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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1931, 12 March 1875, Page 2

Some time ago, we I published from the Taranaki Herald, an account of an overland journey from Auckland to Taranaki, alleged to have been ma^e by three men in search pf work. On this -. subject the Taranaki News says :—Thwe three travellers, like the famoui "Southern Traveller " invented by our contemporary ih: former days, were very minute in their details, and gave most favorable accounts of l the dispoaitionOof iNatives and tble desire of those inhabiting Mokau to see the i port opened, as also of the amiable demeanour of Te Kooti, whom they met and conferred with. It seems, however, that these voyagers, like their predecessors, have no existence in fact, for we learn on the best authority that \ nopakehas have passed Mokau, the Natives of which place declare the whole story a string of falsehoods j and moreover, that Te Kooti has not been away from.Te Kuiti for many months. Has our contemporary been hoaxed, or was this Munchausen story manufactured in the editor's sanctum as " news " to satisfy some poor " devil " crying for more copee ?

■Wednesday next will be St. Patrick's day, and we hear of no preparations for duly celebrating that national, anniversary. The Hibernian Society have been for years the prime movers in celebrations for honoring the anniversary of Ireland's patron saint, but so far they have made no outward and visible sign. It can scarcely be conceived that the 17th March, 1875, will be allowed to come and go without some public demonstration on the Thames. In former years we have had i races, sports and other amnsements for the day, and always a ball in the evening; and it will not be creditable to the district, or to Irishmen if St. Patrick's Day thia year should be allowed to pass over without some celebration or other, however unpretentious.

„ , iHE'Eorbes Jimes relates that the following happened not a thousand miles from the Eorßes p6urfc;boufe. Two Justices were on the Bench, and a red-nosed feminine beauty mounted the witness-box to give evidence; the senior Magistrate looked at her and—sniffed. Turning to his judicial brotber, he obserred, •♦Don't you perceive atf odour of alcohol being wafted from the direction of the witness ? " " I do," replied his brother, t( perceive a very perceptible odour."" "Whereupon the senior JP., calling an officer of the Court, eaid," Constable, smell *he witness." Nothing lacking in the required obedience, the constable went and stood directly under the witness-box, and, lifting op his hirsute visage i to its occupant, said, " Brathe on me now," With a charming readiness to oblige, the frail creature leaned full in the face of the odder, and ejaculated a yery audible ph—ew. " Again," said the constable,' and again was the farce repeated. " Well," said the Bench to the man in blue, " do you observe anything ? " " Faith, thin, your worships, I can discern jist the tint of port wine on her j" and the case was proceeded with.

Amongst the passengers from Melbourne by the Alhambra was Mr J. C. Brown, M.H.R., who, it will be remembered, recently left Otago to visit and report on the Palmer gold-fields, to Eome extent in the interest of his Tuapeka constituent 3. Mr Brown speaks iii terms of high praise of the general char* ccter of the northern territory as a gold pro* ducing country, For eight or nine months of

the year, the climate is all that could be desired, but during the remainder only the strongest can escape disease. Of the New Zealand arrivals, fully one-half, ho Bay*, are attacked by fever, and of those attacked, fully one-half die. The gold .ia found in. Barrow rock-bound gullies, which, have apparently acted as natural slucies, and the diggicg resembles rather the "washing up from a ground eluce than ordinary alluvial Idigfging. Any now discovery m thus .quickly worked out, and Mr Brown says it is absurd of any one starting from New Zealand on the strength of some new discovery, because it. ia cure to be exhausted long before he can arrive. The population is about 10,000, and the only chance for a man to do is to hang about till a new gully is found* and then make the most of it. The extent of auriferous country is apparently very .great, but the Natives are troublesome and dangerous to prospectors.—Post. ■