Oamaiiu Hospital. — TIIO monthly meeting of tlio Hospital Cotnmitteo takes plaoe this evening at 8 o'clock, at Mr Church's offloe. CotrttBiNG.~By advertisement in another column gentlemen of experience in oouning matters are invited to communicate with Mr I Brydone, Dunedin, with a view to" arranging for judgei for the Southland and Waihemo Oouwing Olub'i meetings. Bulvou, Line to Waimatk.— We under itand that; the branch railway line to Wai mute will be opened on the Ist of March.' Our Waimate friends aro moving to have the day proclaimed u holiday, and exouniou trains run to both Oamartt and Timaru. MttS Soott Siddons,— Tho public ore re minded that this gifted lady, who as a Shaksperian aotren hai few rival*, appeurs for the first timo in Onmaru, at the Masonic Hall, thii evening. The programme, which inoludei soonos from "Much Ado About Nothing," "King John," and "The Bohool for Scandal," will be found in anothor co lumn. Whaies.— Odpt. Bishop, of tho barque William Ghfford, whith arrived hore from Newcaitli on Saturday lait, reports that between Banks' Peninsuln and Onmaru, as many as between 30 and 40 whalti were counted every day, tome of them going rather too close to the barque. Where is the Fort Oholmors whaling barque Splendid? Here is a grand ohunco for her retrieving her bad luok. , ,' • ■ ■ OVU RIFLB RKPBEBBKTATIVBB.--Tho Cob nial prize firing commenced yoiterduy at Hokitika, and from • a telegram published in another column, it will bo s«on that Borgt. King and Vols Harding have made a good itart. Tn the first matoh the former took fourth prize (L 5), and tho latter seventh prize (L 2) j and in tho second match Kiny made 36, tiding six othors. In shooting o(F he managed to secure the eighth prize (Ll). Thb LldflNSlK& Law. — A lomoWhat' novel point was deoided on the 14th December, by the Leeds stipendiary magistrate. A man mimed Ohurlos Wood, landlord of the Rail way HoUl in that town, was summoned iar permitting drunkenness on his licensed pre mises. It was uriuied on hit* behalf that at the time the offence was cominittod he was a bunkrupt, and that the bailiff* put there by tho registrar were in possoeiion of tho house, and therefore he was not responsible for what took pluce. 