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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1971, 29 April 1875, Page 2

A Pbovinciai, Government Gazette published on Tuesday last contains the proclamations delegating the Governor's powers under certain Acts to Sir George Grey, and the half-yearly statements of a number of goldmining companies.

In our report of the Waiotahi School Committee meeting on Tuesday, it was stated that Mr Moore's appointment to the Waiotahi school was confirmed. It should read, the Thames School.

THE^Thames Borough Council will hold its usual fortnightly meeting this evening. For some time past the the business of the Council has been very limited; now that the winter season approaches, however, the claims upon that body's consideration will be materially increased.

The Waiotahi District Board held a meeting last night, at which there were present, Messrs Brodie, Hill, and Cootes. Mr Brodie in the chair. The businesi was of a routine character. It was decided to form a road* 12 feet wide up the Moanatairi, as far as the Red White and Blue mine. Mr Comer, manager of the Moanatairi, promised 100 props toward the construction oi culverts. It was resolved to instruct the Eate collector to issue summonses against all defaulting ratepayers. The secretary was also instructed to direct the attention of the Mining Inspector to the flumes and culverts in the Waiotahi and Moanatairi, being at present in a bad state of repair. The Board received a message from Mr McFarland, who had been appointed to find a road to Tairua from the head of the Waiotahi, to the effect that he entertained confident expectations of success.

The License for the Waiomo battery has, we understand, been renewed, according to the requirements of the Act. There would seem to be every probability of the battery being in active work before long, its- stand being so near the scene of the. new find.

It would appear that the National Bank of New Zealand has entered into competition with the Bank of New Zealand for the purchase of gold. The Tairua Prospectors' parcel from their trial crushing was tendered for by the banks, and the National became the purchaser. The Cure gold was submitted in the same way, a clip being sent to the banks and a price asked. In this instance the National became the purchaser. The result of this competition will be, that miners or companies will get full value for their gold—possibly a little mere while the competition lasts.

The following tenders for the performance of mail services at the Thames for the year 1875 have been accepted:— Between Thames and Tararu, Thames and Hastings, T. Maguire,([£Bs; jBe- :- tween Grahamstown Wharf and vessels at Port of Thames, R. May, £52; Between Tramway Terminus, Grahamatown, and Tararu Wharf, Wm. Souter, £50. Henry McKay has been appointed Postmaster at Mackaytown, from the Ist instant. .■''.-'.'. • ■

The name of the gentleman who interviewed Sir George Grey yesterday with reference to a piece of land at Hikutaia was " Odium," not Adlam, as mentioned in our report.

A most remarkable case of a complete decimation of a family by that fell disease, diphtheria, has been related to us (Warrnambool Examiner) by Mr, John Russell, of WinslW. He informs us that within the last few days he has attended the funerals (at intervals).of six children, the entire family of Mr P. Murphy, of Winslow. The children's ages ranged from 13 to a baby at the breast, and they all died of diphtheria. Rarely has such a sad clearance been recorded. Diphtheria has been prevalent in Warrnambool, but there have not been many fatal cases.

It is stated (says the Geelong Advertiser) that " Sir C. G. Duffy, snugly lodged at Cannes, the paradise of Southern France, is engaged upon the writing of two books. The first is a! novel of Victorian life, after the manner of Disraeli's "Lothair." This work is all but finished, and advance copies of it will be in Melbourne, probably in two or three months. The second book is a historical review of the "Xoung Ireland; agitation, its origin, failure, and ultimate issues. Both books are of the nature of self-vindications —the first as to the writer's Australian career, the second as to his Irish career."

Thk colony of Victoria (says the Argus) is likely to get a very unenviable reputation all over the civilised world. When the members of the German expedition stopped here on their way to the Auckland Islands to observe the transit of Venus, they purchased, to take with them, a wooden house for £450, and furniture and utensils to the extent of some £500. They returned some few days since, bringing with them the house and furniture, for which they had no further use, and sold the lot for about £150. Before, however,*they were allowed to deliver them they had to deposit with the Customs authorities the sum of £25 to cover the duty said to be due on the sefjonJ-hand article*, which were originally purchased in the colony. We trust the Commissioner of Customs, who is ill, knew nothing of this contemptible transaction, and that as soon as.;Jie hear 3of it he will do his best to relieve the colony from the disgrace which has been cast mpon it.

A South Australian paper tells a story about a childless wife who had an 'accomplished pet magpie. "In an evil hour, however, it fled away, leaving her inconsolable for the loss of her favorite. A few weeks afterwards, the husband, who was transacting some business at a distance from his residence, overheard it in a cage making fruitless efforts to escape, and a nearer investigation revealed the lost bird. He at once claimed possession, which being disputed by the present owner, a compromise was affected by allowing the bird its freedom. Maggie, who was not slow in availing herself of her liberty, perched herself upon her old master's shoulder, and looking with all the disdain a bird is capable of upoM'the disputant/exclaimed, in a tone which would not have done discredit to a Billingsgate fish-fag, ' Who are you, you old fool ?' This being deemed conclusive evidence of the priority of ownership, the claim was relinquished, and the childless heart is again made jubilant."

The Dublin Irishman says the Home Rule members of Parliament propose to formally submit a demand for a repeal of the Act of Union, and on its rejection they will withdraw in a body from the Imperial Parliament.