Daily Circulation, 1620. The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1894.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 5904, 28 March 1894, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1620. The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1894.

In these days of almost general colonial depression and a consequent prevalent pessimism it is refreshing to find the obiter dictum of so influential a person as the chairman ot a Board of Bank Directors striking a more hopeful note. We refer to the remarks made by the Hon. George M'Lean, at the half-yearly meeting of the Colonial Bank held in Dunedin to-day, a summary of which appears elsewhere in this issue. Mr M'Lean's remarks were, perhaps, somewhat platitudinous, and he said nothing which has not been said before; but it can do us no harm, rather good, when we are suffering from an attack of the depression dismals, to lay to our souls the flattering unction of our acknowledged potentiality for prosperity. We are being temporarily squeezed, like an indiarubber ball, by. the hand of a bad season and low prices, but once that pressure is removed we shall assume our normal condition of rotund prosperity. Mr M'Lean pointed out that the grain and wool crops not having realised the expectations of growers, a depression had resulted which was only partially relieved by the strides which the frozen meat trade has taken. Mr M'Lean did not mention the dairy trade, which promises to become almost, if not quite, as great a factor in the country's welfare as is the frozen meat trade. These two industries, the growth of a few years only, afford an admirable illustration of what 5. little enterprise will do. Where would New Zealand have been now had she had to depend solely upon . her wheat and her wool for her prosperity? The farming community as a class are essentially conservative. They are content to> follow in the footsteps of their fathers, and grow wheat and barley and oats, oats and barley and wheat, year in and year out, without that respect to circumstances which, if judiciously exercised, might lead on to individual wealth and consequent national prosperity. The apathy which exists in this respect is not, of course, surprising in a district where even thejJairy industry, which has been proved, fads to make substantial headway, except at the instigation -of individuals. There was every prospect this, season, right from the early spring, of grain fetching an exceptionally low price, but no effort was made by those most interested to recoup the loss staring them in the,face by establishing a dairy factory. And next season may tell the same tale unless'an effort be made at once. It seems a pity that it should be left to individual enterprise to reap the certain reward which would attach to a well-con-ducted dairy factory in this district; but this is' what will assuredly happen unless our farming friends bestir themselves. It is very well to'know and appreciate the possi. bilitWofour country, but those, possibilities will never be precipitated into a deposit of national wealth unless the acidity of a universal,individual, energy and enterprise be employed as a reactionary agent.

The meeting of the Licensing Committee is fixed by the' Act for any time within the first ten days of June, and at that meeting the Committee will decide upon the licenses to be determined. As the existing lfSenßes are current until the 30th June, those whose licenses are then refused will practically have at least twenty days' notice of tho closing of their premises. It would, of course, be highly improper for us to even hint at publichousei that are likely to be closed. That is a matter for tho Committee to sottlo in accordance with the provisions of tho Act after considering the facts laid before them. It is, however, generally understood that of the five hotels which the Committeo have the power to close three will bo selected from the fourteen in town and two from the eight in the country, which would be fairly proportionate. But this much is merely an assumption, for there has not, we believe, been any consultation amongst the members of the Committee,

Owing to the very inclement weather tho Musical Society have wisely decided to postpone their concert, which was to havo been held to-night. The concert is postponed indefinitely.

Tho Hon. John M'Kenzie, accompanied by Mrs M'Kenzie and Mr R. Leckie (private secretary) arrived in Dunodin yesterday by express from the south. During his visit to Southland MrM'Kenzio visited the Morton Mains estate, which has been offered to the Government. Ho will return to his home at Shag Paint in a day or two.

The unusually wet summer has not been an altogether unmixed evil, for while it has had a serious effect upon tho harvest, it has been productive of a material diminution of the rabbit nuisance. We are informed by those competent to give an authoritativo opinion upon the subject that the destruction of rabbits by the excessive moisturo during the summer has been remarkably heavy. In places where they have usually been exceedingly plentiful only a small number are now to be seen, and young rabbits arc somewhat of a rarity. The conclusion arrived at on these facts is that, as a result of the heavy rains during January and February, the holes were flooded and the young rabbits drowned. In this way the unusual wet weather of the summer season was productive of a modicum of compensatory good for the large amount of injury wrought by it in other directions.

The sale of Mr Jas. Herron's furniture by Messrs Vallange, Christie, and Co. has been altered to to-morrow, at 12.15 p.m. Mr W. Sinclair, of Dunedin, announces that he will be glad to speak to anyone in. terested in " The Ingathering of Israel" at Mr Pratt's house, Ure-street, any evening this week, after seven o'clock, oxcopfc Friday. A conceit and dance will be held in Pryde's Hall, Duntroon, on Friday next, at 8 p.m., in aid of Edmund Green. Double tickets may be had at a charge of 3s and single tickets for 2s. These charges include refreshments.

A concert in aid of the funds of tho Awnmoko School will be held in the schoolhouso on Friday evening, and will be followed by the customary dance. We have received a copy of " Rural New Zealand "an illustrated pamphlet by John Houghton. This pamphlet has for its ob'cot the diffusion of information concerning New Zealand and as it is chattily written and ia not too long to be read, it promises to more successfully achieve that mission than many more pretentious efforts. At a meeting of the committee of the Shearers' and Laborers' Union last night, Mr S. Boreham resigned his seat on tho committee owing to the uncalled for interference of the Executive. Mr Boreham expressed It as his opinion that the branch was dead and the committee were tools in tho hands of the Executive. He would give his reasons for resigning, in full, through tho medium of the Press.

Owing to the non-receipt of several roturns from up country, the returning officer for Waihemo is unable to say if sufficient votes have been cast to constitute a valid poll, but the present appearances do not point that way The full returns for tho election of the Committee are to hand, showing that the temperance candidates have been elected by large majorities. Tho following is the result: (i. Rutherford 1157, J. Eagle 1146, J. Kirby 1145, R. Thompson 1132, A. Gilmore 1123, W. Niehol 1109, J. Service 1107, J. J. Ramsay 1090, J. Smith 761, A. M'lntosh 746, D. Phillips 745, D. Kennedy 728, M. Isbister 716, W. E. Inder 715, B. Gordon 694, W. Guffie 690. At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before S. E. Shrimski and A. Avery, J.P-'s, Edward Floyd, who had appeared before the Stipendiary Magistrate yesterday in a state of intoxication, and remanded, charged with drunkenness, was fined ss, or 24 hours' imprisonment. Thomas Gallagher, hotelkeeper, Livingstone, was charged with supplying a lad under 13 years of age with two bottles of whisky on the 16th inst. Defendant admitted the charge, and pleaded that he was not aware that he had broken the law. The lad did not drink the whisky, bat was sent for it by his father. Sergeant O'Grady said that Constable Graham was in the township, and, hearing that the defendant was in the habit of supplying liquor tolmildren, he went after the lad Adams and questioned him, and. then laid the information. He (Sergeant O'Grady), however, was surprised that defendant had admitted the charge, and was not defended by counsel, as he believed there was a legal defence to tho charge, as, although the lad was under 13 years of age, he looked much more, and thon he did not drink anything at the bar. Tho Bench told defendant ho must not servo children, and imposed a fine of 40s and JU costs.

A woman at Whangarei, Auckland, was fined L 5 for being drunk while in charge of a horse. She had with her at the time bunk deposit slips and other securities to the v&luo of LIOOO. It is not often that such a charge is preferred when a horse is being ridden. We (Timaru Herald) are informed that Mr J. R. Brodie, of Bangitata Island, has just threshed out the best yield of wheat wo have so far heard of this season, a paddock of six acres yielding 32 bushels of first-class wheat per acre. The threshing plant owner said this was the best ho had mot with. The straw was of good length, 4ft 6in or so, and very stout; it stood up through all tho gales which flattened so many crops. A little seven-year-old girl in Nelson dc clared her intention of stopping any approaching train, and forthwith laid down on the railway track. Sho was seen by tho driver, who was fortunately ablo to pull up in time, and was removed from tho line. Dr Briggs, of New York, says: "Is it not strange that so large a proportion of scholarly men are out of sympathy with tho Church! It would be stranger still wore they in sympathy with it. The marvel is that tho Church'fchould so long remain out of sympathy with scholarly thought and insight.