OAMARU.

Timaru Herald, Volume VI, Issue 162, 19 December 1866, Page 2

OAMARU.

[from our own correspondent.] Monday, December 17. The goodly company of Freemasons, about thirty m number, who paid us a visit, on Saturday, Bth instant, by excursion steamer, to assist m laying 1 the foundation stone of the Masonic Hall, departed on the following 1 day, and I believe that some parting cheers were given although it was on a Sunday. The contract for the building- is let m parts and will proceed rapidly. There appears to be a building- furore here at present, for I see houses of all descriptions, wood and stone, starting up m all directions. A case of some general interest was argued m the Magistrate's Court lately. The question was whether time of delivery was an essential of contract m furnishing "a suit of clothes. It appears that the clothes should have been furnished on the B tli November, whereas they were not delivered till the following day. The defendant also pleaded that they did not fit him, and were m many respects not according to order. The Court found it proved that a distinct contract as to time had been proved, and nonsuited the plaintiffs with costs. The plaintiffs m this case were doubly saddled with " costs of suit," and the defendant may be said m one sense to have been "nonsuited" also. The case is surely a very narrow one. The clothes were to have been delivered by eight or nine o'clock on the evening of the Bth, and were actually delivered about nine o'clock on the morning of the 9th. Wool is arriving", although not yet m large quantity. Crops are now looking better. From the statements made by the Otago Treasurer, it clearly appears that that provincial government is m earnest about bridging the Waitaki, and is about to provide for the cost of plans, &c, now, while it intends to set apart a considerable sum towards the works. One of the principal matters lately entered on m the Town Council has been an order to have the town reserves cleared of intruders. This has caused some discussion, as there are a good many squatters who have been at some expense m erecting tents and huts ; these however, are unsightly, so I suppose the principle is right. Some appear to think that the occupants might have had the option of paying rent. Another matter is a motion that some plan should be adopted for the supply of water to the town ; this however, is thought somewhat premature. I think that our Council would be wise not to take up toomany things at once.