Daily Circulation, 1750. The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1898.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7368, 16 November 1898, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1750. The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1898.

A special committee of the Christchurch City Council, after going fully into the subject, has reported in favor of a scheme for the supply of electric power and lighting. It is estimated that the necessary»worfes, including the diversion of sufficient water from the Waimakariri Kiver to give 3000-horse motive power, would cost L 70.000, and that after providing interest and Binking fund, and reducing the cost of lighting by nearly 50 per cent, as compared with gas, the expenditure would at once yield a profit of 9 or 10 per cent. The Council has taken time to digest the scheme, but present indications are in favor of its adoption. Reference to the subject of electric lighting naturally suggests an inquiry as to what has become of the proposal brought before the Oamaru Borough Council upon the question some little time ago. It is several weeks since anything was heard of it, but we hope that it haß not been allowed to pass out of sight. If, with all the very heavy cost of providing motive power, the electric light can be supplied at a price equivalent to about 4s 2d per 1000 feet of gas and leave a handsome profit—and that is what the committee say can be done—with our available ample motive power now runningto waste we should be able to produce the electric light at even a lower rate, and that, combined with the higher price charged for gas here than in Christchurch, should render the saving to the public even greater than that which is temptingly set before the residents of the Cathedral City. We believe that his worship has made to the Council a suggestion full of promise of great benefit, and we hope that he will have a complete investigation made into the subject. It is quite unnecessary for us to explain to our readers —especially the juvenile portion of them—what chewing-gum is Not that we hint that papa or mamma would indulge in this luxury ; but papa was once a boy and mamma a girl, strange as it may seem, and though chewing-gum is a comparatively recent invention, the luscious pitch has existed for all time. Boyß and saints are not synonymous terms, never were, and never will be; girls may be when they grow a little older, but not while they are girls, and, paradoxical as it may seem, while they are girls they will be boys. Pitch is quite as appetising as chewing-gum, and vice versa. For durability even india-rubber is nob superior. Many a boy can remember receiving a bit of pitch second-hand from a bosom friend on Saturday morning, chewing it all day, sticking it in a prominent position on his bed-pos* when " tired nature seeks repose," and only losing sight of it when it disappears (as good as new) after Sunday school inside some other boy's gate, attached to the latter's best pants, i-itch is pever ! assimilated, it can only be mislaid. A piece of pitch might be handed down as an heirloom from generation to generation through t centuries of Browns or Jenkinses—as the i case may be—and still preserve its subtle qualities. And. as it is with pitch, so is it with chewing-gum. Provided the delicious morsel be carefully watched and tended there is no reason why it should not remain to delight aeons and sons of human beings. The task of preserving chewing-gum for future use has been entrusted to an enterprising Yankee firm, which has invented an ingenious little contrivance called " Peggy " for the purpose. " Peggy " is a shell, shaped like a nut, with a peg in the centre (hence the name); the gum is stuck on the peg, the lid closed, and there we have the whole thing in a nutshell. While it is necessary to give ample exercise to the jaws in order to provide future legislators to fill the vacancies which must in course of time occur in both Houses of Parliament, "Peggy" should have a liberal vogue; and, this being so, the American firm which ereated " Peggy" must be reckoned in along with the other numerous philanthropists with which that generous nation has already provided the world.

The Vancouver mail arrived by the express laßb Bight. Shearing will begin at Mount Parker on Friday, November 25th, at 8 a.m.

The Hawea will leave Timaru for Newcastle direct at 5 p.m. to-morrow, and mails to conneot with her .will close at Oamaru at 2.30 p.m. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cable message from their London office, under date 12th November:— Rabbitakins.—There is a fair consumptive demand. All descriptions have declined Id per lb since last report. A case of interest to dairymen is reported as about to come into the Wanganui Courts. A milkman who refused to allow his cows to be teßted is to be summoned on charges of obstructing the Government Stock Inspector and having diseased animals in his possession without reporting it to the Inspector, as required by few. The maximum penalty for the latter offence is LSO.

The Oamaru Hospital Trustees met last night, there being present Messrs Mainland Headland, M'Douall, Fleming and Montagu' The medical superintendent's report showed that during the month 13 patients had been admitted, 12 had been discharged, 3 had died, and 16 still remained. The following donations were acknowledged with thanks illustrated books, Mr M'Louall'and a friend at Weston: flowers, Misses Blcknell, Gif. ford, Sampter and the Christian Endeavor Society. Acoounts amounting to JL9ll9s 10d were passed for payment. Messrs M'Douall and Fleming were appointed a Visiting Committee for the month. Mr Shrimski was present to confer with the Board regarding the proposed new ward, and after hearing him it was decided to defer further action until Dr. Macgregor had been communicated with.

Mr R. 0. Maclaurin, the young A ucklander who has won a fellowship at Bt. John's College, Cambridge, is a son of a Waikato settler, and grandson of a Scotch mathematician, Professor Colin Maolaurin, who, while still a young man, became Professor of Mathematics at Aberdeen.

Mr D. S. Hyde, the Government poultry expert, is now on an official visit to thia island, and will lecture at all the principal centres. He may be expected in Oamaru in the course of a few days. Mails for the United Kingdom and Continent of Europe (specially-addressed correspondence only), via Monte Video and Teneriffe, per Maori, close at Wellington, on Thursday, 17th inst., at 3 p.m. The New Zealand Year Book for IS9B ia to hand. This excellent publication is aa usual well up to date, and is full of useful and interesting information anent the colony and its industries and features. Mr W. Gardiner's racehorse Remorse IF,, by Jacinth—Conscience, who sustained severe injuries to his oft-hind leg some days ago, was shot this morning, it having been found impossible to save the animal. By a fire on the Ardgowan Estate Hub morning, the house and furniture of Mr John Rooney were completed destroyed. The fire was caused by a defective chimney. The insurances are:—Lloo on the house, L 125 on the furniture, L 25 on the dairy and sheds, all in the New Zealand office. An eel of exceptionally large dimensions was taken from the Kakanui yesterday by some boys who were fishing. One of them hooked the monster and in the tug-of-war which followed was rapidly being worsted, until he oalled for help. Assistance was promptly forthcoming and a little co-opera-tive labor succeeded in landing the eel, which turned the scale at 221bs. The Middle School Committee met last night, there being present—Messrs Headland (Chairman), Thomas, M'Donald, Lang, Clarke, Mahan, and Archdeacon Gould. The Secretary was instructed to apply to the Boaid for a subsidy towards laying down asphalt between the Severn streeD gates and the school door and top-dressing the present asphalt. It was resolved that ih<> two show days be holidays, and that the school close for the summer holidays on 22nd Decembor. Mr Earl was authorised to issue collecting cards for the prize fund. The next monthly meeting was fixed for the second Tuesday in December. Messrs Hood and M'Donald, the visitors for the month, were authorised to have certain repairs effected. Accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.

Mr Park, Government veterinarian, who returned to Wellington at the end of last week for the purpose of applying the tuberculin test to the cattle of that district, has tested nearly 5000 cattle in the North Island, and out of that number 700 were condemned. In every case where a post mortem examination has been held the animal was found to be diseased. We remind our readers once more that the reproduction of "La Mascotte " by tho Oamaru Amateur Opera Company is fixed for to-night. Those who have nob yet seen the opera should certainly do so, as it is undoubtedly the best effort of the company up to date. Visitors to the town can rely upon spending a pleasant evening at the thoatre. Since its last production the opera has undergone considerable revision and polish, and it is now at its very best.

The Government intend to reserve 10 acres of the Frimley estate at Hastings as an experimental small farm. Mails for Australia, Tasmania, Ceylon, India, China, Japan, and Straits Settlements, also South Africa, Continent of Kurope, and United Kingdom, per Talunc, close at Bluff at 2 p.m. on Friday. The river Waitaki is reported to bo in good fishable condition. The Kakanui was too high for angling on Monday, but with the fine weather since experienced it will, no doubt, be in good trim. The Auckland members, who have returned from Wellington, seem to think (tho Herald says) that the only member likely to resign from the Ministry is the Hon. J. M'Kenzie, whose health has been very bad of late. The member for Mataura, Mr R. M'Nab, is still considered to be the most likely successor to the Hon. Mr M'Kenzie. The value of the imports at Oamaru for the September quarter was L 10,165. Of this amount the United Kingdom contributed L 9252, Victoria L 237, New South Waleß L9B, Queensland LBS, Tasmania L3B, Bengal LB7, Germany L 154, East Coast U.S. L2lO. The corresponding quarter of last year yielded L 8137. The exports amounted to JL23,609, of which the United Kingdom took L 21,805, Victoria Lllß, Now South Wales L 586, and the East Coast U.S. LllOO. The total for the corresponding quarter of last year was L 28,071. The principal exports were—Frozen and preserved meat L 11,985, wool L 10.204, sheep skins L 357, rabbit skins L 259, potatoes L 477, woollen manufactures L 152.

Miss Hennah, who went from Wellington to Melbourne aboub six months ago to obtain the best violin teaching in that city, has, wo learn from the Post, jusb won tho senior medal in a competition open to violin players under 18 years of age throughout Victoria. There were 16 contestants. When only 10 years old Miss Hennah won a 10-guinoa trophy for violin playing at the Ballarat Industrial Exhibition. Later on she carried off a gold medal in a similar contest in tho same city, and at the late Wellington Industrial Exhibition she was awarded a silver medal in the violin playing competition. Ib is her intention to return ta Wellington at an early date. Last month 1155 animals were slaughterod at the Wanganui Borough abattoirs, fivo being condemned. The inspector, in his report with reference to the dairy heads which he had been besting, mentions that out of 46 cows killed in one day 43 were found to be suffering from tuberculosis.

Mr James Freyberg, writing in the Wellington Poßt on the subject of Russia's commercial activity, sayß :—The long connection of the writer's family with service under the Czar justifies the following sta 1 omenta:— Special officers have been for some years regularly sent wherever trade or commerce flourishes, and there they carefully study the economic conditions, and report where and how trade may be opened up on similar lines. My father's house in England was the temporary home of many of these officers, who were all scientifically trained men, soDt to visit the various P nglish manufacturing centres, and when I was laßto at Home, Ncsteroff, the Russian timber expert, was to England carefully examining the newest ! wood-cutting machinery, with a view to its introduction into Russia, and Dr Crombie Brown, the great Scotch botanist, sent me word that when he left St. Petersburg the Government were supplying sawmillers with mills and machinery, and only oharging 6 per cent, and insurance on the actual ooat,( and at the end of twenty years the property became the miller's own without furthW payment. Recently Kew Zealand has baw carefully examined by Russian gentlemen of eminence, and the terrible waste of our magnificent timber sarcastically commented on, while the absence of all rule as to cutting and reproducing this immense portion of the national property is looked upon as simply deplorable. Owing to the great rußh in our dressmaking Department and the great satisfaction given, we have decided to continu® the same liberal arrangements for On® Month Longer, viz , all dresses over 2a P ( J yard will be made up Free of Charge. and style guaranteed.—Phnbosb's Cos" Drapery Establishment, Thames street. YotJ will want to know a few things bcfor« purchasing your next pair of boots, ftr*' l you will go to the shop where you can secur" a great variety of styles, and where you depend upon seing something that will s fllt your purse as well as your tasto. ETb®i naturally, you will desire to buy a no*'"

fitting and comfortable boot and at the same time one that will be neither too broad at the toe nor too narrow at the joints. Yon may not have made op your mind whether yon will wear Tan or black, or possibly yon are hesitating as to whether yoa will wear Boots or Shoes. If yon are a laboring man yon will be on the look-oat for something strong but not heavy; if yon are engaged in bnmneaa or in the office yon will want something flexible bnt not flimsy ; or if yon are a lady about to purchase your summer costume yon will certainly not pass without - examination of the largest, finest, and most select stock of Boots and Shoes in the city. (Ehe New Zealand Boot -Supply Company's Warehouse, opposite the Post Office, is the shop where yon can secure a great variety of styles to suit your taste and your purse, where the toes are not too broad and the joints are not too narrow, where they have an Immense stock both of Tan and of Black Boots and Shoes, where the strong Boots are not heavy nor the the light Boots flimsy, where the variety is large enough to satisfy the most fastidions taste, and where everyone from infancy to manhood can be fitted to perfection. The latest and newest of summer goods now on hand. New Zealand Boot Supply Co., next door to Mr J. Moss Watchmaker, (Thames street.—Colin Sift Wright, Manager. Tehpus Fugit, and how rapid its Light Scarcely have the last echoes of the past season died away, and the new season dawns upon us with its new hopes, its new de mands, its new responsibilities. Tempos Fugit, and again [Time proves the result of a year's conscientious labor 1 Again it is our privilege to bring our announcement o a vast selection of novelties before you. Thmpop Fugit, and yet again we are able to make the time-honored claim, as wellounded as of yore, that the new collection n all its divisions and sub-divisions is once more in advance of all its predecessors that it has kept pace .with flying time, that Immense Variety, Wide Range, and Absonte Novelty, coupled with rare beauty and high finish, are more than ever the distinguishing characteristics of our Spring Show. We will make good the claim. Immense Variety and Wide Range are certainly embodied in our collection. New washing materials, new stuff materials, new millinery, new ribbons and laces, new straw hats, new everything.—Johh Bulleid and Co.' Universal Providers. Spring Furnishings.—We have opeedn ex Duke of Devonshire, Gothic and Elingamite, a fine supply of House Furnishings, Sheetings, Door Mats, Counterpanes, Toilet Covers, Towels, Cretonnes, Table Covers

Sateen Cretonnes, Lancaster Blindings, Cor tains, etc., etc. See our Millinery. See oar Dresa Materials. S e oar Hosiery and

Gloves. See onr Men's Mercery.—Clatton Gabdhteb, and Co., Standard House.— Advt.