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Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 248, 25 July 1872, Page 2

The Golden Crown will start for Auckland at 12 o’clock noon to-day, so that there will be no boat from town until early to-morrow morning, the Duke being advertised to leave Auckland at 6 p.m. this evening. A meeting of the members of No. 2 H.R.V. will be held this evening, at the Provincial Hotel, at half-past seven o’clock, for the election of a captain, and the transaction of other business of importance. A meeting of residents of the Kauacranga District, for the purpose of forming a Volunteer Fire Brigade will be held in the Volunteer Hall, Shortlaud, this evening at six o’clock. The long pending arbitration case—To Moauauui v. Lundon —still drags its slow length along before the arbitrator, Mr Sami. Jackson solicitor. A large amount of evidence has been already taken, aud there is more to follow. >

The inquest on the victims of the late fatal accident at Tararu, which was to have been held yesterday afternoon, was unavoidably postponed, and will take place this morning at 11 o’clock, at the Imperial Crown Hotel.

At the Warden’s Court yesterday the cases of Hicks v. Minnie aud Dcy were further adjourned with a view to settlement being come to between the parties concerned. A meeting of the Waiotahi Highway Board was held yesterday afternoon, at which all the members were present. The business done was not of any great public moment. It was resolved to rc-orgauise the Fire Brigade, aud also to take steps to form a Volunteer Brigade, who should be allowed the use ot the Brigade tools, etc., aud act in conjunction with them in case of fire. A discovery of copper ore near Waikouaiti, Otago, was recently reported. The lode on the surface of the ground is from ISftto 40ft in width, aud consists of what is known as “ gossan,” intermixed with oxide of copper, and yellow, grey, aud green copper ore. It gives what ia considered by the party to be every appearance of payable ore below. They also think it not improbable that they may come upon tiu or le. d. At the Police Court, yesterday, four cases of assamt, one of obiaiuiug money on false preteneos, an application for music aud dancing at the Moauataiari Hotel, aud an application fur a summons against Mr tjeott, of the Kauacranga Highway Board, calling upon him to show cause why he should not be ousted from office, comprised the business before the Court. A report will be found in another place. The hearing of the Kauaelangu Board election case above referred to is set down for this day week, and will probably be n lengthy affair. The Wanganui C/ironicle says : —Two smart shocks ut earthquake took place at 12.15 aud 4ii.ni on Tuesday, the 2nd instant. The first shock, accompanied by a rumbling noise, seemed more like a violent coucussiou of the eurili’s surface, than the uudulatory kind of shakes usually felt m this town. The second shake was not so strong as the first, and partook more of the latter nature. \Ve cannot pretend to say in what direction the shakes followed in, but have been informed by several persons that they travelled from N.L. to S.W.

Our C Cross) Taurauga correspondent writes:—“The other clay two native messengers from Kaimai came over expressly with intelligence to Mr Clarke that they had turned back a party *of two prospecting pakehas from making explorations on thenground, aud they had likewise taken thenprovisions away from them, as a material guarantee against further offending. They likewise stated that they would permit no party to go out until a definite arrangement as to terms bad been made. It.then transpired that the two individuals referred to were Messrs Anderson and Moon, who had set out -ndcpendently of the Prospecting Association, by whom negotiations with the natives were in progress.” We (Crons) have received a letter from “ Scrutator,” Thames, complaining that a “ telegram from Auckland appears in many of the evening papers published in the Colony, stating that, in the recent match fired between the Auckland team aud Thames team, the number of men on each side was ten, bvit, what is worse, stating that the match was won by the Auckland men. Had this been done purposely by the telegraphist of Grcvillo aud Co.? I really cauuot see that such could be the case, aud it requires immediate explanation aud apology. lam certain that the Aucklaud men do not wish to obtain a false fame in such a way.”

The Lyttelton Times says : —There seems to be an encouraging prospect that by the time the construction of the Overland Telegiaph is completed it will have to be done over again. A dauger which has before been casually alluded to has, upon further experience, grown to appear much more serious than was at first thought. The dauger is from the voracity of white ants. These pests of all tropical climates seem to exist iu great force iu North Australia. A writer to the Sooth A ustralian, Register describes their ravages in a very graphic manner. It appears that they devour the growiug trees, and sometimes cat off the living boughs. The rapidity with which they consume eveu well-dried timber is astonishing. It is put into a roof to-day, aud before a week fine powdery dust is observed falling from it as the minute agents of destruction are at work. Wooden buildiugs must be renewed .every three or four years at the furthest. But this interesting insect appears to have au especial down on the telegraph poles. Many of liem are scooped out aud tiuueycuniUed, aud now stand meie shells, waiting lot- tlie first strong wind to blow them over. The msulatiou pius are coated wall a uo.i-couductiug varnish, out it makes no difference, they ate riddled and eaten up bodily by tUe ants. They have not yei tas.ea to eat luo wire, but it seems likely that very boon there will be uo'hing left but the wire. It/ appears ilia, before long it will be found neoiiiul 10 re-construct the line with iron posts througu the territory thus infested.

A good many inquiries having been made as to the progress of the Thames Gas Company’s works, and the time that the plant is expected to be shipped, we are glad to be able to state that letters have been received from Messrs Owen and Graham, the company’s agents in Londou, dated 30th Mnv. to the effect that the company’s plant would be complete and ready for shipment in about three weeks from the date of their letter, and thnt they were chartering a vessel to proceed to the Clyde for the shipment of the same. There is therefore every reason to believe that the plant is now on its way out to New Zealand. We may mention that the plant is being manufactured by Messrs liaidlaw and iSons, of Glasgow.— Herald.