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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2103, 30 September 1875, Page 2

We hare (Received from the Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand Gazette No. 52 and No. 17 Parliamentary Debates. Captain Pbasbb arrived in Auckland from Wellington yesterday. He purposes coming down in the Hauraki today, and to-morrow he will preside in the Resident Magistrate's Court for the disposal of the ciyil business.,

The Friendly Societies Delegates are requested to meet at the Hibernian Hall to-morrow ,evening at half-past seven .o'clock. " M. O'H.'s" letter on Father Paul and .non-payment of the Education rate is, crowded out. ' / The Enterprise steamer brought; :dowu the Thames portion of the Suez mail, to hand by the arrival of the Taup6. Letters and papers were delivered to-day. Our letter of " Home Gossip " is crowded out.

We learn that the annual flower show of the Hauraki Ladies Benevolent Society will take place dunng the first week in November. It is proposed this year to confine the show to fruit, flowers and vegetables—no entrance fee being charged for exhibits. Asa donation to this special effort, Mr M. J. Wilkes has, we understand, given 10s.

The Catholic School will be re-opened on Monday morning by Mr Hamill, late of Auck and. To the Catholic community of the Thames it must be a matter for congratulation that they have secured the services of an able and zealous master Mr Hamill was trailed under the Irish National Board of Education, and from that body obtained a first-class certificate. He brings with him the experience of upwards of 20 years in his profession to assist him in the discharge of his important trust. In Auckland he ranked as a most successful teacher, and his departuro from that city was very much regretted both by parents and pupils. The boys of St. Patrick's Select School, where he was last engaged, presented him with an address expressive of their esteem, accompanied by a writing desk as a souvenir of happy days amongst them. Although a Catholic he always received support from other denominations. May success attend his efforts in his new sphere of duty.

Bt an advertisement in another column it will be seen that the Parawai Gardens are to let, and that tenders will be received by the proprietor, Mr Spencer, up to Friday week. Any one who tenders will have the option of doing so either for the entire occupation of the pleasure grounds and strawberry gardens, or for either of these separately. Should a tender be rcade only for the strawberries the tenderer will have the right of selling them on the ground. Now that the cricket ground is nearly finished it is probable that visitors this year to the gardens will be considerable, and the gate money worth having.

- A cobrespondjent writes from Tairua as follows: —The Britannia struck good gold to-day (Wendesday) in the rise out of the tunnel. The Golden Arrow are about putting on hands again. There is ' very little thought of Tetley's track. Moreover what is wanted is a good road over which heavy goods can be carried with something like safety and despatch.

A coebespondent writes to us on the Ohinemuri Miners' Uights question, making assertions, and dragging in Mr A.dam Porter's name in connection with " certain Government officials." In justice to the parties indicated we decline to publish the letter unless substantiated with the name of the writer. The charges and assertions are altogether too vague in character.

A jovbnalist met recently with a strange pet when paying a visit. While he was talking he noticed something moving on the carpet, which was neither dog nor cat. On looking again he %aw that it was a fine lobster/ dark grey, spotted with red, and thought it must have escaped from the kitchen. The lady smiled and said, " I must tell you tbe history of my pet. Some months ago I bought a lobster, and as it was not wanted for dinner my cook left it in water in the kitchen. I was going to a ball that night, and being ready I sat down in an easy chair and fell asleep. Suddenly I sprang up from the sharp pain of a bite in my foot, and I saw the lobster biting it. I started up and ran to the kitchen. No one was there, and a sheet in front of the fire was in flames. It was soon extinguished, but I have kept the lobster ever since out of gratitude." It has its basin of cold water and seems to recognise its mistress, and it is so fond of music that it is always drawn toward the piano whenever she plays.

A tigress who lived in captivity at Lahore made her escape one day, and not unnaturally startled the station pretty considerably. At length the gardener in whose domain her cage was situated went to the proper authority, and begged to be ordered to take the runaway back. 1 Order you to talc c it back !' was the reply—' 1.l give you no such order—it would be ordering you to be killed.'— ' JSTot at all sir,' said the man. ' Only give me the order, and I will take the tigress back.' —'I'll give' you no such order, but you may do as you please/ was the rejoinder. Hereupon the man, taking off his turban, walked up to the creature, which was lying in a shrubbery which it had probably mistaken ibr a jungle, and after a courteous salutation, said to her,' In the name of the powerful British Government, I request you to go back to your cage.' At the same time he put his unfolded turban round'her neck and led her back. The poor fellow lost his life not long afterwards, while trying the same experiment on a bear, whose political principles were not equally good. •

A man named John Blake has been convicted of stealing copies of the Illustrated London News from the reading room of the Taranaki Institute and sentenced to three months'imprisonment. As stealiag papers is an offence common in places other than Taranaki, the thieves should take warning from this example.

The Bendigo Evening News reports that two m<3n were working in the Perfect Cure Company's mine, Crusoe Gully, a short time ago. One of them, the smaller, was working at the clack door of the pump, whigh is a ponsiderable height from the bottom of' the sliaft TJie stronger and more powerful rnanj who'is also an excellent cricketer, was also working in the shaft about twelve feet below his mate. The upper man was in the act of screwing a nut tight on a bolt connected with the pump, when the serewwrencli slipped; he fell back on his head, aud dropped down the shaft head fore-

most. The lower man, seeing his mate coming down, put out his hands and had just time to catch him by the fore part of the leg of his trousers below the knee, and held him suspended, head down, till assistance arrived, when he wa? brought .to the surface nothing the worse. The man's escape'may be attributed in a great measure to the fact of his mate being a good field, which sharpened the sight, gave him presence of mind, and a good catch.