The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1900, 4 February 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1875.

Alii 'sorts 'of rumours and conflicting ■•atements are heard about Ohinemuri. Latent wealth of a new kind is now reported, to hare been discovered. As the6e accounts one and all emanate from the moat "authentic sources," it is unnecessary to cay th^t thi* mutt be recVoned as authentic as any: It i« Vated that brilliant pronpeots of filter quartz hare been,found. A piece of ' itone is »aid to: be found, which is thickly laden with the white mineral, and a very email proportion of gold.' These accounts must neces«arily. be.received with caution, tut at the same time there is nothing to warrant their rejection in toto umtil their falsity it proved. As the opening'of Ohiriemuri will probably \ ltad tothe' rfincotery of other minerals befides eold,\of the nature and value of which the discoverers may bn ignorant, Mr Master*, mineral- assayer, < Yjtitta Reduction Work?, Grttnamsfownj authorises iw to sta'e that he will be prepared to test specimens forwarded to him gratuitously, and sfiord information an to the character and value of all such mineral specimens. TdOTWHT is that upon which the regular fortnightly- meeting of the Thames Borough Council is held. - ' Tfil Rev. Thomas Buddie, of Nelson, delivered a lecture ia tV>e Wesieyan Church, or«ham»t6wn, last evening, on "Courtship and Mtrmee," a sat-ject in which there is jnmh.that is attractive, to young folks especially,, !and the rev. lecturer made his discoarse at once amusing arid instructive. Mr 8. 'IB. '. Richards occupied the c^air. After dwVljing upon the importance of the question of marriage, Mr Buddie came to the point about which tbeie is much difference of opinion, namely, when ought people to mar»y." While not disappwmng early marriages, lie looked upon affections s a poor banker, a wretched ,purveyor, and an indifferent rentj ayer. Stttji he approved of the idea of young people fighting the upward battle of life. The lecturer warned his young hearers to beware of match-makers, whose tfforts were very often mitdirected. In order to secure troe huppiness in marriage there should be love, equality, of age and station, industry, frugality, sobriety and increasing esteem and affection for each other. The lecturer con* eluded a most interesting discourse by tendering #qme sound advice'to bis audience, in a marner earnest and eloquent. A vote of thanks having been accorded to the lecturer and chairman, the audience dispersed. A kbvbeb of the Shortland Fire Brigade had the misfortune yesterday to lose a silver whistle, used on duty. As to the owner this article ia of value, and can be of little use to anyone else, the finder would confer a benefit by returning the same to this office. It w»s remarked this morning in the reporter's box of the R.M. Court that a spider had woven his web over one of the ink bottles, completely covered it, in fact, with its complicated network. This is very f uggestire of the amount of use out of that bottle now.a-days. The Court has looked »ouldy enough for some time, and has had very much the appearance of the dusty, »lerpy old Chancery Court of " Bleak House." When this building was originally erected it was accounted a magnificent edifice; but • thoio time s having pone the ancient grandeur has Very projerly departed with them. ACOOBDI?fG to the Advertiser's report of Mr Buddies lecture en "Courtship and Marriage," the Maoris of. oPen times must. have been a learned race. It is said that letters used to be sent of this tenor, •« I have great love for you "VTouli it not be well lor you *o marry me f " The simplicity of sentiment'in this little bi'let deux is only excelled by the grandeur of the idea that, at such an *ra of Maori history, it could be expressed^— in writing. We were previou ly of opinion that the Maori ravage waß deficient in the matter of calegraphy and spilling. Ws an glad to inform our leaders that a Few Gentlemen's Clothing Establishment has opened in Pollen street, two doors from Mary itrtet, named the Thames Borougb^Clothing Mart.—Advt.

It will be seen elsewhtre that a man has been wounded while bathing at thesetllemeit by a snag. - This »houl i act as a caution to bathers generally, and be the means of inducing tl err to have more care for their own safety sake. It was suggested this morning— upon wh*t foundation wo are unable to say— that the Maori* had placed snags ia the water where Europeans are accustomed to bathe, with the object of preventing them. This is scarcely to be relied upon, however, and can have no authority but in the bra n of the originator. The moral of »he circumstanca therefore s simply that, bathers should exercise more care when trusting themselves beneath the surface of the water. "listbnee" writes -.—One of the Champions for 1875 went to s c the amateurs la t night, and after the musical interlude, turning to a Grahamstown resident, he said " I don't understand you English people at all. That last gentleman sang pretty well for an amateur, but the one previous could not sing a little bit, and still you applaud and induce him to sing again." " Just so," said the resident; "When a man makes an ass of himself down here, we always giro him a chance t» 'shine' again." Wjb are requested by the Ball Committee to state that it will materially contribute to the cons 'ort and success of the Ball on Monday night, if ladies who have received invitations will without delay intimate to any member of the Ball Committee whether they can or cannot be present. It will also prevent some confusion, and perhaps disappointment at the last moment, if gentlemen would procure their tickets at once, as only a limited number can be sold.

iK^this age of cant and shams, of falee sentiment and maudlin sympathies, it is satisfactory (remarks the Argus) occasionally to hear a gentleman in a public position give utterance to comments or opinions which have the old ring of genuine' ess and common sense about them. In our issue of Tuesday may be found an account of a Police Court case afc Woolwich, in England, the complainant being the father of a boy named Frederick Forster, and the defendant Mr Henry Harbour, head master of the London School Board Schools at Plumstead. It was alleged that the defendant took the boy " out of his . class, and caned him severely on the back, giving him 12 or 14 strokes," as a punishment for not doing some sums correctly. It was proved that the youth was perfectly able to accomplish his task — in fact, he admitted it himself — but on this particular occasion he was sullen and .obstinate, and had to be brought to his senses by a flogging. The magistrate at once dismissed the case, at the same time making what appears to us some very sensible remarks. He stated that he had granted the summons because he thought it better that the master should have an opportunity of publicly anpwering the charge, rather than that people should go whispering behind his back; but at the same time expressed an o in ion to the effect that no schoolmaster could keep a large number of . boys in order unless he were allowed to adaiinisur moderate pui isHment. His Worship, then went on to say, "In my joung days neither boys nor their parents were quie so sentimental a* they are no^r on th:s subject. I ffevar thought of complaining to soy father of punishment infinitely more than this boy has < received, and ir.flicted for far less causes. But now-a-dayn a schoolmaster or even a -parent has only to lift his hand up to correct a chi'rt, and there is a general outcry about it. Wbat it will all come to if bojs are not subjected to discipline Ido not know." We can inform the worihy magistrate. It will come to th:s — larrikinism in all its phases, neglect of every social propriety, disregard for the feelings of absence ot shame—rjn a word, utter and confirmed selfishness. In this colony it is no longer a matter of speculation. Unfortunately we know only too well, what the want of restraint in youth will lead to, and every day practical proof that sparing the rod not only epols the child, but also degrades youth and sullies manhood. ,