The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1908.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 10019, 9 December 1908, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1908.

The election of M'.' George Livingstone to the Land Board by suen an ample majority is a tribute to the ability, energv, ami enthusiasm winch he has displayed during the time that he has been connected with the Board. There are few men who know land better, who are more convinced of the necessity for settlement, who realise what is required to promote legitimate, settlement, and who work more conscientiously to bring their convictions into practical operation. Mr Livingstone's return will cause general satisiaction in the country districts, for he is widely known and has been chosen from five candidates by the Crown tenants of the whole of Otago. The Prime Minister, who passed through Oamaru 011 his way South yesterday, does not look any the worse for his encounters with the enemy. The heathen may rage, but the country's progress goes on all the same, and., so long as there is progress, the head of the Administration can afford to treat lightly any buffets he receives from balls tilled with wool. Only one trouble jint now wrinldes_ the brow of the most buoyant of Premiers, and that is the filling of the gaps in the Cabinet. It is not so much doing the best that- is the difficulty ; it is doing it in such a way as to give the maximum of satisfaction. No oneknows who are to be the chosen ones, but it- may safely be concluded that they will be such as will command _ the approval and respect of the public. No Ministry could afford to make a bad choice of colleagues on any pretext whatever. Mr Thomas Mackenzie was also on the train which carried Sir Joseph Ward, but thatmay mean nothing. It only reminded one that the task of the Government is complicated and embarrassing. The usual weekly rehearsal of the "Creation" took place last evening. There are still a goodly number who engage in this delightful and elevating pastime, am* some of the choruses were energetically and' crisply dealt with. The orchestra, will be more effective than usual, and, 011 the whole, the public performance is likely to rank with the best ever given by the Society". The tiokets are now in the hands of the members, who are disposing of them. The time may come when the Wear Street Hall will be too small for this Society's performances. All true lovers of music'ivill nope for this symptom of musical unanimity and consequent progress. Instrumentalists who have promised to assist are desired to be present at a rehearsal on Saturday night at the Wear StreetHall, when the solo accompaniments will be rehearsed. The compassion of the publicans has at last been evoked for the thirsty beer consumer of Ohinemuri. It will be remembered that in that- district, prior to the No-license poll, the consumers oE the fluid that is a conundrum vowed that unless its price were reduced to threepence they would strike out the top line. Well, Nolicense was carried, and now the beersellers have been suddenly seized with a desire to be merciful and propitiatory. It has occurred to them that their customers may suffer untold privations if they are not* permitted to slake their'- thirst and to do it cheaply. Accordingly,- they intend to make an effort to upset the poll, and, for the sake of drouthy humanitv, they, in the meantime, are going to irrigate their internal economy at half-price. This ought to melt hearts and induce tears of repentance. In/ the Wear Street Hall to-morrow-night the North Otago Christian Endeavour Umion will hold their quarterly meeting, whic'h will take the form of a.. Christmas service. The Rev. F. G. Buckingham will give, a short address on Christmas anticipations, and there will be several musical items. Endeavourers are urged to be present- and all other friends are cordially invited- to attend. The meeting will commence at- 7.30 p.m. The usual monthly meeting of the Middle School Committee was held last evening, when there were present—Mr J. H. King (chairman), Rev. R-. J. Porter, R>ev. F. G. Buckingham, Dr Whitton, Messrs Swinard-, Put-tick, and J. G. H. Sumpter (secretary). It was reported that- the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, 11.P., and Mr Edward' Lane had promised to donate the dux medals. Mr J. M. Brown has also presented -a {jold medal as a special prize for a composition to be competed for bv the Fifth and Sixth Standards, in the form of' a letter 011 "The Holidays: How I have spent them, how I propose to, or how I would like to." A donation was given for prizes for the swimming tournament to he held by Mr Hunter (the school instructor) on Friday next, to show the pro-

gress mado by his pupils. Parents are again reminded that- the distribution of prizes will ta.kc place on Thurwlay, the 17111 in&t.. in tiic Gymnasium Hall, when the Rev. F. G. Buckingham will present them to the infant classes. In the evening the senior elates will receive t llri iv; from the Chairman. The appeal lor prizes has been very .liberally responded to. For the first time under the mmuU' authorising' it to do so, the Oamaru Presbytery yesterday continued its sitting during the afternoon, the members reassembling immediately after luncheon. Lho following motion, moved by the Key. Mr Ncavc and seconded by the Kev. Mr Standring, was dealt with too late to be included in yesterday's report of the proceedings :—"That the members of tins Presbytery in view of the ot the Kev.' Robert Wood as organising agent for the Sustentation Fund forward movement, desire to express their high sense of tlie valuable service which he lias rendered to the Church, both bv wa\ of securing a considerable increase of subscriptions and also of increasing inteiest in the fund, and trust that the fruits of i his labor will continue to be reaped in the growing interest and liberality of our congregations towards the vital fund ot the"Church, and pray that their brother may be long spared to serve the Church as a faithful and earnest minister ot the gospel, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Kev. K, Wood and to the Outlook." The results of the siitli annual snooting competition among tlie secondary Kchools of the Dominion are now to hand. Out of 21 schools eligible, 16 competed. Nelson College stands highest on the list with 585 points, the Waitaki High Hoys High School beiTlsr sixth with 551. Mr M'George wishes us to contradict the statement we made a few days ago to the effect- that Mr W. H. I'aterson's dredging scheme had been submitted to him and he had considered it feasible, ill' M'George, as we stated, had suggested to one of our stall" that a somewhat similar method of dredging to that proposed by Mr Paterson could be adonted with great- benefit, but he is of opinion that the Progress should be utilised to do the work, being assured, from several visits of inspection he mado to that dredcre. that she could be satisfactorily refitted for £IOOO. This opinion is greatly at variance with these expressed by all the other experts who have reported upon the Progress, and it is only fair to state that Mr M'George has not seen the dredge at work for 18 months. The EtogHish mail, via. Wellington, Sydney, .and Naples, which left Oamaru on Thursday, 29th October, arrived in London oil the morning of the 7th December--one day late. Miss*l. C. Allan, who for the past eight years lias beeai a teacher in the Oamaru North School, is about- to sever her connection with that school, hn-ving been an pointed an assistant in the Timaru .Mrin School under the South Canterbury Education Hoard. During the many veal's she has labored at the North School, Miss Allan greatly endeared herself, not alone to the pupils, but to parents, her excellent qualities enabling her to enter into the social life of the children in such manner as to win the highest- -esteem of all. As a teacher she will be missed from Oamaru educational circles. A meeting of the committee of the combined schools' swimming carnival was held in the ladies' room at the baths last evening, Mr Aldro'd in the chair. It _was decided to hold the tournament on Friday afternoon next at- 3.30. The price of admission was fixed at ordinary bathing rates.' Through the kindness of the Oamaru public the committee have bec-n able to gather together 20 valuable medals and one cup for the different- events, and should the day be fine the public are sure of a good jifternoon's sport.. At the meeting of the South Canterbury Education Board yesterday re fencing at Morven, the price submitted (£27 inr about 13 chains of fencing) was considered too expensive, because 25s per cha:n should provide a suitable fence, and tin' matter was referred to the School Committee. The General Committee recommended that the foreman report- on cowl and windows at Waitaki when first in the neighborhood. The Board had sent to the Timaru Main Committee six applications for the eighth assist-antship, placing three in order of merit. Ihe Cntnmitee requested that the teacher placed third be appointed, but gave no reason for differing from the Board. Tile secretary to the" Committee was sent for. and after hearing him, the Board accepted the Committee's recommendation and appointed Miss Isabella Allan, at present in the Oamaru North. School. The monthly meeting of tho South School Committee was held in tho school office last evening, there being present : Messrs L>. D-ewar (chair), T. Hunter, J. Bee, A. Lucas, S. B. Paterson, J. Knights, J. Crombie, and 11. C. Maim (secretary). The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Messrs L. Dewnr and W. J. Wylie offered to supply dux medals for the year, and their offer was received with thanks by the members of the Committee. The Headmaster read the report for the month of November, the roll being 320 and the average attendance during the mont'h very good. It was reported that the subscription of money for the prize fund had been very liberal. It was decided to break up on the 17th inst-., and reopen on the Ist February, 1909. The Rev. F. G. Buckingham and Mr Mathieson are to .be asked- to be present at the prize distribution demonstration, the hours for which were fixed at—lnfants, 11.30 a.m., with Standards I. and II.; the remainder of tho classes at 7.30 in the evening in. the Gymnasium Hall. A vote of thanks was passed' to the combined schools committee for the handsome donation of £23 2s lOd in aid of the library for the school. It was resolved to give a contribution to the combined swimming carnival in connection with the school. Accounts amounting to £l4 12s were passed for payment, and a. vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting.