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Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1784, 9 April 1874, Page 3

- We are informed that the agent of acompany of Canterbury gentlemen has lately purchased 200,000 acres in the Ohinemuri district. The land is chiefly flat, in the valley, It is said that. a special authorisation of this purchase has been given by the Government, We are glad to see Southern gentlemen purchasing land in this district, and hope that they will be of assistance in getting the upper country thrown open. But we do not understand the system o£ dealing adopted by the Government. People here could not get leave to buy land, and we have no doubt that some of them will be wanting to kuow.why Southern men are allowed to do on a large'scale what Northern men are prohibited from doing. That is, if the Government have really given consent that the purchase should be made as to which we have our doubts.

"Run Boy " sends the following sketch of "The First Mess-."—Yesterday, for the first 'time in public, the first Thames Borough Council met. No, the gentlemen who were elected to form the Council, they met, "'twas in a fog." They lost themselves, and found they were completely in the dark as to their whereabouts. The " misguide l youths," trusting to their trusty knight, Sir Francis Clarence Dean, got be-nighted at ten o'clock in the. morning looking for the Thames Borough Council, which does not at present exist, The last sheep rounded up and bleated out their lamentations for being called upon to meet a ■week before the proper time by tbeir clerk and shepherd. That trusty knight pleaded he had been led astray by the "midwife." King Tyler had told him the Council could not legally meet for another week; bat as his advice was gratis he paid no attention to it, If they looked at the Act themselves perhaps they would be able to get out of the fog. The Doctor explained in plaintive tones that the. Act would read two ways, and by a little punctuation it would read any way they liked; others could see no two ways about it, A resolution was carried to despatch the clerk (in futuroj and a cab for the "opinion" of the of the leading . barrister, then in Shortland's Police Court. They were despatched accordingly, (Happy thought by Councillor Butt! How handy it would be to have the Town Hall opposite the Shortlaud Hotel.) Captain Butt proposed -to'send for the-Attorney-General's opinion, and sit there till they got an answer. Thi3 was negatived on the voices. The gentlemen then formed themselves into a punctuation committee (Doctor chairman), to full stop the Act, semi-co/ofl-ise it, and put in a state of coma, for the benefit of future Corporations, In about 1 two hours' time the Cab and Dean returned with the opinion. It is said there is no Council till the third Wednesdiy. The Councillors then v ent home like 80-peep sheep, with all their tales behind them, The Councillors present were all got up for the occasion, regardless of expense. The Doctor's trousers, in starch alone, must have cost at least two.pence. Councillor Keuhan was conspicuous by his absence. As the meeting was premature, he did not consider it worth while to make his appearance on this occasion."

The Oxford Combination Troupe gave a very agreeable performance at the Academy of Music last evening. There were some new features introduced which were remarkably successful, and were highly appreciated by the audience. Australian George, a lad whose balancing powers are, to say the least remarkable, walked from the stage to the gallery on a telegraph wire, and then performed the feat backwardsin returning: to the stage. He was loudly applauded when he concluded his perilous feat. A laughable and amusing sketch, originally written, for Charles Matthews, entitled "Professor And-his-son," was performed by Messrs Fox and Yerten, and excited the risibilities of the audience immensely, Mr Beid sang the "Holy Friar," "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," and other bass songs, and was in splendid voice. Mr Pox danced the golden shoe dance, and performed a song and dance in negro character. The whole entertainment was a remarkably pleasing one. There" will, we notice, be a change of programme tonight, when Mis 3 Blanche Pane will appear in her grand Japanese impsrsonation, in which she will perform the curious feats of the people whom she personates. The sketch "Professor And-his-son" will be repeated.

The Moanataiari Union Gold Mining Company's lease of six men's ground, with office, blacksmith's , shop, tools, &c,, were sold by auction iu Aucklaud by Mr Arthur last week for £22105. ;

The piece of a small vessel's hatch has been picked up at Cox's Creek by a lad named Weston, residing in" the neighbourhood. On the hatch is pencilled the following words: — "No hope for poor Ben. Ben Punt.'' The piece has been handed over to the water.police by the lad. ■. Whether the hatch with the few words in pencil on it has any connection with the skeleton of a young man which was found a few days ago at Kauri Point, it is hard to conjecture.—Herald.

Captain Williams, late of the barque' East Lothian,' has been appointed to the barque • Aiiazi.*

An interesting ceremony took-place on Tuesday morning at half-past eight at Bishop Cowie's'Chapel, Parnell. This was the marriage by his Lordship of Miss Kitty, a Maori protege of Lady Martin's, to a Maori named Nicoslemus Pototar®, chief of the Ngatimaru tribe, of Hauraki. .The- wedding wgs a very gay.affdr, and was numerously, attended. The service included the singing of several Maori hymas, After the;.ceremony a breakfast was given by Bishop . Cowie, and the bells were set ringing merrily. The happy pair went off in the p.s. ' Golden Crown 1 at eleven o'clock to the Thames. Lady Martin, who has always evinced great interest, in Miss Kitty, accompanied the bridal party to the boat, and bade them an affectionate farewell. The bride is the daughter of a native clergyman named Piriroona, who was drowned some years ago in the Kaipara,—Auckland 'Star.

: At the Auckland, Police Court, on Tuesday, Johttiorenton, a miner of the Thames, was charged with using abusive language towards Mary Ann Paul; on the 4th instant, and with threatening to cut her throat and those of her four children. Prisoner pleaded guilty to being angry and swearing just a little, but he did not intend to commit murder. Mary Ann Paul, a delicate-looking young person, deposed that she'- : had formerly lived with prisoner at the Thames, and bore him four children, which •were still.living. She left him, and came to Aucklaud some five months ago, where she met Thomas Paul, who made her an oifer .of marrage, which prisoner had never done, atfl the next day they married at the Registry Office. When prisoner learned that she had a husband he came and frightened Thoirias away, and threatened to smash him up. Thomas bolted, and she had not set eyes on him since. Prisoner was continually coming to her place and saying, "Polly, 1 atill loves ye|i, I \does Polly!" and then he Hies into a rage, and talks like a pork butcher about, cutting throats. Prisoner was ordered to find two sureties of £25 oach, and himself in £50.—Margaret Carroll was charged with having no visible lawful means of support, and of being a'person of had character. Prisoner began sobbing, and Raid the statement was untrue. She had been in a situation in the Waikato, and was about going into another place at the Thames. She Tvould 'go this morning by .the steamer..■ His Worship hoped her statement was true. He would give her a chance, and discharge her; bi)t if her story was not true she would be sent to prison.