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Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1812, 23 October 1874, Page 2

• We have received a New Zealand G-nzetfeo No. '54, published on the 15th day of October current.

Mb. P. A. Phillips, J.P.,; ex Mayor of Auckland and now Town Clerk) has resigned hi? appointment as a Resident Magistrate.

Thb meeting of persons interested in the establishment of a High School at the Thames takes place this evening, in the Mechanics' Institute Hall, at seven o'clock.

Yestbedat Mr. James Mackay received a telegram from an official source stating that Sir Donald. McLean, Native and Defence Minister, may be expected to visit this district next month.

Thb new building for the Union Bank, to replace that burnt down come months ago, is shortly to be commenced. Tenders for the work are inTited to be sent in to Mr. J. D. G-rant not later than Boon of to-morrow — plans and other particulars to be seen at the office. •

A New Yobk man, who believes in advertising, paid a fcill of 78,000dol». the other day for a year's work, but it was well spent, for the earnings resulting from that advertisemsn t, which were dividod among four persons, footed up 650,000d015.

The Power subscription fund committee met at the Pacific Hotel last evening, Eev. Father Lonnergan in the chair; Several subscription lists were handed in, and the hon. treasurer, Mr, Renshaw, stated that he had £138. There are £20 besides this collected, but rot yet given in, and 40 lists are in the hands of those to whom they were entrusted.

With reference to the telegram published in Tuesday's issue from our Tauranga correspondent, to the effeofc that Mr. James Mackay, junior, distributed amongst the natives at Ohinemutu a largo quantity of grog on the day the man Quigley died from the effects of severe scalding, Mr. Mackay informs us that he was not at Ohinemutu on the day in question, but in the Waikato.

By private letter from Dunedia wo learn that measles are very prevalent, whole families being afflicted in some cases with this distressing epidemic. Two or three children down in ono family is not uncommon, and m one case particularly mentioned there were •ix children all bad at one time. Parents will be inclined to bless the immigrant ships which iatroducod measles —so will the doctors.

The general balance sheet and summary of transactions of the public account of New Zenland for the quarter ended 26th September, 1874, ia published in the New Zealand Gazette; also, a statement showing in detail the revenue of the colony under its several headings, and provinces in which collected, during the quarter ended 26th September, 1874; and statement of account; with Provinces under the Payment to Provinces Act, 1874, &c.

The fame of Mr. Manton, Hape Creek, t.a a producer of fine rose is widespread on the Thames. For years past, in season and out of season, tbe Hape Creek garden has been famous for its roses. rJhis year the show promises to be quite equal to anything seen before. We were favored with a bouquet this morning containing about twenty varieties, to describe which would be extremely difficult aad require a page from " Lalla Rookh." There »re two new ones which Mra. Manton has named respect'vely "Captain Lipaoy's HV 1 Koyals," and "Tom, the handsome Naval"—out of compliment to the Volunteers.

Wb clip the following from the European Mail. It may be interesting to old colonists to know that Mr. Johnny Hall is, as in days of old, benevolently inclined :—" A party of American baseball players hare been teaching the English how to play their own old fashioned game of rounders, and eince the departure of the professional players an • Australian actor, Mr. John L. Hall, ha» exhibited his powers in the same direction, and by co doing scored a largo sum of money to the credit ©f a charitable institution in Liverpool."

FbomUio Registrar- General's report on tha vital statistics of the Boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika during the month of September we find that the proportion of deaths to the jkhoueand of population in the Thames Borough is exceedingly low, namely 0-62. The next lowesi fes Auckland, 1*33; and the highest Wellington, 331. This epeaks well for. the healthfulnees of the Thames,''especially when it is considered that ihe deaths (if any) occurring in Hospital aro put down to the Borough, although they might properly be excluded from the Borough return. '

Wb have received from Mr. Burra, Btationer, Brown-street, a pamphlet entitled "Tho Coming Crisis : a sketch of tho financial and political condition of Now Zealand, with tli3 causeß and probable results of that; condition; by W. L. Uses, of the Supreme Courts of Victoria and New Zealand, Barrister at Law." We shall notice tho pamphlet in a future i»sue.

The newly-ereoted fire-bell at Shortland will be rung ogam this evening to ascertain if the alterations to the roof of tho tower have effected any improvement in the conveyance of sound. The roof has been coiled, and it is thought that this will have the effect; of distributing the sound bo that the boll can; bo heard at a greater distance than on the former occasion.

Thb Tribune (Wellington) learns by private advices from Sydney that a thorough understanding waa come to between Mr. Vogel, tho New- South Wales Government, and tho representatives of the Government of Queensland, oj the question of cables. The two Governments will appoiut representatives to act with Mr. Vogel in England on tho question. We also learn that Mr. Russell is progressing favourably with the mail arrangements, but was likely to be detained some days after the departuro of the steamer for this colony. Mr. Vogel was to loave Sydney for Melbourne on the sth instant.

There is a good deal said in censure of the cuatom of jumping off and on the cars when in motion. It in righteous condemnation, but it is not consistent when corning from railroad companies. If they truly desire & reform they must begin at home, for as long as employes will jump on a train when in motion, and persist in doing it as gracefully as they do, an imitative public will be the sufferers. People don't jump en a train before it stops because they are in a hurry, but because they have seen a brbaksman or conductor do it, and hare a terrible dread of being surpassed. Now, at the station the other day, Conductor Phillips, of the eastern train, after giving the word to start, waited until the last car reached him, and then raising one Land to the rail and one feet gently from the earth, ho swung majestically around, and was at once firmly on the car. Mr 1 Phillips weighs 2001b., but there was such grace and poetry in his motion that ho seemed to blond with the. car. First there was yellow paint, and then gold leaf, and maroon, and Phillips. There was an elderly person who saw Phillips do this, and his eyes glistened with anticipatioQ. He was going on the western train, and when ifc camo along he waited till a fine ra'e oi speed was gained, and then raising hie hand and leg, just as he had seen Phillips do, and looking carelessly away, just as Phillips did, ho reached out for the rail, and the next inßtant w»i trying to push hii he*d through the platform plaDk and fighting the air with his heels, and madly pawing around with his hands, and swearing and praying at an awful rate. They stood him on his feet, and rubbed his head with some snow, but it was a long while before they could convince him that the locomotive had not exploded.

Tn our telegraphic columns on Wednesday was armour.ced the death of the Duke of Leinittr. In 1813 his Grace, Augustus Fred. Fitisgerald, Duke of Leinater, was elected Most Worshipful 'Grand Master of Ireland, whan he appointed the Hon. A. H. Hutchinsoa D.G.M., and from that time until the date of his death he was at the head of the Freemasons under the Irish Constitution. On the 11th of January, 1874, the dedication of the Freemasons' Hall, Dame-street, Dublin, was made on which occasion his Grace, tho late Duke, presented to it a magnificent organ, built expressly by Brother i Telford. On the 2nd of November, 1848, on address, accompanied by: a handsome silver vase was presented in the Grand Lodge from the brethren by his Grace to Brother Thomas J. Quinton, in testimony of his zeal in the cause of Freemasonry, and his services as Grand Treasurer. Oa the 17th of the Bame month Lord Otho Fitzgerald, third son of the Duke, was initiated in the Meridian Lodge XII., Dublin. The celebration of the centsnary of the Grand Masters' Lod^e was held on the 9th of ■: January, 1849, at which his Grace presided, attended, by the grand officers and representatives of the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland, and the Grand Steward? Lodge of England, &c, with a numerous assemblage of tho brethren. Commemorative medals were struck for the occasion, and worn by the members of the Lodge, and were also presented to tha Various Grand Lodges through their representatives. In Augustj 1849, her Majesty Queen Victoria visited Ireland, and on the 9th of that month a loyal and congratulatory address for the Grand Lodge of Freemasons,' Iraland, was voted to her Majesty, and was presented by the late Duke, aocompanied by the W.G.M. and G.W. The only other Masonic ceremony in which tfce late Grand Master was engaged ia was the installation of John Fitzhenry Townsend, Esq.,LL.D., as Deputy Grand Master, ia June, 1855. The above items, of Maaonic intelligence have been gathered from " The Constitutions of Freemasonry," published by the Grand Lodge of Ireland.