Daily Circulation, 1750. The Oamaru Mail. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1898.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7369, 17 November 1898, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1750. The Oamaru Mail. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1898.

The Wellington Post is in error in stating that the late Mr G. M. Reed founded the Auckland Star in conjunction with Mr Henry Brett, the present proprietor. Mr Reed and MrFerrar (a nephew of the late Mr Ingliß, manager of Matheson's Agency, Christchurch) started the Star, just on 30 >ears ago, and Mr George Jones printed its first numbers. It, however, suffered from that constriction of tha chest which is fatal to baby journals, and in view of more liberal terms the proprietors of the tender bantling took it to the Southern Cross office, then being run by Sir Juliu3 Vogel. Its prospects, however, did not improve, and eventually the late Mr Wilson (of the Auckland Herald) assisted the venture financially, Mr Brett took Mr Ferrar's place as partner with Mr Reed, and the Star found comfortable lodgings in the office of the Thunderer of Wyndham street. This effected a turn in the tide of its affairs, and shortly afcer wards, the I' vening tiews against which the Star had been fighting, and which was edited and owned by Mr James Allen, who hailed from Tasmania, died and Messrs Reed and Brett purchased the plant for a little more than L3OO and started entirely on their own account. It was then that the Star forged ahead, propelled by Mr Heed's courageous and clever comments on public wrong.i.

The Post is also in error in alleging that Mr Reed was chiefly instrumental in starting the Echo in Auckland. It was Mr George Jones who started the Echo, in opposition to Messrs Reed and Brett's paper, and Mr Reed did hi 3 utmost, in conjunction with his partner, to rid himself of so inconvenient an opponent, which eventual y succumbed to circumstances over which it had no control.

The New Zealand Shipping Co. advise that the s.s. Tekoa will load at Oamaru next month, and will be despatched to report in London in time for the March (1899) wool sales.

In order to make provision for our report ot the show to-day, a re-arrangement of the paper is necessary, and advertisements that usually appear on the second page appear on the fourth.

The Shaw-Savill and Albion Company announce that the s.s. Matatua will visit Oatnaru about the 30th of next month to load wool intended for the March sales in London. This steamer will afford the latest opportunity of getting wool away direct from this port for those sales, and the National Mortgage and Agency Company request shippers to apply early for what space they may require. Wool wiil be received by Messrs John Mill and Co. as usual.

The Canadian newspapers speak highly of the newly-appointed Dairy Commissioner, Mr J. £. Ruddiek, who arrived by the Warrimoo on Monday. One journal, while regretting thathis superior abilities should be transferred to another country, says:— " Professor Robertson, our own Dairy Commissioner, has always expressed a high appreciation of Mr Roddick's work and ability, and only recently said at a dairy convention that no man understood the many ideas underlying good dairy practice better than he, and that his conclusions and judgments were always right. Mr Ruddick now carries the skill and knowledge he has acquired in Canada to another country. As Canadians we are proud of him—proud that Canada hag added another to the list of successful dairymen that have gone forth from her borders to spread the gospel of good butter and cheese." Another journal sums up Mr Ruddiok'a qualities as follows: " Quiet and unassuming, an indefatigable worker, an unceasing student, progressive but sagacious, thoroughly practical, and never carried away by fads ; he has that staying, wearing quality which causes all 113 achieves to perpetuate itself." The war scare apparently failed to disturb the equanimity of the Christ church City Fathers (says the Lyttelton Times). While the whole Empire was arming, the Council metaphorically fiddled. Several weeks ago the Defence Department wrote requesting the Council to acquaint the Defence authorities with the steps it proposed to take in case of the outbreak of war. The letter was referred to the Fire Brigade and By-law Committees to report on separately. On Monday night the discovery was made that both committees had done nothing. Councillor Gray, on behalf of the Fire Brigade Committee, claimed that he bad made a verbal statement to the effect that they considered the Empire safe. The Mayors however, thought it only patriotic to take the matter serioasly, and having duly admonished the defaultingcommittees, intimated that written reports would ba awaited at the next meeting.

The Oamaru Amateur Opera Company reproduced •' La Mascotte " last night at the Theatre Royal, before a small, but exceptionally appreciative audience. Owine to insufficient notice, it was not generally known that the season was to open last night, which accounts for the attendance. To-night no doubt will see a bumper house. The opera was_ fully'descanted upon a few weeks ago on its first production, and it is unnecessary for us to repeat our comments of that date. Suffice.it to say that the singing last night was better than before, and with the exception of one or two trifling lapses due perhaps to the interim between the productions, the opera went as well as ever. 'Jo-night some new items .will be introduced, and .it is not extravagant to confidently anticipate the best performance' of the opera up to date. Oar country friends should certainly not lose the opportunity of witnessing the performance. Mails for the United Kingdom and Europe close at Wellington, per Star of England, on Friday, 18th inst., at 10 a.m.

Mails for Australia, Tasmania, Ceylon, India, China, Japan, and Straits Settlements, also South Africa, Continent of Europe and United Kingdom, per Waihora, close at Wellington, on Friday, November 25th, at 2 p.m.

A nasty accident happened on the Show Ground this afternoon, during the jumping contest for hacks doing the highest jump. After doing several jumps, the N.Z. and A. Land Company's Uarkie struck the hurdle and came down, falling across the left leg of his rider, Mr James Drysdale, a young man of about 23 years of age, a cadet on the Hakataramea station. Dr Garland, who was on the ground, was quickly in attendance on the fallen rider, and found that his leg waß broken below the knee. The injured limb having been temporarily supported, the sufterer was carried into the grain shed, where his injuries were attended to, and he was subsequently sent to Totara.

Mr Edwards, the examiner accredited by the Trinity College of Music, gave an address at Messrs itegg and Co.'s, Duneain. In urging 1 teachers to present themselves at the examinations, he mentioned the fact that four nuns of an Australian convent have entered themselves as candidates ; and yet the convents everywhere—in Kimberley and all parts of South Africa, all over Australia and New Zealand—met with what he described as phenomenal success in their music teaching. He also mentioned the fact, which was received with applause, that a candidate who had received the maximum marks at Oamara had turned out to be a pupil of Mr Barth's ; while the feat was equalled that day by a convent pupil. Mr Edwards related some amusing answers given by candidates, and he assured the audience that the answers sometimes given were extraordinary. For instance, a girl in replying to the question as to the meaning of "f" and "ff," said that "f" meant "forty" (forte) and "ff" "eighty." Another defined the meaning of " con espressione" as quickly, like an express train ; while another explained " tempo di minuetto " as " in time to a minute."

Colonel Hicks, representing Harmston's Mammoth Circus and Zoolagra, has arrived in Oamaru to make arrangements for the appearance here of the organisation on 'I hursday, Friday, and Saturday next week. The circus has just closed a most prosperous season in Christchurch, and will perform at the principal centres down the line before opening in Oamaru. It comprises the usual circus attractions, but the performers are among the best of their profession. The horses attached to the circus are particularly good. Among the best features of the show are the horizontal bar performance, the feats of a troop of splendidly trained dogs, a Japanese balancing act, and some aerial tumblin.g These are only a few amocg many excellent circus feats. The menageri6 attached to the show is above the average. The Wellington Post, in ai appreciative notice of the late Mr G. M. Reed, recalls the fact that he once perpetrated a journalistic hoax which " took in " in a great part of the world. On the eve of All Fools' Day, some fifteen years ago, he published in the column, " Oalamo Currente," which he was conducting in the Saturday issue of the New Zoa'and Herald, three articles of apparent scientific interest. One related the finding of a sandy stretch of country across Central America, now overgrown with forest, and an American scheme which was afoot to cut a canal through it which would diverb the Gulf stream, and to make the British Islands an ice-bound desert, but would have compensating effects to the British Empire in that it would bring the warm waters of the Stream into the Pacific, and give a wonderful fillip to the fertility of Oceania and Australasia. Another gave details ot a scheme mapped by the Dynamiters to blast off gigantic icebergs from the Polar regions and cause them to float around the British Islands, to the detriment of their climate. The third and chief item described the discovery, on the side of Mount Ararat, projecting from a glacier, of a large vessel of gopher wood, the dimensions of which were stated, and corresponded exactly with the account given in Genesis. The article purported to be quoted from the Levant 8 erald, an English paper published at Constantinople. Headers overlooked the fact that the Herald was at the time under suppression by the Turkish Government, and that the date given was such that, had the article appeared in it, the paper could not possibly have reached Auckland as yet. Editors the world wide reprinted the article and commented upon it. Once it got away from the colony the New Zealand Herald ceased to be quoted as its source, and it continued on its journey on the authority of the Levant Herald alone. Religions papers accepted the discovery as an incontrovertible proof of the accuracy of the account of the Flood in Genesis. After Noah's Ark was considered to have travelled far enough, Mr Reed "gave away" its history in another ar icle in hi 3 own column.

Mails for Australian colonies only, via Newcastle, close at Lyttelton, per Hawea, at 5 p.m. on Friday. Mr W. E. Vaux, has written to the Times that the Takahe, or Notornis Mantelli. is by no means so rare as the difficulty of obtaining specimens would lead one to believe. When he lived in New Zealand in 1885, Mr Vaux says, he knew -a man who lived by himself at Dusky Sound for many years, who used to hear the peculiar cry of the Takahe every night. Mr Vaux says that if there are many museums open to pay LI 10 for a dead Tekahe like that at Dresden, he wi;l be pleased, on these termß, to deliver one to every mustum in Europe. He also controverts the widely held belief that the Australian duck-billed platypus is a very rare animal, and states that it is very well known in some parts of the Continent. He winds up by remarking that " people living in outlying districts do not take much notice of animals that have no commercial value, and such animals are often considered rare, or semi-extinct, although they may be fairly numerous."

At- Wednesday's meeting of the ftfcago Land Board, the following business affecting this district transpired :—Timothy Shine asked to be allowed to plough a further portion of section 33, block 43, and also a portion of section 43, block 7, Tokarahi estate, in order to clean it from couch and other weeds. Referred to Ranger Atkinson for report. —'The following application was approved:—To purchase rural land held on perpetual lease : melia Somerville, section 3, block 10, Kurow. At Wednesday's meeting of the Otago Education Board, claims for half cost of improvements in this district were granted : Ountroon, LS 17s 6d ; Hampden, L 7 10a. Mr W. Hughes, Tokarahi, wrote that he was advised in August last that the erection of a school at Tokarahi would be proceeded with, and residents there were anxious to know if the school would be erecfed in time to be opened immediately after the Christmas holidays. A letter was also received from the Island Cliff Committee giving information about certain of the memorialists who had petitioned for the establishment of I the school.— The matter was referred to the ' inspector for a report. In the course of an interview by an Otago Daily Times reporter, Mr Charleß Edwards, examiner for the Trinity College of music London, said, in reply 6o the question " How does music in New Zealand compare with the other colonies V "Most favorably. In fact, the results obtained in New Zealand have been higher than anywhere else. One candidate (Miss Eva Hood) I examined in Oamaru achieved a record. I awarded her maximum marks—--100, —which I have never given in my life before. It is a great distinction for her, and a great distinction for her teacher, who I was pleased to learn when I arrived here was your respected townsman, Mr Barth. She is rather a delicate girl, yet displayed altogether exceptional skill in pianoforte playing." Ageneralconversationthenensued, after which the reporter thanked Mr Edwards and withdrew. Since the interview Mr Edwards examined the convent students, and it is understood that one of the young ladies equalled the feat of the Oamara candidate, and secured 100 marks. Owing to the great rush in our dressmaking Department and the great satisfaction given, * we have decided to continue the same liberal arrangements for One Month Longer, viz , all dresses over 2s per yard will be made up Free of Charge. Fit and style guaranteed.—Penrose's Cash Drapery Establishment, Thames street. "Son will want to know a few things before purchasing your next pair of boots. First, you will go to the shop where you can secure a great variety of styles, and where you can depend upon seing something that will suit your puree as well as your taste. ' Than, naturally, you will desire to buy & neat*'

fitting and comfortable boot and at the same time one that «vill be neither too broad at the .toe nor too narrow at the joints. You may not have made up your mind whether you will wear Tan or Black, or possibly you are Hesitating as to whether you will wear Boots or Shoes. If you are a laboring man you will be on the look-out for something strong but not heavy ; if you are engaged in business or in the office you will want something flexible but not flimsy ; or if you are a lady about to purchase your summer costume you will certainly not pass without examination of the largest, finest, and most select stock of Boots and Shoes in the city. The New Zealand Boot Supply Company's Warehouse, opposite the Po3t Office, is the shop where you can secure a grea'j variety of styles to suit your taste aud your purse, where the toes are not too hroad 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 fastidious 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 SiffV weight, Manager. I Thmpus 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. Tumfus Fugit, and again Time proves the result of a year's conscientious labor ! Again it iB our privilege to bring our announcement o a vast selection of novelties before you. Tempos 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 aad sub-divisions is once more in advance of all its predecessors that it has kept pace with flying time, that Immense Variety, Wide Bange, and Absoute 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, rew straw hats, new everything.—John Bulleid and Co." Universal Providers.

Spring Furnishings.—We have opeedn

ex Duke of Devonshire, Gothic and Klingamite, a fine supply of Houas Furnishings, Sheetings, Door Mats, Counterpanes, Toilet Covers, Towels, Cretonnes, Table Covers

Sateen Cretonnes, Lancaster Blindiogs, Cur tains, etc., etc. See our Millinery. See our Dress Materials. S e our Hosiery and Gloves. See our Men's Mercery.—Clayton Gardiner, and Co., Standard House.— Advt,