means of intercommunication between the brigades of the various cities of the colony is a deserving one, and worthy of the patronage of all. The Record is printed at the Napier News office, and its " fire colored" coyer gives it an appropriate if somewhat startling appearance. The fishing season opened yesterday, and a large number of anglers visited the aitaki and Kakanui rivers to lure the " lusty trout" from "turbid reaches and still pools.'' The luring was not exceptionally successful. Fair baskets were obtained at the Kakanui, where the fish are small and plentiful, but the river is low and the weather was not favorable. At the W aitaki, too, climatic conditions militated against large baskets. A hot "nor'-wester' was blowing all the morning, and in the afternoon the wind changed and a cold "southerly buster" set in equally bad for fishing. Anglers tried both sides of the river as w 7 ell as the mouth. Those on the south side were the more successful, the water being better and the wind less troublesome there. There was a large quantity of weed in the river, which also assisted to make the fishing difficult. Mr Mackintosh got six fish, and Messrs Wilson and Watson two each; but many came away Ashless. The fish a,re described as being plentiful, but small in the Waitaki also.

Messrs Mason and Roberts inform us that so far as the season has gone an increase in the amount put through the totalisator is shown by every race meeting, except that at Kurow yesterday, at which there was a decrease of LB. There is, therefore, a probability that their record of last year, when they put'through L155.27S will be largely exceeded The following is Mr Gladstone's letter to Mrs Spurgeon in reference to her husband s illness: —" Corton, Lowestoft, July 10th. My dear Madam,—ln my own home, darkened at the present time, I have read with studied interest daily accounts of Mr Spurgeon's illness, and I cannot help conveying to you the earnest assurance of my sympathy with you and with him, and of my cordial admiration not only of h s splendid powers,"but still more, of his devoted and unfailing character. May I humbly commend you with him, in all contingencies, to the infinite stores of Divine love and mercy, and subscribe myself, my dear madam, faithfully yours—W. E. Gladstone." To Mrs Spurgeon's reply Mr Spurgeon was able to write this postscript • " Yours is a word of love such as those only write who have been into the King's country and have seen much of his face. My heart's love to you.—C. H. Spuiigeox.