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Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 218, 20 June 1872, Page 2

Up to the hour of going to press there were no signs of the Mail Steamer Nevada. The case of Balmcr v. Bright Smile in l et down for nearing at the Warden’s Court to-day. The ship Bulwark is now out 113 days from London, and is expected to arrive in Auckland any hour. A very inteiesting lecture was delivered on Wednesday eveirng at the Baptist School, Auckland, by Mr Battlcy, oil “ Dr Livingstone.”

The Hon. Donald McLean, Defence Minister, returned to Auckland from the Waikato on Wednesday. The p,s. Duke of Edi-.burgh will not mako her usual trip to the Thames on Saturday night. The only business at the Police Court yesterday was the imposition of the customary penalties on two persons charged with being drunk. Messrs Skene and Chapman will sell to day at 12 o’clock, by order of the directors of the Nonpareil JGoMmimng Company, about ouc hundred anil fifty tons of tailings at the Mauukau Battery. A Inge and influential meeting was held last night at the Governor Bowen Hotel, to appoint a committee to watch the case of Lethbridge v. Dewar. A sub-committee meeting will be held this morning at eleven o’clock. It is understood that iu all probability the case will be amicably settled. A meeting of gentlemen who some time ago interested themselves in the formation of St. Clare Lodge (Masonic) will be held this day, at the Governor Bowen Hotel, at two o’clock. The Auckland Harbour Board have given instructions to the barbour-mastcr to have the hulk removed from the T used by the lhames steamers ; aud in future this T will be kept for the exclusive use of vesssets in the Thames trade. This evening the complimentary concert to Bandmaster Morris is to come off at the Theatre Royal. A first-rate programme is advertised. Frank Weston, “ the Wizard Oil Prince,” will appear on the occasion, and several of our local lady and gentlemen amateurs will assist iu the performance. Tho Naval Band have given their services, and an excellent evening’s entertainment may bo expected,

Mr Daniel Tookey has presented to the Parawai District a veiy useful gift—a solid watering trough, manufactured from stone from the Hape Creek. It has been erected on the main road, near the native church, and will prove ft great convenience to drivers in the locality, especially in dry weather. There was a meeting of the Waiotahi Board yesterday afternoon, at which a considerable amount of business was d#ne. A report will be found in another column, by which it will be seen that the old complaint of want of funds and the impassable state of the streets and thoroughfares is still rife. Another application to the Superintendent was ordered to be made for an advance. The proprietors of the Hatches' Bay Herald have tendered an apology to Mr r. Russell for the article that appeared in their paper on the 18th May, headed “Native Lands Fraud Prevention,’’ which reflected upon the character of the above gentleman and Mr J, N. Wilson of Napier. The apology has been accepted, and the pending action withdrawn.

The Coromandel Mail says, “ Our attention has been called to the fact that the money raised by public subscription as a relief fund for the sufferers by the destructive fires on the Tokatea range some months since has never been distributed. We are, of course, chary of attributing blame without hearing all parties concerned ; bat, so far ns our present information goes, there appears to be some unaccountable negligence in this case, from the blame of which we trust those who have been entrusted with the custody of the funds in question will speedily clear themselves. The Daylesford Mercury says, “Mr Drysdale, printer, of C'astlemaine, has been summoned for a penalty of £2O by a Mr A. H. Walters, treasurer of the late Ministerial Banquet Committee, for issuing a political squib without an imprint. It seems that on the night of the recent meeting in support of the Administration, a handbill to the following effect was circulated ‘ Ministerial Banquet.—Who fed the Ministry, with Froomcs, Murray, and Co., and never got paid for it ? Why, poor Beard. Pay him in’s £O6, for decency’s sake.’ If. as is said, the balance in question is still due the unfortunate caterer, the treasurer would be much better employed in collecting money for the unlucky surveyor than in suing a printer who has been the medium of giving publicity to an unpleasant truth.” The case was heard at the Cnstlemaine Police Court on Tuesday, nnd dismissed.”

We are glad to learn that Mr Edgar, the contractor for the Kaipara Railway, has now almost completed his work. The line is prepared to the upper level from end to end, the wharf at either end of the line, and all the culverts along the line being finished, only one bridge remaining unfinished. Had it not been for some delay in procuring the iron work required, such as rails, rollingstock, tcc., we believe the line would have been in working order in a very short time. It is stated th; t a pattern of rails has at last been decided upon, which the iron manufacturers of Britain will produce, and a supply may be expected here in the course of a few mouths. The sleepers are nearly all prepared, and only await dry weather to get them out of the bush.— D. S, Cross. We are glad to learn that there is every probability of the challenge thrown out some time ago by the Thames Volunteers being taken up by the Volunteers of Auckland. It will be remembered that twenty of the Thames men offered to fire a like number of those in Auckland for £IOO a side. At the time of the challenge a meeting was called in Auckland to consider the propriety of accepting it ; but many of the Volunteers, although anxious to test their merits as marksmen against the Tlinmcs men in a friendly way, were opposed to firing for money. As a disposition has been shown by some of the Thames men to boast of the superiority of their marksmen over those of Auckland, the latter have determined to see if the challenge cannot be taken up. Thirty pounds was subscribed yesterday towards the amount; and, as will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, a meeting of Volunteers is convened to be held this evening to consider the best means of raising the required amount, and to discuss other matters connected with the acceptance of the challenge.—l). S. Cross. On Saturday evening last a man, whose name we have not yet learned, lost his life by drowning. The unfortunate man was one of three who were proceeding in a canoe to Churchill Flax Mill, where they have been at work for some time back, when the accident occurred—how has not yet transpired—which resulted fatally, as above stated. For the satisfaction of those who have friends at Churchill Mill, we may state that the mau was a stranger in the Waikato, and as well as bis companions unaccustomed, it may be presumed, to the use of canoes, they having all come lately from Auckland. Probably in our next number we shall be in a position to place the facts of the melancholy occurrence more fully before our readers. — Waikato Times,