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Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 269, 19 August 1872, Page 2

An emergency meeting of the Sir Walter Scott Lodge of Freemasons will be held at the Lodge-room, on Tuesday next, at fire o’clock in the afternoon. The regular monthly meeting will follow at half-past six o’clock. A petition to the Goveruor, praying his Excellency to remit the remaiuing portion of the sentence passed upon Mr Inais, late Deputy-Assistaut Commissary-Geueral, is now iu course of signature at the Thames. A special meeting of the Grahamstown Fire Brigade will be held this evening, at the Engiue-housc, at 7 o’clock, to make an alteration in the rules. Members arc requested to attend punctually, with badge, belt, and key. Yesterday the Rev. Father Norris preached to crowded congregations at the Catholic Church, Shortland. The text in the morning was taken from the Gospel of the day, Luke xvii, c. 11 v. 19, the parable of the Good Samaritan ; and in the evening from the words, in the psalm, ‘’The Lord hath Sanctified His Temple." The discoures on each occasion were eloquent and impressive, and were listened to throughout with markc attention. The contractor for the formation of the footpath in Pollen-street, from Albert-street to Cochrane-street, near St. George’s Hall, is progressing rapidly with the work, and at the same time making a good job of it. The work will be completed, should no unforeseen accident occur, iu time for the opening of the Exhibition in connection with the Mechanics’ Institu.e, to be held in St. George’s Hall on Wednesday next.

Mr Buchanan, of Pollen-street, is novr making a very handsome tombstone for Kiti, the well-known Coromandel chief who died about a year ago, and. was buried in that district. One of the leading characteristics of the Maoris is the respect which they pay to the dead, And it is evident in many cases that they now following to a great extent the example of the pakehasin placing headstones on the graves of the departed, with the name of the deceased, his age, &c., in accordance with the European custom. What might have been a serious accident happened on the Moanataiari Tram on Thnrsday. A truck, loaded with slabs, was being brought down the line by* one of the employs*, whjtn the break broke’ suddenly, the truck was opposite to the Caledonian Machine house. The brace tfiilin on the Caledonian shaft saw the whole affair and shouted out to some men, who with their horses were on the line, just at the top of the steep incline going down to the flat. They barely managed to jump oii ond side .When the truck rushed past, slabs flying in all directions. The truck was considerably damaged and its contents pretty well scattered about. At the Police Court, on Saturday, one case of obstructing the footpath in Pollen-street, and a charge against a Maori of smashing a door at Butt's Hotel, comprised the business before the Court. In the former case a fine of Is and costs were imposed. Iu the latter a fine of 40s in addition to the amount of damage (20$) arid costs £3 8s 6d, in all £6 18s 6d, was imposed, and in default of payment 7 days’ imprisonment. The money was paid. . , ■ 1 :

We ( Cross ) understand that Mr H. H. Lusk, Provincial Secretary, will leave town to-day for Gisborne, Poverty Bay, to attend to the sale of town and rural lands there on the. 22nd instant. Those lands have been advertised for some time past, and those desirous of securing allotments should make preparations in time to proceed there, or give the necessary instructions to those who are going to look after their interests. We ( Herald) must say that we think the meanest people in the world are to be found in Parnell. Sooner thau berated a sixteenth of a penny the ratepayers have determined to do without gas-lamps. They prefer the alternative of stumbling and tumbling along their dirty roads when business or pleasure calls them from their homes at night to paying an annual rate of three or four shillings. Everyone knows how much two or three lamps are required along the steep ascent from the railway bridge, but Parnell will continue to grope and bark its shins and keep its annhal half-crown in its pocket. The following letter appears in Saturday’s Herald :— •* Sir,—The Bulwark has made a long perilous passage ; but may she not still be safe ? I was once in a frigate-built ship, and by no means a dullard, 50 days on the passage from Table Bay to Hobart Town. We went as far South as 47J, and we encountered nothing beyond the usual stress of weather in these high latitudes. Would you refer to the Noe Zealander, and I think you will find in the shipping reports that the Norman Morrison, in 1854, was something * like 246 days on her passage from London to this port ; and the Gwalior, some time before, about 205 days.—Yours, &c., —D. B. Devonport, August 14, 1872.” The international boat-race has subjected the Euglish and American styles of rowing to a very fair test, and has triumphantly

vindicated the former. The Atalanta crew has, after all, only come over here to get an unequivocal beating. A light crew, averaging only 10st 71b a man, they worked with great mechanical regularity, but with no kick off the stretcher, and power applied through the back. The Londoners were the fastest four 6een for many a day on the Thames, weighed nearly 12st a man. and rjere quite ns an fait at steering without coxswains as their adversaries. At the start on Monday afternoon they leapt off with the lead, and in 20 strokes had taken the Americans’ water. The latter fell hopelessly astern, and when toiling on over the last mile of the course fouled a wherry, which put them 'wo or three seconds to the bad, and causing them to finish three-quarters of a minute behind the leaders.— Cross. The Provincial Government Gazette published on Friday c ntains :—Schedule of certain lands at Coromandel exempted from occupation for miring, machine sites, business or residence. Notice of re-entry by the Government on the ground leased to the Bass Rock, Golden Diadem, City ef Adelaide, and Bona Venture Goldmining Companies, as well as 32 men’s ground near the Wniotahi Creek, adjoining the El Dorado ; notice of the extension of parts 2, 3. 4,5, 6, and 7 of the Highway Boards Empowering Act, 1871, to the districts of Mauku, Pukekohe East, and Tararu; notice of the abolition of the districts of Maurice Town, and town of Opitiki ; am< nded boundaries of Opotiki Highway District, several Highway Board notice.

Military glory is of brief dural ion. The men who risk their lives in our defence, who carry us safely per acuta belli arc forgotten in a few short months after their services have been dispensed with. Our contemporary, this morning, informs us that a petition was presented to the House last night from “one McDonnell,” claiming consideration for services as a military settler, “ One McDonnell !” Can this be the man upon whose accouut Mr Fox violently denounced Mr Stafford in 1869, the man whom Mr Fox exalted as the saviour of the country, and whom he hoped “yet to see carrying his sword at the head of the colonial forces 7”— Pott. The following letter appears in Saturday’s Crots. It shows that one party, at least, are at work preparing for the forthcoming meeting of the Nonpareil:—“ To the Editor.—Sir, —Permit me, through the Crott, to call Retention to the importance of number and value being present either in person or by proxy at the forthcoming meeting of the above-named company, to be held at Grahamstown on the 4th September next. As so many shares arc placed here, I think it advisable someone should attend themeering armed with the proxies of the Auckland shareholders, who can be depended upon to do their best to bring about the long-desired reform in the direction of that mine, and thus prevent a re etition of such sccma as lately took place, when the books were carried off in the middle of the meeting, and thirty shareholders left in the room. Every proxy (even for one share) is of importance ; and as I hear Mr Stovin, of 37, Insurance Buildings, is collecting them for the purpose of attending. I would recommend that no time "be lost in sending them in either to him or to Mr Fenton, or Mr Warmoll, of Grahamßtown. —I am, tec., An Auckland Shareholder.” Among the petitions presented to the House was one which was unique. A photographer of the name of Mundy, it appears, has been spending several months, combining business with pleasure, and travelling in the mo6t interesting nnd beautiful parts of the island. He ha* visited Sir George Grey at Kawau, paid pleasant visils to settlers and tribes, travelled where he liked aud w hen he fancied, has had special facilities put in hi* way by Government for the prosecution of his business, has had A .C.’s at his service, and has generally been a particularly fortunate photographer. He has amused himself by taking a few views of different places, which he retails at a high price, and, if report speaks correctly, he hns profited largely by his trip. Under these circumstances, ordinary people might find a difficulty in understanding wlmt possible claim Mr Mundy can hare upon the Government, the colony, or the public purse. And yet be asks the House to grant him compensation for having of hi 9 own free will spent several months in a manner devoutly desired by less fortunate individuals, and for having been still more fortunate in making a profit out of his pleasure trip. On beha’f of the taxpayers of the colony we object to any 6uch misapplication of the public funds, and we are very much mistaken if the House will not give a practical illustration of the fact, that “ cheek ” does not always carry the day. — Post,

The Lodge of Light, Freemasons, will hold an emergency meeting this evening ’at 6 o’clock, that “hour being unavoidably sub* stituted*for the time originally intended, “ Rocambole,” (a play new to the Thames) was produced at the Theatre Royal, on Saturday night; and, although the representation of the different characters in the first act was somewhat flat and spiritless, yet a signal improvement was perceptible in the succeeding acts; and the piece was, taken altogether, moderately well played.

Messrs Jones, Joyce, and Keogh, and Mesdames Jones and Hill sustained the characters that had most to do, and acquitted themselves creditably. We were particularly pleased with Mr Jones’ playing of his part, and considered Mrs Hill admirable, and almosl inimitable in some of the principal scenes of tho play. A correspondent of the Wellingtn Pott writes concerning the New Zealand Moedal: —I observe by the published list of the recipients of the above medal that the name

of our late Superintendent, Dr Featherstoue, is amongst them. As this gentleman never held a commission in any of the local forces, or served therein in either the rank of sergeant or private, I can only consider that his getting it is a violation of the conditions under which the Horae Government granted t to the colonists, and a gross act of flunkey - sm on the part of those necessitous “ Dugald Dal/ettys,” Haultain and Edwards, who recommend it. Dr Featherstoue accompanied General Chute on his bush march from Kctcmarai to the rear of Mount HJgmont, and was, as a private individual, “ under fire ” several times ; but if he gets the medal, why should not our respected fellow-townsman, James

Alexander, have it. He was. at the time, a militiaman and present at theaffairof “Nukumaru,” where I saw him standing, as jolly as a sandboy, not ten yards from General Cameron, who was pallidas ivae with disgust and defeat, a certain corps, nick-named the Safe Robbers, having just at that time bolted, led by a gallant officer to the rear. There are, I observe, 70 men of the Wairoa Militia, or Volunteers, Napier, who were never within twenty miles of the sound of musketry throughout the war. to whom the medal has been given. These men belong to the same Province as the War Minister, and probably will give political support to that illustrious individual for this piece of silver. It is stated, I believe, as a reason why the Wairoa men got the medal, that although they were not under fire they volunteered to go and catch Te Kooti; and so they did try three days after the affair was over. I hope some member will call for a return of the men, | etc., receiving the medal who were actually , “ under fire,” or otherwise specially distinguished themselves. If these Wairoa men come under the last denomination, New Zealand, and the Province of Napier especially, to whom the Colony is indebted for a Wo reran and a Whitmore, ought to be proud of having seventy decorated citizens of such very distinguished mark” to have gained a war medal without sighting the foe. It is all political rot and abuse, in my opinion, and worthy of this Small-pox Ministry ; such, I believe, is their soubriquet.